IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIM  STRiST 

WnSTIR.N.Y.  14SM 

(716)I72-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/iCIVlH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inttituta  for  Historical  Microraproductions  /  institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  Inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographicaliy  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chacicad  baiow. 


□ 


Colourad  covers/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommag6a 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurAe  et/ou  pellicula 


I      I   Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I   Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ir.k  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I      I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
RaliA  avec  d'autras  documents 


ryj    Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 


D 


D 


along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  llure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 

distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAas 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  fiimtas. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  At*  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
da  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  .niques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithoda  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


r~~|   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagias 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^as  et/cu  pelliculAes 

I    ~y  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Uu    Pages  d^colories,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 

□Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ci^tachies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  inigale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  matarii 
Comprend  du  material  supplAmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


r~p\  Showthrough/ 

1^1  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I  Only  edition  available/ 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'e<rata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6x6  film^es  d  nouvesu  de  fapon  6 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  Item  is  filmed  at  tha  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

>/ 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


lire 

details 
j«s  du 
modifier 
|er  une 
filmage 


The  copy  filmed  here  haa  been  reproduced  thanica 
to  the  generoaity  of: 

Ralph  nekard  Ball  Library 

Mount  Allison  Univanity 


The  imagea  appearing  here  are  the  beat  quality 
poaaible  conaidering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  Iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  apecif icationa. 


L  jxemplaire  filmA  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g4n4roait4  de: 

Ralph  Piokard  Ml  Library 

Mount  Allbon  Univanity 


Lea  imagea  auivantea  ont  4tA  reproduitea  avac  le 
plua  grand  aoin.  compte  tenu  de  la  con'Jition  at 
de  la  nettetA  de  rexemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  lea  conditiona  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copiea  in  printed  paper  covera  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  laat  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatrated  imprea- 
aion,  or  the  bacic  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copiea  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
f  irat  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatrated  imprea- 
aion,  and  ending  on  the  laat  page  with  a  printed 
or  illuatrated  impreaaion. 


6es 


Lea  exemplairea  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papiar  eat  ImprimAe  aont  filmte  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  aoit  par  la 
darniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreaaion  ou  d'illuatration,  aoit  par  le  aecond 
plat,  aelon  le  caa.  Toua  lea  autrea  exemplairea 
originaux  aont  f  llmAa  en  commenpant  par  la 
pramlAra  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreaaion  ou  d'illuatration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  laat  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  aymboi  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  appliea. 


Un  dea  aymbolea  auivanta  apparaftra  aur  la 
darniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  aelon  le 
caa:  le  aymbole  -^  aignif le  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
aymbole  y  aignifie  "FIN". 


ire 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratioa.  Thoae  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framea  aa 
required.  The  following  diagrama  illuatrate  the 
method: 


Lea  cartaa,  planchea,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmto  A  dea  taux  de  reduction  diffirenta. 
Loraqua  la  document  eat  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  aeul  clich6,  il  eat  filmi  A  partir 
de  I'angle  aupArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  baa,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imagea  nAceaaaire.  Lea  diagrammea  auivanta 
llluatrent  la  mAthode. 


ty  errata 
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THE 


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LIFE  AND  WOEDS 

CHEIST. 


o 


CUNNINGHAM   GEIKIB    D.D. 


"  The  LIFE  was  the  Ughi  of  Men,"-^ohn  i,  4. 


IflBW    YORK: 
AMBBICAN    BOOK    BXCHAKaS, 

TbIBUVB     BuiLVXVGt 

1880. 


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tott.io.htkX   1 

...   .  c^,i>J,  YacH  :ShT   XI 


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(T  ■  :^r  T  71  ib;  d  -  iri  UmSM  W^  tjf  s 


,  MiaHCWKTaa 


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►^.l.«^j\oVrr-""..«i:^?L  "^y  ii'fvU  \iiU  ?,t>urA*S,U  ^isl 


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IV, 

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VL 

via 


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ac^oa.  Kj^a^iHaKA 


■  r--.r/ 


K~   Ku^-^i    i'L;! 


xxvn. 
xxvm. 


Td 


^cxxir.  oi 


fl*rt."j^ 


CONTENTS. 


uu-i;-; 


I. 

IL 
UL 
IV. 

V. 

VIL 

vm. 

IX. 

XL 

xn. 

XIV. 
XV. 

xyi. 

xyii. 

xvin. 

iax. 

XX. 
XXI. 

xxn. 
xxm. 
xxrv. 

XXV. 
XXVI. 

xxvn. 

XXVlli. 

XXIX. 

XXX. 

XXXI. 

xxxn. 


»f  f^*f««»r 


>•*••««•  •«•,'• « 


i*  •>.•  •  •  f  ^f  (i^*  • 


I  •  •  '#  •  tf  f  •>'»•'•< 


iMTRODUOVOaT 

"tBB  Holt  Land 

PAI^STIKB  AT  TBB  THIS  OV  ChBUT 

Thb  Rbion  or  HmoD , . ., 

Thb  Jbwish  Wobld  at  thb  Tnn  of  Chrurt. . . . ... «f«.. . . . . 

Tbs  Raibis  at  thb  Tim  or  Cbbist,  and  vsaxa.  Iobas  bb- 

BPBCTDfO  THB  MbBBIAH ..<.^., ....f,.,.. 

Bi&TH  or  John  tbb  Baptist .....,.,.. 

Thb  Amnocmcbmbnt  toMabt.. ••-•>,•••! 

Thb  Bibth  or  Cbbist........ 

At  Bbthlbhbm... — ......,..^. 

Thb  Magi. — . »,.»,.,.... ,,..i;. 

Nababbth,  akd  thb  Eablt  Days  or  Jbsds.  ..,,t'..4.;tt»>'ff ;<>•)• 

Social  iNriiUBNCBs 

Thb  Passovkb  Visit  to  Jercsalbm 

Early  Ybabs 

LiFB  VNDEB  THB  LAW........ .»... 

Jyi>BA  UNDER  ABOBBLACS  4||n»  |U>MB- ............. 

Thb  Roman  Pboovrators. 

HSROO  ANTIPAS  and  ChRIST^S  own  CotfNTRY 

Thb  Oalilaans  and  thb  Border  Lands 

Before  the  Dawn 

ThIb  Kinooom  of  Heaven  is  at  Hand 

Thb  Voice  in  the  Wilderness 

Thb  New  Prophet  in  the  Wilderness 

Thb  Baptism  of  Jesus  and  thb  Death  of  John. 

The  Temptation 

The  Return  from  thb  Wilderness 

Tte  Openino  of  Christ's  Pubuc  Ministry.  ..... 

Visit  to  Jerusalem 

From  JerusaleIi  to  Samaria 

Openino  of  the  Ministry  in  Qaulbb 


KkOBS 

1-10 
11-17 

45-51 

6»-8B 
fi»-78 
79-60 
80-88 

8B-oe 

:  M-lOO 
1S»-1» 
19^180 
180-149 
140-100 
161—160 
170-180 
181-198 
108-^907 
206-315 
S16-2S6 
296-948 
242-957 
268-269 
2?a-«84 
284-808 
802-814 
815-888 
829-848 
844-865 
850-878 
878-888 


/^3'7/75n 


CONTENTS.  VI 

CHApmi  pAon 

XXXTTT.  CiPEBHAiTM 388—898 

XZXIV.  Light  and  Darknum 894—409 

XXXV.  Tbc  Choicb  or  tbii  Twslvb,  and  tbb  Sermon  on  the  Moitnt.  410— 42S 

XXXVL  ThbSkbmon  on  the  Mount  (conftfnued) 428-48S 

XXXVn.  ThsSbbmon  on  the  Mount  (concluded) 488—445 

XXXVin.  Open  Confuot 445—458 

XXXTX.  Galilee ......:.. 458—467 

XL;  Darksnino  Shadows— Life  in  Galilee 467—477 

XLI.  The  Bursting  or  the  Storm 478—480 

XTiTT.  After  the  Storm ...V.....  489-501 

XLTTT.  Dark  AND  Bright 501—515 

.    XLTV.  The  Turn  of  the  Day 51&— 681 

XLV.  The  Coasts  or  the  Heathen * 58S— 544 

XLVL  In  Flight  once  more . . . . . . . ... .. .  544—556 

XLVn.  Thr  Transkguration ........;.!,...,....ij^-567 

XLVm.  BsroRE  THE  Feaot :t.::.!...;;.;:^...r.V...i^*vd/:.vV..i..  667-^578 

XLIX  At  the  Feast  or  Taiwrnacles......... .'....i'.:f..1:.'...  678-580 

^  L.  After  THE  Feast. ....^;;.:;;..:i.I!;.'.:;^;;..V.'...'591-509 

LI.  Thr last  3«oN*ra  OF  THE  YBAB:..!V.v.iv^i^..^^.h:**.;^.^i;U.;  600-611 
Ln.  A  Wandering  Life.. ....;..;..;........ 611-684 

liilinperba... ...,.v:,/..;%.;n^;,;^v.^.^^:;^^?r^^ 

LTV.  In Pbrba  (oonMnti«d) '.'. i'i .; •; . . . .'.^.'i i . .tv* ':. .i* .■/».; . .  641—650 

LV.  Palm  Sunday ;.. ,;v.. \^^l^?.?^i^>i I :V^1:^^-;V..  669-675 

LVI.  Jerusalem.... ...;i;^:..:;V...:..  (675-687 

LVn.  Thb Interval .....r.iJt...... 667—708 

vtVin.  Farewell  TO FRitoiDs.; ;...V;'V.;!;!...'jr.*..;»l;;..;>.^..  7«B--718 

LX  The  Arrest.,  i.: ;....r.....;....i..'.i "S^K— 745 

liXI.  The  Jewish  Trial ;ViV^.S:i .J'v^;^:..;',  I..  7*6-756 

LXn.  Before  Pilate ;.'. . . .  V. . .'..,_  t68— 778 

LXni.  Judas— The  Orucifizion .'.*.•.. *i . . .    ........... .. .774^791 

''  LXtV.  The  Rbsurreotion  and  the  Forty  Days .4'^  .'i . . .  .798-413 


v;C 


I  .  - 


■rW^^-      <•. 


•■  l"'  - 


,*•.--> 


,4        ..;... 


Me 


W14. 

BarfUff 
^saisni 
Bartn^. 

bS^ 

-.Brat 
■naup's  (I 

Bret's  k 

p,*^'8,  ll 

**unsen  (i 

•ouxtorf 's 

^Basileml 
Buxtorf'sa 
1680. 

Cwnpbell 
Gospels.  I 

pjinleim 

<^ohen's  Ur 

H-  JfldiscJ 


1858. 


Wa 


'(^H 


>? 


''■'^W..fe;■. 


"li  ifmM 


MST  QF  AUTHOEItlEs. 


*^#utr^ouia  sChristianity.  8vo   isw»       ^^^'^W^^s  Durch irr«k«M.  ** 


Ac.    I  voji    T?®5'^  *°d  «» Jew 

^^iff,  1844.  "^^^•^^"meiilese,  Xeip. 
j^e  cle  N.  s.  Jesus  ChdT  Paris' 


Bma<^,m   ""'"^"o'm.     Polio.  I 

5«»«'«S.»a8o«aJuaa.<».  ^^_   i  ^'^«,,1^  Go^j  History.    ^,„. 

*^'S"  ^»-,a>  «■«  Foot  (  S"    °"°"     "^  ^""-^     '-«'™. 
Cohens  H&S.h"5S?J«*  .  I      tjf.?^*"??"?     EnWeckt«    j„d«. 

r.irii. 

"^  Lectupea 


<^g- Wanderer  i„8,-H^  LS«d»' ^l^raSJ^SS 

•  !  ^S.'^^ototiona    a  vol.,.   londo.^ 


Till 


LIOT  OP  AUTHORITISa 


Vols.    1  to  «. 
OOttixagen, 


Swftld*fi  Gtoachiobte 

Oflttingen,  1864. 
B^nwU'B    AlterUkttmer. 

1800. 
Kwald^s  Die  Dref  Ereten  Erongellen. 

8?ota.   CWmpgeo,  WCMB.       '    _ 
EuMbiu8»  Eccies.  Hut.    tiondon,  1867. 

VUnv's -Life  of  Christ   8  vols.    Lon* 

aon,  1874. 
VrUncWB^UM  Apoo.    Yet.  Test 

Onece.    UpsiaB,  1871. 
Fturer's'Waiiderungeii  durch  Palftstl- 

na.   Zttrich/1866. 
FttrstyH^briMsehcB  9«ndw0rt«biichi 

8  vols.    Leipzig,  1868,    . . ;    ,„ 
j'iivy-'     ■•  .     ■  d'.,i'.>ui:..iM: 

Gesenins,  Thesaurus  Linga»  "EMxinud 

Ofrflrer's  Das  JahrikuttStorTd.  Hell?. 

StttttgaMlt  1888. 
Gleseler's  Eiocles.  HIM017;'   8'  Tdls. 

Edinburgii,  1846; 
€lod«t%GH;.>LalEe;  >  f  vokk  Bdiaburgh, 

1876i    '  . 

Ctodwyii^rf  Aatdn  and  Moses.    LMidoa, 

1667. 
Greswell's     Harmonia     Evangelica. 

(htitii  AmsotationeSb    Londini,  tiSlt.~ 
(IMSkeam^jGnak  Teatemeat.    He- 
bndsito  Edition,  8.  Matthew.  Gam- 
,ljridge»18K6^      .      i 

H)Meabaeb'sB%«heitt»8ohichte.  Tol. 

1.    Leipiig,  1861.  ^ 
Banna'MDrj)  Life  of  Our  Lord;   4 

vols.    EiiliiAmnh,  1888.     " 
Harteaubm's  tM^bva!  J^so.  Stuttgart, 
.'•^18881      .!'3;^<'  tnu,     ■■■••a    ;•■;,—:■ 
Ha^'s  Leben  Jesu.    LeQpMg,  1865. 
^i^^Mralik^NQUtestameSuSh&Zkmg^ 

schichte.  YoliLlaiidSiTBeidMlKcra^, 

Border's   Qeist  dei  <CJhristenthuins. 

Herzog'a  Real-Encyklopttdlei'  fgtvbta. 

Ootba,  1866. 
Hess'  (J.  J.)  Leben  Jesu.    8  vols.    Zli- 

rich,1778. 
Hess'  (M.)  Kom  uiid  Jierasaleln.    Leip- 

sdg,  jsea.       - 
Hilgenf eld's  Die  JilOischer  Apbkalrp- 
JiBMi;i857.  .  :■. 

teKPs     -MOssias.    Judarartim. 
3,1869. 
Hofmann's  Leben  Jesu  nach  d.  Apok- 

BUrwitx»  Heimano,  Baioa  df^Etniler. 
Oet^ngen,  lbj8,  v^^,  ^i:.uni^. 


Hutton  (&  H.\  Essays  Theologloal 
andUteraiy.   8  vols.    London,  1881. 

Irving  (Edward),  John  the  Baptist. 

liondon,  1864. 
Irving  (Eowaid),  Our  Lord's  Tempta* 

tion.    London,  1864. 

Jaoox,  Beoular  AmidtationB  on  Script' 

ure  Texts.    London,  1876. 
Jost's  Qeschichte  des  Judenthums. 

Leipdg,  1867. 
Joseimus,    Opera    Omnia   (Bekker;; 

Leipzig,  18S6. 
Jbsej^tus,  Whistoa's  TtansIaiiicMi.  ^ .  ti 

KS^  Ws  Jesu  von  Nazara.   8  vols.    2tl^ 

rich,  1867. 
Keim's  C^eschichto  Christiis.   ZQtlch; 

lotto's  €hrctop(ediaocranb>ncal  L%^ 
ture.    Snl  edition.  ^^Bmnbunrh,  1860. 

K^MiMwrs  SovumTest.  Libri  mfniM* 
8  vols.    London,  I88tfc,<        ,)     1  .1 

Kurzgefasstes  Exeg.  Handbnich  cum 
Alton  Test.  17  v^  Leipzig,  1841^ 
1864.       .■••  .      ■    '■:[>-, 

I^bpge'a  life  ptCbxMj  ^  yolii  "j^jlbv 
■^•bifiirl^'1804;';^'^^^'     ,  ,^   • 

Lknge's  Konoimentietr-^MatiSUUis,  Mar' 

kus,  Johanna.  .  Bielefeld,  i860: 
LSiigen's  Judentbiimin  YaiSi^m^  Jtc, 

LigWo^^HoiiB' H^fttidte.   4 'vtOa. 

OacfordJMd;  ^  ^     1, 

Liicke's  E^mniiMtairtl.  d.  Sefat^Eten 

Ji^iannis.    Bonn,  I88p. 
Luthardt'a  Ditui  Joba^^iscfa^  |^7thg«• 

Hum.    ISNlhrtierg,  mi.       ^  ^^ 
Luthaodt's  Fuwuunental  •  Tru^  et 

Chrillanity.    Edihbtui^.  I860; 
Ljncfa's  ExplMUtion  of  the  i;|^6¥dan 

and  Dead  S^a.    FhUadelphia,  ntfO. 

..11 

McCleUan's  New  ^e^niept  London, 

187S. 
Martiin^au's  (Harriet)  ,  Eastern  Life, 

Present  and  Fast  >  Lond(n»rl^n 
Martensen^s  Christian  Ethics.  JSoin-' 

MaundreU's  Jdnfn^,    LonidfoiiC'  i$0^ 
MelvtU's(H,)  Sermons.    0  vols.    lion* 

don.  ,      ■   'i .  i 

M^vale's  Gpn^rsiicfn  of  tl^e.  I^iOB^^ 

]lS5^(^^$!'^fe^f^^  in'  ihe 
.^fneofjpltf^:  Bih.  Saefa.   M^ 
■   y*r»  XJ«S,-,  W4,     '    ,,.,  • "  .  ,   ,  ',: 
Meyer's  Kommentar  il.  d.  Sew;.T^ 
Ciattingeh,  1858,r   iy,^y^,^^  .<^j  ,q;jf^ .  . 


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I  mom 

Ifean 

Newn 
-,Lon 
Nork'i 

Nork's 

-,  bud 

Nugen 

Bacn 

vosten 
v^^eiej 

I*^iii 
Palestiii 

^^ 

PauJus, 
8  vols. 


^Jfe,  at 

^^overy 
^V'^don, 
•nejand's  i 

ins. 

•Kenaii__y| 

beajest 
"obeitson* 
London, 


/ 


?s  in  SyJ 

^obinson'sl 
Jfew  Te 

^J>inson'8 
OospeJs. 


IiIBT  9F  AUTHOBITIBA 


ptist. 

jorlpt* 
Bkker). 


ill' 


oixdon. 


Iion( 


etn 


__  life, 

vols*    ^^ 
Bira. 


I 


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tl^f  of  AtTHORlTIESJ 


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€totha»186e. 


w»f  ■■• 

■pt/i^. 

.mitOani. 

4'' 

}M't 


■■■.  ■        ■^v^it:';'^' 

-  .        ■  -     :  rSA 

t^ii4.     ;a..iJ-ii    .,4fei?'  ■ 


Von  der  Ahn*s  tJrtheile  heldnlscher  n. 
jad  SchrifteteUer  11.  Jesus.  Lelp< 
zig,18M. 


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Test,  Jlxqls.    London,  ISBISi. 
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Jesu,  Ac.    Oo(i|ia.l8M. 
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pels.    London,  1860. 
WVBseler'aJBeMrl9».    GottMKl88a    >^> 
Wieseler's   Chronologische    Sjrnopse. 

Hamimiw^  IMt^  ^ 

Williams'  Commentarr  on  the  Ooep^L 

Narratfve.    6to1s.   London,  i860.   ^ 
Winer'ft  RealvOFtertiuoh.    U  yohb    i$ 

Auf.    Leipxig.    No  date. 
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Uchen  Sprachldloms.   Siebenfe  Auf ^^ 


Zunz,  Die  GottesdientsUchen  Yortriigii 
d«rJuden,&c.BerltA,  18821       ^' 


■bhow 


:•>*? 


♦i^i-i 


■  7*^  f 


>'  ;  ♦  i  -  ■" 


No  a] 
totih 

anewl 

The, 

a  grei,\ 

each  g^ 

death,] 

huinaiilj 

ezterna] 
dowiy  o 
and,  thu 
flnned  t 

God  and 

^e  veaec 

sense,  to 

dom  to 

created  J 

private,  c 

prompt  fli 

tinually  d( 

itself  antic 

To  the 
lieve  in  TT 
with  God. 

beneficence 
thantorecc 

^<^wn  at  its 
ord  of  His 


w^w- 


I«  V 


•hth  -iNhi 


'"^  i;--«?-.i(*/.i 


K  E  P  A  C  E 


i»  I  if(  / 


SHi^'M^  «■«.  been  iK^J'eSt'Ct' •«^'«' 
and  «»„!     ;  ''^  ^  One  ConuDLon  i^thmw.?!!    ^  "*®  in««nttc«iit 


xii 


PREFACE. 


To  write  the  story  of  such  a  life  is  no  easy  taslc,  but  it  is  one 
beyond  all  others  important  for  the  best  interests  of  the  age.  It  is 
impossible  to  describe  the  infinite  dignity  of  His  person,  but  His 
words  and  acts  are  His  legacy  to  us,  which  it  is  vital  to  study  and 

I  have  tried  in  this  book  to  restore,  as  far  as  I  could,  the  world  in 
which  Jesus  movcdr;-  the  eounti'y  m-  which  He  lived;  the  people 
among  whom  He  gtew  up  and  ministered;  the  religion  in  which  Hb 
was  trained;  the  Temple  services  in  which  He  took  part;  the  ecclesi- 
astical,  civil,  and  social  aspects  of  His  time;  the  parties  of  the  day, 
their  opinions  and  their  sphit;  the  cuistoms  that  ruled;  the  hifluences 
that  prevailed ;  the  events,  social,  reli^ous,  and  political,  not  men* 
jtioned  in  the  Gtospels,  that  foi^^^tj^^  ^is|ory;  oJf  Pis  lifdjmg, Jp  far 
"^as.they  can-be  recovered.  '     -i^'^^'l .^^  t;]li'S;^;ri'i';:f^5^>',^'.:^A5  t,^i.. - 

In'  tMs  jpicturei^He,  Hiitii^lf,  is,  of  course,  the  central  ^gure,  to 
%hidi  an  details  ar^' subordinate.  I  have  tried  to' present  Hi^  adts 
JliKt  wotds  a*  fhejr  would  strike  those  who  first  saw  ot  heard  th^iii, 
«nd  fiiive  addea  only  as  much  elucidation'  to  the  latter  as  seemed 
:iieedie4.  All  His  (Saying?  and  Discoui*ses  ore  given  infiill,  fOr  a  Life 
^^  wMbh  Be  is  not  Hi*  o^n  intfeirptetei^,  miist  be^ dcf|Ctivb.  *-,/'.■': 
*  Kb  one  tan  feel  more  keenly  than  myself  how  open  stic'h  at^oi^k 
must  b^  to  criticism.  Where  the  best  and  wisest  have  differed,  I 
«otiIdiiot«xpect  that  «ill' will  agree  iHth  me,  and  Ibannot  hope  to 
Imve  escaped  oversights,  or  even  ertors,'in  ti^ating  a  sM)jects6  ex- 
tensive. I  (»n  only  i^ead  my  honest  desire  for  truth  a^  ^priect^i^, 
Jn  mitigation  of  judgment."  t'l^  ^^Tj' ^v:v^ 

-m  t  trust,  howevef ,  that  thy  book,  as  a  whole,  presents '  a  Reliable 
i^|>icture  of  the  Life  of  Our  lord  in  the  midst  of '  the  world  in  \^hich 
He  moved,  and  that  it  will  throw  light  on  the  narratives  in  the 
i'Gospefe,  by  filling  up  Iheir  brief  outlines,  where  podiible. 

For  the  various  sources  to  which  I  have  been  indebted  I  must  only 
refer  to  the  books  named  in  the  list  of  authorities  at  the  beiginning. 
I  have  used  them  freely,  but  always,  so  far  as  I  know,  with  due 
Acknowledgment. 

^  /  And,  now,  g&  forth.  My  Book,  and  ifitily  Re  whode  houow  thou 
^iMikeit,  blew  thee,  and  thy  Unknotm  Rcaderi         ;     ^       • 


ever  n 

onqe  I 

taugUt 

Masfh 

confosa 

Gospels 

differed 

whethel 

ihdilfer. 

We  I 

after  pa 

iaany.«L 

«nd  Mil 

show  th 

•^ean  Pa 

TTlio,  boi 

turned  t 
J?e  ag*s. 
ivaiit  and 


-•  *     V  .-w^ 


I  eateer 

jor  there 

iimity,  p, 

dud  as'^D 

Howpb 

fays  Rou« 

iv^ga  at  on 

m  whoso 

wiero  anytl 


is  on© 
It  ift 
at  His. 
dy  9Ji^ 

Kox\6.  in 
people 

hicli  He 
3  ecclesi- 

the  day, 
Dfluencea 

not  men- 


*n(>     ■., 


It  HI&  «^a 
5ard  tli^tn. 
us  seemed 


..ttr. 


IdlfEeied,  I 
)t  hope  V> 
kject  sb  cx- 
[prrectness, 

ft  WnaWe 

in  ^hlcli 

P^g  in  the 

»*    '..  ■  ■ 
tniist  only 
[beginning. 
I;  with  due 

lotit-tJion 


/-TJIHiaiO    cafD/i 


Ujf   7.J>  ,V '.-./ii^j  i     V,  .'i.}'."  ■-^•♦ijjf.i., 


.^•fii 


, ,  1HE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


mm  ! 


r{i -ff CHAPTER  I. 

XNTRODUOTORY, 


'»;• 


hri|i^«ilTt?H'MHf 


•v:r 


;  ^    V  -^ 


Tm  life  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  Is  to  be  told  in  these  iMiges,  inusi 
eyer  remain  the  noblest  aud  most  fruitful  study  for  all  mea^  of  every 
age«  It  !•' admitted,  even  by  those  of  other  faiths,  that  Uewas  at 
0SQ8  a  <£^eat  Teacher,  and  a  livipgillustratiQu  of  th^  tnitlis,  Ho 
taught  xhe  Mohauunedan  world  give  Him  the  high  titl^  of  t^e 
Masth  (Messiah),  and  set  Him  above  all  the  prophets;  The  Jews 
confess  admiration  of  His  character  and  words^  as  exhibited  in  the 
Gospels.  Nor  is  there,  any  hesitation  among  the  great  intelleots  of 
different  ages,  whatever  their  epecia)  position  towards  Christianity; 
whether  its  humble  disciples,  or  openly  opposed  to  it,  or  carelessly 
ihdifferent,  or  vaguely  latitudinarian. 

We  idl  Icnow  how  lowly  a  reverence  is  paid  to  Hlm^in  pasiM^ 
after  passage  br  Bhakspere,  the  greatest  intellect  known^  in  its  tviote* 
many-sidod  splendour.  Men  like  Galileo,  Kepler,  Bacon,  Kpiwtcm, 
Hnd  Milton,  set  the  name  of  jesus  Christ  above  every  other.  To 
show  that  no  other  subject  of  study  can  claim  an  equal  interest, 
Jean  Paul  Richter  tells  us  that  "the  life  of  Qtrist  concern*  Him 
who,  being  the  holiest  among  the  mighty,  the  mightiest  among  the 
holy,  lifted  with  His  pierced  hand  empires  olf  their  hinges^,  and 
turned  the  stream  of  centuries  out  of  its  channel,  and  still  govisrhs 
the  ages."  Spinoza  cillls  Christ  the  symbol  of  divine  wisdom i 
Kant  and  Jaoobi  hold  Him  up  as  the  s^bol  of  ideal  perfection,  ana 
Rebelling  and  Ilcgel  as  tliat  of  the  union  of  the  divine  and  human. 
"I  esteem  tho  Gospels^"  says  Goethe,  "to  be  thoroughly  genuine, 
lor  there  shines  forth  from  them  the  reflected  splendour  of  asul)r 
limity,  proceeding  from  the  person  of  Jesus  Chnst,  of  so  divhie  a' 
kind  as  only  tho  divine  could  ever  have  manifested  upon  earth;" 
"How  p^tty  are  tho  bool^  of  the  philosophers,  with  all  their  pomp," 
says  Rousseau,  "  compared  with  the  Gospels  I  Con  it  be  that  writ* 
iugs  at  once  so  sublime  and  so  simple  afb  the  work  of  men?  Can 
lie  whose  life  they  toll  be  Himself  no  more  than  a  mere  man?  Is 
there  anything,  inllischarcctcr,  of  the  cnthu'lact  or  the  ambitioui 


2  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

sectary?  What  sweetness,  what  purity  in  His  ways,  what  touching 
grace  in  His  teachings!  What  a  loftiness  in  His  maxims,  what  pro- 
found wisdom  in  His  words  1  What  presence  of  mind,  what  deli- 
(;acy  and  aptness  in  His  replies  I  What  an  empire  over  His  passions? 
Where  is  the  man,  where  is  the  sage,  who  knows  how  to  act;  to 
suffer,  and  to  die  without  weakness  and  without  display?  My  friend, 
men  do  not  invent  like  this;  and  the  facts  respecting  Socrates, 
which  no  o^errdor«tt|jtBj- ar^  not-fSpwell- attfstied^s  tho«d^beUit  Jesus 
Christ.  *^  These^tFewfit  could  never  have  stniek  this  tone,  or  thought  of 
this  moralit^r,  and  the  Gospel  has  characteristics  of  truthfulness  so 
grandt  so  striking,  so  perfectly  inimitable,  that  their  inventors  would 
be  even  more  wonderful  than  He  .whom  they  portray."  "Yes,  if 
the  death  of  Socrates  be  that  of  a  sage-,  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus 
are  those  of  a  God." 

Thomas  Carlyle  repeatedly  expresses  a  similar  revefence.  "Jesus 
of  Nazareth,"  says  h&,  * '  our  divinest  symbol  I  Higher  baa  .  tihe 
hum&n  thought  '■  not  yet  reached. "  "A  symbol  of  quite  perennial, » 
infinite  diaraiCter,  whose  significance  will  ever  demand  to  be  anew, 
inquired  intoy  and  anew  made  manifestj"  Dr.  Ohaniilng,o$> Boston, 
the  foremost  man  in  his  day  among  American  Unitarians,  is  equall^^^ 
marked  iA  his  words.  ** The  character  of  Jesus,"  says^e,  "is 
wholly  inexplicable  on  human  prindples.'*  Matthias  Claudius,  one 
oiP  the  peopIe^s  poets  of  Germany^  last  century  wiites  to  a  friend, 
"No  one  ever  thus  loved  [as  Christ  did],  norrdid  anything  so  truly 
t'jreat  and  good  as  the  Bible  tells  us  of  Him  ever  enter;  iinto  the  heart 
of  man.  It  is  a  holy  form,  which  rises  before  the  poor  pilgrim  Uketk 
&tar  in  the  night,  and  satisfies  his  innermost  craving,  his  most  secret 
ycaiinings  and  hopes."  ^*  Jesus  Christ,"  says  the  exquisite  genius. 
Herder,  "is  in  the  noblest,  and  most  perfect  sense*  the .  xeii^ea  i|^e^ 

of  humanity.  f*^^'«".'.'^«'ti  f  1--     ^-Vul    ■    <>:  vr,  -tu-    Vtt  ;vi>ji  -*>;  ^-r;    ifU  m^  V/ 

.No  one  wiU  accuse-  the  first  Napoleon  of  being  either  a  pietist  or 
weak-minded.  He  strode  the  world  in  his  day  like  a  Colossus,  a  man 
of  gigantic  intellect,  however  worthless  and  depraved  in  moral  sense. 
Conversing'one  day,  at  St.  Helena,  as  his  custom  was,  about  the 
great  men  of  antiquity,  and  comparing  himself  with  them,  Jie  sud- 
denly turned  round  to  one  of  his  suite  and  asked  him>  "  Can  you  tell 
me  who  Jesus  Christ  was?"  The  officer  owned  that  he  had  not  yet 
t liken  much  thought  of  such,  things.  "Well,  ttien,"  said.  Napoleon, 
"Iwill  tell  you."  He  then  compared  Christ  with  himself,  and  with 
the  heroes  of  antiquity,  and  showed  how  Jesus  far  surpassed  them. 
"  I  thii^  I  understand  somewhat  of  human  nature^"  he  continued, 
"and  I  tell  you  all  these  were  men,  and  I  am  a  man,  but  not  one  is 
like  Him;  Jesus  Christ  was  more  than  man.  Alexander,  CcBSar, 
Charlemagne,  aiid  myself  founded  great  empires;  but  upon ;What, did 
the  conations  of  our  genius  depend?  Upon  force.  Jesus  alone 
founded  His  empire  upon  love,  aiid  to  tiiis  very  day  mUHons  would 
die  for  Him."    "  The  Gospel  is  no  mere  book,"  said  he  at  another 


tin 

all 

ftoi 

•  ivitJ 

Gos 

ifst 

Jesu 

— th( 

cpna 

Men 

^vho 

Hlms 

hunaa 

nm 

indefi] 
Am 
anint< 
fearJes 
sentezu 
latido, 
thatthi 
Ghrist;,i 
thkn  rth 
which! 
and  inc 
justly  rj 
Christ  i] 
from  Hi 
mightily 
ot  acted, 
Nor  is 
acknowl 
have  bee 
army  of 
the  foun 
teristic  oj 
tion  tells] 
lips,  "Ni 
carp, — au 

answered! 
"Eighty 

^ng;  aJ 
"»VearIy  se^ 

^nfessor 
share  in  tt 
of  high  cj 
pied  only 


II 


THE  LIFC  or  CIIlilST. , 


pro-] 
Dust) 

t;  to 

lend, 
•ates, 

j€8U8 

jhtot 

JSS  80 

jvould 
:e8,  li 

'Jesus 
aa  <^^ 

Boston* 
equattjr 

liu8,  one 
L,fwnd> 
so  truly 
e  besit 

gt  secret 

rniua. 


time,  "  "but  a  living  creature,  with  a  vlrjour,  a  power,  which  conquers 
all'  that  opiwses  it.  Here  lies  the  Book  of  iJooka  upon  the  table 
[touching  It  reverently];  I  do  not  tire  of  reading  it,  and  do  (Bo  daily 
with  equal .  pleasure.  The  soul,  charmed  with  the  beauty  of  the 
Gospel,  m'  no  longer  its  own:  €k>d  possesses  it  entirely:  He  direct-i 
its  thoughts  and  raculties  ;  it  is  His.  What  a  proof  of  the  divinity  6t 
Jesus  Christ  1  Yet  iii  this  absolute  sovereimaty  He  has  but  one  aim 
—the  spiritual  perfection  of  the  individual,  the  purification  of  hia 
conscience,  his  miion  with  what  is  tn»^  the  salvation  of  his  sotd. 
Hen  wonder  at  the  conquests  of  Alexander,  but  here  is  a  conqueror 
Who  draws  men  to  Himself  for  their  highest  good;^  who  umtes  to- 
Himself,  incorpomtes  into  Himsoll  not  a  nation,  but  the  wholb 
human  racer  i 

I  mi^ht 'multiply  such  testimonies  from  men  of  all  ages  ana  classes, 
indefinitely;  let  me  give  only  one  or  two  more.         '  • 

Atnong  all  the  Biblical  critics  of  Germany,  no  one  has  risen  With 
an  intellect  more  piercing,  a  learning  more  vost^  and  a  freedom  and 
fearlessness  more  unquestioned,  than  Do  Y/ettc.  Yet,  listen  to  a 
sentence  from  the  preface  to  his  Oommentanr  on  the  Book  of  Reve^ 
latidn,  publi^ed  Just  before  his  death,  in  1840:  \*  This  only  I  know, 
that  there  is  salvation  in  no  other  name  than  in  the  name  of  JesuB 
OhriM,  the  Ctueified,  and  that  nothing  loftier  oUcrs  itself  to  humanity 
thhn  i;he  God-numhood  realized  in  llim,  and  tlie  kingdom  of  God 
which  He  founded— an  idea  and  problem  not  yet  rightly  understood 
and  incbiT)orated  into  the  life,  even  of  those  who,  m  othei  respects, 
justly  rank  as 'the  most  zealous  and  the  warmest  Christians !  IV^ere 
Christ  in  deed  and  in  truth  our  Life,  how  could  such  a  falling  away 
from  Him  be^ossible?  Those  in  whom  He  lived  would  witness  so 
lor  Him,  throughr  their  whole  life,  wliether  spoken,  written. 


mil 


ot  acted,  that  unbelief  would  be  forced  to  silence,  y  '  <  ;^i» 

Nor  is  the  incidental  testimony  to  Christ  of  those  who  have  openly 
acknowledged  their  supreme  devotion  to  Him  less  striking.  There 
have  been  martyrs  to  mwiy  creeds,)  but  what  religioa  ever  saw  an 
army  of  martyrs  willingly  dying:  for  the  personal  love  they  bore  to 
the  founder  of  their  faith  ?  Yet  this  has  always  been  the  charac- 
teristic of  the  martyrs  of  Christianity,  from  the  days  when,  as  tradi- 
tion tells  us,  Peter  was  led  to  crucifixion  with  the  words  ever  on  his 
lips,  "None  but  Christ,  none  but  Christ,"  or  When  the  aged  Poly- 
carp, — about  to  be  burned  alive  in  the  amphitheatre  at  8myma, — 
answered  the  governor,  who  sought  to  make  him  revile  Christ — 
"Eighty  and  six  years  have  I  served  Him,  and  He  never  did  me 
wrong;  and  how  can  I  now  blaspheme  my  King  who  has  saved  me?" 
Nearly  seventeen  hundred  years  passed  from  the  time  when  the  early 
confessor  died  blessing  God  that  he  was  counted  worthy  to  have  a 
share  in  the  number  of  martyrs  and  in  the  cup  of  ^Christ ;  and  a  man 
of  high  culture  and  intellect  lies  dying,  the  native  of  an  island  peo^, 
l^ed  only  by  outside  barbarians  in  the  days  of  Polycarp.    The  ai^^ 


THE  LIFB^  OF  CHRIST. 


tendanti,  watching  hi8  last  moments,  see  his  lips  move,  and  l)ending 
over  him,  catch  the  faint  sounds,  "  Jesus,  love  !r-^ Jesus,  lovel-r^tho 
same,  thing,  "-^the  last  words  uttered  belor&he  left  them.  It  was  the 
dcath-bcd  of  Sir  James  Haeiatosh.  Thus  the  character  of  Christ  still . 
rctaiiiB  the  supreme  chaxm  by  which  it  drew  towards  it  the  deepest 
alTeetions  cf  the  heart  m  the  earliest  age  of  the  Church;  and  such  a 
character  muGt  claim,  ahoveall  others,  our  reverent  and  thoughtful 
study.,  !.■■••.  ./  ■,   ,  :    .  ■    '  "  . 

If  we  attempt  to  discover^what  it  i$  in  the.  personal  character  of 
Jc3U3  Christ)  as  skoiwuiin  His  life,  that  thus  (ittracts  >  such  permanent 
admiration,  it  is  not  difficult  ta  do  so. 

'  In  an  a^e  when  the  ideal  of  tlie  religious  life  was  realized  in  tli^ 
Baptist's  withdrawing  from  men,  and  burying  himself  in  the  ascetici 
eohtudea  of  the  d^seit,  Christ  came>  bringing  religion  into  the  haunts 
and  homes  and  everyday  life  of  men.  >  1  or  the  mortifications  of  the 
hermit  He  substituted  the  labours  of  active  benevolence ;  for  the  fears 
nnd  ^oom'^hich  shrank  from  m<^n«  He  brought  the  light  of  a  cheer- 
ful piety,  which  made  every,  act  of  daily  life,  religious.  He  found 
the  domain  olireligion  fenced  off  as  something  di^tinct  from  common 
duties,  ajnd  He  threw  down  the  wall  of  ecparation,  and  consecrated 
the  whole  »weep  of  cts^istence.  He  hved,  a  man  i  amongst  men,  shaiV 
-in^  alike  their  joy«  and  their  sorrows,  dignifying  the  humbleiM' de- 
tails* of  life  by  making  them  subordinate  to ,  the  single  fdm  of  His 
Father's  glory.  Henceforth  the  grand  revolution  /was.  Inaugurated, 
which  taught  that  religion  docs  not  lie  in,  seUish  or  morbid  devotion 
to  person^  interests,  whether  in  the  desert  or  the  temple,,  but  in  lovr 
ing  work  and  self-sacrifice  for  others. .  ;  .     i     . 

The  absolute  unselfishness  of  Christfs  character  is^  indeed^  i<^ 
unique  cliarm.  His  own  life  )is  self-denial  throughout,  and  He  makes 
a  «milar  spirit  the  test  of  all  hcaUhyireligious  Hfec  It  is  He  whosaid, 
"It  is  more  blessed  to  give  tlian  to  receive;"  who  reminds  us  that 
life^  like  1>he,  wheat,  yiel<te  fruit  only  by  its  own  dying;  who  gave  hs 
the  ide^  of  life  in  His  own  absolute  self-oblivion.  We  feel  instinc- 
tively that  this  Gospel  of  Love  alone  is  divine,  and  that  we  canned 
withhold  ojur  homage  from  the  only  perfectly  Unselfish  Li^e  ^ver 
seen'On:eartii.:-jf'  rrmvf'N         ■  ■  .    !;■...-■  ''  ''^5"ii''''^^.wl 

•  There  is  much,  besides;  to  which  I  can  only  allude  in  a  word.  H^ 
demands  repentance  from  all^  but  never  for  a  moment  hints  at  any 
need  of  it  for  Himself.  With  all  His  matchless  lowliness,  He  ad- 
vances personal  claims  which,  in  a  meriB  man,  would  be  the  very 
delirium  of  religious  pride.  He  was  divinely  patient  under  every 
fonn  of  suffering,  *t-a  homeless  life,  hunger  and  thirst,  craft  and  vio- 
lence, meanness  and  pride,  th0  taunts  of  enemies  and  betrayals  of 
friends,  ending  in  an  ignominious  death.  Nothing  of  all  this  for  a 
moment  turned  Him  from  His  chosen  patli  of  love  and  pity.  His 
last  words,  like  His  whole  life«  were  a  prayer  for  those  who  returned 
Him  oyil  for  good.    Hi^  abaolnl^  super4ority  toevisryUung  uaxroW^ 


|Rm 

6r% 
tefrna 
no  01 
jm^ 

His  J 
filnr- 
ftoiti' 
Testai 
tJrea^i 

ot  m 

crieaftu 
and  tn 

mm 

soever 
-^e  Kc 
gather 
^6d'  of 
li^ciifit^t 
i^ce. 

'1  Thi^fl 

liilie  as 

The  hi 

of  his  _ 

love,  to 

of  no'^^^ 

divine  Ii 

religion 

divine  ij 

Then 

demsdhtis 

itat^ii  t( 

possiblll 

And  in  tt 

obfedieniD 


THE  lilFB  OF  CHRIOT: 


ras  the 
ist still.  ' 
leepest 
gucU  a 
iglitful 

icterof 
maueni 

1     !     1  • 

^  "^  1-     ,  ■ !  ^  r  r 

1  in  tlie 
ascetici 
>  haunts 
s  ol  tbe 
the  fears 
a  cheer- 
[e  found 
cominoB 
isecrated 
en,  diar- 
bleSf'  de- 
a  of  His 
Lgiirated, 
devotion 
t  in  lovr 

deefiy  TO 

lemato 

nrhosaid, 

s  us  that 

gave  Us 

.  instinc- 

ecanne* 

life  ever 

)rd.   li^ 

Its  at  any 
He  ad- 
ihe  very 
er  every 
and  vio- 
irayala  of 
his  for  a 
ity.    His 
returned 
vi^<» 


M^,W^liiii^  HeV  II  Jew,  founds  a  roligton  in  which  all  mimkhid  tn 
a  coinmoB  brolherhood,  e^fual  before  Ood;  the-digni^  oalmness, 
Ma  Mf-p08s^9Sfott'befdfe'ttilersi'|M4ciMs^  atid  goicernors,  wJiich  «ets 
pm  lJtome(Ulin<i;il%  above'  them;  Hitf'freisdOiiv  froii  superatitioii,  in 
iab  a^  Vhicii  Waj9'^tipersfitioUs«hno8t  beyond  example;  His  superi- 
6r%^6  th«  B^r^l^'  external  and?  ritual,  in  an  age  when  rites  and  ex^ 
tcirnals^te'tfae  sihtiof  teli^on:'  all  th^se  considerations,  to  laention 
no  othet^,  explain  the  mysterious  attraction  of  His  character,  even 
■^h^  Ibdkted  at'oMj^  as  that  of  an  ideal  Man.    ^i      -i  ,    /j  .u  ^  .  :i 

Wfiiea;  frbin  His  diaractet;  w«  turn  to  ^^His  teae]iing%  the  claims  of 
His  Life  on  our  reveretit  study  ate '  still'  further  strengl;honcd.  To 
Hint  we  dwc  th^  expansion 'of  whatever  Was  vital  in'Andent  Judaism 
f it)ih  thfe  breed  of  a  tribe  into  a  teligiOn'  fdr  the  worldr  The  Old 
Testament  reveals  a  sublihie  and  totiChiiirdbdcriptiob  of  Gk>d  as  the 
K>ea!tof'itnd*tbie  All-wise  and  Almi^ty  Ilul6^  of  all  things;  ad  the 
^bdi'iii  ^M>8e  hand  is  thte  life  of  every  living  thing  and  tbe  breadth 
of  all  iijijuikind';  the"Gbd'df 'Providence,  on  whom  tiie  ©yes  of  all 
crtaituresf  wait,  and  who  gives  theM  their  Aieat  In  due  season;  as  a 
Beln^'of  ^flffinite  inhjesty,  wtt6  wiB'b»^  no  mean»  dear  this  guHtyj  but 
•yeV  H  iit^itiJPttl  and  Vracfousi  longkraering,  and  abundant  in  gooc^ 
rie^airflHrtfthi  is  keifttrfng  merevior  thousands,  fOrglvingi  iniquity 
and  transgression  tiiid'siti,  itad  as  bitying^  them  that  feaY  Him,  like.«8 
^%thkl«tiet»  Wis  ^Hildt«h:  But  it  WaSteigerVed  for  Ohrlst  to  bring 
M'tWhBtTGi  Gk)dliAsaOodbf  Love,  itfto  full fftoon-day  light,  in 
l5Ks'terloviii^  the  world  bS  tO  give-  Hid  ohly^bdgottenlSon,  that  who- 
soever believethii^  Hfm  thfght  Dfot  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  In 
-the  New  Testament  He  is  first  callM  Our'  Father  in  Heaven-^the 
¥^ther  6f  all  manMhd:  Thie  Old  Testament  proclaiiMed  Him  the 
t^Od'  of  Abt^hslm,  I^aaci '  ^hd '  Ja6ob— the  Portion-  k>f  Israel:  Christ 
v6int^  tbe  er6s  of  all  ^iatiOhdto  Hini  as  thd  Ood  ctf  the  whole  human 
race.'""'  ■•''■"J^ "'■';*'«  -j'^*  ■■■ .  "•'"  i^^bii:o  .  xiih^ifif.ifmimh'>Xi^f£,$v.>  maMi.m;>ii. ' 

T^6  fii^&meiital  prii&ci^el'bf 'Ch)4ti^t>f«fe  aiS'liew'aild  as  sub- 
lithe  as  thfe  grand  coheeptidn-ofGk)dy  arid  'spring  directly  from  it. 
The  highest  ideal  of  ijiari'mtijst  CV^^  be,  and  his  soul  reflects  the  image 
of  his'  CVedtbH  ttiidf  this  iniage  can  only  be  that  of  puro,  all-embiracing 
love,  to  God  and  man,  for  God  is  love.  Outward  service,  alone,  is 
of  no'Viiiiei  the  ptiris  heart,  only;  loves  aright:  it,  only,  reflects  the 
diVine  likened;  for 'purity  and  love  are  the  same  in  the  Eternal.  A 
religibn 'renting  on  such  a  basis  bears  the  jseal  of  heaven.  But  this 
divine  law  constitutes  €liri*t!ianitjr» 

The  ihonillty  tatlght  by  Ohrist  is  in  keeping  with  such  fundamental 
demttlhds.  Bince  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  there  can  be  no  lim- 
itati^ii  to  duty  but  thatof  poWerji  It  can  only  be  bounded  by  our 
jpossibilltie^  of  perfonhance,  and  that  not  in  the  letter,  but  in  spirit 
Snd  in  ti^th,  both  tow'ardl^  GOd  and  our  neighbour;  The  perfect  holi- 
ness of  Ood  Can  idbne  be  the  standard  of  our  aspiration ;  for  love  means 
t^dienCG/8hd*€k)ldimnEiot  look  upon  1^    T«  be  »  perfect  Christian 


THBrliilPBi  OP  CHRIST. 


is  to  b^  A  ilBless  mai^^-fii&lew  throqgh  the  obedi^iiipe  of  peif  ect  la?% 
Sueh  a  morality  bas  the  seal  of  the  living. God  on  jlta  ioi;ehM4,      j  4<i 

It  ia  to ;  bd  vememberod,  in  realizing  our  obligaUoQA  to  ChziBt,  tfMpt 
there  was  Aj  perfect  novelty  in  this  teaching.,  Ai>^i)it3t»aP^l4o 
the  Jewish,  world,  had  no  conception  of  what  wi&^^oaU  sin.  "Ixuexe  ^ 
no.  word  in  Greek  for  what  we  mean  <b^  it:  the  eji^pfi^ion  fqr  it  f^ 
synonymous  witlL  ^ysical  evil.  There  i  was  eU^r  np  guUt  u^  an 
action,  or  the  deity  was  to  blame»  or  the  action  was  uresi^tibile. 
Priests  and  people  had  noie4m.'or  desire  in  sacrifices,  prayt^rs^  pr.;[^d|^ 
vals,  bejAond  the  removal  of  a  defilement,  npt  ooni^ered  as  a  m9^1, 
but  apliysical  stain;  and  they  attributed  a  magical  eJG^ect  to  propiti- 
atory rites  through  which  they  thp^gbt  to  obtain  that  rempval;ti^ 
^ectl)eing  sure  to  follow  if  there  w^re  no  oniission  in  the  rit|B,^veh 
thoug^i  the  will  remained  conscipusl^f  inclined  to  evil  I     ,     , , 

The  Roman  was  as  free-froii^  haying  any  conceptioi^  of  sin  as  thp 
Oreek<  i)ven,  such  mor^ists  as  Seneca  had  only  a  bluid ',  spirit^u^l 
pride  whidi  coiLfoun4ed  God  and  naturoi  j^d  re^i^d  mai^thp 
crown  of  nature  and  its  most  perfect  work— as  Goas  eqnal,  9r  .^yep 
as  His  superior,  for  the  divine  nature,  in  his  creed,  reacltes  pinfeptiop 
in  man  only.  !£lvery  man,  he  tells  us,  carries  Gqd  aboq^  with  him  ii\ 
his  bosom;  in  one  aspect  ot  his  being  he  is  GiOd—virtue  is  pnly  Uie 
following  tw.ture,  and  m€Mi.'s  vices  are  only  madiiess.  . 

r  Compare  withthis^e  vaaion  of  God— high  and  Itf ted  uprr9if,awfvjl 
holiness  but  of  infiinite  love,^T~and  thq  doctrine  ^  ^maq  r^iy)in4^ 
bility«  which  tti0heiu:t<itseif, re-echoes^— as  taught  by  Qhrist;  .aiia  il)i|S 
study  of  His  life  becomes  the  loftiest, of  bum^n  duties .   ,;  ,  , 
t(  We  owe^it  np  less,to  Christ  that,  the  belief  in  a  future  life^  with  i^. 
light  ori  shadow  depending  on  a  future,  judgm§nti  M  pow  p^rtof  t% 
cre^id  of  t^ei  world.    Judaism,  indeed^*  in>  its,  iater  ages  at  leasts  kne^ 
Uiese  revelations,  but  Judaism,  could  neifer  jjiaye  .become  tbe  reljigion 
of  mankind.    Pagan  antiquity  had  ceased  to  have  axy  fixed  ideas  of 
anything  beyond;  this  life.    Immortality  was  an  open  cjiJifstion;  the 
dream  of,  poets  rather  than^the  common  fa|l^    But  Clp«t  brought 
life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  Gospel.  ,  ^ 

>;Xloctrines  such  as  these>  illustrated  by  such  a  Life,;  and;  crowned  by 
a  death  which^^  He. Himself  proclaim^  to  be  a  voluntary  pftering 
•  *  for  the  life  of  the  world,"  could  not  fail  to  haj^e  a  miglity  inni^ence. 

The  leaven  thus  casl^  into  the  mass  of  h^manit^  has  already  largely 
transformed  society,  and  is  destped  .Jp  affect  ^t  for  good  in  ever- 
increasing  measure,  in  all  directions,  jTjhe  one  grand  (toctrine  of  the 
Brotherhood  of  Man,  as  man,  is  in  itselt4;he  ple^e  of  infinite  results. 
The  semiual  principle  of  all  true  progress  must  ever  be  f ound  ^n  a 
proper  sense  of  the  inherent  dignity  o£  manhood;  in  the  realiz^on  of 
the  truth  that  the  whole  human  race  are  essentially  equal  in  their  facul- 
ties, nature,  and  inalienable  rights.  Such  an  idea  was  unlmown  to 
antiquity.  The  Jiaw,  speaking  in  tb«  Pourth  Bpok  of  Esdras,  ad- 
dressied  God-T-:" O* oim: ac<?ount  Thpu Jiast  createdlli?  wbrli    Qt^i^t 


natipi 

spittk 

cask. 

Thine 

bis  tel 

than  I 

before 

Tot 

erhbod 

regard 

spite  o 

ginianf 

toiKien 

contem 

gods  to 

sion  to 

gods  da 

and  not 

The] 

dif  nPt 

between 
stfoftger 
cott*d^  p 
mt  tUa 
which  R 
means  ^i 
objected 


betitteri5 

which,  b 

r^dily  at 

wliiite  of  J 

of  thte  ra 

btoiantfy; 

-it  wasi 

rey^almg 

them  witl 

to  all;  by 

were  hean 

fbri^BSt;  b 

a^  graciou 

puMlcan^^ 

and  Lazar 

tH^.iTllerr 


THE  LIFE  GP-  CHRIST. 


natibns,  spmng  from  Adam,  Thou  hast  said  are  nothing,  and  are  like 
spittle,  and  Thou  hast  likened  their  multitude  to  the  droppings  from  « 
cask.  But  we  are  Thyj)eople,  whom  Thou  hast  called  Thy  mnst-horn, 
Thine  oply-begotten.  Thy  well-beloved."  In  the  Book  Sifri,  the  Rab- 
bis tell  us — **  A  single  Israelite  is  of  more  worth  in  the  sight  of  Qod. 
than  all  the  nations  of  the  world;  every  Israelite  is  of  more  value 
before  Him  than  all  the  nations  wno  have  been  t)r  will  be. " 

To  the  Gkbek,  the  word  ''humanity/*  as  a  term  for  the  wide  broth- 
erhood of  all  races,  was  unknown.  AH  races,  except  his  own,  were 
regarded  and  despised  as  "barbarians."  Even  the^Bgyptians,  in 
spite  of  their  ancifent  traditions  and  priestly  "wisdom," — the  Cartha- 
ginians, the  Phoenicians,  Etruscans,  Macedonians,  and  Romans,  not 
to  liijiention  outlying  and  uncivilized  peoples,  were  stigmatized  by  this 
contemptuous  name.  The  Greek  fancied  himself  appointed  1^  tt» 
gods  to  be  lord  over  all  other  races;  and  Socrates  only  gave eiTOres- 
sion  to  the  general  feeling  of  his  countrymen  when  he  thanked  Ibe 
gods  daily  fot  being  man  and  not  beast,  male  and  not  female,  Greek 
and  not  barbarian.  < 

The  R<>MAK,  in  common  with  antiquity  at  large,  considered  all  who 
dia  n6t  belong  to  his  own  State,  as  Jtostea,  or  enemies;  and  hence, 
ttnUBSA'there  were  a  special  league,  all  Romans  held  that  the  only  law 
between  them  and  those  who  were  not  Romans  was  that  of  the 
sti-onger,  by  which  they  were  entitled  to  subjugate  such  races  H  they 
dotiM^  plunder  their  possessions,  and  make  the  people  slaves.  The 
f!ett^  that  a  tribe  lived  on  the  bank  of  a  river  on  the  Other  side  of 
which  Romans  had  settled,  made  its  members  "rivals,"  for  the  word 
means  dimply  the  dwellers  on  opposite  sides  of  a  stream.  It  was  even 
cybjected  to  Christianity,  indeed,  that  its  folly  Was  patent,  from  its 
seeking  to  introduce  one  religion  for  all  races.  *'The  inan,"  says 
Ofefuus,  **^ho"<5an  believe  it  possible  for  Gr^ks  and  Barbarians,  m 
A^ia,  Ihirope,  and  Libya,  to  agree  in  one  code  of  religious  laws,  must 
be  utterly  devold'iof  sense. "  Ahtftiuity  had  no  coneeprtaon  of  a  religion 
which,  by  readily  uniting  irttli  everything  purely  human,  and  as 
readily  attacking  all  forms  of  «vil^  could  be  destined  or  suited  to  the 
-^ntd  of  all'huim«Hy.  Nor  did  it  dei^  to  think  that  the  aristocracy 
of  tli^  race  could  stoop  to  have  a  religion  in  eommon  with  tl^e  bar- 
bibpian  to  whom  it  almost  refused  the  name  of  man.     ' 

^it  was  left  to  Christ  ♦©  proclaim  the  brotherhood  of  aM  nati^i  by 
r6Vtoling  Gk)d  as  their  common  Father  in  Heaven,  :filled't^Bras 
them  with  a  fether's  love;  by  His  commission  to  preach  iBlpKiiipel 
to  all;  by  His  inviting  all,  without  distinction,  who  laboiniift  and 
were  heavy  laden,  to  come  to  Him,  as  the  Saviour  sent  frortiGodj 
for  i^est;  by  His  receiving  the  woman  of  Samaria  and  her  of  Canaaia 
ek  graciouslyas  any  others;  by  His  making  Himself  the  friend  df 
puMicani^  and  sinners ;  by  the  tone  of  such  parables  as  that  of-  Dites 
and  Lazarus;  by  His  equal  svmpathy  with  the  slave,  the  beggar, ^li^ 
tK6  .tnler;  bj'  tlife  wliote  bearing  and'  spirit  of  His  life ;  and,  ab<*V^%ll, 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIBT. 


m\ 


by  His  picture  of  all  nations  gathered  to  judgment  at  the  Great  Bajr, 
with  tio  difltiaction  of  race  or  rank,  but  simplyas  men.  : 

In  this  great  principle  of  the  essential  equality  of  man»iand  hiif. 
rei^hFibility  to  G6d,  the  germs  lay  hid  of  grand  troihs  imperfectly 
reiuisted  oiEen  yet. 

Thus,  it  is  to  this  we  owe  the  conception  of  the  rights  of  individiiaf 
conscience  as  opposed  to  any  outward  authority.  There  was  no 
dream  of  such  a  thing  before  Ohrist  came.  The  play  of  individuality^ 
which  alone  secures  and  exemplifies  those  rights,  was  unknown  oi 
restricted.  «Among  the  Greeks,  the  will  of  the  State  was  enforced,  op 
the  individual.  Morality  and  goodness  were  liihited  to  what  wa;} 
voted  by  the  majority  as  expedient  for  the  well-being  ofthe  com* 
MUnity  at  large.  Wnen  a  man  had  paid  the  gods  the  traditional 
sacii^ces  and  ceremonies,  he  had  little  more  to  ooi  with  them^  Not 
only  oould  he  not  act  for  himself  freely  iu'  social  or  private  affairs; 
his '  conscience  had  no  liberty.  The  State  was  everything,:  the 
man  nothing.  !Home  knew  as 'little  of  responsibiliiy  to  higher  laws 
than  its  own,  and  had  very  limited  ideas  even  of  personal  freedom. 
€Jhrii8t*8  words,  **One  Is  your'  'Teacher,'  and  all  ye  are  tatetlatjn;" 
'•One  is  your  ♦Father,*  even  the  Heavenly ;*i  '*One  is  your  > Qinde,  - 
evi^n  the  Christ;"  were  the  inauguration  of  a  social  taaa  ;morabimM>' 
Iwtion. '  ■•       'm4M'ii.»/«j. >>iT;i5oa!).''' oijt,'  t  il7r'!w-;^.i#li(.  ^m.  j&mlii.n-'etmminL'. 

The  SLAVE,  before  Christ^  came,  was^  a  Apiece  of  ^property  of/ lew 
worth  than  land  or  cattle.  An  old  Roman  law  enacted  a  penillor)Of 
dea;th  for  him  who  killed  a  ploughing  ox;  but  tiie  murderer lol: a  suitiie 
was*  called  to  no  account  whatever.  Crassus,  after  the  orevolt  of  dpar^ 
tacus,  crucifiedliKOOO  slaves  at  onetime^  Atigustus,  inviolatWno^ 
his  word,  delivered  to  their  masters,  for  executixMi,  80^000  slaves^  who 
had  fought  for  Sextus  Pompelus.  Trajan,  the  best  of  theRomaos^f 
his  day,  made  10,000  sla^^es  light  at  one  time  ia  the  amphitheatres  for 
t^  amusement  of  the  people,  and  proloiwed  the  maesacne  li®  days.. 

The  greiet  truth  of  man's  universal  brotherhood  (Wiaa  the  ase  Imo,  at 
the  root  Of  this  detestable  crim»^the  sum  of  all  villafiks.  i  By<Ari( 
h)f using  kindness  into  the  lot  of  the  slave,  then  by  nlowly  und^rmi# 
ing  slavery  itself,  each  century  has  seen  some  advance,  till  at  l8«^|lMi» 
man^wnier  la  unknown  in  nearly  every  civilised  oountry.  an4^0^i!i^ 
Africa  itself,  the  worst  viotim  of  slavery  in  the^  lateir  ages,  ist  h^i^ 
aided  by  Christian  England  to  raise  its  slaves  into- freemen.  .      ikc 

K^nAsgiVE  WAR  is  no  less  distinctly  denounced  by  ChrislaUuiUy, 
whic&,Miii  teaching  the  brotherhood  of  man,  proclaims  war  a  revolt,, 
abhorrent  to  nature,  of  brothers  against  brothers.  The  v^iie  of 
Chrii^t,  commanding  peace  on  earth,  has  echoed  through  all  ipte^en- 
turies  smce  His  day,  and  has  been  at  least  so  far  honoured  tbal  t^ 
horrors'  of  war  are  greatly  lessened^  and  that  war  its^f — no  longM*  tlie 
itiley  but  the exception-^is  much^rarer  hi  Chrisitian  nations  tte^ I'm 
tormer-times.  :  •■  '   ■  ,  ;  .;, 

9!he«KXK,  in  «nti<|tilty,  were  in  ahnoet  as  bad  a  pHgfat  aaihei  shiTis; 


THBLIPE  OF'CHKlSTr  ti 

"Hcuwietti  you  possibly  led  yourself  down  so  low  «0  not  to  Tcmel  a. 
poor  man  n-omvou  with  Boorn?"  is  the  question  of  a  rlietonoian* 
of  'ttie  Imperial  times  of  i  Rome,  lo  a  rich  man.  No  one  of  the  thou- 
sn^ids  of  neh  men  living  in  Rome  ever  conceived  the  noticm  of  found- 
ing  an  asylum  for  the  poor,  or  a  hospital  for  the  sick*  There  were 
h(^  (tf 'beffgars.  Seneca  often  mentions  them,  and  observes  that 
most  men  rnng  aniUms  to  a  beggar  with  repugnance,  and  carefully  ' 
av,6id  «!!  contact  with  him.  Among  the  Jews,  the  poor  were  though! 
tO'be  justly  bearing  the  penalty  of  some  sin  of  their  own,  or  of  their 
fathers;  1  But  we  luiow  me  sayings  of  Chrisfr-^"  It  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive:"  "  I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat;  1 
was  thirsty,  «iid  ye  gaVe  me  drink;  I  was  ^  stranger,  and  ye  took  me 
in;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me;  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me;  I  was 
in  orison^  and  ye  came  unto  met"  "Give  to  the  poor."  The  abject 
aia  forlovn  received  a  charter  of  human  rights  when  Hei  prodaimed 
thait  all  men  are  brethren:  sprung  from  the  same  human  stock;  sons 
of  the  same  Alm^ty  Father;;  one  family  in  Himself ,  the  Head  of. 
r^nerated  humanity.  I  r.;.  J  fjjiMJr  't<\  iii:  ■i:\-^-in  "i^ji.!  ^'m.  ;4:»'ro-i.fx  ,f;;iii, 

The^  condition,  of  woman  in  antiquity  was  little  bettertlian  that  of 
the  slave.  She  was  the  property  of  her  husband,^  if  married;  if  un^ 
marrioil,  she  was  the  j^aythmg  or  slave  of  man,  never  his  equal.  The 
morality  of  married  life,  which  is  the  strength  and  glory  of  any  pe()K 
plej  was  ihtmSi^  known.  Pompey  and  Gennanicua  were  singular  in 
the  fidelity  tBcfe  marked  their,  marriage-relations,  on  both  sides,  and 
were  famoas'thTough  the  singularity:  The  utter  impurity  of  the  men» 
reacted  in  a  simyar  self ^e^^radation  of  the  other  sex,  In  Ronje,  mar? 
riages  biBcmne,  as  a  rule,  mere  temporary  connectiona  In  order  to 
escape  the  puni^imenis  inflicted  on  adultery,  in  the  time  of  TiberiuSki 
married  -Women,  including  i  even  women  of  illustrious  families,  en- 
rolled themsi^eft  on  the  official  lists  of  public  prostitutes*  6t  Paul 
only  jspifito  the  language  which  every  one  who  knows  the  state  o£ 
mofals  c^  4ho3e  days  must  use^  when  he  wrote  the  well-known  verses 
in  the  Opening  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  The  barbarians  oi  %h^ 
GenJAni  forests  al<;pe,  o£  the  heathen  world,  retained  a  worthy  seilsef 
of  the  true  dign^j^  woman.  ' '  No  one  there  laughs  at  vice, "  says 
Tacitus,  "  nor  iM  Jbtliikduoe.  and  to  be  seduced  called  the  fashion." 
^:  Happy  indeed,"  mstinues  the  Roman,  thinking  of  the  state  of  things 
aronna  |iim,  ''thc^se  states  in  which  only  virgins  marry,  and  where 
the  vo^  «nd  heart  of  the  bride  go  together!"  "  Infidelity  is  very  rare 
among  them."  The  traditions  of  a  purer  time  still  lingered  beyond 
the  Alps;  the  afterglow  of  light  that  had  set  elsewhere. 

lliese  traditions,  thus  honoured  in  the  forests  of  Germany,  were 
fornvulated  into  a  supreme  law  for  all'  ages  and  countries  by  Jesus 
Christ.  Except  for  one  crime,  husband  and  wife,  joined  by  God  in 
marriage,  were  not  to  be  put  asunder.  Woman  was  no  longer  to  be 
the  toy  and  inferior  of  man.  Polygamy,  the  fruitful  source  of  social 
corruption,  was  foi-bidden.    Man  and  woman  w^^  ^  meet  on  equal 


7 

Hi 


16 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


I 


'■V. 


Sli! 


ill: 


terms  In  lifelong  union:  each  honouring  the  other,  and  both  training 
their  children  amidst  the  sanctities  of  a  pure  family  life.  k v  < 

The  enforcement  of  these  and  kindred  teachinss,  destined  to  n-^  . 
generate  humanity,  required  lofty  sanctions.  That  these  are  tiot  * 
wanting,  in  the  amplest  fulness^  we  have  in  part  seen  already^  and 
shall  see  more  and  more  as  we  advance.  Meanwhile,  enouj^  has 
been  said  to  show  why,  even  apart  frOm  the  mysterious  dignity  «f 
His  divine  nature,  Gk>a  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  even  independetoftlF 
of  Hi«  being  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  takes  awfy  the  sins  of  the  wosUb 
Obrist'sr  lif e  and  sayings,  alike  unique  unong  m«Bi,  deserve  tlui  vttff 
erent  study  of  all. 

^^ From  first  to  last,"  said  the  great  Napoleon,  on  one  oeeaeioB, 
'^  Jesus  is  the  same;  always  the  same— majestic  and  simfde,  infloiJbely 
severe  and  infinitely  gentle.  Throughout  a  life  passed  undeciitpii 
public  eyei  He  never  ^ves  occasion  to  find  fault.  The  pradenoe  jpi 
Hisconau(^  compels  our  admimtion  by  its  union  of  force  and  gentle^ 
ness.  Alike  in  speech  and  action,  He  is  enlightened,  consistent,  and 
calm.  Sublimity  is  said  to  be  an  attribute  of  divinity:,  what  name, 
then,  shall  we  give  Him  in  whose  diaracter  were  united  eveiy,  ele- 
ment of  the  sublime? 

'  ^'  i  know  men';  and  I  tell  you  that  Jesus  is  not  a  ]nan»  Ever^'^ 
thiiw  in  Him  amazes  me.  His  spirit  outreaches  mincLiand  His  wilH 
con&unds  tne.  Ochmpaiiion  is  unpoasible  between  mm  and  A^g 
other  being  in  the  woiM.  He  i»  truly  a  iieing  by  Himself*  Hia  ideuj 
and  Hiift  sentiments;  the  truth  that  He  announces;  His  manned  ot 
convincing;;  are  all  beyond  humanity  and  the  natural  order  of  things* 

"His  birth,  and  the  story  of  His  life;  the  prof oundnew  ol  Hii 
doctrine,  which  overturns  all  difficulties,  and  is  their  most  complete 
solution;  HisOospel;  the  sin^arity  of  Hi8>mysterioiiai<l)«ing;i  His 
appearance;  His  empire;  His  progress  through  fdl  cantivies  and 
kingdoms  ;^<~all  this  is  to  me  a  prodigy,  anunfamomablemftttfury. 

"  I  see  nothing  here  of  man.  '  Near  as  I  may  approach,.  oiQ9ei^  a«  I 
may  examiii^,  eJl  remains  above  my  comprehenaionr— great  jwitilv  a 
greatness  that  crushes  me^  ult  is  in  vain  that  1  refloat  tiillremain» 
unaccountable!  ■  ..i,*^,-  ,,.,  ..„,  .■,.■., jj,4.v4>m  >,•     <       .m,'.  • 

**  I  defy  you  to  cite  another  life  like  that  of  CkM^n   wi:       1    s.  ,. 


h^' 


•■hit 


il 


■>hi^ 


'■'  I  irtl 


;■■/  . ,  "^,-  .    , 
•'   '  Ktlh'^'- 

, ..  >  i'.^  /■•„ 

'■■'    I'it'-. 

*»THt*>"^o'rfii1i':rtirc 


?>' 


.AiJiaitfy..'ti)p^fia5,,rv'J^',??'^^   . 


.iMiri,.y(tii. 


CHAPTER  n. 

THE    HOLT    LAND. 


..,!• 


Tioi  mmtftiA  between  the  influences  which  have  most  nftected  the 
world,  and  the  centres  from  which  thev  have  sprung,  is  very  striking. 
Greece,  the  mother  of  {^ilosophy  and  art,  for  all  time,  is  not  quite 
half  the  size  of  Scotland;  Rome,  the  mighty  mistress  of  the  world, 
was  onlv  a  city  of  Italy;  Palestine,  the  birthplaoe  of  our  Lord,  and 
the  eracUeof  revelation,  ie  about  the  size  of  Wales.  From  Dan,  ou 
the  north,  to  Beereheba,  on  the  south,  is  a  distance  of  only  139  miles, 
and  the  |«Itry  bre'idth  of  twenty  miles,  from  the  coast  to  the  Jordan; 
on  the  nOtth;  increases  slowly  to  only  forty  between  the  shore  of  the 
Mediterranean,  at  Gaza,  and  the  Dead  Bea,  on  the  squth.  >;4;'A 

When  it  is  remembered  that  America  was  unknown  till  within  the 
last  four  centuries,  the  position  of  Palestine  on  the  map  of  the  ancient 
world  was  very  remarkable.  It  seemed  the  very  centre  of  the  earthy 
and  went  far  to  excuse  the  long-prevailing  belief  that  Jerusalem  was 
the  precise  central  point.  On  the  extreme  western  limit  of  Asia,  it 
looked  eastward,  towards  the  great  empires  aiid  religions  of  that 
nrighty  continent,  and  westward,  over  the  )ltediterriuiean,  to  the 
promise  of  European  civilization^  It  was  the  connecting  Mnk  be- 
tw^K  Europe  ana  Africa,  which  could  then'  boast  of  E^pt  as  one  of 
the  great  centres  of  human  thought  and  culture;  and  H.had  the  date- 
less; past  of  the  East  for  its  background.  iiMo^.Jv,'i/fr;  .,: 

Yet  its  position  towards  other  lands  was  not  less  striking  than  its 
rettl  or  apparent  isolation.  Separated  from  Asia  by  the  broad  and  im- 
passable desert,  it  was  saved  from  becoming  a  purely  Eastern  couui- 
try;  either  ii^'  religiOB,  or  in  the  political  decay  and  retrogression 
which  have/sooner  or  later,  marked  all  Eastern  States.  Shut  in» 
by  a  strip  of  desert,  from  Egypt,  it  was  kept,  in  great  part,  from  tlie 
contagion  of  the  gross  morality  and  grosser  idolatry  of  that  land; 
and  its  western  coasts  Were  washed  by  the  "Great  wea,"  which/ for 
ages,  was  as  much  a  mystery  to  the  Jew,  as  the  Atlantic  to  our  an- 
cestors, before  the  era  of  Columbus.  There  could  have  been  no  land 
in  which  the  purpose  of  God  to  " separate"  a  nation  "from  among 
all  the  people  of  the  earth,"  to  be  the  depositary  of  divine  truth,  and 
the  future  missionaries  of  the  world,  Could  have  been  so  perfectly 
carried  out.  Nor  did  its  special  fitness  as  a  centre  of  heavenly  light 
amongst  mankind  pass  away  till  the  whole  scheme  of  revelation  had 
been  completed;  for  by  the  time  of  Christ's  death  the  Mediterranean 
had  become  the  highway  of  the  nations,  and  facilitated  the  diffusion 
of  the  Gospel  to  the  cities  and  nations  of  the  populous  West,  by  the 
easy  path  of  its  wide  waters.    The  long  seclusion  of  ages  had  already 


I 


t   n 
II 


it 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


es. 


trained  fhe  Jew  In  religious  knowledge;  ^^n"fi]i^e(l  (i)f'ib1^t% 

dispersion  sent  lilm  abroad  to  all  lands,  with  his  lofty  creed:  the 

passing  away  of  that  seclusion  opened  the  world  to  the  ready  dissem-* 

Ination  of  the  message  of  th^  Cross,  '/ '/" 

It  is  an  additional  peculiarity  of  the  Holy  Land,  in  relation  to' tifie 

history  of  religion,  that  its  physical  features,  and  |ts  ppdtion,  together, 

^lirought  it^  from  the  earliest  ages,  in  contact  with  the  widest  ranee  of 

peoples  and  empires.    Egypt  and  it  ai^  two  oases  In  ^d^iii|:MMKUng 

.oleserts,  and  as  such  attracted  ralce  after  rtute.    Vast  ibigliiticns  of 

^'northern  tribes  towards  the  richer  southern  countries  har^  marked 

1^1  ages;  and  Eg3rpt,  as  the  type  of  fertility,  was>  q)ecial  land  of 

^wonder,  to  which  these' Wandering  pot>utati<(>hs  evi^  turnied  l^e^dy 

In  a  less  degree,'  the  Holy  Land  shared  this  dAngerotii  oaiiiira- 

It  was  the  next  link  to  Eg^t  in  the  chain ''of  attrkctfVir  coh- 

.  -Egypt  itself  being  the  last.    As  in  later  time^  th^'AssilTian, 

i^iuw  Chaldean,  the Persii&n,  the  Greek,  the  Roman,  and  th^Tunci^t;- 

,,'ce8sive^y  coyeted  the' valley  of  the  Nile,  and  tock  possescfton'of  it,  so 

':in  the  very  earliest  ages,  as  many  indications  pn>vc,  wave  rificr  Wave 

of  immigration  had  overfloived  it.     In'  all  these  init^ads  'of  nCw 

nationalities,  the  Holy  Land,' as  th^  highway  to  Egypt,  neceskir^y 

^ahared,  f|,nd  h^nce,  as  centuries  passed,  rttce  alter  r^ce  was'btouj^tin 

'  ciontact  ^ith  the  Jew,  in  spite  of  hid  isolation,  and  the  J^w  Into  iccm- 

,.^^t  With  theni.    Such  a  fitct  was  of  great  significance  in  the  re^jg^ous 

;^  educf^tlon  of  the  world.    It  leavened  widely  distant  nations,  ttime  or 

tless,  with  the  ^nd  retigioits  truths  which  had  be6k^  commltied  to 

^e  |^ee|>$ng  of  the  Jew  alcne;  it  M  or  forced  him  abroad  to  iclist^ht 

.  regions,  to  leaihi,  as  well  is  to  comniunfcatef;  and  it  reacted  to  en- 

i'  sure  the  intense  religious  conservatism  to  which  the  Jew,  eVen  to^lieliy, 

.  <>weis  his  continued  natibn'&l  existence. '  Thatwa^a'^ttihg  scci^, 

(fiBoreover,  for  the  aidvent  of  the  Scivio'Or  ctf  the  world,  iii  Vrhibh, 

V^fflnall  though  Itii  bounds.  He  Wfts  surrdutided  not  bjr  th(f  Jfev^  alone, 

.  i>ut  by  a  population  represehting  tk  wide  proportion  Of  tHe  txihesA  ahd 

nations  of  (he  then-know'n  iearOi.    The  InScrip^onOtt  th^  crd^;  in 

Greek,  LaJtm,  and  Hebrew,  was  the  synibol  Of  the  i^atfoh  of  Chriisi's 

.  life,  and  of  His  death,  to  all  humanity. 

Bui  perhaps  the  niost  striking  peculiarity  of  Palestine'  as  the  s^t 
chosen  by  God  for  His  revelations  of  reltetous  truth  to  our  nice,  and 
for  the  mcarnation  of  the  8a vioUr  of  mankind,  is  thatitpresetits 
within  its  nah'ow  hoUnds  the  characteristifcs  Of  climate  and  pr6duc- 
lidions  scattered  elsewhere  over  all  the  habitable  zones^— from  the 
[snowy  north  to  the  tropics.  The  literature  of  b  country  necessMly 
'takes  the  colour  of  its  local  sicenery  ahd  external  hature,  and  henCiB  a 
book  written  in  almost  any  land  is  uiifltted  for  othei'  Countries  in 
which  life  aiid  nature  are  different.  Thus  the  KOrftn,  written  hi 
rabia,  IS  essentially  ah'Eai^ern  book,  in  great  measure  tinlnteUigible 
jd uninteresting  to  nations  living  in  countries  inauywa'td^ee 
ffcrent,  in  climate  aiid  mode's  Of  life,  froih  Ai^ia  Itself.  *  Tile 


n 


THE  UFR  OF  CHRIST.  4|» 

■acred  .books  of  other  religions  have  had  only  a  local  reception.  The 
Bible  alone  Adds  a  welcome  Among  nations  of  every  region  ovier  thu 
earth*  It  to  Uie  oil^o  book  in  the  world  wbti^h  men  evierywheie  re- 
ceive with  equal  interest  and  reverence.  The  inhabitant  of  fhe 
coldest  north  nndn,  in  its  imagery,  something  that  he  ciin  understand, 
tind*it  Is  a  household  lx>ok  in  multitudes  of  homes  in  the  sultriest 
ici^tons  of  the  south. 

Intended  to  carry  the  Tnith  to  all  nations,  it  was  essential  that  the 
Bible  should  have  this  cosmopolitan  attractiveness.  Yet  it  could  not 
have  had  it  but  that  such  a  country  as  Palestine  was  chosen  to  pro- 
duce it.  Within  the  narrow  limits  of  that  strip  of  coast,  aswetniriit 
eidl  it,  are  gathered  the  features  of  countries  the  most  widely  apatt. 
The  );}et^k8  of  Lebanon  are  never  without  patches  of  snow,  even  in 
the  beat  of  suhim^r.  SndW  falls  nearly  evien^  winter  along'  the  sum- 
mits of  the  central  ridge  of  Palestine,  and  Over  the  tablehmd  east  of 
the  Jordan,  though  it  seldom  lies  more  than'  one  pr  two  days.  On 
the  other  hand,  in  the  valley  of  the  Jordan,  sunoner  brinj^  the  heat 
of  the 'tropics,  and'tlie  different  seasons,  in  different  parts,  according 
to  the  elevation,  exhibit  a  regiilar  gradation  between  the^  extremes. 
Thus,  within  the  extent  of  4  single  landscape,  thete  is  every  cHmate, 
from  the  cold  of  northern  Butope  to  the  heat  of  India.  Thb  oiik,  the 
pin^;  the  Wiilnut,  the  mipik,jtae  juniper,  the  aldi^r,  the  pcrplar;  the 
willow,  the  ash,  the  ivy,  and  the  hawthorn,  jpp'Ow  hixuriantly  on  the 
heights  of  Herbioh,  Bashan;  and  Galilee.'  Hence  the  traveller  from 
the  n^re  northerly  teniperate  lands  finds  himself,  in  some  parts,  sor- 
roiiaded  by  the  trees  and  vegetation  of  his  oNnrn  Oountry.  He  sees 
the  app)e»  the  pear,  4nd  the  plum,  and  rejoices  to  meet  the  familiar 
wheat,  and  barley,  and  peas>  and  potatoes,  and  cabbage,  carrots;  let- 
tuce, endive;  aira  mtiwd.  Thd  £iii|(lishniian  is  den^hted  fo  find 
himself  surrounded  by  tnany  of  tho  flowers  of  his  native  land;  for 
out  of  the>2,i)Q0  or  2,500  Oowers  of  Palestine,  perhaps  600  are  British. 
It  loc^  likib  home  to  see  the  ranunculus,  the  yellow  water-lily,  ^e 
tulip,  the  crocus,  the  hya($inth>  the  ademone,  tnignonette,  geraniums, 
mallows,  the  common  bramlue,  the  dog-rbse,  m^  daisy,  the  well- 
known  groundsel,  the  dandelion;— sage,  and  thyme,  and  sweet  mar- 
joram, blue  and  white  pimne^el,  cyclsmeni^^  vervain,  mint,  bore- 
hound,  road- way  nettles,  and  thistlesip,  ^and  ponds,  with  .tl^e  wonted 
water-cress,  duckweed,  and  rushes.  '  ''  ; ;  ■  ^  V  '^'  j^  '*)'/' 

The  traveller  from  more  southern  countries  is  no  less  at  home;  for 
from  whatever  part  he  come,  be  it  sunny  Spain  or  Western  In<i»,^  he 
will  recognize  well-known  forms  in  one  or  other  of  such  a  list  as  the 
carob,  the  oleander  and  willow,  skirting  th^  streams  and  water- 
courses? the  sycamore,  the  fig,  the  olive,  the  date-palm,  the  pride  of 
India,  the  pistachio,  the  tamarisit,  the  acacia,  and  the  tall  tropical 
grasses  and  reeds;  or  in  such  fruits  as  the  date,  the  pomegranate,  the 
vine,  Ihe  HT&pge,  the  i^ddodc,  the. lime,  the  banana,  the  almond, 
Attd  the  pri^y  .piear.    The  idgbt  of  fields  of  cottoil,  milkt^rice. 


M 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


sugar-caiie,  maizlB,  oi  even  of  Indiai)  indigo,  and  of  patched  of  nieloivs, 
gourds,  pumpkins,  tobiacco,  yam,  sweet  potato,  and  other  soutbenli 
or  tro-pSohlftekl  or  garden  crops,  will  carry  him  hack  in  tl^ought  to. 
his  home.  '      ^  ' 

Thei«  can  be  no  more  vitid  illustration  of  the  climate  ojf  any  Jan^ 
than  the  vegetation  it  yieldsi  and  Palestihe,  tii6d  by  this  tefit,  itepro- 
duces  climates  and  zones  which,  in  other  countr^s,  are  sep^ate4  by 
iBtony^hundred-'miles.  ■'^=,.vmJv,wi.."-v-.-:^*v;.H'  '.'■'-?  {''Pf I 

A  book' 'written  in  such  a  land  must  necessarily  be  d  refleetioti,m 
its  inmgery  and  modes  of  thought,  so  far  as  they  are  affected  by  e?^- 
ternal  nature,  of  much  that  is  common  to  men  all  ovfet  the.  earth. 
The  Scriptures  of  file  two  Testamwits  have  liad  tMsptieeleiishclD 
in  their  great  mission,  from  Palestine  hariug  betin  cho^fa  {(y  God  as 
the  land  in  which  they  were  written'.  .  The  words  of  |iil^ophets  and 
apostles^  and  of  the  great  Master  Himiself,  sound  familiar  td  all  man? 
kind,  because  spoked  amidst  natural  images  and  experiences' conif^; 
mon  to  all  the  world."  ;  f^ 

Though  essentiaHy  i-  mountainous  country,  Palestine  h^  marij^ 
broad  and  fertile  plains.    It  is    a  highland   district^  intdrsecteq 
throughout,  and  bordered  on  the  weflteni  side,  by  rich,,  wide-spread^ 
ing  lowlands.- '--^'--l  ••-■•  •    M^i-^';  ;-    '\  ■  ;•  .  ^',;V  .':,..    ,      ^v,.  li'.' 

Th^  plain  on  1^6  weMem  side  extepds  from  iibov^  jlcre,  witli  "iff' 
interruption  by  Motmt  Carmel^  along  thte  whole  coast,  under  the  .re- 
spective names  of  thid  plain  of  Acre,  the  plain  of  Sl^rdn,  an^  the 
Shefeilah,  or  low  country,  the  land  of  the  rhilistihes  in  early  aoes. 
¥rdai  this  border  plain  thd  country  rises,  throughout,  into  a  table- 
land Of  «n  average  height  of  ifrom  1,500  to  1,800  feet  above  the 
Mediterranean;'  the  general iev^i  being  so  even,  and  the  hills  so  close 
together,  (hat  the  whole  lehgCH  of  the  country,  seen  fronV  tiie  coast, 
lookd  like  a  wall  rising  froth  thfe  fertile  plain  ^t  its  foot.  Yet  the 
general  monotony  Is  broken,' here  and  there,  .by  higher  elevations. 
Thud;  to  begin  :&om  tte  south,  Hebron  is  3,029  feet  above  the  sea: 
Jerusalem  2,610;  the  Mount  of  Olives  2,724;  Bethel  2,400;  Ebal  and 
Gerizim  2^700;  Little  Hermon  and  Tabor,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
plain  of  Esdraelon  1,900;  Safed  2,776;  and  Jebel  Jermuk  4,000. 

This  long  sea  of  hills  is  full  of  vJEdleys  running  east  and  west,  which 
form  so  many  arms  of  torrent  beds,  opening  into  the  Jordan  valley  or 
the  Mediterranean.  These  valleys,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  water.- 
shed,  towards  Jord-tn,  are  extremely  steep  and  rugged;  as,  for  in- 
stance, the  precipitous  descent  between  Mount  Olivet  ftnd  Jericho, 
which  sinks  over  4^000  feet  in  a  distance  of  alwut  fifteen  miles.  The 
great  depression  of  the  Jordan  valley  makes  such  rugged  and  difti- 
cult  mountain  gorges  the  only  passes  to^he  upper  countrj-  from  the 
east.  There  is  not  a  spot,  till  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  jbins  the  valley 
of  the  Jordan,  open  enough  to  manoeuvre  more  Ihan  a  small  body  of 
foot  sc^diers.  The  western  valleys  slope  more  gently,  but,  like  the 
eaiStem,  ttre  the  only  means  of  dommunication  with  the  plains,  and 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


otTer  such  difHcultien.  as  explain  the  security  of  leraelin  ancient  times,  ■ 
entreAbhed  among  hills  which,  at  the  best,  could  be  reached  only  by 
rough  mountain  passes.    The  Jew  lived,  in  fact,  in  a  strong  moun- 
tain fastness  stretching  like  a  long  wall  behind  the  plain  beneath. 

Tlie  appearance  and  fertility  of  this  highland  region,  which,  alone, 
was  at  any  time  the  Holy  Land  of  the  Jews,  varies  in  different  parts. 
The  southern  district,  below  Hebron,  is  a  gradual  transition  from  the, 
desert,  front  which  it  is  approached  in  slow  ascent  It  was  known 
in  Bible  times  as  the  Negeb,  or  .south  countx^,  and  is  an  uninviting 
tract  of  barren  uplands.  As  we  pass  north  into  the  hills  of  Judah 
arid  Bfenjamin  there  is  somewhat  more  fertility,  but  the  landscape 
is  monotonous,  bare,  and  uninviting  in  the  extreme,  for  most  of  the; 
year.  In  spring,  even  the  bald  grey  rocks  which  make  up  the  view 
are  covered  Mritli  verdure  and  bright  flowers,  and  the:  ravines  are  flUed 
with  torrents  of  rushing  water,  but<  in  summer  and  autumn  the  look 
of  the  country  from  Hebron  up  to  Bethel  is  very  dreary  and  desolate^  - 
The  flowers  vnnish  with  the  first  fierce  raj^s  of  the  summer  sun :  they 
ore  •'  to-day  in  the  flejid,  to-morrow  cast  into  the  oven."  The  little 
upland  plains,  which,  with  their  green  grass,  and  green  com,  and 
smooth  surface,  relieve  the  monotony  of  the  meuntain-to^  farther 
north,  are  not  found  in  Judea,  and  are  rare  in  Benjamin.  The  soil,, 
alike  on  plain,  hill,  and  glen,  is  poor  and  scanty;  Natund  wood  dis- 
appears, and^  few  small  bushes,  brambles,  or  arofiaa^c  shrubfS  akme 
appear  on  the  hill-sides.  "  Bounded  hills^  chiefly  of  agiey  colour^* 
say^  Dean  Stanley— •'  grey  partly  from  the  limestone  of  which  they 
are  formed,  parti v  from  the  tufts  of  grey  shirub  with  which  their  sidei* 
are  thinly  clothea— their  sldei»ftfrm^  into  concentric  rings  of  roek. 
which  must  have  served  in  ancient  times  as  supports  to  the  terv 
races,  of  which  th^re  are  stMl  traces  to  the  very  summits;  valleys,  or 
rather  the  irieetlngs  of  those  grey  slopes  with  the  beds  of  dry  watei^ 
courses  at  their  feet— long  sheets  of  bare  rock  laid  like  flagstones, 
sid^  by  side,  alonjg  the  soil— ^theseare  the  chief  features  of  the  greater 
part  of  tlie  scenery  of  tlie  historical  parts  of  Palestine.  The^e 
rounded  hills,  occasionally  stretching  into  long  undulating  ranges,, 
are  for  the  most  part  bare  of  wood.  Forest  and  large  timber  are  notj 
known.'*  Fountains  are  rare  in  this  district;  and  wells,  covered 
cisterns,  and  tanks  cut  out  in  the  soft  white  limestone,  take  their 
place. 

Such  are  the  cientral  and  northern  highlands  of  Judea.  In  the 
west  and  north-western  parts,  which .  the  sea-breezes  reach,  the 
vegetation  is  more  abundant.  Olives  abound,  and  give  the  country 
in  some  places  almost  a  wooded  appearance.  The  terebinth,  with  it» 
darkfoilago,  is  frequent,  and  near  the  site  of  Kirjath-jearim,  "the 
city  of  forests,"  there  are  some  thickets  of  pine  arid  laurel. 

But  the  eastern  part,  of  these  hills— a  tract  nine  or  ten  miles  in 
width  by  about  thirty-five  in  length— between  the  centre  and  the 
8t«ep  descent  to  tlie  iDead  Sea— is,  and  mustidways  have  been,  in 


16 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST; 


im 


the  truest  sense  iaf  des^tti  Van  de  Yelde  well  describes^  it  as  a  baNi 
arid  wilderness:  an  endless  succession  of  sliapeless  yellow  and  ae^ 
coloured '  hillSj  without  grass  or  shrubs,  without  water,  uid  almost 
without  life.  Another  traveller  speaks  of  it  as  awildemess  of  moun* 
tain-tops,  in  some  places  tossed  up  like  waves  of  mud,  in  otheri^ 
wrinlded  ovet  with  rtivines,  like  models  made  of  crumpled  brown 
paper,  the  nearer  ones  whitish,  strewn  with  rocks  and  bushes.  Such; 
IS  ^e  desert  or  wilderness  of  Judea,  the  scene  of  tbe' earlier  retire^ 
ment  of  John  the  Baptist,  and  the  popularly  supposed  scene  of  the> 
Temptation  of  our  Lord.  *    (f;; 

Though  thus  barren  and  uninviting  as  a  whole,  in  our  day;  the 
universal  presence  of  ruina  proves  that  Judah  and  Benjamin  Iiad  a 
teeming  .M>pulation  in  former  ages.  Terrace  cultivation  utilized  the 
"Virhdle  surface,  where  there  was  the  least  soil;  and  in  auch  a  climate,^ 
with  an  artificial  supply  of  water,  luxuriant  fertility  might  be 
secuted  everywhere  except  on  the  bare  rock.  The  destruction  of 
these  terraces  has  doubtless  allowed  much  soil  to  be  washed  into  the 
valleys,  and  lost,  and  the  destruction  of  thcr  natural  foresta  of  which 
there  are  still  traces  must  have  greatly  diminii^ed  the  supply  of  .wat^. 
Even  in  the  u«w  utterly  barren  districts  of  "  the  south?  abundant 
proofs  have  been  discovo^ed  that  cultivation  was  anciently  extensive^ 
The  fact  that  there  are  no  perennial  steams  in  the  western  wadys,i 
while  there  ore  many  in  those  trending  to  the  Jordan  on  both  sides^ 
Where  the  forests  or  tiiick  shrubberies  of  oleanders  and  other  flower^ 
ing  trees  0tilliflouiaaby  speaks  volumes  as,  to  the  cause  of  the  i present 
8tmlity^4i'il'Witilv^i:ii^i/  .Ur  rt^miy*,-.  ...  :.,\^^f^/)j^f^y^[^,i\m^-^\ 

Passing  northward  from  Judea,  the^iCountry  graduaJIIj^  opens  kild 
is  more  inviting.  Rich  plains,  at  first  small,  but  becommgi  larger  as 
we  get  north,  stretch  out  between  the  hills^  till  at  last,  near  Nablous, 
we  Teach  one  a  mile  broad  and  six  miles  long.  Tlie  valleys  running 
west  a(re  long,  windings  and  mostly  tillable:  those  on  the.east  aiuless 
deep  and  abrupt  than  &«ther  south,  and,  being  abundantly  watered 
by  numerous  fountains,  are  rich  in  orange  groves  and  orcliards. 
Nablous  itself  is  surrounded  by  immense  <^oves  of  Olive-trees. 
planted  on  all  the  hills  around.  Nowhere  in  Palestine  are  there 
nobler  brooks  of  water.  The  rich  uplands  produce  abundant  crops 
of  grain  when  cultivated;  yet  it  is,  on  the  whole,  a  region  specially 
adapted  for  olives,  vineyards,  and  orchards.  The  mountains,  thoi^h 
bare  of  wood^  and  but  partially  cultivated,  have  none  of  that  arid, 
worn  look  of  those  of  some  parts  farther  south. 
<*  North-west  of  the  city  of  Nablous  the  mountains  gradually  sink 
down  into  a  wide  plain,  famous  aa  that  of  Sharon,  mostly  an  expanse 
of  filoping  downsv  but  dotted  here  and  there  with  huge  fields  of  corn 
and  tracts  of  wood,  recalling  the  county  of  Kent,  and  reaching  to 
the  southern  slopes  of  Carmel,  with  their  rich  woods  and  park-like 
scenery. 

Passing  still  northward,  from  Samaria  to.  Galilee,  another  wid« 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


*   17 


plain  of  great  fertility — that  of  Esdraelon — stretches  out  from 
the  nortliern  side  of  the  luxuriant  Carmel.  It  might,  under  a  good 
government,  yield  vast  crops.  \)MX  the  inhabitants  are  few  and  poor, 
and  tillage  is  imperfect.  The  country  now  rapidly  improvos.v 
Vegetation  is  much  more  luxuriant  among  the  hills  of  Qalilee  than 
elsewhere  west  of  the  Jordan.  Fountains  are  abimdant  and  copious, 
and  many  of  the  torrent  beds  are  never  dry.  The  hiUs  become  more 
and  more  richly  wooded  with  oaks  and  terebinths,  while  ravmea 
occur  here  and  tl^ere  thickly  clothed,  in  addition,  with  the  maple, 
arbutus,  sumach,  and  other  trees.  The  hills  of  Judea  are  barren; 
those  of  8amaria  have  been  well  compared  to  the  hillv  districts  of  the 
south  of  Scotlaiid;  but  those  of  Qalilee  are  more  like  the  rich  hills 
of  Surrey.  Yet  the  whole  region  is  thinly  peopled;  This  highland 
paradise  has  far  fewer  inhabitants  than  even  the  bleak  mountains  of 
Judea,  where  "for  miles  and  miles,  there  is  often  iio  appearance  ol 
life,  except  the  occasional  goat-herd  on  the  hill-side,  or  the  gather- 
ing of  women  at  the  wells."  ' 

The  coast  of  the  Holy  Land,  ashas  been  said,  is  a  long  plain.  This, 
on  the  north,  is  a  mere  strip,  till  near  Acre,  but  it  spr^idaout  from 
that  point  into  a  flat,  rich,  loamy  plain,  at  first  only  a  few  feet  above 
the  sea  level.  Corn-fields  and  posture-lands  reach  several  miles  in- 
land. South  of  Carmiel  it  expands  into  the  plain  of  Bharon>  now  left 
bare  and  p&rched  in  many  parts;  its  ancient  forests  long  ago  de- 
stroyed, except  in  stray  spots;  and  cultivation  little  known.  As  we  ^ 
south,  the  soil  is  lighter  and  drier,  and  the  vegetation  teantier,  till 
we  reach  the  Shephelah,  or  "  low  country"  of  the  Bible,*  the  ancient 
Philistia,;  which  begins  In  rolling  downs,  andpasises  into  wide-^xreitd- 
ing  corn-fields  and  vast  expanses  of  loamy  son  to  the  far  south. 

The  eastern  boundary  oi  Palestine  is  the  deep  chasm  in  which  the 
Jordan  has  its  channel.  The  name  of  that  river  indicates  its  course: 
it  means  "  the  descender."  Rising  in  t^e  mountains  of  Lebanon,  it 
flows  south,  through  the  marshy  Lake  Merom  and  ths  Lake  of 
Galilee,  to  the  Dead  Sea,  in  a  course  of  about  150  miles.  From  the 
Lake  of  Oalilee,  its  channel  is  a  deep  cleft  in  the  mountain  rango, 
from  north  to  south,  and  so  broken  is  its  current  that  it  is  one  con- 
tinued rapid.  Its  bed  is  so  crooked  that  it  has  hardly  half  a  mile 
straight;  so  deep,  moreover,  is  it,  below  the  surface  of  the  adjacent 
country,  that  it  can  only  be  approached  by  descending  one  of  the 
steep  mountain  valleys,  and  it  is  invisible  till  noAr  its  entrance  into 
the  Dead  Sea,  at  a  level  of  1,817  feet  below  that  of  the  Mediterranean. 
There  is  no  town  on  its  banks,  and  it  has  in  all  ages  been  crossed  at 
the  same  fords;  no  use  can  be  made  of  it  folr  irrigation,  and  no  vessel 
can  sail  the,  sea  into  which  it  pours  ita  wato^  It  ia  like  no  other 
river,"       "  iVojr        ,    ^h  :vr'?^c?'Vf'«M*■'■*^■''^!^'•*^'^v•1-^■«'.'i»•'VvH;i^^^^ 

.  jiij-vi'Uji',  ..,,,,:....  ,1..    ■.     . 


I  I 


^^t: 


\1': 


r!  i^^tf'^ 


r 


J, 


I 


/<M4-1 


iPJUiESTlSB  AT  THE  TIME  OF  CHRIST. 


.ffp 


At  the  birth  of  Christ  the  atrikiDg  spectaple  presented  itself,  la 
a  degree  unknown  before  or  since,  of  the  wor^d  united  under  oho 
sceptre.  From  the  Euphi'ates  to  the  Atlant|cjirpm  the  mouths  6f 
the  Rhine  to  the  slopes  of  the  Atlas,  the  Koman  Emperor  wa^  the  sole 
lord.  The  Mediterranean  was,  in  the  truest  sense,  a  Roman  lake. 
Prom  the  pillars  of  Hercules  to  the  mouths  of  the  Nile,  on  its  southern 
shores;  from  the  farthest  coasts  of  Spain  to  Syria,  on  its  northern; 
and  thence  round  to  the  ]^ile  agaia,  the  multitudes  of  men  now 
divided  into  separate  nations,  often  hostile,  always  distinct,  refiosed 
in  peace  under  the  shadow  of  the  Roman  eagles.  Thjerfe' might  be 
war  on  the  far  eastern  frontier,  beyond  the  Euphrates,  or  With  the 
rade  tribes  in  the  German  iorests  on  the  north,  but  the  vast  Roman 
world  enjoyed  the  p^ace  apd  security  of  a  great  organic  whoje.  The 
merchant  or  the  traveller  might  alike  pass  freely  from  Ifend  to  land; 
trading  vessels  might  bear  their  ventures  to  any  port,  for  All  lands 
and  all  coasts  were  under  the  same  laws,  and  all  mankind,  for  the 
time,  were  citizens  of  a  common  Stiate. 

At  the  head  of  this  stupendous  empire  a  single  man,  Octaviknus 
Ceesar-r-now  better  known  by  his  in^posing  title,  Au^stus-7-ruIed  as 
absolute  lol*d.  All  nations  bowed  before  him,  all  kingdoihs  ^erVed 
himw  It  is  impossible  for  us,, in  the  altered  condition  of  things, 
to  realize  adequately  the  majesty  of  such  a  positioil!.  Rome,  Itself, 
the  capital  of  this  unique  empire,,  was  i^elf  unique  in  those  agefi. 
Its  population,  with  its  suburbs,  has  been  varioiisly  estimated ;'8ome 
writers,  as  Lepsius,  supposing  it  to  have  been  eight  millions.  Others, 
like  De  Quincey,  seUing  it  down  as  not  less  than  four  millions  at 
the  veiy  least,  and  not  impossibly  lialf  as  many  more.  Oh  the  other 
hand,  Merivale  gives  it  as  only  half-a-million,  while  others  make  it 
two  millions  ana  a  half.  Gibbon  estimates  it  at  twelve  hundred 
thousand^  and  is  supported  in  his  supposition  by  t)ean  Milman. 
The  truth  lies  probably  between  the  extremes.  But  the  unique 
grandeur  of  Rome-  was  independent  of  any  question  as  to  its  size  or 
population;  the  fact  that  arrested  all  minds  was  rather  that  a  mere 
city  should  be  the  resistless  mistress  of  the  liabitable  world. 

Round  the  office  and  person  of  the  Coisar,  who  only,  of  all  rulers, 
before  or  since,  was  in  the  widest  sense  a  monarcJi  of  the  whole  race 
of  men, — taat  is,  one  ruling  alone,  over  ail  nations, ^here  necessarily 
gathered  peculiar  and  incommunicable  attributes  of  grandeur.  Jjike 
the  far-stretching  highways  which  rayed  out  from  the  golden  mile- 
stone in  the  Roman  Forum  to  the  utmost  frontiers,  the  illimitable 
majesty  of  the  Emperor  extended  to  all  lands.     On  the  shadowy, 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


19 


resistless,  uncertain,  but  cyer-advancing  frontiers  of  a  dominion  which 
embraced  almost  the  whole  habitable  world,  as  then  knovrn,  the  com- 
mands issued  from  the  imperial  city  were  as  resistless  as  in  Italy. 
There  were,  doubtless,  some  unknown  or  despised  empires  or  tribes 
outside  the  vast  circumference  of  the  Roman  sway,  but  they  were 
regarded^  at  the  best,  as  Britain  looks  on  the  wandering  hordes  or 
barbarous  and  powerless  empires  beyond  the  limits  of  her  Indian  pos- 
sef  sions.  Qlbbon  has  set  the  grandeur  of  Rome  in  a  vivid  light,  by 
d(  scribing  the  position  of  a  siibject  who  should  attempt  to  flee  from 
thfc  wrath  of  a  GsBsar.  **  The  empire  of  the  Romans/'  says  he,  "  filled 
the  \)k  orld,  and  when  that  empire  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  single  per- 
son, thfc  world  became  a  safe  and  dreary  prison  for  his  enemies.  The 
slave  of  imperial  despotism,  whether  he  was  condemned  to  drais  his 
gilded  diain  in  Rome  and  the  Senate,  or  to  wear  out  a  life  of  exile  on 
the  barren  rock  of  Seriphus,  or  on  the  frozen  banks  of  the  Danube, 
expected  his  fate  in  silent  despair.  To  resist  was  fatal,  and  it  was 
impossible  to  fly.  On  every  side  he  was  encompassed  with  a  vast 
extent  of  sea  ana  land,  which  he  could  never  hope  to  traverse  witMut 
being  disopvered,  seized,  and  restored  to  his  irritated  master.  Bey^d 
the  frontiersi,  his  anxious  view  could  discover  nothing,  except  the 
ocean,  inhospita^ble  deserts,  hostile  tribes  of  barbarians,  oi  fierce 
manners  and  unknown  language,  or  dependent  kings,  who  would 
gladly  purchase  the  emperor's  protection  by  the  sacnflce  of  an  ob- 
noxious fugitive.  *  Wherever  you  are,*  said  Cicero  to  the  exiled 
Marcellus,  'remember  i;hat  you  are  equlally  within  the  power  of  lihe 
conqueror.*"  ''>f;; 

At  the  biith  oi  Christ  this  amazing  federation  of  the  world  into  one 
great  monarchy  I^ad  been  finally  achieved.  Augustus,  at  Rome,  was 
ms  sole  power  to  which  aU  nations  looked.  His  throne,  like  the 
"exceeding  hj^h  mountain"  of  the  Temptation,  showed  "all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world  and  their  glonr,"  spread  out  around  it  far  be- 
neathit  as  the  earth  lies  in  the  light  oi  the  sun.  No  prince,  no  king, 
or  potentate  of  any  name  could  break  the  calm  which  such  a  universal 
dominion  secured— "a calm,"  to  use  De  Quincey's  figure,  "which, 
through  centuries,  continued  to  laVe,  as  with  the  quiet  undulations  of 
summer  lakes,  the  sacred  footsteps  of  the  Cassarean  throne." 

It  was  in  such  a  unique  era  that  Jesus  Christ  was  bom.  The 
whole  earth  lay  hushed  in  profound  peace.  All  lands  lay  freely  open 
to  the  message  of  mercy  and  love  which  He  came  to  announce. 

Nor  was  the  social  and  moral  condition  of  the  world  at  large,  at 
the  birth  of  Christ,  less  fitting  for  His  advent  than  the  political.  'The 
prize  of  universal  power,  struggled  for  through  sixty  years  of  plots  and 
desolating  civil  wars,  had  been  won  at  last,  by  Augustus.  Sulla  and 
Marius,  Pomp'^y  and  Csesar,  had  led  their  legions  against  each  other, 
alike  in  Italy  and  the  Provinces,  and  had  drenched  the  earth  with 
blood.  Augustus  himself  had  reached  the  throne  only  after  thirteen 
years  of  war,  whf<;h  involved  regions  wido  apart.    'The  world  waa 


*■  . 


*" 


■^::;|j 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


i! 


i^t 


li,;: 


^kliflusted  hj  the  prolonged  agony  of  such  a  strife;  it  sighed  for 
repose,  and  perhaps  never  felt  a  more  universal  joy  than  when  the 
closkig  of  the  Temple  of  Janus  in  the  twenty-ninth  year  before  Oud^t 
announced  thai  at  last  the  earth  was  at  peace.  .  .ttCj, 

The  rblidons  of  antiquity  Iiad  lost  their  vitality,  and  become  elPete 
forms,  wi&out  influence  on  the  heart.  Philosophy  was  the  conaola^ 
tion  of  a  few — the  amusement  or  fashion  of  others;  but  of  no  weight 
as  a  moral  force  among  men  at  large.  On  its  best  side,  that  of  Stoic* 
ism,  it  had  much  that  was  lofty,  but  its  hidiest  teaching  was  rt!signa-> 
tion  to  fate,  and  it  offered  only  the  hurtful  consolation  of  pride  in 
virtue,  without  an  id^a  of  humiliation  for  vice.  On  its  worst  side-i- 
that  of  £picureahism-^it  eicalted  self -indulgence  as  the  highest  end. 
Faith  in  the  great  truths  of  natural  religion  was  well-nigh  «xtinct. 
Sixty'thtee  years  before  the  birth  of  Clirist,  Julius  C^sar,  at  that  time 
the  Chief  Pontiff  of  Rome,  and,  as  such,  the  highest  functionary  ol 
the  state  religion,  and  the  official  authority  in  religiouis  questions, 
openly  proclaimed,  in  his  speech  in  the  Senate,  in  reference  to  Qati- 
line  and  his  fellow-conspirators— that  there  was  no  such  thing  as  a 
future  life;  no  immortality  of  the  soul.  He  Opposed  the  e^ec^ition  of 
the  accused  on  the  ground  that  their  crimes  deserved  the  severest 
punishments,  and  that,  therefore,  they  should  be  kept  alive  to  endure 
them,  since  death  was  in  reality  an  escape  from  suffering,  not  an 
evil.-  "Death,^*  said  he,  **is  a  rest  from  troubles  to  those  in  grief* 
and  inisery,  not  a  punishment;  it  ecids  all  the  evils  of  life ;i  for  mere 
is  heither  care  nor  jo^  l)eyond  it." 

Nor  was  there  any  one  to  condemn  such  a  sentiment  even  froni 
such  lips.  Cato,  the  ideal  Rontian,  a  man  whose  aim  it  Was  ta  ^'Itil^l 
all  righteousness,"  in  the  sense  in  which  he  underi^ood  it,  passed  it 
oVer  ¥^ith  a  few  words  of  light  bantei^;  ahd  Cicero^  who  was  also 
present,  did  not  care  to  give  either  assent  or  dissent,  but  left  Jhe  ques< 
tion  open,  as  one  which  might  be  decided  either  way,  sA  pleasure. 

Morality  waq  entirely  divorced  from  religion,  ds  may  be  readily 
judged  by  the  fact,  that  the  most  licentious  rites  had  their  temples, 
and  male  and  female  mioistrants.  lii  Juvenal's  words,  "the. Syrian 
Orontes  had  flowed  into  the  Tiber,"  and  it  brought  with  it  the  appal- 
ling immorality  of  the  East.  Doubtless,  here  and  there>  throughout 
the  empire,  the  light  of  holy  traditions  still  burned  on  the  altars  of 
many  a  household;  but  it  availed  nothing  against  the  thick  moral 
night  that  had  settled  over  the  earth  at  large.  The  advent  of  Christ 
was  the  breaking  of  the  "  dayspring  fi'om  on  high"  thrdugh  a  gloom 
that  liad  been  gathering  for  ages;  a  great  light  dawning  on  a  world 
which  lay  in  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow  of  death.  m-, 

To  unaerstahd  the  condition  of  things  in  the  Holy  Land  in  the  liio 
time  of  Jesus,  it  is  necessary  to  notice  the  history  of  the  reign  that 
was  closing  at  His  birth,  for  religious  and  political  affairs  acted  and 
reacted  on  the  spirit  of  the  nation  as  only  two  phases  of  the  avaa0 

tMhg.  :      • 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


It 


The  reign  of  Alexander  Jannseus,  of  the  M^ccabeean  or  .^monean 
Une,  hltd  been  marked  by  the  bitterest  perBeciitions  of  the  Phariaaic 
partjr,' whose  insolence  and  arrbgant  claims  had  caused  the  king  to 
throw  himself  into  the  hands  of  their  Badducean  rivals.    After  his 
death  these  disputes  continued  under  Queen  Alexandra,  who  favoured 
th6  Phftrisee^,  but  the  disclulet  culminated,  fef ter  her  death,  in  the  far 
worse  evil  of  a  civil  vrar  between  her  two  sons,  the  elder,  Hyrcanus, 
aw^ak,  indolent  mfth;  the  younger,  Aristobulus,  on  the  other  hand, 
bold^nd  energetic.    Hyrcanus  had  been  made  high  priest,  and  Aris- . 
tobulus  had  been  kept  from  all  power  during  Alexandra's  life— the 
Pharisaic  pai'ty  thehiselves  holding  the  reins  of  government;  but  she 
was  hardly  dead  before  Aristobulus  forced  his  brother  to  resign  the 
throne,  to  which  he  had  succeeded,  and  left  him  only  the  high  priest- 
hood.   Hyrcanus  would,  apparently,  have  quietly  acquiesced  m  this 
change;  but  the  evil  genius  of  Aristobulus  and  of  tlie  nation  was 
present  in  the  person  of  an  influential  Edomite,  Antipater,  who  had 
gained  the  confidence  of  Hyrcanus.     Stirred  up  bv  this  crafty  in-: 
triguer,  the  elder  brother  re-claimed  the  throne — Arab  allies  were* 
called  Iti — Jerusalem  was  besieged,  and  both  the  brothers  appealed  toT 
the  Rotaah  generals  in  Syria  for  a  decision  between  them.    As  the- 
rtisult,  Pompey,  then  commanding  in  the  East,  appeared  on  the  scene, 
intheyeaT63B.c.';  got  possession  of  thie  country  by  craft;  stormed 
the  Temple,  which  held  out  for  Aristobulus,  and  inaugurated  a  new 
era  in  Palestine.    The  Pharisees  had  hoped  that  both  of  the  brothers;/ 
Woiild  l5^  pUtiBiside','and  the  theocracy,  which  meant  their  own  rule, 
restored :  but  Pompey,  while  withholding  the  name  of  king,  set  up 
Hyrcanus  as  high  priest  and  ruler,  under  the  titl^  of  ethnarch.    All , 
the  conquests  of  the  Maccabaeahs  were  taken  from  him:  the  country \ 
Was'r<6-aistribut;ed  in  arbitrary  political  divisions;  the^defences  oft 
Jerusalem  thrown  down,  and  the  ndtion  subiected  to  tribute  to  Rome.^ 
This  iti^lf  would  have  be^n  enough  to  kindle  a  deep  hatred  to  their  ^ 
new  ina^terjg,  but  the  seeds  "of  a  still   more  profound  enmity  were 
sbWn,  even  at  this  first  step  in  Roman  occupation,  by  Pompey  and  his ^ 
staff  insisting  on  entering  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and  thus  committing>^^ 
what  seemed  to  thfc  Jew  the  direst  profanation  of  his  religion.  -. 

Antipat^r  had  allied  himself  from  the  first  with  Rome,  as  the 
strongest,  and  was  now  the  object  of  furious  hatred.  The  nation  had 
supposed  that  Pompey  came  as  a  friend,  to  heal  their  dissensions,  but 
found  that  he  remained  as  their  master.  Their  independence  was 
lost^  and  Antipater  had  been  the  cause  of  its  ruin.  It  is  perhaps  of, 
him  that  the  author  of  the  Psalms  of  Solohion  speaks  when  he  i>nyii,i. 
"Why  Sittest  thOu,  the  unclean  one,  in  the  Sanhedrim,  and  thy  heart ' 
is  far  from  the  Lord,  and  thou  stirreSt  up  with  thy  sins  tlie  God  of 
A^;ael?*'  Treachery,  liypocrisy,  adultery,  and  murder  are  charged 
against  him,  and  he  is  compared  to  a  biting  serpent.  Yet  the  guilt 
of  the  people,  it  is  owned,  had  brought  these  calamities  on  them. 
Through  this,  the  r&iu  had  battered  the  holy  walla,  theHolvof  Holier 


m 


i 


Hi 

ili 


i  i  '^i 


20 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


had  been  profaned,  the  noblest  of  the  Sanhedrim  slain,  and  their  funs 
and  daught^Es  esrried  off  captive  M  the  Weeit,  to  grace  Tompe^*0 
tdumph.    At  the  thought  of  this  thePsalmist  is  fltill  more  castdowir^ 
nbd  humbles  himself  in  the  dust  before  the  retributive  hand  of  Ja» 

hovah.' '  ■  -      ^T  "■  ■■        :  ');■::;.::;. 

But  there  was  no  peace  for  Israel.  War  lingered  on  the  southern, 
borders,  and  inB.G.  57  Alexander,  the  son  of  Aristobulus,  once  more' 
overthrew  the  government  of  Hyrcanus  and  Antipater,  but  the,  Ro-, 
mans  forthwith  came  in  forces  and  crushed  the  revolt  by  another  con- 
miest  of  Jerusalem.  In  this  campaign  a  cavalry,  colonel,  Mar^t 
Antony,  so  especially  distinguished  himself,  that  the  ieen-«i^ted^ 
Antipater,  seeing  ho  had  a  great  future,  formed  ftioidly  relatioq^^. 
with  him»  which  led  to  the  weightiest  results  in  later  years.  .,':^ 

( Hyrcanus  and  his  favoudte  were  now  again  in  power,  but  they  hail^ 
artroubled  life.  The  people  rose  again  and  again,  oidy  to  be  as  con- 
stantly crushed.  In  B.o.  50  Aristobulus,  who  -  had  escaped  from 
Rome,  began  the  war  once  more,  and  the  next  year,  his  son  Alexan-, 
del'  made  another  vain  revolt.  In  b^c.  62,  when  the  Parthians  h^d 
reven^d  themselves  by  the  destruction  of  the  legions  of  Cnussus^ 
who,  m  time  of  peace^  rliad  plundered  the  Teihple  to .  fill  his  ovrn, 
treasucesr-the  Jews  rose  still  once  more,  but  Cassius,  viho  had, 
escaped  with  the.  wreck  of  the  army  of  Crasdus  from  the  t^rtbiau; 
horsemeni,  soon cruslied  the- insurrection,  and ;Antipater ^^snerged.a^, , 


'fiA   lu, 


a> 


atiast,  the  unfettered  lord  of  the  country:    -'V -M'*.* 

:^he  civil  war  which  broke  out,  in  the  year  49,  t»etweteri^mpey 
and^Ceesar,  for.  ji  time  promised  a  change.  Judea,  like  all  the  Kast, , 
adhered  to  Pompoy,  jind  C^sar  therefore  set  the  imprisoned  Ari$tp- 
biji}us  free,  and  gaveliim  two  legions  to  clear  his  native  countiy  di^ 
tli»  adherentfof  his  rival.  Antipater  and  Hyrcanus  already  tt'enibled 
at;!|he  thought  of  a  popular  revolt,  supported  by  Rome,  when  news 
c^me  that  Aia^tobulus  had  suddenly  died-^na  doubt  pf  poison-^and 
tlvathia  son  Alexander  had  been  beheaded,  in  Antio(^,  by  Pompey's 
oridora  Antipater  had  thus  managed  to  get  his  enemies  out  of,  the 
w^.  "When  Pompey's  cause  was  iftnaliy  crushed,  next  year,  at 
Pharsalia,  Hyrcanus  and  Antipater,  like  the  princes  Tpund  them, 
were  in  a  fajse  position.  Six  weeks  later,  Pompev  lay  murdered  on 
the  Egyptian  sands.  Meanwhile,  Caesar,  who  had.  landed  in  E^ypt, 
at  the  head  of  hardly  4,000  men;  to  settle  tlie  disputes  for  the  throne 
of  that  country,  was  attacked  by  the  native  soldiery  and  the  restless 
population  of  Alexandria,  and  reduced  to  the  most  desperate  straits. 
At  this  moment  axnotloy  army  of  Eastern  vassal&came  to  his  relief, 
anxious  to  efface  at  the  earliest  opportunity  the  remembrance  of 
their  relations  to.Pompey.;  It  included  hordes  of  Arabs/ from 
Dainaseus,  and. bands  of  Itureana  from  beyond  Jordan,  bui  its 
strength  lay  in  3,000- chosen  troops  brought  by  Antipater.  Tlw 
strange  host  waa  nominally  commanded  by  Mithridates  of  Pergamos, 
ahafitard  of  the  great  Mithridates,  but  Antipater  wais  the  real  bead^ 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


H 


J". 


i. 

B  southern, 
once  morer 
at  the,  Ro-,, 
oother  cion- 

mel*  MarKr 
een-sighted. 
[y  relations 

ut  they  ha4. 
jbeaBcon- 
•aped.  frCfli 
son  Alexan^, 
rthians  ha;a. 
.f  Crassusi-^ 
fill  his  o^li. 
8,  Tiho  had. 
ihe  Parthian; 
emerged  as» 


He  induced  the  Bedouin  leaders  on  the  opposite  side  to  with^wj 
and  persuaded  tlie  Egyptian  Jews  to  supply  Ctesar  withj>r6yi^6n« 
Aiter,  fierce  fighting,  ttie  Roman  fortune  triumphed,  and  Onsar,  now 
enamoured  of  Cleopatra,  then  one-and-twenty  years  of  age,  remained 
concMi^i^Qi'*  Aipxaudrja  was  heavily  punislied:  the  Egyptian  Jews 
received  exteniiiive  privileges,  but  tlie  affatrsnf  Palestine  ^^ere  left  to 
be  settled /when  Caesar  caiuc  bock  fr«  m  Pontus,  in  Asia  Minor,  to 
which  he  had  been,  summoned  to  repei  an  invasion  from  Armenia. 

On  his  return  to  Syria,  in  the  autunm  of  the  year  47,  Antipater 
Imsten^d  to  meet  him,  as  did  also  Aniigonus,  a  son  of  Aristobulni. 
But  tixe  •wqxm^s  of  Antipater,  received  iu  rescuing  Csesar  from  do- 
stniction,  weighed  more  tjian  the  hereditary  claims  of  Anti^nu$, 
who,  feeling  tbi^  fled  to  the  Partliians,  to  seek  the  aid  whiohjElom9 
rcfuscdf  In  otUex^^^^spo^te,  tho  Jaws  were  treated  in  the  friendliest 
way.  Thpso  ■  of  Ifcsser  Asia  were,  confirmed  in  the  piivilego  of 
unchecked  remittance  of  their  Temple  contributions  to  Jerusalem. 
Their  syfvigogi^es  were  put  under  the  protection  of  the  Temple  lawa^ 
ntid!  piicyr^iir^  Qpce  mori9  granted  immunity  fronx  all  demands  iof 
pi;t)lic  service  on  the  Sabbath,  and  on  the  preparation -day,  from  th« 
sixth  hour.  In  PalesjUne,  jHvrcanus  was  sanctioned  as  nigh  priest:' 
thp  ^ve  dlyis^ns  of  jy^^  W4  previously,  made  were  put  aside,  and 
th^  wnote  iinite^  unql^r  Antip^ter,  w^  procurator.  The  Jews  in  afl 
the  towns  of  Syria  and  1?hcnicia;  were  ©ut  on  the  same  favoured  foot;  ' 
ing  as  th^se  of  tljie  Holy; Land  itself,.  sSo  troops  were  to  be  raised  in 
Judea^  n9r  any  Jttoman  jgarrjsona  introduced.  The  Temple  tax  an4 
the  lioman  dujBswere  regulated  according  to  Jewish'  usage.  Hyr> 
canus,  as.j^i^h  pi^iest,  received  the  rank  of  a  Roman  senator,  and  waa 
mode  h^redit^ary.ethnairch,  with  the  right  of  life  and  death,  ^ndof 
legiiI.4ccisiQp,  pi^  oii  questions  of  ritual.  StiU  more,  the  ri^ht  was  '^^ 
gr^^ted  to  fortify  Jerusalem  again,  and  Antipater,  for  his  own 
[reward,  yv^  made  OtRomAn  clUzEen,  with  freedom  from  taxes  on  his 
iproi)er^/  Th^  Idumean  dynasty  may  be  said  to  hav^  begun  from 
ithis  date,,  as  the  procuratorship  granted,  to  Antipater  mode  him 
pem^efprt^jpdepeudcnt  of  Hp'canus.  jLll<these  concessions  he  took 
care.  tQ  h^ye  forthwith  confirmed  atRom<^,  and  graven  on  plates  of 
bra^,!' 

I  Thp.^  dmlomatic  successes,  however,  failed  to  make  Antipater 
Ipopular.  lie  assumed  some  of  tlie  ^public  duties  of  Hyrcanus,  to 
Show  the  Sanhedrim  that  the  civil  power  had  b  en  rightly  transferred 
froni  the  incapable  kuids  of  the  liigh  priest.  But  the  suspicion  sank 
}ver  deepcv.  in  the  populax  mind,  that  the  final  setting  aside  of  the 
'lacqabtean  family  was  designed,  and  it  was  even  said  that  the 
Sssene  Menahem  had  told  Herod,  Antiimter's  st«i,  years  before,  a* 
le  met  him.pn  the  street,  that  he  would  grow  up  to  be  the  scoui^  of 
the  Maccab^ns,  and  would  in  the  end  wear  Uio  cr&wn  of  David, 
let  Hyrcfvnus  could  not  shake  himself  free,  even  had  he  ha<l  tlw 
snergy  to  do  so,  lor  he  needed  the  liclp  of  tho  alien  to  prot-cct  him 


I  :   • 


^  •      '      TTO  I4FE  OF  CIJT^I^'l^, 

mln^t  Mb  own  family.    His  daupht^r  Ale^aivlm  Imd  lost,  on  his 
j<^tit!^dtli'  husbahd' aiVd  fcth^r-W-raW;^  OiMeg«l*Wurd««» 

^Aiie|)heW,  Afefigdhns,  lifed  lii  »  forelj^  lahd  aWA  dafmAntof  the 
tWcJnerWff  ^ftdi-cMldi^  ^ere  the  6**t>Man8  of  Alekandenwiio  ))|^i 
fallen  tt<ideir  t^e  ak^of  tli^heiidsmari.  '  Tlie  house  of  the  Jdutnean, 
the  Hllcttlii  Ishiel,  Was  ri^W"CT  to  him  tibati  his  dWh' flesh  and  blood.  " 
'  Ahtipiiter,  iii  fcc<*6rtWriefe  with  the' tradWoto  of  his  house,  bai^ 
ifnari*fc'a  a  dat^thiei*  of  thfe  Bedbtriti^i— the'  fai*'  Kypros-^tb  prese^vo 
the  ebhnfectiow  ^with  thfe'  shi^iklis  'off  the  deseH  hy  Which  his,  lathpr 
tiad  ^Wn  richV  '  She  bort^  hitti  fo^  sons,  Pliitsael,  Hcfrod,  Joa^, 
tttfd  Pherbf as;  inA  '^  aattkh««irr  SalttWe.  Of  these.  Aatipatep»  as 
Wiler  of  th6  c6un(i^, '  iifami^d  Phasael '  goir^rnor  of  Jerusalem^  und 
H^rod^-ayown^ihan  of  tVcnty-five-^h*6  isentto  Giililee,  to.pul doK\rp 
;tlie  bftndsi  of  ,did«p$rtrdbe^,  y^h&iMiMj  Infested  it;  half  robbers.'  half 
i^Jigidiis .  z6fe!ots,  flghtln^  a^riirist'thiJ'  faiitedi  tBojnonl  Herod!  wcs 
^W^rt^jiiillffled'^b  idaifrtaiti '  thb'  libtJoiir'  Of  his  honSe.  ■  He  Was  a  f «ar- 
:l^«s  rid^-  $tid'  iifbf  (itiijthriJlTf  thtt  SpdarW  straight  to  the  mafjc,  Qr 
mpt  his  nhoif  sb  'cbiifetAhtiy  ittl^o  the  centte.  *  Even  in  later  yeavs, 
;^When  sttya^  hijd  %i1it^  b^^tt  to  fail  >  in'  most,  he  was'  knoWft  to 
Jrave  killea  forty  -  ^i^ld  leasts  Iti '  ofte-  day's '  huntiajf^'  Hero^-^k 
bris^bnerr  Hetekfah,  Hh^  dreaded'  leader  of  tftre""  robbers,*'  and  Ua 
whole  babd,'  'and  put  th^m  tiW  to  deiithij':  Biit  his  sudcess  only  en- 
W^  thfe  pfiti^ibts  bf  J"eirus«lle#(:  *In^  violalfeiir  of  othe  right  put  ex 
^H^lf  iMo  the  'httnd«  bf  Mytethm,  fes  hirfi?  priest,  by  Oc&sar,  he 
Miiin, '  'fifee  'J^'v^^^hd  these,  nieu'  ^mUg  for  th^  Law;  I  and 
^iris^  t^hekth^  intrtldetf  iiito'  the  lieritage^f  JehoTalti  a«)drthe 
ihedrtttt^tlfe  ftigih  '(^ohneil^foi-cfed  thei^  uromiD^  leader,*  whose 
l^^t  pfierb^il^y^  haij-bieeri  thus  invaded,  to  suniihon  the  oifehder 
biefB^  ^bettr.  H#6d  obey^di  afm  having  Made  'Galilee  sat' ;  but 
i^ipekrii^' ii<^h  a  p6w^  frnd  kt  tb^  saxo^  time,  a  miissage 

:%krf  seiit  by'thejMWJbhsi^^bf  Bj^riH  hbti 'to  injure  liftn^   Heiwbuld, 
lioMi'^er,  baV^  bieeii' §fe!n*ene6»^' to 

bhajr,'  aM  cotihiselied  bJs'^(!«ing  filend'.toiea^e  Jerusalem.    Gnai^iog 
his  te^th,  Hel^  rbrW  offf  to  l!>am(Bisdu*,^ 

he  toft^Wer^dNight'  the' governbrshity  of  CcBlfetSyria  and  Saimria, 
1  Wi^  'wWfehj'^a^  a  1^  SQbn 


m 

"after,V\^ith  a  strong  force  to  Jerusalem,  to  avenge  the  insult  offered 
mth:  '  B4it,^at  the  ^utr^aty  of  hEa-f^thter;  ^hom  Ms  boldness xioafi^ied 
in  authority,  lie  THIifidtfelf,  wlthoiit  viblfehce.  -  '  (v.>f  f^^  *  r  %;» 3, 
■£'  AW  Palestine  wai  how  iti  tlie  hands  bf  Herod's  hbhse,  for.Antipater 
rdfed  Judfeat,  hnd  HjiJrod  himdelf  #as'  over  Bamaria  and  Gcele-Syria. 
The  l^Qm^n  general*  wei^  unpertain  Whom  to  follow.  -CsBsar's  for- 
tunes seemed  -^aningf  in  Africa.  Bassus,  one  of  Pompey's  party, 
peizeU  Tj^re,  and  sought  to  seduee  the  soldiers  of  Sextua  Geesar,  thel 

*  .jSyniati'i^rbeorisul.    Aritipater  sent  a  mixed  fol'ce,  and  Herod  led  the 
«valry  bf  Samariarto'the  proconsul's  heip.   'Bassus  was  beaten^  but 

'  6^2rttra  Cflbsaf  hiinself  was  mard^r^  by  Mb  bWn  soldiers,  .ajid  fbtiwo 


,.ii :.;.?,  •;).,:•  J(^.i;•^■^!    iilliAmmif.<,:.ii,i:i)vir)>^ 


■jifimn 


TEffi  LTfE  op  CHRIST. 


3(1 


MtirFhiMel  una  Herod  had,  lo  nmiiil^aa  idffficQit  jwat ,  At  t^^,  H 
the  5«Hr  44/ilhenew8iQM»e,  w)Myi  all  were  expiating  C«s^  ii^  th6  MaX^ 
tMt  he  ^vs  murdered,  Tiie.soUeis^g  o^  ^e^pd'ft  ^m^y  s^n^  ru^d, 
TIiin|[t,  however,  aoop.  righted .  t^uiQU^Ypi  Ant6>>y  t^paan  to  pliy 
a  leaxiiDg  parti  in  RcMoe,  andM  9M  the  edicto  pf>  Ca^9^j  ^OBflrmed,  Iq' 
pt^Tenthopeless  confuskm^/  luterest  led  Afa,ii3^%et,  for,  jtlie  time  to  ioiii 
CAMius;  Oeesar's  imurderer.  Herpd  wo^  favour  aa  the  first  to  pay  him 
th^  war  tax  of  i  about  iP150,000,  levied  on  Galgcc*  Antipater^i^oWed 
eqioai  keal;  but  when.jt^e  people  were,  too  pooj:  ,to  p^y  the  chormpui? 
mimdbmanded,  Ca^iujisold  theip  sonsand  dauel^ers  as  slaves,,  to  n^akft 
i<;«p.  Feeling  Herod's  usefuln^ss^  the  republican  Reader,  ob  leaving 
J0de8,vnamea  him  procurator  oiE  CcBlc-.Syria,  and  jjave  hima^so 
mllitarrpowerover  all  Judea,  promising  him  tlic  cro^n,  if  ilflyent 
wiglli  The  Iduineaai  family  were  sUll  on  thci  top  of ,  the  tide.  TStyxX 
Antipoter's  ddurse  waa  nw.  -  Shortly;  before  the  Feust  of  ^(^aJtleriMicJ^, 
in  th0  yeaip  48,  he  died  of  pq^B' given  ,him  in  his  wiqie^  ^tys 
murderer' was  weH  known — a  follower  pi  Hyrcaiiu8,3Ialichu8, by 
name^lvho  wished  toi  excite  ilosurreetion  in  the  Haccaibiean'^,favoiii^, 
aiflinst.  the  BommiS'tand/ their -^Idpn^cis^VTiGeroy.H^E^  fmd  li4? 
Titother,  with  wcU-aetcd  craft,  feigned  friendliness  with  Jhi^  n^»(* 
yeoT'later,  they  got  him  lnto>  theirs  ^w<e^,, and  miirdc^d  hj[my'in  f,^n, 
with  the  help  of  Casslus.  Hyrcanus  kiase4  tl^e  l^^nds  of .  his  nqw 
master;  and  cucBcd  the  murdered  manr  as  th^  cnqmy  PMils  ccfuiittjl ; 
• '  The  yiear  48  oiesediwith:  wiild- trqubks  ^11  oyer  the  Ii^d. , '  110110^*8 
eon  on  thes6utih,  and  Antigone  on  tlx^  north,  invaded;  the  JanUvM 
Herod  wrerthrew  them  both.  The  wepl?  IHyrcapuSj  wiip  sttn  dre^ojid 
thd  house  of  Arislpbulus,  mceived  thei  cpnqncror  in  ^erusalQi]^' :v^ji|h 
childtsfagratithdGL  Heisodavailed  himseli  of  iiliis,to ask3Iai^i^|^t!^ 
daughter  of  Alexander,  whom  Poinpcy  ljad^1|3ieIi9fid<^,|and'CTJi5(i^- 
daughtexL  oS  fiyrcahus'  hhnselfv  ^n  marrlag;^.  /IJia  luicL  nlreao^r  oiic 
wife,'  Doris;  who  had  borne,  him  ajson,  Antii)atcr;,ibut'shc  waa;ft.Q>7 
seiit  away,  and  went,  off  to, bring  wp  j^i  soi^  i  In  jdeadly  liatriecl  qf  the 
liaecatMoin  f ^nily,  iwbo  -had  tafegtibeiyoung  hjisbancl  ifprii  he^. 

Til©' '  hopes  tf  iithe  Jewish  i.  Ratriflts  rciiriycdqnce  ijipTO ,  after,  the 
battle  off  I  flPhilippd,  iin  -the  autiHm^  pf  the  y9ar!  42.  It  wa,s  left  to 
Antony .t6  payrthe  soldiers  after  the  battle  what  had  been  promised 
Uie^  nnd  toiKftise  tho  vast  sumPI  requirxjd^  by  ^iix  ta^^es  aim  thcs.sule 
of  titles,  he  moved  towards  A^i^i^'  £tere  a  deputation  of  tfqws  t^o- 
testlttg^against  Herod  (And:  Pha^aeVs  i^pvernmeni  waited  on  hiiji;i;  but 
Heroot  had  always  been  friendly  to  the  liomans,  and  was  better  pro- 
Tided  with  mbiatepthan  tl^e peo|de»-  Antony,  for  his  p^t^^  hiUedthe 
Jews,  and;  liked  Herod,  as  the  son  of  an  Pld  cpmiade,  with  Whbm, 
eighteen  yoara  before,  Jbe  had  fpught  against  the  vcnr  jpeople  Who 
noW'  accused  his  son  ..Wf ore  1^,  Hyrcaniis  himself  app0ar<5d  in 
i  Ephetaarion/behalfijOf  tlime  i;wo.,byplihers,  and  they  themselves  played 
theirrpart  spjwdl;  tiui^  J^^hey  weye  npt^on^icoiwpaca.hi  t^)|.oii^ 
positions,  but  received  substantial  favours  besides.     *  *  '  "       ■    ''  ' 


^ 


r^j&j^i^  OF  ^n^;t 


Antony  was  OQC  of  those  TindigclpHncd  natures  which  rc'VolutiooRiT 
.t)^&S  produce— a  inon  of  jjowerm  hui' ric^l^ctetT  paht^iwbo  huSl 
gtoy^  up  in  the  shattered  aidd  utterly  hnmonil  Homaii  world; 
untfridled  In  his  passions,  and,  amidst  aU  the  energt  of  bis  will,  with- 
out moral  restraint.  When  itt  Egypt,  as  colonel  of  horse,  he  had  for 
the  first  time  seen  Cleopatra,  then  fourteen  yeanr  «ld,  hut  already, 
flitting  with  the  son  of  Pomp^.  In  the  yeavs^  v.c.  46  to  44  she  wan 
living  in  CiEsar's  sardens  at  Kbme  as  tliat  great  man's  mistress,  and 
there  Antony  had  been  amongst  the  mOsA  zealous  hi  paying  1^ 
honbur.  After  Caesar's  death  he  had  done  her  service,  and  had  tried 
to  get  her  son  CresailOn  put  on  the  list  of  CiMar's  heirs.  But.  like 
Herod,  she  iiad  been  forced  tb  go  to  war  against  Antbny,  beeause  tlio 
cathn  of  Cassiiu  was  nearer  than  that  of  hii^  opponent.  For  this  she 
wis  suinmonea  before  hipi,  and  made  her  appearance  at  Tarsus,  in 
dllcia,  in  the  summer  of  41.  She  was  now  twenty-eight,  but  still  in 
tii^  bloom  of  her  beauty,  and  displayed  her  charms  so  effectiTcly  that 
Ajtony  was  forthwith  her  slave.  His  Worst  deeds  begin  from  the 
time  he  met  her.  To  ^ea^  her  he  caused  her  ^ster  to  bedragged 
out  of  a  temple  in  Miletus  and  hiurdered,  and  he  put  to  dedth  aU  sl^o 
chose  to  denounce.  8he  herself  hastened  to  £gypt»  whither  Antony 
pqnted  to  folbiv  her.  ,.  ^;  : .    . 

I^  Antioch,  in  Syria,  in  the  autumn'  of  the  same  year,  he  wouW 
n^ve  put  to  i^ath  a  Jewish  deputation  sent  to  protest  against  the 
two  brothers,  nad  not  Hei^  prevented  him.  The  two  Vere,  more- 
over^ appointed  tetrarclis,  with  all  formalitv.  At  Tyre,  to  which  ho 
had  advjp^cecl{  thousands  of  Jews  threvr  theihselvcs  in  his  way  with 
^odd,  persistent,  fanatical  cries  that  he  should  depose  the  brothers. 
Jbi^phr  De)fore,  he  was  nbiy  furldus,  and  set  his  troops  on  theui  and 
iiewea  them  down,  killing  even  the  prisoners  taken.  Ho  then  moved 
bn^o. spend  the  wiiiter  Wfth  Cleopatra.  '  'r^:^r6^, 

.  Tfhroughout  Judea  and  even  m  Ififerpt  the  deepeist  despondency 
jteigned  ottiopg  the  Jews.  Th^  advent  of  the  Messiah  was  to  be  pre- 
cc^d  by  times  of  darkness  and' trouble,  and  so  glooiny  seemed  the 
.  state  of  things  then  prevailing  that  it  appeared!  as  n  the  long^xpected 
Que  must  be  close  at  hand.  The  belief  or,' at  least,  hope,  fouii^  ex- 
pression in  the  writings  of  the  day;  The  Jewish  Bibylliite  Books, 
composed  in  Egvpt  to  these  year^,  predicted  that  "when  Rome  onto 
rules  over  Egypt,  then  will  the  greatest  of  the  kingdoms,  that  of  the 
,  Immortal  King,  appear  Rmong  men,  and  a  Holy  Lord  shall  come,  who 
Vf'ill  rule  all  the  countries  of  the  earth,  through  all  ages,  ais  time  flows 

•  tn '^e^tltie  Mri  -Was  great  exciietrteht.  After  thefar  blbody  hiau- 
guratioii  into  their  ol!ice  oy  Antonv,  the  two  tetrarchs,  Fhasael  and 
llerod,  could  count  on  few  faithful  subjects,  and  a  new  storm  soon 
;rose  from  the  East  which  threatened  to  destroy  them.  Since  they 
had  sold  themselves  to  the  Rorrians,  the  exiled  Maccabseian  prince  had 


'j^lispked  moiriB  eag^y  with  tlie  Parthians,  and  had  been  supported 


Wf 


,ML  iUJ;/f>JV>H.*! 


!a  bia  appeal  by  ilomaa,  exiles  «z  ,ihp  jiany  of  Brutes  ana  O^iiu^ 
The  paruUuM  IiQsitatccl  long,  but  At  Joat  Uno  rurHQtir  camp  tliat  ih(iy 
wore  pcovaring  for  war.  JgrusukMa  tr^tiitjlqcl,  lor  Ijic  Ji^uphratcs  \va* 
undcionacd»  and  tbejro,>vcri3  still  guiri^u^  of  tlio  rcpul^ncuns,  w'hlcti 
could  not  bo  trusted,  nU4JirougU:  Syria. .  Tho  action  of,  Antopy  \i\ 
fiuch  a  crisis  waif  irapatieuUy  awaited;  but  fcp^llno;  atid  plpasurerj 
roigucdln  Alexandria.  The queqn  plt^'od at .dwo with tho  Triumvir; 
dmnl^and  Ivuntcd  ivi,th  him;  wandered  tj^rouglv  the  streets  by  liipiht 
with  Uim,  playing  rough  tricks;  sIm?,.  di:e^spd  as  a  eciryant-woman,  no. 
aaa  servant-man.  Slio  let  him  escape,  her  neither  by  night^i^or  day. 
Xlcr  extravagance  was  vmparallolcd;  at,  9  dinner  elm  d^ank  cnislic;1 
poaris,  that  tho  co^t,  of  a  meal  migbt  dome  to  ^  piiltion  sestertii,  ta 
sha  had  wagered  it  would..  There  was  no  end  9f .  hef  light  follicn,  to 
amuse  him;  she,  had  forej^  picIUed  H^  hung  by  dlvqrs  on  his  hooka 
aahe  Ashed,  and  inducccftho  senator  Plapcusto  dan^c  as  Olaucus, 
naked,  at  onaof  hec  banquets,  .pttinted,bh}c,  his  hea,d  wreathed  with 
scarweod,  and  waving  a  tail; |>chind  \iim,.as  he  went  riidlngon  a}l 
fours^  .  The  costliest .  meajs  were,  at  all  times  ready  ii?  uic  pastlc,  for 
t^e  cook  peyer.kuew  when  tUey  would  need  to  be  served  up.  , '  ;^ ; 'f^ 
Sunk  in  this  sensual  iudul^enco,  Antony  left  i,t  to  thq  ptb(i0tiiral 
pf  Syria  to  defendthatfprovince,  till  forped,  in  (he  spring  of  tbevear 
40,  to  go  to  .Greece,,  to  manage  a  war  "^'Uic^  his  wife  had  stirrca  up. 
.to .  dmw ,  l>ip(i  awoyi  from  iQlcopatra..  Mjeanwhile,  Asia  !ft$inor  was 
overrun  by  the.Parthians,^  and  rhasael  and  Herod,  saw  tiiemselves  ex- 
posed io  an,  early  iiiroa4»/»g<Unst  whi^h  jthcy  were  helpless.   "        '  \ 

,.  Andf^^*^'  ^0  '^'^  -^^^^^^^^^^  Uiere  rose  again 

before  Hyrcanus^  as  if  frpni  some  long-disused  efturcpyard,  ^hc  ^host 
of  that  dlynastic  questioh  which  foi;  thirty  years  had  haunted  tho 
palace,  and  could  not  be  -laid^  Ills  .nephew  Antlgpm^  came  ft-bm 
tlhalcis,  where  he  had  been  living  with  a  relative,  i^nd  obtained  holjj 
fromithe Paithiau,leader»  on  the  pi^omise  of  'giving  him  VOOO  talc  its 
l^aiid  500  wives,  if  he  wfij'e  restp^cd  to  the.  thrpi;ie.  At  Carmel,  Auti- 
1  ,gontw  was  greeted  with  ahOtlts,  lasl^ng^  ,and  he  hastened  pn  to  Jeru 
aalem,  whejce  part  of  the  people  joii^diiim.  ,  The  tetrarehs»$uccecdc;d 
in  drivUiff  Jiiiaahd  his  adhefenta  into  tho  Temple,  an<i  jShuttlng  them 
vp  mitfjbiit  daily, %hts  took  place  in  thc^rpct^  and^  as  Pentecost 
was  near,  and  crowda  of  armed  and  half larmed, pilgrims  arrived  Jn 
the  city,  the  brothers  were,,  m  their,  turn,  abut  up  m  their  palace,  from 
which,  however,  theii^  soldiersi  made  con  4Hnt  sallies,  butchering  the 
crowds  like -sheep.     At  last  the  cup-In  of  the  Parthian  prince 

came  to  the  gate  with;  500  cavalry.,-,  askinir  t-ntrance  asamediatpr  be- 
tween the  factions,  and  was  admitted  byPhaeaeJ^  who  was  even  weak 
enough  to  let  himself  be  persuaded  to  set  out  for  the  Pf^vthian  head- 
quarters,^ taking  Hyrcanus  with;  him,  to  eouclude  aiTangemehts  fPr 
peace.  At  fPtolemais  they  found  themselves  prisoners,^  and  were  spon 
|f ter .  fetlored  a^d  p^t  in  coniin^ment.;, Herod,  meanwhile^  had j;^- 
fused  to  listen  to  similar  treacherous  mvitatiolis/ftnd  having  mPuiiled 


28 


Tilt:  fjFE  OF  CHItlSt. 


his  family  on  mules  by  night,  set  off  with  them,  in  tJie  darkness, 
towards  the  strong  fortress  Masada,  on  the  T>ead  Sea,  where  hi^ 
brother  Joseph  had  command,  reacliing  it  only  after  terrible  fighting 
in  the  passes  of  the  hills.  Leaving  his  women  belund  in  safety,  and 
taking  liis  men  with  him,  he  noW  fled  towards  Edom;  but  as  he  hod . 
no  money,  the  sheiklis  of  Mount  Seir  refused  to  receive  him. 

In  the  meantime  the  Parthians.  had  thrown  off  tlie  mask  in  Jerusa- 
lem, had  plundered  the  city,  and  were  sweeping  like  a  devouring  fiwj 
through  the  land,  proclaiming  Antigonus  everywhere  ks,  king.  In 
the  camp,  Hyxcanus  was  the  first  to  do  homage  to  the  new  sovereign, 
but  Antigonus  flew  at  him,  and  with  his  own  teeth  bit  off  his  ears,  to 
unfit  him  for  ever  for  the  high  priesthood,  and  then  sent  him  beyond 
the  Euphrates  as;  a  prisoner.  Phasael  escaped  further  insult  hy  a 
voluntary  death.  Deprived  of  weapons,  he  beat  out  his  brains  against 
the  walls  of  his  dungeon.  Antigonus  now  assumed  the  name  of 
Mattathias,  from  the  founder  of  the  Maccabsean  family, -^and  the 
titles  of  high  priest  and  king.  But  his  position  was  insecure,  for 
Masada  still  held  out,  and  was  defended  by  Joseph,  Herod's  brotbcr, 
for  two  years,  till  Herod  relieved  it.  The  barbarities  of  the  Parthians, 
moreover,  undennined  his  authority.  On  their  small  horses  of  the 
steppes  they  scoured  the  country  in  troops,  mangling  the  men,  mal- 
treating the  women,,  burning  down  whole  towns,  and  torturing  even 
the  dewnceless.  N<j  wonder  that,  though  a  Parthian  never  watered 
his  horse  in  the  Jordan  after  the  year  B.C.  38,  the  memory  of  these 
mounted  hordes  lingered  in  thp  mmds  of  tlie  people,  so  that  even  B% 
John  introcluces  them  in  the  iLpocalypse,  as  a  symbol  of  the  plagues 
of  the  final  judgment,  which  were  to  destroy  a  third  part  of  men.  ,  , 

Herod,  repelled  from  Idumea,  fled  to  Egypt,  which  Antony  had 
left  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  40.  Cleopatra,  however,  gave  him  a 
friendly  and  even  distinguished  welcome,  thinking  she  could  win  him 
over  to  her  service,  and  use  him  as  general  against  the  Parthians. 
But  Herod  had  higher  aims.  Braving  the  danger  of  autumn  stoiTns, 
he  set  sail  for  Rome,  was  shipwrecked  off  !E^iodes,  built  ajiew  trircm^ 
with  borrowed  money,  reached  Italy  soon  after)  and  on  getting  to 
Home  found  there  both  Octavian  and  Antony.  Before  them  he  had 
his  cause  pleaded  so  skilfully  that  the  Senate  unanimously  appointed 
him  King  of  Judea,  and  he  was  formally  installed  in  the  temple  of 
Jupiter  Capitolinus,  with  the  usual  heathen  sacrifices.  Seven  days 
later  he.was  on  his  way  back  to  Palestine,  and  the  cause  of  Antigonus 
was  doomed.  This  new  dignity,  however,  carried  in  rts  bosom  the 
seeds  of  all  Herod's  future  misery.  Hyrcanus,  though  disqualified 
for  being  high  priest,  could  yet  be  ethnarcb,  and  his  grandchild 
Aristobulus,  brother  to  Mariamne,  Herod's  betrothed,  was  alive, 
Herod's  kingship  was  a  wi'ongful  usurpation  of  the  rights  of  both. 

Meanwhile,  the  position  of  Antigonus  was  getting  desperate.  Th^e 
cruelties  of  the  Parthians^  the  failure  to  take  Masada,  and  a  |resh  out^ 
break  on  a  great  3cale,  in  Galilee  and  on  the  lake  of  Geunesareth,  of 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


29 


zeal  ftgniriHt  (Ik;  heathen  oppressors  of  the  land,  had  turned  the  Rabbis 
and  the  t^anliedrim,  hitherto  his  supporters,  against  him.  Nor  were 
the  people  itiore  friendly.  As  he  left  the  Temple  on  the  Dav  of 
Atonement,  accompanied  by  a  crowd,  to  conduct  him  to  his  palace, 
the  muitit\id(^.  turned  away  to  follow,  two  Rabbis  who  chanced  to  pass. 
Yet  Herod  was  still,  in  the  eyes  of  the  nation,  only  "the  servant  of 

the  Asmon^ans."  '':''':'::.  V"  ''.r  :'V.'^"  •"•^;  ^^^ 

Herod  began  the  war  a^m^t  AAll^bntisf  Wltti  fhe  assurance  of 
RomJln  help,  but  Silo,  the  Roman  general,  let  himself  be  bribed  by 
Anti^onus,  and  Herod  had  to  struggle  sitigle-handed.  The  Rohians 
oinlyplvitidcred  Jericho,  and  quartered  themselves  idly  on  the  nation  at 
large.  ITerod  had  to  tOrh  against  the  zealpts  of  Galilee,  since  he 
coiud  get  no  help  towards  more  serious  efforts;' and  he  soon  extirpated" 
them.  The  Parthian^,  however,  by  this  time  had  been  driven  out  of 
Asia  Minor  and  Syria,  and  finally  crushied,  in  a^eat  battle  on  the 
Euphrates.  Two  new  legions  were  now  free  to  aid  Herod,  but  th^ii- 
general,  lik6  Sflo.  cated  only  for  making  iiioney,  and,  like  him,  took 
a  bribe  from'Antiffonus.  In  the  meantime,  Joseph,  Herod's  brother, 
foil  in  battle,  and  ihis  roused  Herod;  who  was  always  faithful  to  his 
family,  to  fury.  With  only  a  nondescript  army  he  burst  on  Galilee 
and  Judea,  and  drove  the  Maiccabseans  before  him  like  chaff.  Except 
Jerusalem,  the  whole  land  was  now  his,  and  he  set  himself  to  the  task 
of  taking  the  capital, ,  For  two  years,  with  only  raw  recruits  who 
kiie^  nothing,  veteran^  who  had  forgotten  everything,  Ituf cans  who 
took  his  pay  and  did  as  little  as  possible  for  it,  and  treacherous  allies, 
lie  had  fought  against  a  fanatical  people,  who  turned  every  hamlet 
Bnd  cavdm  into  a  fortress.  It  needed  a  genius  and  a  superhuman 
energy  like  his  to  triumph  in  such  a  war.  In  the  early  spring  of  87 
n.d,  he  procced()cl  to  invest  Jerusalem,  but  thought  it^ohtic,  oefore 
the  siege  actually  began,  to  go  to  Samaria  and  marry  Mariamne,  the 
grand-daughter  of  iQ'rcanus,  his  rival  and  enemy.  The  Samaritans, 
in  their  hatred  of  the  TVIaccabsean  dynasty,  had  been  I^fcrod's  devoted 
supporters  lli  the  war;  and  h6  had  honoured  their  loyalty  by  placing 
his  brlddj  and  the  rest  of  his  family  in  their  keeping,  at  Samaria,  when 
)t  ti  rat  broke  out.  He  was  no  sooner  married  than  the  work  of  blood 
pnt^e'ihore  begati.  Jerusalem  \Vas  besieged  by  his  army  of  Samari- 
tans, friendly  Jews,  wild  Idumeans,  and  mercenaries  fi'om  Phenicia 
and  Lebanon,  and  fell  on  the  10th  of  June,  after  a  fierce  struggle, 
which  was  followed  by  wild  pillage  and  slaughter.  Antigonus  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  was  put  to  death  by  the  Roman  general,  at 
Herod's  entreaty,  after  he  had  suffered  the  outrage,  hitherto  unknown 
towards  a  prince,  of  being  scourged  like  a  slave.  Thus  another  As- 
nioi^ean  was  out  of  the  way.  The  family  had  reigned  126  years. 
Herod  was  now  really  king.  A  great  bribe  to  the  Rorinan  army  freed 
the  couuti7  of  the  burden  of  the  Roman  support,  and  the  misery  of 
its  lawlossn'ess.  A  bloody  proscription,  after  the  pattern  of  that  of 
the  Roman  triumvirate,  mowed  down  all  enemies  within  the  city,  the 


H :':: 


80 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST, 


!  i'!;l 


,1 


III 

B       Jl    ~ 


i  '■  ■ ! 


gates  of  which  were  closed  till  the  executions  were  ended.  In  the 
midst  of  this,  Antony,  once  more  beside  Cleopatra,  in  Egpvt,  and 
needing  endless  wealth  for  their  mutual  prodigalities,  sent  a  demand 
to  all  the  kingdoms  he  controlled, — ^Judea  amongst  others, — ^for  a  va«t 
sum  of  money.  Herod  had  only  an  empty  treasury;  a,  country 
strewn  with  ruins  and  smoking  heaps;  and  moreover,  it  was  the  Sab-- 
bath  year,  in  which  the  laws  made  by  CfBsar  prohibited  the  levying 
any  tax.  The  proscription  had  therefore  to  be  made  a  means  of  rais- 
ing funds,  as  had  been  done  by  Octavian  and  Antony,  at  Rome. 
Forty-live  of  his  richest  opponents  were  put  to  death,  and  their  prop- 
erty confiscated  so  ruthlessly,  that  even  their  coffins  were  searched  at 
,the  city  gates  for  jewofe^or  money.  Many  w.ere  glad  to  escape  death 
by^ving  up  all  they  had.  "The  oppression  and  tyranny  had  no 
limit,"  says  Josephus.  Herod,  however,  was  none  the  richer,  for  he 
had  to  send  off  the  whole  crown  treasutes  of  the  Asmoneans  to  Lao?, 
dicea,  to  help  to  make  up  the  amount  demanded  from  him.;i . ,  ^j.ii^jul 


CHAPTER   IV. 

TriE  REIGN  OP  HEBOD. 


...    i...a   toi'Iii.  .Dnjv/tg^jt 

The  position  of  Herod  was  difficult  in  the  extreme.  He  had  every- 
thing  to  reorganize.  Galilee  lay  exhausted  by  brigandage^  entire 
towns  were  unpeopled,  as  Lydda,  Tliamua,  Gophna,  and  Emmaua, 
whose  inhabitants  had  been  sold  by  Cassius  as  slaves.  Jjericho  had 
been  taken  and  plundered  once  and  again :  five  towns  round  it  lay  in 
rubbish  and  ashes;  Marissa  had  been  burned  down  by  the  Parthians; 
and  in  the  tnidst  of  all,  the  bleeding  land  had  to  be  harried  afresh,  to 
satisfy  Cleopatra  and  her  slave,  Antony.  But  Uje  genius  of  Herod 
erelong  built  up  a  strong  government  out  of  this  chaos,  surrounding, 
himself  with  his  old  friends,  and  ruthlessly  crushing  his  enemies. 
Filling  posts,  where  needful  or  desirable,  with  foreigners  of  any  nar 
tion,  he  yet  strove  to  keep  on  a  good  footing  with  the  Rabbis,  and 
Pharisee  party  at  large,  but  gradually  took  from  their  Sanhedrim  and 
schools  the  legal  and  civil  powers  they  had  exercised,  leaving  them 
the  control  only  of  municipal  and  ecclesiastical  details.  A  high  priest 
was  appointed,  such  as  the  times  seemed  to  demand.  No  native  could 
be  trusted;  Hyrcanus,  who  still  survived  in  Babylon,  was  disqualified; 
Aristobulus,  the  king's  brother-in-law,  was  too  young,  and  Herod  was 
a  born  Idumean.  A  Rabbi  from  Babylon  was  therefore  selected,  as 
likely'  to  give  no  trouble,  but  the  rule  was  introduced,  as  an  extra  pre- 
caution, that  the  office  should,  henceforth,  be  held,  jyv  any  one,  only 
for  a  short  time.  Hyrcanus  was  wiled  from  the  East  that  Herod 
might  have  him  in  his  own  power,  and  prevent  his  being  played;  off 
ag^nst  him  in  case  of  another  Parthian  war.  , 

But  Herod's  position  avqs  a  fatal  one.    Willing  to  treat  hi^  «ubjedti| 


II         1/ 


TUB  lilFB  OF  CHRIBT; 


Si 


»fen,  Rome;  to  whom  he  owed  his  crown,  forced  Wm  to  oppress 
them.  He  wi3h<^  to  reiga  as  a  Jew,  but  he  liad  mttJc  :  thank-offer- 
ing in  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Capitolinua  for  the  c»ov'n.  He  knew 
that  he  could  be  popular  only  by  observing  the  Laj^r.  but  his  being 
king  at  all  was  illegal.  He  nattered  the  Rabbis,  but  they  were  liis 
deadliest  enemies.  Yet  all  this  was  little  to  tlje  troubles  which  hia 
ambition  had  prepared  for  him  in  his  own  household.  Had  he  founded 
an  entirely  new  dynasty,  his  relations  would  liave  been  on  his  side, 
and  he  could  have  relied  on  a  party.  But  he  had  been  unwise  enough 
to  marry  into  the  family  he  had  overthrown,  in  the  hope  of  gaining  a 
colour  of  legitimacy  for  his  reign;  and  in  doing  so  he  had  at  onco 
failed  to  appease  the  injured,  and  had  brought  his  mortal  cnemicn 
round  him,  as  his  relations.  TJie  mania.2:o  with  Mariftmne,  by  which 
he  hoped  to  strengthen  his  title,  carried  with  it  his  keeivesMndictment. 
In  Aristobulus,  his  brother-in-law,  he  saw  only  a  rival,  and  he  betook 
himself  to  the  usual  remedy  of  tyrants—murder-r-to  make  himself 
safe.  But  this  only  made  his  position  so  much  the  worse,  for  his 
best-loved  wife  knew  that  he  had  murdered  her  b'other,  ond  their 
very  children  had  more  right  to  the  throne  than  himself.  His  sus. 
picions  were  thus  roused  at  his  every  step  in  his  own  palace,  and 
could  only  be  appeased  by  fresh  crimes,  Ra  raged  against  his  own 
flesh  and  blood,  and  made  himself  wretched  as  a  man,  to  be  secure  as 
a  king.  ''.:.■•        ■       .  -  .v ,    . 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  a  great  disaster  befell  the  Triumvir^ 
Antony;  His  troops,  deserted  by  their  barbarous  allies,  had  to  retreats 
from  Media,  marching  for  twenty-seyen  days  through  a  wasted  count*? 
try,  pursued  by  the  Parthians,  and  often  m  want  of  food  or  water. 
Twenty  thousand  foQtj  and  four  thousand  horse,  perished,"  and  all  the 
army  train  was  lost,  before  he  reached  the  Araxes,  on  the  Caspian 
Sea,  and  eight  thousand  more  died  before  he  got  to  Sidon  on  the  8ea> 
coast.  Here  he  waited  for  Cleopatra,  who  was  alarmed  at  hearing 
that  his  wife  Octavia  was  coming  to  meet  him,  and,  pretending  that 
she  would  die  if  he  deserted  her,  so  Unmanned  him  that  he  left  his 
army  to  his  officers  and  went  ofif  wiih  her  to  Egypt.  He  was  now 
entirely  in  her  hands,  and  the  neighboming  powers  soon  felt  the 

II   3SUltS.  . 

'  Alexandra,  the  mother  of  Mariarano  and  Aristobulus,  was  sorely 
aggrieved  that  her  son  should  not  have  been  made  high  priest,  as  was 
his  right,  and  plotted  with  a  crafty  officer  of  Antony's  suite,  then  at 
Jerusalem,  to  get  Antony  to  help  her  in  the  matter.  He  asked  and 
got  the  portraits  of  both  brother  and  sister  to. send  to  his  master,  but 
it  was  with  the  design  of  getting  Antony  enamoured  of  Mariamne  and 
of  thus  raising  a  rival  to  Cleopatra,  and  his  scheme  succeeded.  An- 
tony fell  in  love  with  the  Jewish  queen,-  and  was  only  kept  from 
acting  on  his  passion  by  his  fear  of  the  jealousy  of  his  Egyptian  mis- 
tress. He  ctbuliued  himself  for  the  time  to  asking  Herod  to  send  tha 
boy  to  him. 


.;>-'-;*»•■ 


rr*     «i     •-  » 


;i..'l 


8^^ 


Trite  LIFE  OF  tJflniST. 


!  i  li 


h  li 


.{   " 


r;')'n/f 


nP 


.(-51    A'*    ^#  i  rfJ^    *tiiJ«rA/*^    »f^ 


Herod  was  liiantiodi  and  induced  Antony  to  withdraw  his  request; 
which  he  said  would  lead  to  a  revolt  if  granted ;  but  seeing  how  things 
stood,  lie  deposed  the  high  priest  and  appointed  Aristobulus,  then 
seventeen;  in  his  place.  Unfortunately  for  the  lad,  the  Jews  hailed 
his  elevation  with  delight  The  result  was  that  Herod,  soon  after,  got 
him  held  under  the  water  in  a  bath,  at  Jericho,  till  he  was  drowned," 
and  pretended  it  was  an  accident.  f  ,  . 

Alexandra  and  Mariamne,  knowing  the  truth,  thirsted  for  revenge, 
and  plotted  with  Cleopatra  to  obtain  it.  She  on  her  part  was  anxious 
to  get  hold  of  Judea,  and  only  used  the  plotters  for  this  end.  Herod 
was  summoned  before  Antony,  but  he  ordered,  before  he  left,  that, 
should  he  not  return,  Alexaiidra  should  be  put  to  death  as  a  punisli- 
ment,  and  Mariamne^  also,  killed,  to  prevent  her  falling  into  the 
hands  of  Antony.  Unfortunately  for  all,  this  was  told  them  in  his 
absence,  and  Mariamne,  roused  to  frenzy,  greeted  him,  on  his  coming 
back,  with  an  outburst  of  the  long  pent-up  hatred  she  felt  at  his 
crimes.  Alexandra  was  forthwith  thrown  into  chains;  his  sister 
Salome's  husband^  who  had  hetrayed  the  secret,  was  put  to  death; 
Mariamne,  whom  he  passionately  loved,  was  spared  a  little  longer^  if 

Other  troubles,  from  outside,  now^  for  a  time,  thrust  the  domestic 
miseries  into  the  background.  Herod  had  discovered  Cleopatra's 
derigns,  which  were  to  get  all  the  country,  from  Egypt  to  Syria,  for 
lierself.  Antony  wais  to  be  persuaded  on  one  pretext  or  other,  to  de- 
throne the  different  rulers.  She  did  actually  get  him  to  ptit  L^sania^, 
the  iTiler  of  the  Lebanon  district,' to  death,  on  pretence  of  his  being 
in  league  with  the  Parthians,  and  got  his  principality,  which  she 
presently  farmed  out.  Herod  was  now  between  her  possessions,  on 
both  north  and  south,  and  feared  lest  her  influence  with  Antony 
might  be  his  ruin, 

She  next  begged  and  got  part  of  the  Kabatffiui  kingdom:  then  the 
whole  sea-coast  of  Palestine  from  the  river  Eleutherus  to  JJgypW 
Tyre  and  Sidon  excepted — and,  finally,  Herod  had  to  give  up  to  l^er 
the  Oasis  of  Jericho  with  its  balsam  plantations — the  richest  part  of 
his  kingdom.  The  summons  to  Laodicea  and  the  taking  away . of 
Jericho  seemed  to  show  that  Herod's  influence  with  Antony  wais 
shaken,  and  opposition  ^pnsequently  raised  itself  once  more.  Plots 
were  again  rife  on  every  side,  at  home  and  abroad.  Cleopatra  was 
his  constant  terror,  for  at  any  moment  she  might  spring  some  new 
mine  under  hi^  feet.  Even  the  Maccabeeans  were  once  more  raising 
their  heads.  The  Rabbis,  whose  schools  had  flourished  immensely 
since  their  exclusion  from  politics,  began  to  interfere  with  tliem  again. 
Hillel  and  Schammai  were,  respectively,  the  heads  of  the  more  liberal 
and  the  harsher  parties.  But  Herod  was  too  much  occupied  by  great 
aft'airs  to  trouble  himself  about  them. 
•  Things  were  rapidly  coming  to  a  crisis  in  the  Roman  Empire.  The 
<Jbject'of  the  Egyptian  queen  in  lavishing  her  blandislimentson  An 
tony  became  moVe  and  more  apparent.     She  had  wittuii^Icd  him 


in 


fi 


"f  h;e  ufe  of  cpmsT. 

Ker  snares  only  to  serve  herself,  and  the  great  Samson  laid  his  head 
nnsuspiciously  on  her  Delilah  lap.  She  dreamed  of  bringing  the 
whole  Eastern  empire  of  Rome,  throitgh  him,  under  Egyptian  rule, 
and  of  befcomin^  the  empress  of  half  the  world ;  and  it  seemed  as  if 
he  were  willing  it  should  be  so.  He  gave  mortal  offence  at  Rome  by 
celebrating  his  triumphs,  not  there,  but  at  Alexandria.  He  gave 
Cleopatra  the  title  of  the  "queen  of  kings."  Their  two  sons,  Ptol- 
emy and  Alexander,  were  to  be  "kings  of  kings.'*  He  gave  Syria, 
Phenicia,  and  Cilicia  to  the  former,  and  Armenia  and  Media,  with 
Parthia,  as  soon  as  it  should  be  overcome,  to  the  latter;  while  to  their 
daughter,  the  young  Cleopatra,  he  handed  over  Cyrcnaika.  Cleopa- 
tra herself  was  made  Qtiieeriof  Egj'^pt,  Cyprus,  Libya,  arid  Coele-Syria, 
her*  son  Coesai-ion  i^haring  them  with  her.  After  the  example  of  tho 
Pharaohs  and  Ptolemies,' both  he  arid  she  ai^sutned  divine  honours — 
Cleopatra  as  Isis,  Antony  as  Osiris — and  their  statues  wei-c  set  up  in 
sacred  places.  Public  fueling  at  R6mjb  was  outraged  and  alarmed. 
The  popular  poets  sent  verses  afloat  in  which  Antony  sought  to  make 
the  Jupiter  6f  Rome  give  way  to  tlie  barking,  dog-heaioed  Anubis, 
threatened  the  galleys  of  I^ome  wi£h  being  outsailed  bvthe  boats  of 
the  ^ile,  and'woiild  faiti  frighten  |he  tnnrtpfets  of  Rome  with  the 
clattering  sligtruih!  <^8esai*  laid  the  facts  before  the  Senate,  and  An- 
tony, in  return,  made  charges  against  Caesar.  TV'ar — long  inevitable 
—at  last  broke,  out,  aindwais  decided  in. the  sea-fight  at  Actium,  Cleo- 

{)atra  had  p(ftrsuaded  her  dupe  to  fight  On  the  water  rather  than  on 
and,  that  she  might  flee  to  Egypt  at  the  first  signs  Of  defeat,  and  she 
did  this  in  the  mTSjit  of  the  battle,  when  victory  was  yet  entirely 
doubtful.  Ever  his^  ruin,  slie  thus  completed  her  fsjtal  triunaph,  for 
the  Weak  man»  a.1  if  hfe  ebuld  not  live  without  her,  forthwith  deserted 
his  foipces,  thoUj^  his  ships  were  still  fighting  Stoutly,  and  he  had 
100,000  foot,  and  12,000  horse,  on  the  sea-shore,  who  had  never 
fought  at.^n.  It  W§s  noticed  that  on  the  day  of  Actiuni  a  terrible 
earthquake  took  pl^Ce  in 'Palestine;  killing  10,000  ^eriions  and  endless 
cattle,  Hejrod,  seeing  Antony  fa^ri,  forthwith  made  peace  with 
Caesar.  Ffe^li  plots  df  Alexandra  had  been  discovered,  in  which 
Hyrcatius,*  pow  eighty' y^aif?  did,  w;as  to  be 'played  off  against  him; 
but  they  only  led  to  tWilivdltlng  sight  of  the  last  of  the  Maccabaeans, 
in  extreme  old  age,  b^irig  behead(Bd  by  hi0  i|Dn-in-law.  Herod's  hands 
Were  getting  redder  and  reddeif  With  the  Mwd  of  his  kindred.  With 
Caesar  he  managed  things  well;  entertaining  him  royally  on  his  way 
through  Palestine  to  IJgypt,  arid  providing  supplies  for  his  army  on 
their  miarch,  witheqiial  wisdom  and  munificence."  Meanwhile  An- 
tony and  Cleopatra  spent  their  last  days  in  feasting  and  revelry, 
y^ned  with  ghastly  trials,  before  them,  of  eviery  known  poison,  by 
turns,  on  different  prisoners,  to  see  which  caused  the  easiest  death. 
In  the  autumn  pf  30  B.C.  Antony  stabbed  hin^self  mortally,  and  Cleo- 
patra soon-  after  ended  her  life  by  poison,  leaving  Heroa  to  breathe 
freely  for  ^he  first  (hue  in  long  years.  Octavian  to^him  iutp  favQui, 


THE  LlFii:  OP  CHRIST. 


.^«^*' 


Ei 


^rlic  heedfed  siicli  ft  iWa^^^  a  protection  on  ilie  eiisterh  poTdiBw7tO 
iJfefend  them  against  the  Par thians;  Jericho  was  given  back,  Samaria 
was  incorporated  wi^h.hi'sikjngdom,\vitli  various  coast  towns,  and 
Some  territory  Ibc^j-ond  tlie  Jordau,  Oieppatra*?  body  guaid  o/  400 
t^aufe  was  presented  to  him  by  Octavian.  But  f f  he  had  hpnoiir  and 
rewards^  it  was  at  t  lie  cost  of  an  expemUture,  to  da  hohour  and 
homace  to  his  impierial  master,  thai  seemed,  to,  have  .ovciBtraM^d  liis 

Xcsources.  ■      '  '       ■"    '  ■"  '      "  '..  "^  ■''  't'  ■ 

Once  more  sajf ie  fi^ftiii '  (iaiiM6rs''tfifil'  pifg^^^^  "Wett  '^^ve  ^WeiWelte^ 
him,  Herod,  found,  on  jiis  return  from  attendance  on  Octfivian,  such 
"troubles  at  hofhe  as  cfarlcehcd  his  wliole  future  life.  Tli^  quarrels  ojf 
his  seraglio  had  come  to  a  liead^  Alpxai^dra  and,  her  daughter  Harf- 
amne  were  now  the  only. two  left  of  the  old  royal  race,  ai^d  were  so 
inuch  the  moi:e  ibated '%  t^e  kindred  of  Herod  .  Mariamhe— tall  and 
noble  iri  ipersop-j-liad  the^pri^e  of  ^a  4augli  Hin^,  and  let  Salotae, 

Herod's  sister,  ffe^]  it.  'ln\Her'6d,'s,ai)sence  she  discovered  thai,  for  the 
second  time,  lip  hiid  left  ordeb  to/kili  lier  and  her  mqther  if  he  di^ 
Tiot  return;  and  slie  S|j[ip\\''e4  what  'gh  thought  of  th|s  when  he  did 
come  back,  by  feceivlrtg  hjiin  With  uidisguiseq  aveiiibu. ;  Hei^  exjemies 
took  advantage  ot  this  io  fan  Herpd''s  angCf  by  every 'scand.ial  tliey 

iirifaithl 

handed      ..   , ,,  ,^. ,    ._  „,.  ..     „  ...._  .   .^..,  ,.  _     , 

lictually  pubrished,  was'awfuL'   He  1^^^^  fpi-  a  time,  woul 

icall  for  her,  Jfatnent  b;yer  her.  Kept  his  serV^nt^^jral|!ng  her  als,  if  sli^ 

Were  stUl  alive,  gayp  up  aU  btisjness,  aiid  fled  to  Sj^inaria^  wh^reWhia^ 


;r  aaugniers  murger,^.morugni  tnis  ine  ngni  .moment  to 
t  Mariamrie*s.two's6nS  on  the  throne^  >Vliichw^a8^  theirs"  I 
!  th^n  tfieiF  f ai(^6Fs.  [  A,  plague  xiad  brp^eii  oiit ^^  iiftd 


tb^ct 

Tnore 

Rabbis  constt^ed  into  diyihe  'i^entf^tt^ce  f or  the,  (^tie^  de$kth;  l*he 
hews  i-bused  tlie  tyrHi^t, "ill  iis  he  Was.  .AliiXjandrq,' was  instantly  ^u^ 
fo  death,  aijd  iiiany  otheifs  shar^^I'  hVir  fiite.;  but  afready  a  nigw  isu^- 
picloh  hiid  riseii  td' t6tment  'the  wtet'c&ed  man/  Alexandra's  jjroda- 
matioh  bfhia  sohis/as^^fe  rigtitftil 'Mrs  had  liii^dfc  theni,  alsp,  lii^ 
fancied  enemies.  Aiiaoi^r'the  p'ebplerthc  membry  of  Mariamhe  wiia 
leered,  aM'^heir hopes' fei&tibij^i^dh?:  :  l'^^^^*^'  "^^  np^v«  fCT 
'  Octati^h  was  hbw'^ble  riilc^  oj^  |the  ,!Roman  world', land'<§j*  ffi^  W^ 
r.ame  b^  ^tigustus,  And  api  elra'of  ':festbl-atlbh  and  refliienibn^  todli  the 
place  of  destruction  and  tumult.  With  the  widespredd  peac'i^i  tM^ 
revived,  and  prosperity  retuifned  to  \Tudea  amohig  other  cbUntjpies. 
The  patronage  of  .literature  and  art,  the  coristructibn  6t  ptiblic  tyfork^, 
and  the  rebiiddm^  aiid  beautifying  of  Rome  and'thei  cities  and  tb^*ils 
of  the  provinces.  Were  tib'^thefashibn,  set  by  Augustus,  and  slavishly 
followed  by  vassal  kings.  In  imitation  6i  him.  Herod  pfttroni^ed 
fcen"whosewritlngff  could  shed  jslu'sti^  biihis  cbfurt— iibtably  the  two 


borders,  to 
ck,  Samaria 

towns,  and 
uaJd  of  40iD 
honour  an^ 
honour  an^ 
•s^ra^^d  his 

verwiiieltilei^ 
tfivian,  such 
I  quarrels  \6| 
lighter  iStlari- 
ai^d  were  so 
ine-^tall  and 
diet  Salotae, 
t  that,  for  the 
ih^rifhedj^ 
v^heri  he  did 
Her  enemies 
scandal  Uiiey 
ihe  hiad  becjj 
i  hy  p,  ^ 
she  had  tht  - 
i  time,  ,wou, 
her  iis,  if  si 
wh0reh€?hai 
AtlailithiBf^! 
adVa;fwi6u8 
t  to'  attempt 
^8, by  tight, 
^d  this  thfe 
de^th.    W 
fmstantfy  l?u^ 
iy  a  n^w  suf 
^dra's  proda- 
jni,  al^o,  ly? 
fariamhe  ^a^ 

ier  ti^  |xr|h 

kfenVto#the 

[peac^;  tWd^ 

fer  coiintnes. 

Itiblic  Work$, 

>sandtb^*tis 

md  slavishly 

[  pAtrohiSjied 

iblythfetwo 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.  — 

hroihers,  Nicolaus  and  Ptolemy,  of  Damascus,  both,  able  and  faith- 
ful public  servants.  Nicolaus  was  a  voluminous  and  skilful  author  as 
well.  Other  Greeks  add  half -Greeks  were  put  in  offices  of  trust  or 
honour^as  members  of  the  government,  or  ambassadors,  or  as  tutors 
and  travelling  companions  to  his  sons.  Most  of  them  served  Herod 
honourably  to  the  last,  but  there  were  hot  wanting  some  of  the 
Greek  sycophants  who  at  that  time  infested  all  courts,  and  one  of  the 
worst  01  these,  Eurykles  the  Lacedsemonian,  who  amassed  wealth  by 
efpipnage  and  false  yritnesses,  was  destined  to  be  the  bad  genius  of 
Herod's  later  years,  the  biting  wit  pf  the  Rabbis  spoke  of  the 
whole  heathefi  gbvetnmeht  of  the  court  as  "the  proselytes  of  the 
kin/stable/',  /  ^ 

A  shrewd  and  ahle  roan  like  Herod,  whose  leading  thought  was  to 
flatter  and  serve  Augustus,  so  as  to  secure  his  permanent  favour,  was 
of  gi;9at  use  in  a  disturfied  border  country,  to  one  who,  like  Augustus, 
was  as  much  disihcliped  as  Unqualified  for  war.  When,  therefore, 
lieripd  determined  i|i  'the  year  B.C.  23  to  send  Mariamne's  two  sons  to 
Kome,  C^sar  received  ^  them  "with  every  honour,  tuid  gavq  the  lad* 
every  faejility  for  growing,  up  in  the  midst  of  high  Roman  life.  But 
they  little  knew  in  how  dark  a  ^Ibom  all  this  early  splendour  would 
get !  By  a  curipus  coincidence  it  was  theil*  tutor  s  son,  with  whom 
they  rose  to  nmnhpod,  whom  VirgiJ  had  flattered  as  an  infant  hjr  ap- 
plying to  him,  ip  the'  fourth  Eclogue,  the  Messianic  hope  of  the  Jews> 
Or  this  ''Messiah"  of  Virgil  th^  werq  iiotr  the  youthful  friends. 
Herod  him^dQlf  took  his  ^ons  tp  Rome,  and  was  honoured  by  a  gift' 
froihAiigustus  of  the  district  of  Lebanon,  and  of  the  lawless  terri- 
tories of  Iti^ea  and  Trachpnitis,  with  the  fcrtilii  plains  of  the  Hauran. 
Th^  forme;i:  swjuined  with  rpbbers,  like  Galilee  in  Herpd*s  jouth, 
and  the  two  latter  were  filled  with  wild  clans  of  borderers,  who  wero 
the  tenw  of,  the  land  a;t  large.  But  on  his  Return,  Herod  soon 
reduced  them  so  thoroughly  that  they  were  peaceful  even  under  his 
su(jcessprs.,  A  year  after,  Herpd  could  perspnally  repprt  his  success 
to  C^sarV  niinister'  Agrippa,  at  Mitylene,  to  which  he  went  tp  meet 
him.  Twpyeiirs  later  Herpd  received  frpm  Augustus,  in  perspn,  at 
Antioeh,  )the  districts  of  Ulatha  and  Panias,  to  rpund  off  his  kingdom 
suitahiy.  He  now  reigned  over  a  larger  kin^om^thsbn  any  preceding 
Jewish  monarch,  The  glory  pf  David  seero^ed  to  be  outshone.  From 
Lebanon  to  the  far  South,  and  f|*om'  the  edge  of  the  Desert  tp  the 
sea-coast,  was  Jewish  territory.  Kor  was  th?  political  glory  granted 
to  Herod  less  than  the  matcirial.  He  was  made  the  represent«^;ive  of 
Agrippain  thq  East,  and  it  was  required  that  his  counsel  should  be 
taken,  beforp  anything  of  moment  was  done  by  consuls  or  governors. 
Amidst  these  fiatteries  from  Augustus  it  was  necessary  to  do  jtome* 
thing  tio  conciliate  the  Jews.  H^nce,  in  the  year  24  Herod  had  mar- 
ried a  Jewish  maiden— Mariamne,  daughter  of  Boethos,  a  priest  of 
Aie^andrian  origin,  who  was  raised  to  the  high  priesthood,  to  di^if y 
the  alliancie  with  "the  fairest  -woman  in  the  world,''— Jesus,  the «oa 


^ 


THE  I^IFE  OF  CHRIST^ 


m^ 


of  Pliabi,  the  )x\gh  priest  at  the,  thQc,  m^ff  -sq^  aside  in  his  fayoiir. 
Bo^tho9  ^a?  a  gTieat  acccasion  to  the  smaU  body  of  thejBii^duceaii' 
aigQitari»»,  hut*  io  politics,  was,  of  course,  a  Hetodian. 

Bo  much  intercourse  with,  hoathqi^isin,  however,  and  the  splendid" 
flatteries  by  wHich  florod  wjught,  to  re^in  and  increase  the  p^wer  of 
his  master,  were  not  "vyithout  th^ir  effect^  qix  Judaism.  Even  in  ihie. 
diiyfrof  the  Syrian  kin^s,  Palestine  had ,been  encircled  by  Gr^jfek  towns* 
and  cities^  and  the  inunigniUpn  of  heathen  6^|:tiers  had^  in' Hdrod'^s 
day»  made  the  to^ns  of  the  Philistii\e  coast  and  of  the  Decapipli^  miich^ 
more  Greek  than  Jewish..  [The  only  bounds  to  Herod's  introdtidiiod' 
of  forjeign  novelties  were  his  drea4  oi  Rational  bpppsition.  '  Qreek  had, 
become  the  court  dialect  of  the  Empire,  as  French  was  ihit  of  EiirOpe 
in  the  days |0|  Louis  XIY.,  and  ^tfll  reipfiai^i^  to  ^  g^reat  detent;  And 
hence  it  was  uniyeri^ly  ifivoured  and  spoken  by  the  ii|ip6r  cl^sfeefe  in 
lierod's  dominions.  Samaria  received  a  ^reek  name,  had  Greek' 
coins,  and  Gr^eH  idolatry.  TThe  flyst  act  of  Herpd,  after  Au^dtus 
had  aggrandised  ^^  sp  greatly,  wad  to  biilld  a-  temple  of  wl^ite  hiar' 
ble  to  his  p^ituon,  s^i  papia^,  the  futi^rjB  Ccesarei  I*hinppii  lyi^gflnfel/J 
on  one  of  the  southern  spurs  q|,  Lehanon.  ,  Biefore  toiiz,  Vtirituririg  to 
bring  heathenism  nearer  thp  <?entre  of  the  hu^d,  he  buut  anottieHeiii- 


the  other  tjtiat,ol  Agrippa.    Herodi^qo,  whij^,  he  built  oh  the  hill,  at' 
tl^eroouthof  t^e  deep  gorge  leadii^gjo  the  Dead  .^ca,  where  he  had 
scK  bravely  defended]  hiipseTi  agaihst  th^^ar^l^n^^  was  plai^iied  ^  ii 
Roipap  QafitK,  risingover.ah  luill^  towj^wltli  ^public  .btiildlngs  afhd 
stately  a^iuejducts. .  Jl^is  grandest  unaertaku;i|^,  ^iter  the  T^hfpie,  wa$- 
the  crQ^ti<itt  of  Caasar^a,  oftjtlieqoast.    Th^  name  was  another  flai!-' 
teiy  of  the  Emperpr:  thav  ot  o»ne  of  the  great  'signal 'towers  oh  tnfe- 
smaUernirbourwas  I)i;usion,  af^er  Caesar's  ispn^    Th^gre^t'pieir  Was? 
adorned  witii^  apl^did  pillars,   ]  %oad  quays,  inagnifideht  bai^ar^s, 
spacious  basiiicaB,  19^  me  courts  oj^jaw^^nd  ptn^f ^UDlic'uses,.and  hid^ 
sailorsNhotnes,;  i^vjite4  Afgi^Qat  coi?imerd0;  aha  on  ah  e&iinence  abpv& 
roscia/temple,  witti  a<»)lo8sa:^Wtai^e,  yisible  lar  out  at  sea,  of  Augus* 
tus,  as  Jupiter  Qlyn^pusi  and  another  qf  ^6nie  deified^  aS  Juno. 
TheatTies  and  amp^iitheatres  were  pot  wanting    A. gtiahd  palace,  de-- 
signe4  for  Herod  himself,  becape  later  the  !|^];{etorium  of  tneHohiiAh 
prpeyrators.     Temples  to  J^^piter^,  Neptune;,  Apollo,  Herculeji,Bafc' 
chus,  M(iB,erva,  Vi^  soon  tidprhed  the  town,  ah^ 

showed  the  many-coToured  heathenism  of  its  psophlation.'  It  wjemsIv 
moreover,  proV;ided  with  a  system  of  magnificent  underground  server? 
in  the  JB<Mnan  manne;^.  Oses^rea^  was  in  every  respect  a  foreign  city. 
Its  population  was  more  heathphish  thai^  Je^sh,  and  their  mttt^^ 
h^t^ed  ofiten  led  to  fieifce  riots.  .,,         '       / 

i  la.  Jerus^i^m  itsdf  a  theatre  and  amphitheiitre'  Were  eitct'edl   Cptuit' 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Vf 


less  iqte\gji  pTokehieU  onA  ntiiherbtts  ficathens  Ibad  settled  in  the  cftjA 
The  coins  Iwre  Greek  inscriptions.     Among* the  troops  of  Herod ^ 
were  Tl^tracian,  German,  and  Gallic  re^ments.    So  thoroughly,  livv 
deed,  had  foj-eign  elements  gained  a, footing,  even  in  the  fanatical 
capital,  in  spite  of  the  Rabbis,  that,  while  the  people  at  large  retained 
their  Native  dialect,  iminy  Greek  words  had  be^n  permai^ently  incor- 
porated .with  it.    Th^  very  Tejpple.  displayed  proofs  or  the  irrepres- 
sible iiifluences  of  the  gr(3at  world  outside  Judea;    Its  outer  court  Was 
tlirong^  by  heq,tl^Qns,  and  countless  gifts  presented'  by  heathen 
pipince^  and  nobles!  adorned  the  walls  of  the  court  of  the  priests.   The 
Ptot^mi^s  had  enricl^e4  it  by;  numeroiis. costly  ^ts.,  'Sosius, "when 
he  t^bk  Jerusalem,  in  concert,  with  Herod,  vowm  a  golden,  crawn.- 
Xmong  the  Temple  vessels  were  wine  jars  whicjj  had  been  jwesei     J 
by  Augustus  and  his  Enmress.,    It  was,  indeed,  a  cprnmbn  thing  tor 
Romans  to  make  gifts  of  this  kind.    Th^y  very  9ft;en,  also,, presented 
offqrUgs. ,  .When  Pompey  had  taken  Jerusalem,  his  first  <^re  was  to 
provide  Uie;  ii^ual  sacrinces.    ;Agrii)pa,  the  frierid  and  patron  of, 
IJero4 <>fer<?<J .aKbeqgJtomb  bp  his  visit  to  Jerusalem  fifteen  years. 
l^foT^  CbrisK,  ana  Ai^iistus  provided  that  sacriiicel^  should  be  offerea 
daily  at  his  expense  tp  tne  J^ps^lligti  Gpd;  and  sudi  an  example 
n^usthave  ljia4  countless  i^ollowers.    All  the  hatred  between  Jews  and 
he^tl^n  vyras  jnot^  strong  fff](pugjh  to  prevent  ih|i  Temple  becoming,  like . 
all  tlM,  famous  sanctusjxies  of  the  a^ge,  a  gathering  ,piomtf6^^  the  world 

i'ljferq  w^s^  clearly,  ihucb  to  keep  a  fanatical*  peoplie  in  a  constant 
tens^n,  and  to, n^ak^  them  more. lajiatlcdl  still..  'Heatlien  temples^  ' 
v^UI,  their,atten4ant  priests,  pompous  ritual,  and  imposing  sacrillces,  I 
aWunded  iu;  tl^  land,    Oaza,  in  the  soulh,  was  Virtually  a  Greek ' 
cty,  and  worshipped  j^  local  Jupiter  ^is  the  towrijjod,  ^  who  adntr  ]*mnl>. 
aid  friiltf Illness  ph  tl^e  earth,"  and  associated  with  "him,  id  its^idol- 
alry,  another  Jup^er— the  Victory  ]9{ririger-^AjpolI6,'tlie  Siint  and 
ll^cules,  and: the  goddesses  Fortune,  Xo,  jt^ana,  Junto,  and  Venus. . 
Aicalon  wpramgped  Jupiter,  ^epjtune^  Apollo,  the  Sun,  Miucrvii,. 
M{r(?ui'y,  C^^^r  and  polji^x, '  and  the  Syrian  Moon  goddess  Astartc^  i 
asjtlie  lieavenly  Venus-— tivcj  warlike,  spear-bearing,  ^<^^       of  Heaven. 
Oi  the  rocks  at  Joppa,  the  marks  of  flie  tihilins  W^re  shown  which 
h^  becB  forged  for  Andromeda.     A*  laurel-crowned  Jupiter  was 
wfrshipped  at  Dora,  north  of  Caesarea.  '  At'  Ptolemaiis  the  favourite  ^ 
djrinity  was  the  goddess  Fortune,  but  With  her,  Jupiter,  Apollo, 
Dana,  Venus,  Pluto  and  Persephone,,  and  Perseus,  with  the  Egyp-^ 
tin  Serapis,  and  the  Phrygian  Cybele,  had  tJbeir  respective  wor- 
s|ippeis.  ■/'.  .,     .  .■,/,''.""-.        •■-"■'-    ■'  '''-y) 

iln  Tyre,  the  old.woi'ship  of  Baal  and  Astarte—the  Sun  and  Ifoon— ^' 
rttained  their  jpre-emiue^ice,  witlj  a  Greek  colouring  of  the  idolatry, 
jn  Damascus  Greek  heathenism  was  in  the  a.scendaiit;'  Jupiter,  Her- 
fulia^„  and? jB^cch us.  Plana,  ;^Iinorva,  Fortune',  and  Victory  had  .their > 
jeniples,  aiid  w<rrci  sfaniped  oii  the  IpcaVcoins^'  la^the  fuJur^pfoV^^^ 


!<i 


ii, 


m 


^I'l     'V 


W 


'i' '' 


I  ri 


1  li 


II     : 


e  THE  LIlTft  PK  <;HRiaT. 

p|  Philip  lie^tbeQUiQi  VHS  predominiuit^  la  Pitniud  or  Ceesucea  Hii!? 
imn^  a^  Mee  hUV^e  s^ii;  Jlerhd  built  a  temple  for  the  woi^hip  of  Aiigu% 
tus,  jtn^t  trte  leading  div|nity  was^  tlie  god  Pan,  as  theOld  numc  of  thq 
town-— Ppul4«— inaicatesr  Jupiter,' however,  and  Astarte,  with  4horq 
qf  plenty,  Apptlo,  aiid  Diana,  liad  also  their  votaiieB.  and  no  floubt 
tl^clr  icn^ples.    Heathenisi^  nourished  in  ^atansea,  Traphonitis,  and 


Auninitjs'.  pellos,  the  Sun,  wa$  the  great  object^of  worship,  »nd  so 
di^^si-tOotcd  was  this  idolatry  that  the  Ciif\y  Christian  misstonariea 
k^e|v  no  other  Way  of  pycrthrowing  it  tlv*n  by  changing  it  into  the' 
'i>$til^  of  the  ^phet  Elias,  and  turning  t^e  temples  into  chirches 
dedicated  t)o  l^hi.  Round  ^i|s  central  dfyinity,  however,  the  worship'' 
<^B&cbhtJ8,  Saturn,  Hercules,  Minerva,  Fortype,  Venus,  Victory,: 
I^^Aisp,  arid  ^thier!  divinities  flourished  inorq  or  icss.  The  cities  of  the 
^ttapoliS\irere  veiy  heathen.  J^ 

^  Thtis,  air  round  the  central  district  of  Palestine,  and  to  somi  cv 
twit  eVeu  within  its  limits,  heathenis^i  had  already  in  Herod's  day, 
^d;  cpiu^^'queritly,  in  Ohnpt*s,  it^  tc^uiples^  altars,  idols,  and  piiests. 
irehoy^ H^as  h6  longer  Uie  sole  God.    With  a  few  exceptions  of  fijrri»n 
ctF/^^piiah  divinijies,  Greek  na^es  and  rites  marked  the  squtte  of. 
ttt^  wijijptipn,  thou^  we  Jbdve  given. the  Roman  names  as  tettet 
toip"i<^.    df  all  this  aggressive  Iiea^henism  Herod,  60  far  as  be  dirfd* , 
wiv5  tlii  bstent^tious  piEttrQn.    If  He  could  hardjy  venture  oif  mtchi^ 
wi^Wil  thp  jfnrjpim  linuta  of  Jiudea,  cenotaphs,  -mauisoiea,  and  #ther 
rtbhi^ehts  dfterisive  id  a  J^ew,  w^re  seen  along  all  the  leading  T«ads, ' 
ojtt^sQ  many, pUicea  were  called  by  pew  Latin  names,  in  honolrof 
tS^J§[p^jrfal  faii^fyVthat  a  trav^^  he  Avas  in  Italy.  : 

KorWas  Hcsrod  ever  Mrithout  money  to  bestow  on  neighbmu|ng 
Iipj»t)i{^^  cities^  a^  a  tas\rk  of  f  ricndHhess,  in  building;  gymnasia^  piazzas, 
thieittes/  and  aq,ucdi:^cts,  Or  in  the  shape  of  prizes^p  be  etrivfen  for  i| 
the  <iii'6us.'  It  seejned  as^  if  the-  throne  01  David  fciisttd  only  t* 
eptedil  lieatiicnisn^  Xt  was  clear  tt)  the  Jews  that  Herod's  ^heatlM*- 
fi^Wecta^^cre  nearest 'his  hearty  since,  amidst  all  his  li^vish  imin^cencb: 
to;  t|(j3ni,^  ie  had  done  nothing  to  beautify  a  smgle  Jewislfi  town  ^xceft 
J(^hi)Kiil6in,  to  which  Ijis  adaition$  Wcro,  themselves,  heathen.  Ti^: 
most  appalling  r^p^rts  respectihff  liim  spread  from  mouth  to  moujtl; 
He  iad  prcservba  the  body  of  JSfiiriamne  for  seven  years  in  honey  i<r' 
the  most  hideous  ends:  he  Imd  strangled  all  the  great  Rabbis^  expert 
.Bibd-benrBbutra,  arid  Jiim^e  had  Himjied,  ,  The  most,  intense Mtr^ 
of^prfevailed^^"\  .  .     .  ":  ■  -"^pl.^v--  •  ..;,  hrrrW:- 

Jft  Was  with  the '^xtriamest  mistrusi/ therefore,  that  the  Kabbli 
heatd  in  the  yeiAt  C.'Cl  20  tliat  Jlerod  intended  replacing  the  humh!« 
temple  of  the  Exile-1)y  one  Ubspeakably  more  splendid.  It  is  sait 
tliat  Baharben-Boutra  had  seen  a  crack  in  the  old  structure,  and  coun* 
eclle^'  Herod  to  build  anotlierin  its  place,  as  an  expiation  for  the 
mtitddr  6f  Marianme  and  the  Rabbis,  and.to  conoiliate  the  people  for 
his  f dyouir  to  hea'tliemsm.  The  prophecJos  were  played  oir  byhim.; 
toTOi  popular  S£mot;dn  fd  hi»i»dertaking,  for  Hag^  ha$J  foretold  , 


•-»••» 


THB  LITE  OP  CHinsf; 


£> 


eauxea  Pliil? 
[)  of  Augu% 
lumc  of  tliQ 
iv'ith  (i  horq 
d  no  flpubt 
honitii,  and 
ship,  »nd  so 
missionanea 
it  into  the' 
to  chtrches 
the  worship' 
us,  Victory, 
cities  o£  the 

to  SOliM  ttc 

aerod'sday, 
and  priests. 

ma  of  %"«» 
,he.  BQ\iKe  of. 
fies  as  tettet 
as  lie  diredr : 
mj  otf  nuchs) 
(a,  and  •ther 
?adlng  Twids, ' 
in;  honoti:,of 
vas  in  Iialy. : 
eighboui^ng 
lasia,.  piaza^s. 
itrivfenforii 
xd  only  > 
d's-heatlie* 
imin^cenc>: 
tpwn^xceit 
lathen.     Tip: 
h  toiwo*' 
pn  honey  fe- 

[tense  b^trei 

[the  Babbit 
IthehuHibl* 
It  is  saii- 
,  and  coun* 
[ion  fbr  the 
^  people  ifor 
[off  by^  him,: 
\i^  foretold. 


that  ft  new  temple  of  surpassing  glory  wouM  one  day  be  built.  Biit 
10  great  was  the  distrust,  that  afl  the  materiiils  of  th^  new  tempte 
.  needed  to  be  brought  together  before  a  stpno  of  the  old  one  could  be 
touclied.  At  last,  on  file  re^al  day  of  Hferpd,  In  the  veartt.c.'  14,  tlje 
unfinished  structure  was  ponsecrated,  and  tlie  lowing  or  iBOO  oxen  at 
the  Great  Altar  announced  to  Jehisalem  that  the  first  sacrfflcc  in  It 
was  offered. :  But  scarcely  wjia  the  consecration  ovef  th(m  liatlohal 
gratitude  was  turned  into 'in<^ignat!on  by  feis  Setting  up  a  great  golden 
eagle— ^le  emblein  Of  heathen  Rome— over  the  great  ^te,  .in  expec- 
tation of  a  visit  from  distinguished  strangers  from  the  imperial  cltyr 
The  nation  was  nbt  duped  a^  the  king  had  expected,  in  ^pite  of  hla 
having  begim  a  temple  so  ma^iflcent  that'ev6ir  a  Jewish  saying  o,^ns 
that  he  wlioliad  not-seen  it  had  deen  nothing  worth  lookin|^  (^t,  an 
abyss  yawned  between  him.  and  t^em,  He  had  biirned  the  regJstei^* 
of  Jerusalem  to  destroy  th9  pedigrees  of  which  the  pfeople  Ijoasted:  he 
bad  tried  to  make  X%  be  believed  that  he  t^^lis  th^  dbscendmi't  oif  i  f (ireign 
Jewish  family,  but  no  one  regarded  him  as  anything  btit'%e  slave  of 
their  kings.  •  All  felt  that  Ijis  Conduct  was  fis  little  JttWish  909  liis  Wh;' 
and  that  he  was  rather  ^  Roman  j^twonsuT  tha^  ehe  Klnff  of  Israel'. ' 
Ev6n  the  worst  of  the  Macea1[MB^n  ho'tiseV^re  bound  tp'th^  ntttjonal' 
faith- by  the  functions  of  the'pontific4te,'btIitthoti^  Herod  might'  b^ 
made  King  of  Jiidea  by  the  favour  of  Uomei  no  ecirthly  J66^rdOi^d, 
nuike  hira  a  descendant  ol  Aaron,  Withbutl^lnfirwh'icfi  he  cduldilbt 
be  high' priest; -'^  ^   ■--■-.■:.   '   ■.-^^:f^K^'^ni^■yr,.:^f^^J^  ^'^v^^^^^^^ 

In  Vain  Herod  tried  to  make  himself  beloved!    He  nkd  doii^  i?(|ueh 
to  deserve  gratitude  ih-tliejie  later  vears^  and  yet  the  hatioh  wfbt^  his 
virtues  iii' water,  «ndliV5  fault^.ih  bra^s.   A  dreadfillf amines  fbllbwi^d , 
by  pwtilehOe,  had  spread  misery  arid  deat^  in  the  thhrteenti  of  his 
relsrn.  No  rain  had  ial%ri  at  the  required  tiiiifes,  and  the  crops  uttei^  ^ 
faited,  so  that  there  wpis  no  food  for  either  mb^n  or  beast. '  Men  saM  ft' 
was  a  iudgment  of  God  for  th^  (iefllement  of  His  laridW  their;  W^      ; 
crimed  and  heathen  inno>rati6ns,  foli'  Miu^airirie's  Mood, 'libw^^ 
years  ehed,  still  seemed  to  cnrfbr  vengeance,  arid  ^inde  het  ttirtdei' >,  ,- 
'the»t^e  and  circus  had  pi^ofaried  Jeriisftlem,,  iind  hi^iithen.ffjimes,  in'^ 
which  men  fbiightwith  men^  to  th^  death,  hi^d^l^cen  set  oli  Toot  with 
great  pomp.    S^aria;  the  Imted  rfvalof  Jehisalem,  ^?is  e^en  'theni',1 
[  moneover,  being  riBbuilt,  with  a  heHthen  temple  in  it,  in  l^ieh  U  mau 


)alace,  and  emptying  his  treasury,  he  sent  furidk  to  Sgjrpt  atid  bought 
[corn,  which  he  brought  h<iriie  and  distiibiited,  as  a  gift,  ariio'ng  all  the 
jpcople,  for  their  money  had  been  sperit  for  the  merest  nec^sariea 
before  this  relief  clarae.  He  even  provided  clothing  for  th^'riatiori  th 
the  winter,:  where  it  was  wanted,  for  sheep  and  goats  alike  had  been 
killed  for  food,  arid  he  supplied  lE«6ed  com  for  next  fititfng,  and  thii» 
the  e^il  time  ^-as  tided  oVerv    For  a  white  it  scieiried  as  Irthe  pedplo 


40 


Tflii 'tJ^E  6f  chkist?' 


'i:i  i;i' 


wouid  really  beepmo  Ipyal  But  his  best  Acts  of  one  moment  W6W 
rpolled  tl^e  next.  The  uazaars  and  schools  muttered  treason  contin- 
ually. One  year  Herod  remitted  a  thir(l  pf  the  taxes,  but  toh^ics 
went  against  lura  none  the  les3,  and  presently  he  seamed  to  jumify 
llicir  bittcmc/ss  by  deprecinj^  that  all  Uiicvcs  should  bo  sold  as  stavco 
to  othor  countries,  where,  as  the  people  said,  they  woiild  losfe  the 
blessing  pf  Abraham,  Cjpuld  not  Ueep  thd  Law,  attd  would  be  Ibst  for 
ever.  Jleanwhilei  Agrippa,  visited  Jerusalem  again,  and  borfe  himself, 
so  wisely  that  thousands  escprted  him  to  th0  sea-cba^t  when  he  left, 
strew^ig  his  jwith  with  flowers.  Next  year  Herod  returned  the  visit 
at  Sinope,  lavieJiing  bounty  on  hcathcn'j^nd  Jewish  communities  alike, 
on  lii/^  journey  out  apd  back.  The  Jews  of  each  city  of  A«ia  Minor 
seized  the  ppportunity  of  his  passii^,  to  c'omplain,  through  him,  to 
Agrippa,  tb^t  the  brivilegps  granted  theiin  by  Ctestirwere  not  Observed." 
The  Greeks,  on  t^e  oth^r  ha^di,  revllo^  them  a?  blood8u6kei*s  and 
cancers  of  the  community,  who  refused  to  honour  the  gods,  and  hence 
liad  HP  rigto  tp  such  favour,  )Dut  Herod  ]f)r6vailed  with  AgTlppa  On 
beiialifpf  tlie  J^ws,  l^oi;  oucO^,  Jerusalem  received  itk  king  heartily 
whenlie  returned;  toe, \op^  ^^^  yide,  acknowledging  the  feeliAg  by  a 
rqmijttan<cp  of  a  quarter.oif  the'tiixes  bf  the  yettr.    '      "  ■  '  '  ' 

The4i8p»a>  shadow  tiiat, had  tested  over  the  palace  in  pdst  tIAies 
had  been  in.jpart  lorgbitien,  ^hilejtbe  tWo  sons  of  the  murdered 'Mari*' 
amne  were  in  Rome.  In  the  ^eaf  B.C.  17,  hdweft^r,  the  old  troubles 
h^ad  Jiiegu^  again,— rto  darken  ,at  last  into  the  blackest  misery.  Herod 
had  relied  Ills  sons  from  A>o)ne,  Alexander,  the  elder,  was  eighteen ; 
Aiistp^iilus,  tiU^  youflger,  '^bout . severiteeh.  They  had  grPWn  taill,' 
takjing^  af^r  their  j»(othet*^  .^ft<^  her  racei  In  Italy  ind  Jn^ea.  alike, 
their.bpUi  ai^d  postiiipn,  i^mtd^t  so  many  dtjaresi  won  them  imiv^rsal 
syngfoamy.  ^  Ilcanan  ^ducailoh  had  ^ven  theih  atr  ppeh,  straightfor- 
wa^'j};^tiy,  Jiipiurever,  tJiat  was  ill-fltted  to  l^old  its  own  with  their 
crafty  fawning  tdtimean  fconnocliohs,  in  Jerusalenb.  Their  morals 
had,  moropver,  suffered  by  their  residence  in  Rome,  so  thatAlexjiU' 
djer,  at,  least,  appears.tohaVci  exposed  himself  to  charges  against 
wh|qh  Je;w|8h  eccljesiastic^i  laiv  denounced  death.  In  any  case  they 
were  heirs  to,  the  hatred  iiiiit  Iiad  Veen  borne  towards  their  mother. 
Her  fate  doubtless  aflfected  their  bearing  towards  tlieir'  father,  and  it 
was  said  that  thfsy  wialxed  to  get;  the  process  agaiiist  Mariamne  reversed, 
and  her,  at^qusers  punished.,  Their  ruin  was  do\ibtless  determined 
from  tlie  first;  and  their  unsuspicious  frankness,  which  showed  their  ■ 
aversion  tto. the  other  ,meml)^rs  of , the  f family,  gave  materials  for  slan- 
der,.'aftd  aided  in  their  destruction. '  Jterp^  Sought  to  reconcile  the 
strife  tejr  the  course  ii^ualat  the  tirae,^  and  married  Aristobtilus  to  his 
sister  Saipme's  daughter  Berenice,  who  Was,  unfortunately,  still,  en- 
tirely under  th&  hostile  influence,  of  her  moWier,  though  she  afterwards 
grew  tpbe  a  worthy  woman. .  Al|3xander,  as  became  the  hetr  to  the 
thron<g«  yras  married  to  a  king's  diiuglvt eh  Qlapliyi'a*  of  the  fardily  of 
Archelaus,  king  of  t-appadociu— a'lliuig'hter  of  a  prostftlite  of •  the 


Titij.LUJ'E  OF  (^'^pxa;rj.. 


41 


■|Vft 


irmple  of  Venus  in  Corluth,  whom  Archclaus  had  married.  The 
l/ride  miglit  be  fair,  but  she  was  not  prudent,  and  illlcd  the  paltice  itt 
JeruMalcni  with  stories  of  her  contempt  for  Herod's  family  as  com- 
pared with  her  own.  "Whutever  Aristobulus  said  to  his  wife  was 
carried  to  Salome,  and  spies  were  §ct  on  the  two  younff  men,  to  report 
^vhat  they  could.    The  quarrels  of  tlic  Wonren  greW  Ifcrcer  dally,  and 

ivolved  the  two  brothers  fatally.  Nothlug  else  was  spoken  of  In  the 
ity  but  the  strife  in  the  palftce.  Another  clement  of  mischief  Was  ■ 
oon  added.  Herod's  youngest  bi-othcr,  Plicroras,.joiticd  the  yikrty  of 
Salome.  He  had  married  a  slave  girl,  who  was  so  dcvotea  to  the 
Pharisees  that  she  got  her  husband  to  t>Ay  for  them  the  penalties 
Herod  had  imposed,  for  their  haViiig^ refused  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance.  Phero^s,  who  wsda  true  Edomlte  in  his  flckle  faithless^ 
ncss,  was  a  bom  ccinspirator.  He  had  plotted  alreddy  a^inst  Hcnrod/ ' 
and  resolved,  in  revenge  for  Glaphyra's.  loose  tongite  about  his  lour' 
mai-riage,  to  join  Sa^lome,  and  hunt  the  two  youths  to  death. 

On  Herod's  return  from  his  visit  to  Agrippa  in  Asia  Minor,  ib  tM»  • 
winter  of  B.C.  14,  he  found  the  palace  in  a  ferment,  and  heard  fot  the 
first  time  that  the  yoi^ths  intended  to  apply  to  Augustus  to  hate  the 
process  against  Mariamuo  reversed.  '  Xn  hiis  raige,  he  resolved  td  i6tttl 
Antipater,  his  eldest  soi^,  who.  wtth  hl$  ttibther,  had  lx»en  banished 
from  the  court  on  account  of  Mairiamnc,  atid  who  was  thus  a  deadly 
enemy  of  her  sons.  Thisi  step  was  the  ruiii  of  Herod's  peace.  Anti* 
pater  instantly  joined  Salome's  party:  iratched  every  s^cp  and  can^i 
every  word  ei  the  unsuspecting  youths:  never  himself  accused  theni 
to  his  father,  but  played  the  part  6f  lago  consulmmately,  in  cxcitihg 
the  suspiciohs  to  which  Herod's  guilty  conscience  ii^as  on!y  too  JJnone/ 
The  presence  of  an  elder  brother  not  having  sufficed  to  hiimtbte  the 
two,  Antipater's  mother!  Iporis^  was  also  recalled  to  coiut;  that  theV 
might  see  how  their  >  hopes  ot  the  throng  were  vanishing.  Thtefif 
enemies,  moreover,  did  their  best  to  stir  them  up  agailist  each  oth^if; 
to  work  moi:e  harm  to  Dotli.  ^      •      .  ''  ■ 

Antipater,  erelong,  got  himself  named  As  Kdir,  and  was  seat,  as^ 
such,  to  Rome,  in  thp  year  b.c.  13,  but  even  from  Italy  he  ihakiag^ 
to  deepen  his  fatficr's  suspiciohs  so  mucih,  thatHetT>dhittijSfeIf  Iveiitto 
Rome,  taking  the  two  young  indri  with  hinl  j  to  Rave  thtfm  tried  before 
Cffisar  for  intended  parricide.  Th6y  defended  thenit^lies  so  w^lli' 
[however,  that  aii  outward  rccpncihatioh  followed,  and  Herbd  T&i 
[turned  to  Jerusalci^  with  thenl,  a^  jbint  heirs,  with  Antipater,  of  his 
fdominions.  :      , 

But  the  quiet  wis  soon  disturbed.  The  Itlutiial  hatred  of  the 
[women,  apd  the  plots  of  Pheirbras  and  Antipater,  though  for  a  time 
[fruitless,  made  progress  in  the  end.  The  slaves  of  the  youths  were 
tdrtured,  at  t&jr  suggestion,  and  accused  Alexah<fer  of  conspiracy; 
and  he,  weary  of  life,  and  furious  at  the  toil  laid  for  him,  was  foolish 
enough  to,^y  that  he  was  guilty,  biitonly  in  common  with  all  Herod's 
relations,  except  Antipater.    Tlie  Unfortunate  voimg  toaii  made  an 


!  .;;s 


\m 


w 


l'<  M 


i 


3i!li 


'Its 


s 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


ibxbeptioii  hi  his  case  as  ft  tspecial  and  trusted  friend  I  The  whole  of 
Herod's  connections  were  now  unanimous  for  his  death,  but  It  was 
mot  <ta  happen  yet.  His  father-in-jaw  found  means  to  appease  Herod 
once  more,  which  was  the  easier,  as  Herod,  had  discovered  the  deceit 
o£Pheronu9»  and  Iiad  fou^  his  si^r  Salome  carrying  on  intriguea 
which  he  did  not  approve.  ... 

>!^  •Hewas  indeed  to  .he  pitied.  The  family  quarrels  embittered  his 
exi»tenoe,aiid.hissusp:'uionfi  had  been  so  excited  that  he  trusted  no- 
body.  Everyone  was  suspected,  and  could  only  defehd  himself  by 
raising  suspicions  against  others.  A  Greek  at  ;Couirt  determined. to 
|>rofit  oy  the  position  of  i;lfairsAnd  bring  it  to  a  fined  crisis.  Trustiog 
to  get  money  from  ^^Jltipater,  Herod»  and  Archelausy  alike,;  if  he 
ended  the  matter,  he  laid  his  plans  to  bring  about;  the  death  of  the 
X'oung  men.  Forging  documents  and  inventing  acts,  he  muade  Herod 
believe  that  his  sons  were  really  plotting  his  death. ;  Tlie  tyrant  forth" 
with  had tliem  thrown  into,  chains^  and  their  slavea  put.  to  torture, 
stoning  those  who  confessed  any  guilt.  Nothing  kept  hiih  from  put- 
ting the  princes  to  death  but  fear  of  offending  Augustus,  tot  ,even 
fialomie  tormeutedhim  day^and-  night  to  kill  .them^thol:^  .On^Wios 
iher  son-in-law.  i  At  last  Herod  sent  to  Rome;  for  ^nermission.  front 
Augustus  to  put  them  to  deaths  The  request  cost  hun  the/corownof 
Arabia,  Augustus  declaring  that  the  man  who  could  not  keep  his 
house  in  order  was  unfit  to  be  trusted  with  additional  kingdoin^ 
Yet  he  gave  him  perraissioh  to  do  as  ho  thought  fit  with  his  SQPS. .  A 
eourt^  one:<half  of  iBomans,^  one-half  of  Jews,  was  now  held  M  Bery- 
fus^  and  Herod  appeared  as  prosecutor.  In  vain,  the  Roman>  proconsul 
brought  his  three  sons  with  him  to  excite  the  gre^rrheadedv  d^spotlA 
latheiny  feelings.  >He  acted  like  a  madman:  detiuled  his  injuries 
With  the  utmost  passion,  and  supplied  the  want  of  proof  bv  bui^spf 
fiifyy.  The  sentence  was  given  as  ho  desired,  and  he  had  the  satiis- 
faction  of  having  pursued  his  own  ^ns  to  the  deathi.  In  t|ie  year 
B;c.  7,  the  princes  were  strangled  at^  ^ami^'l^i^^where  HerpdJM 
ri^d  their  mothers  >a  niu  oi  [i>>j|i'>nff/~iri'ri-  fffi'^/o»niti^  hii  d^^sip.  ^mor 
6  If  the  hoary  murderer  hoped  for  peace  by  this  iiew  cnaUG  h<^;  was 
deceired.  '  Antipater  lived  with  his  two.  brothers,.  Archelaus,  and 
Philip,  at. Rome>  and,  there,  first  excited  them  against  his  father, 
and  then  betrayed  them  to  him.  Pheroras,  Herod's  brother,  lie 
isonght  to  make  his  tool  in  killing  Herod.  He  was  alraid  that  if 
he  did  not  destroy  his  father  soon  his  own  infinite  villany  in  the 
past  would  be  discovered.  Pheroras  was,  in  fact,  in  a  false  nos|tion. 
His^  wife  and  her  relations  were  strongly  on  the  side  of  the  Pharisees, 
who  wished  above  everythiag  to  destroy  Herod,  and  put  Pheroras,  as 
their  friend,  on  the  throne.  Prophecies  were  circulated  by  them^  that 
it  was  the  will  of  God  that  Herod  and  his  sons  should  lose  the  king- 
dom, and  that  Pheroras  and  his  wife  should  inherit  it.  Their  tool, 
Herod's  eunuch,  Bagoas.  Was  to  have  a  son  who,  woyld  b^.  the 
MesHtuh.    Many  weF()  won  over  in  the  palace,  but  th^  ^lot  was  di^ 


i\M^^ 


TH:&  lilFF/  OF  €imiST. 


Is 


h,  but  tt  yfB» 

i:ied  the  deceit 
,QftJiitrigup$ 

mbittei^d  liis 
te  trusted  no- 
wi  biniseU  by 
cletermmed.to 
'ma.  TruBtiog 
3,  alike,;  if  be 
e  death  of  tbe 
e  miafje  Herod 
e  tyrant  fortb^ 
rut,  to  torture, 
him  fifoiftput- 
istus,  f 01?  even 
loi:^  Ou6.W]ft8 
rmiseioBi  froBi 
L  the  cro^uof 
not  keep  hh 
nal  kingdiom?^ 
hbiesQPS,    A 
held  at  Bery> 
man:  prOcojOdHl 
leaded  d^epotlft 
1  his  injuries 
d  by  bur^ft.of 
had  the  sati^- 
In  t|ie  yeftt 
irodJw4»ar- 


'<5bveK^dTfln<t^ft»y  Rabbis  and  others  put  to  death.  I|etod:  demanded 
that  Pheroras  should  divorce  his  wife,  but  he  preferred  to  leave  the 
court  and  go  to  Perea  with  her,  rather  than  forsake  her;  Here  he 
soon  after  suddenly  died,  report  said,  by  poison.  Herod,  howeverj 
had.  bis  body  brought  to  Jerusalem,  and  appointed  a*  great  nationid 
mourning  on  hia  account.  .  .  ^  k    fi:r/;      r    ?  . 

Inquiry  rcMipecttng  hia  death  at'  last  brought  td  light  the  whole 
secret  hUtorr  of  years.  He  had  died  bjr  taking  poison,  sent, by  Anti* 
pator  to  kill  tierod. ,  Thej>lotw^  found  to  have  wide  ramlficationi^ 
where  least  suspected.  Even  ^he  second  Mariamne  wai^  jH'ov^d  to 
bave  l)ccn  privy  to  it,  and  her  son' Herod,  was  on.  this  aecount.  bl6tted 
out  of  his  fatheii's  wiU.  <  Thus,  as  Josephus  says,  did  the^ost9  of 
Aloxundor  and  Aristobujus  go  round  all  the  palace,  aiid  bring  the 
moat  deeply  hidden  sc^crets  to  light,  summoning  to  tfa^.judgment  seat 
those  who  scorned  freest  from  suspicion:  i     ,';       U.n' 

Antipator  was  now  immasked,  and.Herod  saw  the  kind  of  inaii?J&34* 
whom  he  had  saorlllced  his  wife  and  his  sons.  With.  pretendfMi 
friendllnops  he  sent  for  him  frdm  Rome,  nor  did  any  one  warn  hm, 
of  his  danger,  though  proceedings  had  gone  on  liiidy  months  against 
his  mother^;  ending  In  her  divorce.  Perhaps^  I3^ys  Jo^epbua^  the 
spirits  of  hl»  murdered  brothers  Jilad  closed'  the  mouths  of  those  wh6 
might  have  put  him  on  his  guard.    His.  jirst  hint  'of  danger  wsii 

fiven  by  no  one  being  at  Ctesarea  to  receive  bim^  when  he  landed,  bu4 
e  could  not  now  g(>  bajqk,  and  determiiled  to  put  a  boM  face  an  it 
As  ho  rode  up  to  Jerusalem,  however,  he  saw  that  his  esOort  was 
taken  from  him,iand  ho  now  felt  that  he  was  ruined.  Herod  i^ceived 
himashe  deserved^  and  banded  him  over  for  trial  to- the  Syrian,  pro* 
consul  AH  hastened  to  ^ve  witness  against  one  so  uhiversallV 
hated.  It  was  proved  that  he  iia(^  sou^t  to  poison  his  father.  A 
criminiil  who  was  forced  to  drink  what  Antipater.  had^^nt  lor 
Herod  presently  fell  dead;  Antipater  was  led  away  in  chaihs.  ;;  I 
The  strong  nature  of  Herod  at  last  gave  way  under  such  revela* 
tions,  which  ho  fprthwlth  communicated  to  his  master  «t  Rom6.  A 
deadly  Illness  seised  him,'  and  word  ran  through  Jerusalem  that  he 
fcould  not  recover.  The  Rabbis<?6uldno  longer  repress  their  hatred 
of  him,  and  of  the  Romans.  Their  teachings  throug|h  long  yeahi 
Were  alx)Ut  to  boar  fruit.  Two  were  especially  popular,  Judas,  the 
son  of  Sarlphal,  and  Matthias,  the  son  of  Margolouth,  round  whom  a 
whole  army  of  young  men  gathered  daily,  drinking  in  from  tiiem 
the  spirit  of  revolution.  All  that  had  happened  was  traced  to  &e 
anffer  of  Jehovah  at  Herod's  desecration  of  the  Teinple  and  city ^  and 
violations  of  the  Law  during  his  whole  reign.  To  win  back  the 
divine  favour  to  the  nation,  the  heathen  profanations  erected  by 
Herod  in  the  Temple  must  be  pulled  down,  especially  the  golden 
eagle  over  the  great  gate.  Living  or  dying,  they  would  have  eternal 
rewards  for  this  fidelity  to  the  laws  of  their  fathers.  Such  counsels 
fi^om  y^eiiAtdd  teachers  wore  like  fire  to  the  inflammable  passions  of 


I  <1 


H  i 


U 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST, 


youth.  In  the  middle  of  the  day  ^  vast  crowd  of  students,  jof  the 
Law  rushed  toTthe  Temple;  let  themselves  down  with  ropes  from 
the  top  of  the  great  gate,  tore  down  the  hated  symbol  of  Rome  and 
of  idolatry,  and  hacked  it  to  pie^ceaitt^he  streets.  Mobs  rose  In  other 
parts  of  the  city,  also,  to  throw  down  other  objects  of  popular  hatred, 
l}ut  the  troops  were  turned  out,  and  the  unarmed  rioters  were  scat- 
t^Qjdy  leaving,  lorty  young  Pharisees  in  thehand^  of  the  military. 
]^r6ug}it  t>eJ59lfe  Btetod  and  asked  who  had  counselled  theni' to  act' as 
Ihey  haij  done^.they^  M^er^  toUchiflglT-  that  they  did  it  in  obc« 
d;enc9  to  the  LaW.  lii  vain  lie  trfeid  to'ilarm  them  ly  saying  they 
nju^t,die:,j|(|ie-^pti,l;jrre|ilied  th'a^  their  eternal  inward  would  be  m 
v;aicfi  iM^ffkt&r.  The  two  Rabbis  ^nd  the  young  metr  were  iaent  to 
jeifichp  |or  ti:iarbcfor^  Her6d,  anH  the  l^abbid  and^  thle  ringleaders 
were,  bwn^.  Wfv6,,  th^  othieH  being  beh^l^d^.  On  the  i^ght  after 
tfcey  sufltered'theriB  wds  an  ellipse  pi  this  indoti,  Which  ^es  the  date 

^--^*-  .'wa^  i^ow'busy  with  ll6rM'  m  had  been,  a 

pmi^.    Sje  had  itt  T^ide  khigdoih,  Mt  his  life  <had  been  & 

1^  wte;  m^M  enemi(ii(  ci*  >ith  mpimtiG  froubtes,  and  iir 

ge  he  fouhd' that  all  this" ttif^rv,  "w/lilch  had  made hua  the 

^  r  of  Jbi^swifei:hcip  mother,  ^^iW^^^ 

^4M'ii%tip°^iai^*^.]i?^^^  h)(^^  i^c^t^  pi^^^  ^<^^  selfish  ends' by 

UiQfie  i^rhoi^  he  fia^i  ^rusted.  The  ctirse  li&a  totte  back  oii  him  to  flief 
i\>tt,fovYns  ci!dest.siL)^\li4d  6ouig;t^t't9^^^i^^  Wm.  His  govemmettt' 
h^  lipeji  jjf)  less^g^al  a  faj^^  burst  Mo  ffimaes  4t 

tJuB  1^1^ report  6t,^  death.;  The  strong pikii'  W&s  bowed  ta  the  dust 
atlast.  4  l*i^afh^hi(Gl  disea^  i^i'bstrated  him,  iitid  he/  i^utf ered  such; 
qgp^ijea^liat  men  1  said  it  was  a  pUnlshn^nt  fOi^  his  c^untl^sS  ini(|ui" 
t^s.  CMni^aqrft^stllie.b^dB^^  to  the  ekilphur  baths  of  Callirhoei/ 
^  fainted  and  ali^psi  ct^d  tmder  to(<^  tretitdieht.  Airronnd  faun  wlenr 
alarmeilWiliie,shp,u0i'j  so' before  Ordering  th^  exeeutionof  Afati^ 
pater^  buf  a»  ait(^W^  oi^.the  ipkrt  of  tlie  prisoner  to  bribe  his  gablfer 
-v^as  fajtaj  ^ p\va,.  Augustus  Tiad  granted  penhissioh'  for  his  ejcecu- 
tJon,/wit|^  the  c^ysiip  &pny,  that  it  was  beCtei'tO  be  Herod's  sow  than 
Wa  son.   -Fivjei,  di^yi^^fter  Atithmter  had  fallen  Hei'od  himself  eX^ 


.^Itii-v*' 


f^misK^^^i^nui  nm 


■¥■> 


■"'6cr^r(j:?:^i[3dj 


WKsar  the  .conquest  of  B^jbjlon ,  "by  t)arius  fi|^d,  Cy?us  hid  tittna^- 
ferred  the  fite  of  the,  J^ws>  theni  in  capt|ylty  In  ^at  ^m^^,  tp  tli^ 
victorious  Person,  their  long  exile  had  had  its'  natural  effect  in  ri^i; 


kindMng  their  zml,  for  t^o  reiigipn  of)  t^ir,  father^,,  9tn4  Sf\  inten^lV-^ 
ing  their  desirevio  .Jretip:n  to  t^^r  0Y(Il'l^^ld.),iW6je  CJyyusfiniJ^ 


advanced  to  the  conquest;  pf  the  great  dty,.ingro,than  tweniy  yc 
had  been  spejDktv  £Qr>the^lQ^t:P^r^  in  distant 'mnitary  o^ratlbns.  pHv 
long  before  he  di»w  near.Saby|on,,  ^he  ^e>v|^  leaders,  st^utated  1)# 
the  assurances  of  the  prophets  then  living,  of  f^f ,  eariier  ,datl6/fidlt* 

sure  of  his  victory,  and  0^  f -^■-  ^-"-     ---     -»  -   •-  -i^^.^j^ 

from  thei^  hated  oppressor s,i 

chapters  of  Isaiah^  find  t^e  exujtatjbn,  01  many  ,^   ^  ^  „  ^^        . 

period,  are  doubtk^s  p^.  illu8jti;ations  of  tbe jnt(m$^  spihtua^  '^'x.Qm^^ 

ceding  W  fai  bf 

^  Jroif^d;  tb  anW 
thuslasm  which  might,  perhaps,"  J^ecbme  to^^  1*^to,  hjeiijd^' 

forth,  never  to  di^,  Tij^eiS^irit  pi4^tena9,pat»bni^iity,^'i^^^^  ifeal  wt 
theiir  religion  as  the  tru§  f a^th-jT^nfidea  to  ^eni  exclusively  ais  th^ 
MvQurites  of  Heayfin,— h^  pe^^  j;radu^l|y  jKiholeil,  and '  y^^ed,? 
withaaoirrepressibie  ^rnestne^^,  n>r  a  return  tb  tlieir'PWA  coUhiry, 
that  they  might  be  free  to  fulfil  its  requireipehts.  ^en'of  theptu^ti 
and  waiaheat  zeal  for  tl^e,honp»r;^4^l^^lii<3tp^lc  ,H)|^ift;9  of  jtheir  rtic^ 
hadnever  been  wanting  during  tne  captivity^  as  tliQ  nt^tiliral  lead^ 
of  their  brethren,  and  npwi  topf  ^vantage  of  the  bbaiiac^ef  and  dr-^ 
cumstances  of  Oyrus  tP  pbtaiii  ironx  hiim  aiavoiirkble  deif^t'eeioi'  thci 
restoration  of ,  Jerusalem,  and  t|ie  free  return  tp  it  of  th'jir;  people.  In 
the  year  536  before  Christ,  such  fis  .wefie  mbs;t^c^louB  fdir'^dr  r^lig-' 
ion,  and  most  devoted  to  thejr  country  and  race,  were  thus  enabl^ 
once  more  to  settle  in  the  land  pi  their  fatheil,  under  tlie  i^rotectibn 
of  the  Persian  empire,  of  which  they  continued  subjects  for  twb 
hundred  years,  till  Alexander  the  Great,  in  B.C.  888,  overthrew  the 
Persian  power. 

The  new  community,  which  was  to  found  the  Jewish  nation  for  a 
second  time.  Was  by  nomeans  numerous,  for  we  still  knPw  with  cer- 
tainty that  the  whole  number  of  these  Pilgrim  Fathers,  who  gathered 
together  amidst  the  ruins  of  Jerusalem,  and  tho  other  cities  which 
were  open  to  them,  did  not  amount  to  more  than  42,860  men,  with 
7,337  servants  of  both  sexes.  The  dangers  and  difficulties  before  those 
who  might  return  had  winnowed  the  wheat  from  the  chaff :  the  faint- 
hearted and  indifferent  had  lingered  behind,  and  only  th^  zealots  and 


# 


THE  LiFE  OFr  CHRIST. 


p^ritonsof  the  eapUyity  had  followed Zerubfoahel>  Ui«  leader  of  thA 
iWiw  Exodus....  -X,-,,-; ..;'  :^^-^i).:r-  {.nfl  .obfi'T  iir'rj'fril  -uni  liH'fr  ,Pi".iqnd 
Tiie  rock  on  which  Jewish  Dationality  had  foundered  in  formei' 
times  had  been  too  frank  an  intqrco^rsip .with  other  nations:  too  great 
a  readiness  to  adopt  their  customs,  and  even  their  heathenism ;  too 
slight  a  regmi  to  the  distinetively  Jewi^.code  of  social  andpolitical 
law^  and,  w'itli  these,  too  wide  a  comiption  of  morals.  The  yery- 
exi^tence  of  the  nation  hi^dl>een  irnperi){(ed,  and,  now,  the  one  fixed 
thou^tf*  of  leadet  aiid  peopie  alik^,,  was  to  make  it  sure  for -the  fu- 

Their  man'ners,  and  their  whole  system  of  civft  and  religious  laws; 
oi^ered  9>  r^dy  and^ectual  means  to  aid  them  in  this  supreme  ob- 
ject." It  was  only  riecessanr  to/secure  an  ii^ensely  conservatite 
spirit  w^ichishbiilQ  es^clude  ail  chiange,  and  Israel  WouM'  henceforth 
|ji||,\[e^^bidinff  vitality  as  a  separate  people.  Not  "Was  thi)3  difficult, 
1^  the  ancient  iramewqr|c  of  their  socia,!  polity  largely  prtJyided  for 
Jlr^.T^e  spirit  of  JTudai^m,  as  embodied  in  its  saqred  law;  directly 
cpminand^d;  or  indirectly  implied,  all.  that  \Yas  need^.  ' '  Intercourse 
w^th  other  natipns,  as  far  as  possiMe,  must  be  preyeated;  'th^b'  jhtlro- 
gilQ^n  of  foreign  culture  shut  but;  the  youth  of  the  nation  trained 
(^n^fixed  model;  and,  finaU;^',  no  .gap  must  be'  left  by  which  new 
omniohfi!  ixiight  possibly  rise  from  Avithin,  the  people  themselves.  For 
fhi^  iapt  end  ^me,  stuaies  must  be  entirely  prohibited,  and  others  re? 
Tva^dcd  with  supreme  honour  ,  Finally,  sbihe  caste  ot 

^l^sinust  miake  it  theu*  ispecial  cadre  to  see  that  this  great, aiih  of 
nati^i^  isblattbn  bp  steadily  carried  out— a  caste  which  should  itigelf 
be  si^i^re  of  abid|i(g  un^angcableness,  by  clinging  fanatically^^,  ftll 
t^wasoi4  an4  traditidhal,  tuid  i^ihkuxg  from  any  contact  Writh 
whatever  was  foreign  or  new.  .   :: 

^ThcMosp/p  laws  had  already  inclined  the  Jew  to  a  dislike  t(> 
fnendly  intiercourse  with  other  nations,  and  this  feeling  grew  to  a 
fi^xedc9ntempt  and  ayersion  towards  the  rest  of  mankind,  after  the 
r^turii^  as '  Judaism :  deepened  into  ^  haughty  bittern<ess  fit  soul, 
li^^der  tiie  influeiwe  of  natiohal  sufferings,  and  weakened  spiritual 
fffe.  Tacitus  describes  the  Jews  of  his  day  as  tme  to  eac;p  other 
and  ready  with  help,  but  ^Ued  with  bitter  hatred  towards  allothei 
me;ft;  eating  and  marrying  only  aniong  themselves;  a  people  marked 
bygensujal  passions,  but  indulging  them  only  within  their  own  race. 
.'  i  '.  The  first  instruction  to. proselytes,  says  he,  is  to  despise  the 
gods,  to  abjure  their  country,  and  to  cast  off  parents,  children,  lor 
brothers,  Juvenal  paints  them  as  refusing  to  point  out  the  way  to 
itny  biit  a  Jew,  or  to  lead  ixnv  one.  not  circumcised,,  to  a  fountain  he 

A  nation  which  thud  haied  all  other  men  Would  be  little  disposed 
td  sit  at  the  feet  of  any  people  as  scholars.  Prejudice,  strengthened 
by  express  laws^  shut  out  all  foreign  cultiu'e.  A  curse  was  denounced 
against  finy  jew  who.  kept  pigs,  or  taught  his  chiUl  Qreek,    Nq  oud 


THE  LIFE  Oi  Cka^. 


* 


leader  of  tiiA 

3d  In  formeir 
08;  too  great 
fchenism;  too 
apdpolitical 
I.  The  very- 
he  one  fixed 
•e  for'  the  fii- 

.    .    .    t.        -  r; 

jligious  lawsi 
supreme  ob- 
conservatite 
td' henceforth 
thife  dffflctJlt, 
provided  for 
law;  directly 
Ipterconrse 
id;  tto  ihtflro- 
ation  trrtined 
y  whfch  ne^ 
mselves.  For 
,nd  others  r&i 
sbme  caste  ot 
great  .aiih  of 
should  itself 
atically  IJQ  all 
contact  #lth 

a  dislike  to 
fg  gi^w  to  a 

id,  after  the 
less  of  Boiil, 

led  spiritual 
lo  eac{i  other 
Irds  all  othei 
jople  marked 
lir  own  race, 
despise  the 

children,:or 
the  way  to 

fountain  he 

Itie  disposed 
Jtrengthened 
Is  denounced 


could  hopie  for  ietehial  Iffe  who  rdad  the  books  of  other  natiohi  J<f 
Bcphus,  With  true  Jewish  pride,  and  smooth  hypocrisy,  tells  tfs  thaffc 
his  race  looked  dow^  ott  thb^  Who  had  Idatfaea  the  lahgyage  6t  foi> 
eign  nations,  such  oil  accompli^mcht  beiii^  common  not  only  to 
free-born  nien,  but  to  any  slave  v^hb  fancied  it.  He  only  is  rtjckoned 
wise,'  he  adds,  ambng  the  Jews,  who  is  skilled  in  the  Law,  and  able 
to  explain  tlie  sacred  writings.  In  the  days  of  our  Lord,  when  sxd- 
vancement  could  be  obtainiftd  oiihr  by  a  knowledge' of  Greek  and  of 
Grcciian  culture,  pride  ieuid  stJrimles  often'  gave '  way  before  interest; 
Still  the  nation,  as  a  whole,  held  ignorance  of  everything  not  Jewish 
a  sacred  part  of  their  religioli.       '  '      ;      '   /"  ' 

It  was  as  little  permittied  that  the  hatfed  Ctentilfe  shriiild  learii  thb 
Hebrew  iangUa^  6r  read  the  Lkw.  St.  J^me  ekpatiatea  on  the 
trouble  and  cost  he  had  at  JerUsafennt  and  Befhleheni  to  get  a  Jew  to 
help hhn  in  his  Hebrew  studies.  Hi^  tcAcher  ''feared  the  Jew^,  like 
a  second  N'Codemu^.**  ••  Heyhtj  teaches  infidels  tjie  Mw."*  said  tfce 
Rabbis,  "transgresses  the  expt^ss  woMs  df  thfe  commdtid;  for  Qo^ 
made  Jaeob"  (t?he  Jewil,  tiot  the  heathen)  "  to  kabw  ftie  LSw;"^  "     ' 

But  thbuihtfitis  lealoiis  6f'  otJiers,  the' gileat^st  ^riiii  was  tiikf n  t)Jr 
tiie  Jew  toteach"hi|bwil  pieople  the  s^crea 'books, '  Josephus  boastrf 
that  "if  atty  6ne  afeked  bt^e  bf  his  riatiori  ad  ue#on*es^cting^  their 
Law,  he  could  answer  it  more  readily  thau give  his  oWii' name;  fbr 
he  learhis  every  part  of  it  from  the  first  dawn  Of  ifiteWigence,  till  it  id 
graven  into  his  very  soul."  That  eVdryJeivishehild  should  b© 
liught  iO  read,  Was  held  a  refi^ete'  dtity;  ^hd  e^ery  boy'^as  tequtfed 
tb  ftiai^  th^  Law.  There  was^fab  J^#' Who^  did  not  kuow  thbrbtighlr 
the  duties  ^hd  rites  bf  his  iieli^bh)  land  the  greiit  deleds  of  his  fiithers;^ 
tlie  misfortuhe  Was,  thdt  thej^  Were  kept  utterly  ig^oi^ait  6f  atjy  Qther 
history  than  their  own.  '  '  v?    >     < 

Thi6  exbct  knowledge  of  the  conteiit^  6f  the  Books^  of  the  Law  w^ 
thus,  within  the  reach  of  all ;  but '  miieh  more  was '  needed  thkn  tihb 
mere'Warning  by  heart  the  five  Books'bf  MosesI,  to  gain  the  repute  of 
a '  finishisd  legal  knowledge.  The '  almbst  Endless  cortrmehts  of  thie 
Eabbis  muMt  be  mastered,  by  years  of  slaVfeli  labour,  before  one  ^as 
recognized  as  a  really  ediicated  niaii.  Heiice  the  nation  waidivided 
into  two  ffl^at  classes  of  learned  and  unlearned,  between  Wlioi?n  there 
lay  a  wide  gulf.  Puffed  up  with  boundless  pride  at  their  attaiii-i 
ments,  the  foniier  frankly  denoutiCed  their  less  scholarly  cbUntiyiiieii . 
as '" cursed  cotlhtrymen"  or  boors. '^"'^  f;o  ofju^.io' «  „i  ok,!: u  ..  .*;;  . 

The  first  trace"  of  a  distinct  caste*  of  prof fefe^ibnal*  l^galfsti'  'if  1  iiikty ^ 
call  them  so,  is  found  in  the  days  of  Ezra  and  Nchemiah,  some  eighty 
years  after  the  return  from  Babvlon.    Jewish  tradition  speaks  of 
these  early  Rabbis  as  the  "  men  of  the  Great  Synagogiie,"  and  adds 
that  they  trbd  in  the  footsteps  of  the  prOphets---that  l«i,  that  they. 
Were  their  virtual  dtiecessors.    Prom  the  first  they  had  great  ihfl!u-{ 
ence  lu.the  State;    To  secure  a  far  hiore  strict  observance  of  the  LftW* 
ihm  had  beehkkoWnbefwe,  they  j^dtiidly  fbnnodwhiik  tbo^J^tyilied' 


!'  ',m 


#THfi  ilFE  OF  OIIRI&T. 
'••  -    •  .'■",■■•■■'■ 

ii^  to  eyiDij  coqunand,  that  py  the  obaeryanee  of  suqli  eii^teiii^i]|^i|.es 

*and  precepts,  tlie  command  itself,  Bhould  be.  the  le«9  IQ  dan^r;pf 

„l)clng  trfbken.    To  this  "hedge"  Judaism  owes  the  rigid  fidelity  pf 

its  people  ever  sinpe  •  for  rites  a^  forms  p,t  all  times  find  a  much 

stricter  obedience  from  the  mi&sses,  thi^i  the  comn\ands  ol  a  spiritual 

■Religion/- ■    ,,        ..,  ■    ■    \  ,)  ,,    ,.!,_',',;■",'    ,.    ,  ,,, 

';    Jn  spite  of  a^l  preca<utlon«ij  howeves-,  tlie  n&w  State  had  already  the 

seeds  of  religious  ^visk^n  in  it^  iiii^Bt,  in  a  ^mnber  9f  doctnQes, 

iitherto  more  or  less  u^^npwn,  ifcTii^h  haiq  been  brought  back  in  t^c 

return  from  the  captivity.    These  were  adopted  by  tjbicj  orthodo^x 

rparty,  -vrhOiW^eAhe,  great  piaJor^^y,bwt  rejected  %  ft  f^W,  in. whom 

^may  pe  traced  tjie  g|enin  of  the  sect  af terw^yds  .knqw]^  al^^the■Sad4^- 

;cee8.  .  The  orthodox  leiader^,  oii  th(^,other  han^f  were  l;|i!e,  beginning 

.of 'tlie  pa;i^  afterwards  knpwn,  as  the  !Pbarii3ee^  .  ItVw^  they  wbo 

put  the  "iiedge  round  thiel^Wr  the  Sadducee^  in^isttidjQn  stajU.dwg 
by  the  simple  Ipiter  pi  tb^  lawi^  pf ,  Jloses  ^|one/  .  The  one,  w<3re;  t^^e 
High-Chtirchinen  pf  .tli^qir  nation,  tbe  othei^  tx^e  Bj^tipnalists,  with  a 
pold.  creed  whiph  denied  th^exjSj^ce  of  alngek,^  the  i;epuiTept^^^^^ 
■^tiie  dead,  and  a  fu^tuye  st^te,  and  rejected  llaH^W^^*  t?^^H!Q»f . ;  The 
'ttiass  of  thie  iaatipA  iplTowed  ,th9j.Phan&^es:   j^^^  Sadduc^ees.  w:i^n3 

The  Pharisees.  ^  t^ TejBfders  .of ,  .|he  greatJbulK  of  thes  people,  soon 
ii^erged  more  stnctiy  ir^Jigioi;i8 ,  aimif  i  in  the  poUpic^  bne  of  moulding 
ihe  State  into  a  furious  Independent  theocracy,  iinder  the  rule  of 
their  -pa^ty.  .  The  X^w,  a^,  exppji^djed  by  the^i,  with  tJi^ir,  thousand 
^j^d!tfons^,  was  to  ir^^  asyveh  as^^  religious  l|fei„^ 

.]thea#air8,of  therJaatipn,  a^.TNfellasihf^  of  t%,indiyid,ual.  V  ?  ti  /.^ 
\  Tlie  stormy  times  of  the  later  Maccab'aaji  kin^s  jgaye  the  Pharisef^s 
^opportunity  of  playing a.grj^at  pai'^  in  the natiojn,  , The  priests. ^d 
preylpusly  given  the  new  State  a  h'^ad  in  the  pprson  of  the  high 
priest,  Simon,  brother  of  Jud^  Ma^cabaeus.  .  J$ut  his  .papdspns 
miarj^lled,  l.nd  the  future ^9tf?ry  pf  the  hp^e  becaqoe  l;i,ttle  p^ore 
than  ^.  record  of  cruelties^  dlsputeis  for  the  ihrpne,  cjvil  warsy  jand 
persecutions^,  llie  orthodox  pai;hr,  led  liy  the  Pharisees,,,, ^tput]ly 
resisted  i\i^  growing  cprruption,  !:^nich;eh,ded,.by  the(,Romaiis^ 
ing  supreme  authority  in,  Judea,  wit^  ^erod  jas  tlie  viassal  king. 
Asked  to  be  arbiters,  tjiey  ehded  as  conquerors.  The  supremacy  of 
the  t*harisees,  who  had  done  niuch,  to  assist  the  popular  cause,  was 
now  secure.'  The^  had  organized  themselves  as  a  great  poTver  in  the 
State,  and  maintained  this  position  till  th*^  f all  of  the  cation.'  tinder 
Heirod  and  the  Romans,  they,  were  the  souj  of  the  great  ijiational 
pa^y,  which  only  sullenly  submitted  to  Herod  and  his  family,  or  to 
the  lumian  power,  as,  alike,  foreign,  oppressors,  whom  they  cpiUd  not 
shake  off,  foes  acpursed  of  God,  iis  uamp^rs  of  His  hpntage.  To 
them  may  be  traced  the  restle^  lurbvuence  of  tli^j:]fati6h' which 
.neither  terror  ;Qqr,^|t*^ry  could  appeas^a  tvu'b.ul^J^cp  y|ijcl)  D3^ado 


TOT;  LIFE  OS"  CHMOT. 


ii 


«' 


SWdieh,  t6  H€^h)d  tmtl  the  Rdin^^  lii^petdts,  ^hi^t  Xrelajaud^t  pne  Umo 
was  to  England,  and  Poland  ^p  :R\i^la— the  seat  of  c^rb^ic  xeypit, 
whft^li' kn^  h6'  considerations  ^^f  5dds  a^inst  isuccess,  and  see^^ 
to  take  coutisfel  bf  d^^aii*.        /^        ^  ^  ,   t    •   !'     ,  ,     ' 

At  th^  timtf  bf  bur  Lord, the  Pharisees  w,ere  at  tpe.  height  of  ^eir 
power.'  Josetihiis  tells  tis  that  the^  tiumbered  above  6,000  ipen  4b 
Judea,  in  the  days  of  Heroclthe  Great;  thi^t  the  women,  as  ^peciaUy 
giveh'toreKgibiis  eiithtrSiasAi,  Were  On  their  side,  and  that,  tl^^y  ewfln 
md  j)OWer  enbii^l^  at  times,^  td'deftr  the  king,  He  describes  them  by- 
name i4s  a  paVty"  am6ngt!i'6  Jews  who  prided  themselves  greatly  ^n 
th6ir' knowledge  of  the  LaW,  a!ihd  mad^  men  believe  they  were  Mier 
than  their  nei|nbburs,  and  especially  in  Tavov^r  with  God,  and  relaii^s 
how  they  plotted  with  sbiiae  Of  the ,  ladies  of  H^po4>  family  to  put 
Herod  to  death.'  They  thtirarted  find,  9ppose,d  the  king,  he  says^  on 
every  hand,Wusi^g'td  oWn  Jii^^aUtteity,  or  that  of  Home^  or  io 
8weat^kll^giiin(Je^ithei^to  him  pt, the  Eniperor,  when  aU  the jiatipn 
wa,s  callea  bn  to  dp  so] '  attd,  >virh  the  exception  of  th^m, ;  cpneentqa. 
Tliey  even  cliiini€|d  ttie  ^^t;  bf  irppjiecy.  through  the  insp^patibi^af 
God,  kiSs^rtiing. tjiat  He  had  debr-^^d  tliat  HeroCs^puld  die>,-and  that 


tM  kingdbm^btild^^y  to  tlib^  Who  h^  sjhpwn  t^em  favoui;.  fp» 
Sadducees  liAtT  shhink'  to  a  party  few  in  number,,  though  higli  in 
position,  and  had  become  so  uupopular  that  when  apppinted  to  any 
office,  they  accepted  it,  sorely  Mjjiinst  their  will,  and  wei;e  forced, tP^ 
carry  out  the  views  or  their  riviii*— the  Pharisee;*-~fo]!:  fear  of  the 

Judea.  Its  liieinbers '^eire  numerous  in  i^very  part  of  the  Roman 
empire,  and  Werfe  all  closely  bound,  tp  each  other.  Withpu^t  a  form^ 
organization  or  a  reeomiizied  heaid,  they  were  yet,  in  ^ jfect,  a  discji- 


[  or 


j^: 


rfihed  army,  by  ii'npli^it  and  universal  assent  19,  thfe  same  opmtona. 
The  same  spirit  and  iitn  inspire^  all  ^like:  te'apher  an^  i^ollpw^r* 
over  the  Wbnti,  W(^re  biit  mutual  ^^cliOes.    They'  were,  in  «£Eeqt, ,  tjhe: 
democratic  i^att^  Of  th^lr  nation,  .the  true  representatives  of  th© 
peoplfe'  with  the  Maccabaean  cree^' that  "(j^od.  has  given  toallaUko 
the  kingdom,  priesfctbod;  and  holiness. '^TUey  considered  theut- 
selVes  the'  giiaralltns  of  the  l^jaW  aiid  of  the  ancestral  cx^tpnis,  and 
trusted  iriiplicltly  that  He  Who  sejiected  their  pation  to'  be   Jlis 
psculiatlpeople  would  protect'  ti^em  and  tiieir  country  from  JV^l 
idsiiigers,  believing  th^t,  as  long  ai^  they  were  faithful  tp  (>od,  no 
earthJv  poWer  Would  in  the  end  be  permitted  to  rulc^  pyer  tli§m-  > 
They  repudiated  the  time-sdrving  policy  of  the  Bterodian  Sadducepp;  / 
who  maintained  that  a  man's  destiny  was  in  his  own  hand§,  and  that  - 
human  policy  ought  to  dictate  political  action.    Their  nople.  motto ' 
[was  that  "  eVei^hing  depends  upon  God  but  a  man's  piety."    TN 
[misfortune  was  that,  to  a  large  extent,  they  dlyorced  religwn  frpm 
jmorality,  laying  stress  on  the  exact  perforiiiapce  of  ontiya^d  jrites^  j 
Irather  thaid^oii  tlic  duties  Of  the  h«!Al*t  and  life,  iso  that  It  Was  possible. 


'  :'l'< 


^\'  m 


xii 


THE  XIPB  OF  OHRIdT. 


ii  I  ii 


t!i?!  -' 


M  has  been  said  of  th«  Indian  Bn^unins,  for  :tli(^.  wic^r8t./jn«]i»  aa^OBf . 
fiiemto  be,  in  their  tien^,  the  mdsit  reliffiou8.rr«'f),;.>^ii  rv.uU  .^oi;'4£  lu* 

The  one  thought  of  this  groat  party,  ih  every  land;  was>nothin^ 
le89  than  the  fotmdinff  of  a  grand  hierarchy,  perhapa  under  the 
Messiah,  in  which  tlie  Jews  should 'reign,  ever  the  whole  world,  and 
Jerusalem  become  the  metropolii^  of  the  earth.  .  They  did  :not  conline 
themselves  to  thd  spread  of  superstitioili  and  fanaticiun  amongst  their 
own  race,  but  sought  proselytetC  in  every  country,  especiaUy  among 
the  rich  and  among  women.  Even  in  itome,  sunk  aja  it  was,,  like  au 
the  Gentile  world  of  that  ago,  in  tlie  dreariness  of  worn-out  religUms,.^ 
^y  made  many  female  convei'ts  among  the  great,  even  in  the 
palate  of  the  Otcsars.  Their  kindness  to  their  pooi^,  their  loving 
family  lif^,  their  pure  morals,  compared  to  the  abominations  of  the 
timeSi  their  view  of  death  ad  a  sleep,  their  hopcr  of  resting  wkh,thQ^ 
kist,  and  risitt^p  with  them  to  immortal  happiness,  had  gveat  charms 
iBsuclianage.'  fino  Groat  Syni^^otfae  of  Ezra's  day,  according  to; 
their/traditions, 'had  loft  tftiem  a  soijsmn  charge--"  to  mkke  many: 
sch<dar9;'^ahd  ihc|;^  compassed  sea  and  land,  in  turthecanoe  of.thisr 
commandv  to  make  one  prdsely te,.th6ugh  their  worthless  dependcncey.: 
i^  too  «iany  cases,  oot  mere  outward  Teligiousnes^,  ofteh  made  liim,> 
when  vfim,'  **  twofold  more  the  child  of  hell  Uian  themselves.^  .The^ 
vast  numbers  thus  gained  to  Judaism  are  shown  in  the  multitudes 
fh)m  aH  bountiios  present  at  the  iPassover  inmiediately  a^^ter^our! 
Ldrd's  deaths  and  from  many  passt^^  in  h^ath^n  writers;.:'  /.va^  ^4>^ 

'The  Pharisees,  or,  as  I  may  call  them,  the  Rabbis,  had  ihrbwhtne 
hereditary  priestly  body  of  the  nation  quite  intothe  shade  in  the^ 
ddyi^  Hof  dlxrist:  A  pne^t  gained-  M^  position  by  Inrth;  «*  Rabbi 
owed  "Ms  to  himself.  The  Temple  service,  and  the  vast  sums  of- 
monfey- received  |irom  Jetvs^'in  all  p^rta  of  the  world,  as  a  yearly  tax^ 
in  support  of  t^cir  relldon;  gavdthe  priests- great  influence,  and: 
opened;  ito  the  higher  grades;  the  coii^rol  of  the  highest  ecclesiasiical' 
offites  inthe  nation,  which  still  survived.  But  the  in^enee  of  the 
Pharisees  li^^as  86- ov^whelmiiig  thtvt  even  the  highest  priests  were 
glad  to  resroect  their  opdoion^,.  to  secure  public  favour/  ^'  A  prie8t,"i 
sdyi»  the-  Mischmii  **Ms  precddenOe  of  a  Levite,  a  Levite  of  othier 
Israelites,  a  iciommon  Israelite  of  9k^  bastard,  a  bastard  of  one  of  tha 
^'ethinim,  a  Nethin'of  a  foreign' jJrpselyte,  a  foreign  proselyte  of  a. 
freed  slave.  This  is  the  laV  when  ,theSe  persons  are  eq^ual  in  other 
respeets;  but  if  a  bastard  bo  a  Babbi  (a  scholar  of  the  wise),  and 
the  Mgft  priest  not  a  li^bbi  (and,  *  therefore,  one  of  "the  ignorant 
eouFtry  people"  who  ate  **  cursed"  for  not  knowing  the  Pharisaicf 
traditions,  and  requirements),  such  a  bastard  tak^  a  highcar  place 
than  such  a  high  priest.  The  multitudinous  rites  and  ceremoniea  6i 
the  Mosaic  Law,  with  the  vast  additions  of  the  Pharisaic  "hedge," 
and  the  corrupting  influence  of  power  and  general  flattery,  had  the 
worst  effects  on  the  Pharisees  as  a  body.  They  gave  themselves  up 
largely  to  formalism,  outward  religiousnefis,  seli-comj)lacency,  im- 


TRBUTS:  O?  CimiST. 


men  ainoiig. 


measurable  spiritual  prid6,  love  of  praise,  auperstltioh;  and  deceit^ 
till  at  last,  after  the  destruction  of  the  Temple,  they  themselves  laid 
the  name  of  Pharisee  aside,  from  its  having  become  the  symbol  of 
mingled  fanaticism  and  hypocrisy.  How  tho/oughly  does  this  vindi- 
cate the  language  often  used  respecting  tiiom  in  the  Gospels! 

Yet  it  must  not  be  thought  that  there  were  no  good  men  in  ,their>^ 
number.  Though  the  Talmud  names  six  classes  of  them,  which  it 
denounces,  it  has  a  seventh — the  Pharisee  from  Love,  who  obeys 
Qod  because  he  loves  Him  wit^  an  his  heart.  But  the  six  classes^ 
doubtless,  marked  the  characteristics  of  too  large'  a  proportion.! 
Among  the  many  figul-es  whom  oUr  Lord  passed  in  the  sk«ets  of 
Jerusslemr  and  elsewhere,  He  must  often 'have  met  those  to  whom 
tlie  by*name  was  given  of  Shechemite  Pharisees — who  kept  the  Law 
only  for  interest,  as  ^^chem  submitted  to  circumcisioii  siiliply  to 
obtain  Dinah;  ov'the  Tumbling  Phariitee  who,  to  appear  humble ,t>e< 
foremen,  always  hung  down  his  head,  and  buttled  with  his  ^t  on 
the  ground,  so  that  he  cohstantlj  sti^mbled;  drthe  Bleeding*  Pharisee 
who,  to  keep  hioidelf  f i^om  seemg  a  wonuui,  walked  witih  his'  eyear 
shut,  and,  BO,  Mten  bled  his  head  againi^t  posta;  or  th6  Mortar*^ 
Pharisee,'  with  a  cap  like  a  mortihr  ovcnr  hi»  eyes,  to  shut  out  all  thatf 
might  ^ock  his  pure  nature;  or  the  Wha^molre-<ian-I-do  Pharisee^' 
who  clfiiimed  tb  have  kept  the  whole  Law,  and  wished  to  know  some^ 
thing  new,  Hiat  he  hiight  ^  it  Hlso^  or  tlie  Pharisee  from  Fciar,  yrh& 
kept  the  Law  oiily  for  fear  of  the  judgmert  tO  come.  But  Hft 
would  also  see  Pharisees  siich  a&  Hillel,  the  greatei^t  of  tbeRabhis, 
the  second  Ezra^  who  wad,  perhaps,  stiU  alive  when  Christ  was  bom' 
-^Who  taught  his^hoolpf  a  thoiisand  \pupils  such  precepts  as  ^' t<D» 
be  «entle,  and  show 'ail  meekness  to  all  men,"  •*  fwhen  reviled  not  to> 
revile  again,"  "Love  peace  and  puri^ue  it,  be  kindbe aiffectionate to 
all  men,  and!  thu^  commend  the  law  of  Ood,*'  or  "Whatsoever  ihou 
wouldst  not  that  ai  man '  should  d  o  to  thee,  do-  not  thyou^ .to  hlni,  'fr^^^-at 
like  just  Sim^bn,  who  WJEis  a  Phariibc  o,  or  Zacharias,  the  fatiier  of  ifyet 
Baptist,  or- GasiM^iel,  the  teacher  of  Paul^olr  Hke< Paid  himself,  foi^ 
all  these  were  Pharisees,  ftod  must  have  been  types  of' many  morei  /  ^.j 
'The  PhMisees  had,  however;  as  «  whole,  outlived  their  true  use^Hl-> 
ness  in  the  days  of  Christ,  and  had  become  largely  a  hollow  pretence; 
and  hypoterisy^  as  the  monks  and  friars  of  Luther's  day,  <»•  earlier, 
had  outlived  the  earnest  sincerity  and  real  worth  of  the  days  of  their 
founders!  They  had  done  good  service  in  former  tunes,  in  ktoping: 
alive  the  faith  of  their  nation  in  the  Messiah;  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven, 
the  immbrtalitjT  of  the  soul,  and  the  judgment  to  come,  but  they  were* 
now  fast  sihiung  into  the  deep  corruption  which,  in  a  generation 
filter  Christ's  death,  made  them  drop  the  very  name  of  their  party,    f 


\m 


jta*^ 


mn}v:>  'icvrf^r;!  rmr 


.♦••wv    .ji! 


• ! ;  I 


"Ok'  Mi:  f\r> 
TH8  lUBBIB   A1P  THE  TIMB   OF  CHRIST,  AKD  THKlR  mEAfi  ItKB^lSC^T- 


CHAPTER  Tt. 


ijf*m 


ill 


tNO  *riIE  MESSIAH. 


riiioutf 


;i" 


.  Ifithe  inost  important  .figures  jii;!  the  soqietrol  Christ's,  day /ly^ire 
the  Pharisees,  it  mr^  because  they  yrier^  the^bbis,,Qr,jl(eachc?siiPf 
the  Law.  As  such  they  received  superstitious  hono^rf  whicl),  w^p, 
indeed,  the  great  mptjiy?,  with.  «w^,  tp.  joofffi  the  il^U^.  95»Joift  ^tho 


pi^. 
The 


re  classed  with  Moses,  the  patriarchs,  an4  the 


le  Rabbis  were 
prophets,  and  claimed  equal  reverepce.  Jacob  and  J<;>8e{di,wjemb6th 
Sjaid  to  hi^ve  been  Rabbis*  l^ie  Targum  o|  Jonathan  jsubsl'iiuliqs 
Ral^is,  or.Spribesy  fpr  the  iyord  "piippiiets,'*  .where  Jit,  .occurs. 
Josephvs  mealts  of  the,,p«)phet«  of  .$auls  4ay. as  ^ab)?is,,,  .In  tho 
J^n)satem.Targumalljthepatriaxphs  are  learned  Ra^is:  li^ac  learn^4 
in  tj^ei^hool  .of  Beth -.Jacob  Htten4<4  the  ^liopl  of  J^l)erMind,  h^oe, 
no  wonder  tliat  Raji>b^  are  a  delight  to  Gpd;  li|^e  the  ince^i^  burned 
before  Himl  They  lyer^  to  b^  dearer  to  Ikrad  than  iafUieroi;,moth^^ 
because  parents  avail  only  i^  this  world,  but  th^  J^abbi  for!  jev^r,.  iTlicy 
^^  set  abpyefliiQgs,  ^  wH  not. .written,  .|' Through. ii^  King? 
reignT' .  Their  entraiiiee  m^  a  housi^  brought  9.  hiding;  |to  J[ive  or 
to  eat  with  them  w^  the  highesit  good  fortune.  To  ^in^Vr^lth  a 
Rabbi  was  as  if  jto  enlpy  ,the.,^piendovir  of  heavenjy  majesty^ , for 
it  is  written,  "TJben  came:  A^Ton  and  igU  the  ehjcra  m  I^rMf  tf>  c^t 
bt!ead,withMo8§^*;ffVthcr-in<-l^w,biefore  Mod'' ,     ,.   ^  .,,      ,i 

Tq  learn  a  single  verse,,  or  eyen  a  3iug^  Ii^tter,  ^om  A,]^bbi  cipi^id 
be  repaid  only  by  the  prof oundest  respect,, for  did  not  tradition  ea^ 
that  Payid.  learned  pnly  two  words  from  Ahithophel>  and  yet,  sin^pjj- 
for;  this,  pavid  made  him  his  teach<^r«  counsellpTi.  apd^icnd,.  as.  it  is 
written*  "  Thou.art  a  man  niin^  equals  my.guide«an4  mine  acquaint- 
ance?"   Thfe.t^ble  of  the  Rabbi  wa^  nobler ; than  tfnaX  o^  l^^g^;  f^P^ 

his ci*iwn mere gjoriou^ithan theirs.,  .  ^  ;  Mii  i^.^iv/^  jh  tc^^ov 
The  Ri^bbis,  went  even  fartl^r  than  this  i^  exw[%g,  their  rora<pr. 
The^.Mischn^  dccliares;  that  it  is.  a  greater  crimet  to  spea^  a9ything 
to,  |(;heir  dispredit  tlum  to  sp^k  Agaiust  the  wqjjrdSi  of  the  La^^  The 
words  of  the.  Rabbis  are  to  be  liela  as  .worth  more  thaii  tl^  ^cir^s  of 
the.  pr6pl>et$^;  for  the  prophet  is  i^e  &  king's  legate  who, i&  to  be 
QWQ^d  on  showing,  his  master's  signet,  but  the  Rabbit ,  need  np  suqh 
wit;)e4ii„sin^,it  is  written;of  i^em,./*  'Tijou^halt  do  apcordpg  io  the 
sentence'  which  they  shall  diew  thee;"  whereas  it  is  said  of  the 
prophets,  "  If  he  givetli  thee  a  sign  or  a  wonder,"  Miracles  are  related 
wliich  happened  to  confirm  the  sayings  of  Rabbis.  One  cried  out; 
whpp  his  opinion  was  disputed,  "  IVfey  this  .tree  prove  tjiai  I  am 
right!"  and  forthwith  the  tree  \vajs  torn  up  by  the  roots,  and  hurled  a 


THE  IJFr:  OF  CIIUIST. 


58 


x-or'  -mVl  (\o  ■ ' 
LB  mCfl^EJfeT- 

i's.day 'WTWe 
,|l(eacUeifStipf 

ihs,  an^  ifkQ 

•e  l^t,  pccurp. 
1)^18.5;  In  tUo 

.collide  bucpQd 

y^,,m^  King? 

pg;  to  live  PT 

^in^iTyitJi  a 

majesty^  .for 

BabbiciWld 
[tradition  aay 
kdyet,8in(ip)^ 
ticud^.  aft  it  la 
(ine  (icquaipt- 


!>  I V 


-•O-) 


tbfiirrOWR 
jakwwtyng 
eXa^v  The 
;bie  wqrds  of 
^lio.is  to  i)e 
aeed  no  suqh 
fordifig  ^  t^e 

said  of  the 
js  are  related 
ne  cried  out; 

e  tiiat  I  am 
and  hurled  a 


hundred  oils  oflf.  But  his  opponents  declared  that  a  tree  coulcl  prove 
nothing.  "May  this  stream,  tlien,  witness  for  mel"  cried  Bliezer, 
and  at  once  it  flowed  the  opposite  way.  Still,  his  opponents  urged 
that  water  could  prove  nothing.  *' I^ow,"  said  Eliezer,  "  if  truth  be 
on  my  side,  may  the  walls  of  the  school  confirm  it  I"  He  had  scarcely 
spoken  when  the.  w^ls  began  to  bow  inwards.  The  Babbi  Joshua 
threatened  them:  "  What  id  it  to  you  if  the  sons  of  the  wise  dis- 
pute? you  shadl  not  fall;"  and,  to  honour  Ra]i)bi  Joshua,  the  walls  did 
not  fan  Whblljr  together^  but  neither  did  they  go  back  to  their  places, 
that  the  honour  ot  Rabbi  Elfdier  ihight  not  suffer,  but  remain  slftht- 
in*  to  tlii^  day.  '  At  l^dt  Eliezer  called  for  the  dfctision  of  heaven: 
"If  i  am  n^t,  let  heaven  witness?."  Then  came  a  Voice  frpip 
heaven,  and  said,  **  Why  dispute  ye  wit^i  Rabbi  Eliezer?  he  is  always 

rlditr    ■'••'"   '  •  ■  ■'  i'     '    y    *• 

Inordinate  pride,  oi?e  might  Jhink,  pou!^  hardly  go  farther  than 
this,  but  thife  mgbt^ft  vanity  of  the  Ral^bis  Christ  had  dally  to  meet 
\Vas  capable  even  of  bliisphemy  in  its  claims.  The  T^lpjud  ^Il$  us 
that  there  wfe  schods  of  the  heavenly  Rabbit  iEd)ove',faV  Wfell  ilw  those 
of  the  earthly  Rhbbi^  here,  and  relates  that  tn^re  pnbc  rose'  i^VthJa 
gfefat  littbbisr  school . of  heaVeu  >  disputed  iresD^ctlhg  the  l^w  of.thts 
leper.  The  Almighty;' who  is  the  Chief  RaphV  oi,  the jaikieS,  pro- 
nounced a  c^tfon  c^,  detailed  in  the  te'itt.  a^.  clean^  But  i^  tl^e 
angels  thought  ^0rently— f^t  the  angels  are  the  fechplai^  iA  this 
greaiacadeitf^;  Then  sifld  they,  *'  Who  8|iaU  decijae  ih jihfs  matter 
iKitween  us?"  ^t  waii  ag^^ed  on  both  sides— (}6d  fthd  the  «igelsr-;tO 
^ijrirmon  Ramban,  the  son  of  iNachman^  sihcie  he  yras  wont  to  say  of 
himse^,  "No  ohe  is  eqrual  tb  'me  in  (mestibps  les^iecting  ieptosy,** 
Thoi^eupoh  the  An^l  of  Death  was  sent  to  him,  and  cau^'d  him^  to 
die,  and  bi:ouglit  his  soul  up.to  heaven,  \^here  Hamban,  when  t^|%thj^ht 
before  the  heavenly  Academy,  cofaflrmed  the  opinion  of  God,  which 
gtive  God  no  little  delist.  Then  heavenly  volcies.  \vhiOh  jsbiH^^eiji 
down  even  to  \he  earth>  exalted  the  |iame'  of  Rtunban  girfe^tly,  and 
miraelesVete'wrbugljt  lit  his  grave.    '     '      '        '       .     " 

Such  a  stbry  illustmtes  l)etter  than  4ny  wor^s,  the  audacious 
claims  arid  blasphemous  spiritiial  pride  with  which  Our  Xiord  had  to 
contend,  and  which  He  often  rebukes  in  the  I*harisees  of  His  day. 
Evdh  the  Xalniud  itself,  in  other  parts,  is  forced  to  reprove  It.  The 
only  palliation  of  it  lies  ih  the  fact  that  the  Law  itself  was  written 
in  a  language  which  the  people  had  long  ceased  to  speak,  so  that 
it  w'ds  left  to  the  Rabbis  to  explain  and  apply  it.  The  heads  and 
leaders  of  the  pation,  they  kept  it  in  their  leading-strings.  It  had 
come  into  their  hands  thus,  and  they  were  determined  to  keep  it  in 
the  same  state.  Heresy,  which  would  be  fatal  to  the  biina  una- 
nimity ivhich'  was  their  political  strength,  could  only  be  excluded 
by  rigidly  denouncing  the  lea^t  departure  from  their  precepts. 
The  Law  and  the  Prbphets  mu^,  therefore,  be  imderstooa  only  in 
tjie  sense  of  their  traditions.    The  reading  jot  the  ScrijptUrejs  was 


i-   ) 


01  TUB  LIFE  OP  cnmsT. 

henoe  dlseonniged,  lott  it  should  win  Uicir  henrts,  and  they  diould 
cease  to  reyerence  the  words  of  t'le  Rabbit.  One  hour  was  to  be 
spent  on  the  Scriptures  in  tho  schools;  two  on  the  traditions.  The 
study  of  the  Talmud  alone  won  honour  from  God  as  from  man. 
That  vast  masa  of  traditiort^  which  now  tills  ten  folio  volumes, 
was,  in  reality,  the  Bible  of  the  Rabbis  and  of  their  scholars^ 

*  Yet,  Infoiin,  the  Law  received  l)oundlc^  honour.  Every  saying 
of  tho  Kabbis  had  to  be  based  on  some  Words  of  it,  which  were, 
however,  explained  in  thehr  own  way.  The  spirit  of  the  times, 
the  wild  fanaticism  of  the  jxiople,  and  their  own  bias,  tended, 
alike,  to  make  them  set  value  ouly  on  ceremonies  and  worthless 
^i^tcmalisms,  to  the  utter  neglect  of  tho  spirjit  of  tlie  sacred  writings. 
Still,  it  was  owned  that  the  Law  needed  no  confirmation,  while 
the  words  of  the  Rabbis  did. 

. ;  So  far  as  the  lloman  authority  under  whiph  they  lived  left 
them  free,  the  Jews  willingly  put  all  power  in  the  ^xaO|ds  of  tlio 
I^abbis.  Thcjf-  or  their  nominees  Ulled  eveiy  office,  fron^  the 
highest  in  the  priesthood  to  the  lowest  in  the  community.  They 
were  the  casuists,  ihe  teachers,  the  priests,  the  judges,  the  Rjiagia- 
trates,  and  the  physidans  of  the  tiation.  But  their  authority  went 
Ktitt  further,  for,  by  the  Rabbinical  laws,  nearly  everything  ip  daily 
life  needed  their  counsel  and  aid.  No  one  could  be  born,  qircum- 
cised,  brought  up,  educated,  betrothed,  inarried,  or  buried— ^o  one 
could  celebrate  the  Sabbath  or  other  feasts,  or  b^in  a  lousiness,  or 
make  a  contract,  or  kill  a  beast  for  food,  or  even  bake  bread,  without 
tlie  advice  or  presence  of  a  Rabbi.  The  Avords  of  Christ  respecUng 
binding  arid  16osi^g,  were  a  Rabbinic«d  proverb:  they  l^und  ana 
they  loosed  as  tht^y  thought  fit.  What  they  loosed  was  '[permitted 
— iVhat  they  bound  was  lorbiddett.  They,  were  the  brain,  thp  eyes, 
the  cats,  ihe  nerves,  the  muccles  of  the  people,  who  were  mere 
children  apart  from  them. 

This  omazhig  jiower,  which  haa  lastM  for  two  thouisand  years, 
owed  its  vitality  to  tho  fact  thftt  no  Rabbi  could  take  money  for 
ahy  ofiicial  duty.  They  might  enslave  the  minds  of  the  people, 
but  thcv  never  abused  their  despotism  to  make  gain  of  the^i.  The 
great  Rabbi  Hillel  eays,  "He  who  makes  gain  of  tho  words  of 
the  Law,  his  life  will  be  taken  from  the  world."  No  teacher, 
preacher,  judge,  or  other  Rabbinical  official,  coiild  receive  monejr 
for  his  seirvlces.  In -practice  this,  grand  law  was  somewhat  modi- 
fied, but  not  to  any  creat  extent  A  Rabbi  might  receive  a 
iiioderate  sum  for  his  duties,  not  as  payment,  but  only  to  make 
good  the.  loss  of  time  which  he  might  have  used  tot  his  profit, 
liven  now  it  is  a  Jewish  proverb  that  a  fat  Rabbi  Is  little  worth, 
and  such  a  feding  must  nave  checked  those  who,  if  th9J,.C9ulf)l, 
would  have  turned  their  x)osition  to  pecuniary  advantage.,  t;/'j     .. .» 

How,  then,  did  the  Rabbis  live?  A  chjla  dcstiiied  fbr  tliis  dig- 
nity bqpm  his  training  at  Ave  ycJiirs  of  age,  and  gl-adually  shrank. 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIBT. 


in  TnoBt  ca^B,  Into  a  mcro  prdant,  'vrith  no  deikire  In  life  beyond 
the  few  wantfl  ncmled  to  enable  him  to  continue  bis  endless  study. 
It  was,  moreover,  reiquired  that  every  Rnli^i  nhould  learn  a  traao 
bywhicbto  support  himHclf.  "He  who  docs  not  teacL  his  son  a 
trade,"  says  Rabbi  Jehuda,  "is  mucn  the  same  as  if  he  tanght  him 
to  bo  a  thief." 

In  accordance  with  this  rule,  the  greatest  Rabbis  maintained 
themselves  by  trades.  The  most  famous  of  them  all,  Rabbi  Hillcl, 
senior,  supported  himself  bv  the  labour  of  his  hands.  One  Ralibi 
was  rt  needle-maker,  another  a  smith,  another  a  shoemaker,  antl 
another,  like  St.  Paul,  who  also  was  a  Rfbbi.  was  a  tcnt-covtjr 
Avcjiver.  Rabbis  who  taught  in  schools  rjceivod  small  presontR. 
from  the  children. 

But  there  were  ways  by  which  even  Babbis  could  get  wealth. 
To  marry  th6  daulJhter  of  one  was  to  advance  one's-self  in  heaven; 
to  get  a  Kabbi  for  son-in-law,  and  provide  for  him,  was  to  secure  a 
blessing.  They  could  thus  marry  mto  the  ricliest  familiefi,  and  they 
often  did  it.  They  could,  besides,  become  partners  in  prosperous 
commercial  houses.  i 

The  office  of  a  Rabbi  was  open  to  all,  and  this  of  itself  secured  the 
favour  of  the  nation  to  the  order,  just  as  the  same  democratic  feeling  > 
gtrengtliened  the  Romish  Church  m  the  middle  ages.  The  humblest 
Jewish  boy  could  be  a  master  of  the  Law,  as  the  humblest  Chilstlan. 
in  after  times,  could  in  the  same  Way  be  a  monk  or  priest;  and  the 
learned  son  of  a  lalwurer  might,  in  both  cases,  look  down  with  a  kind: 
of  contempt  on  the  proudest  noble.  ? 

Sucli,  then,  were  the  Rabbis  in  tlie  days  of  our  Lord.  They  were 
Pliarisees  as  to  their  party,  and  Rabbis  in  their  relations  to  the  Law. 
That  one  who  came,  not  indeed  to  destroy  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets,  but  to  free  them  from  the  perversions  of  Rabbinical 
theology,  should  have  been  met  by  the  bitterest  hatred  and  a 
cruel  death.  Was  Oliljr  an  illustration  of  the  sad  truth,  to  which 
every  age  has  borne  witness,  that  ecclesiastical  bodies  who  have  the 
power  to  persecute,  identify  even  the  abuses  of  tlieir  system  Avith 
the  defence  of  religion,  and  are  capable  of  any  crime  in  their  blind 
intolerance. 

The  central  and  dominant  characteristic  of  the  teaching  of  the 
Rabbis  was  the  certain  advent  of  a  gi'eat  national  Deliverer— the 
Mes!si?>.  or  Anointed  of  God,  or  in  the  Greek  translation  of  the  title, 
the  Christ.  In  i\p  other  nation  than  the  Jews,  has  such  a  conception 
ever  taken  sucli  root,  or  shown  such  vitality.  From  the  times  of 
their  great  national  troubles,  under  their  later  kings,  the  words  of 
Moses,  David,  and  the  prophets  had,  alike,  been  cited  as  divine 
promises  of  a  miglitjr  Prince,  who  should  "restore  the  kingdom  to 
Israel. "  The  Captivity  only  deepened  the  faith  in  His  duly  appear- 
ing; by  incteasing  the  need  of  it  Their  fathers  had  clamovretd,  in 
far-distant  times  of  distraction  and  trouble,  for  a  King,  wha  should- 


S6 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


li'M 


be  their  Messipih,  the  viceroy  of  God,  anointed  by  prophets.  They 
had  had  kings,  but  had  found  only  a  partial  good  from  them.  Xs 
ages  passed,  the  fascination  of  the  grand  Messianic  hope  grew  ever 
more  hallowed,  an^d  became  the  deepest  passion  in  the  hearts  of  all, 
6ur.nmg  and  gloVing  henceforth,  unquehchably,  more  and  more,  and 
irrevocably  determining  the  whole  future  of  the  nation. 

For  a  time,  Cyrus  ai)peared  to  realize  the  promised  Deliverer,  or  at 
least  to  be  the  chosen  instrument  to  prepare  the  way  for  Him.  Ze- 
rubbabel,  in  hia  turn,  became  the  centre  of  Messianic  hopes.  Simon 
Maccabaeus  was  made  high-priest-king  only  "until  a  faithful  prophet 
-^the  Messiah — should  arise."  As  the  glory  of  their  brief  independ- 
ence passed  away,  aud  the  Boman  succeeded  the  hated  Syrian  as 
ruler  and  oppressor,  the  hope  in  the  Star  which  was  to  com^  out  of 
Jacob  grew  brighter,  the  darker  the  night.  Deep  gloom  filled  every 
heart,  but  it  was  pierced  by  the  beam  of  this  heavenly  confidence. 
Havip^  na  present,  Israel  threw  itself  ©n  the  future.  Literature, 
education,  politics,  began  and  ended  with  the  great  thought  of  the 
Messiah.  When  would  He  come?  What  manner  of  kingdom  would 
He  raise?  The  national  mind  had  become!  so  inflammable,  long  be- 
fore Christ's  day,  by  constant  brooding  on  this  one  theme,  that  any 
bold  spirit,  rising  in  revolt  agiinst  the  Roman  power,  could  find  an 
army  of  fierce  disciples  who  trusted  that  it  should  be  he  who  would 
redeem  Israel. 

"That  the  testimony  of  Jesus  was  the  spirit  of  prophecy."  was 
only  the  Christian  utterance  of  a  universal  Jewish  belief  respecting 
the' Christ.  "All  the  prophets,"  gays  R.  Chaja,  "have  prophesied 
only  of  the  blessedness  of  the  days  of  the  Messiah."  Biit  it  was  to 
Daniel  especially,  with  his  seeming  exactness  of  dates,  that  the  chief 
regard  was  paicl.  It  was  generally  believed  that  "  the  times"  of  that 
profikhet  pointed  to  the  twentieth  yeai*  of  Herod  the  Great,  afld,  wheu 
that  was  past,  not  to  mention  other  dates,  the  year  67  of  our  reckon- 
ing was  thought  the  period,  and  then  the  year  185;  the  war  which 
ended  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  rising  from  the  ojie  calculation, 
and  the  tremendous  insurrection  under  Hadrian  from  the  other. 

With  a  few,  the  conception  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  was  pure  arid 
lofty.  The  hearts  of  such  as  Zacharias,  Elizabeth,  Mary,  Anna, 
Simeon,  and  John  the  Baptist,  realized,  more  or  less,  the  need  of  a 
redemption  of  the  nation  from  its  spiritual  corruption,  as  the  first  ne- 
cessity. This  grander  conception  had  been  slowly  forming  in  ihe 
minds  of  the  more  religious.  Before  the  days  of  the  Maccabees,  the 
conception  of  the  Messiah  liad  been  that  of  a  "  Son*of  David,"  who 
should  restore  the  splendour  of  the  Jewish  throne;  and  this,  indeed, 
continued  always  the  general  belief.  But  neither  in  the  Book  of 
Daniel  nor  in  tne  later  religious  writings  of  the  Jews  before  Christ, 
is  the  Messiah  thus  named,  nor  is  therd  any  stress  laid  on  His  origin 
or  birthplace.  Daniel,  and  all  who  w^rote  after  him,  paint  the  Ex- 
£f^t^d  Que  as  a  heavenly  being.    He  was  the  Messenger,  the  Elect 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


n 


of  God,  appointed  from  eternity,  to  appear  in  due  time,  and  redeem 
His  iieople.  The  world  was  committi^d  to  Him  as  its  Judge*,  all 
heathen  Kin^s  and  lords  were  destined  to  sink  in  the  dust  before  Him, 
and  the  idols  to  perish  utterly,  that  the  holy  people,  the  cnosen  of 
God,  under  Him,  might  reign  for  ever.  He  was  the  Son  of  Man,  but, 
though  thus 'man,  had  been  hidden  from  eternity,  in  the  all-glorious 
splendour  of  heaven,  and,  indeed,  was  no  otlter  than  the  Son  op 
God,  flitting  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  of  His  Father.  He  was 
the  Archetypal  Man — the  ideal  of  pure  and  heavenly  Manhood,  in 
contrast  lo  the  fallen  Adam.  Two  centuries  before  our  era,  He  was 
spoken  of  as  "the  Word  of  God,''  or  as  "  the  Word,"  and  as  ♦'Wis- 
dom," and  as,  in  this  way,  the  Incarnation  of  the  Godhead. 

Such  were,  in  eifect,  the  conceptions  gradually  matured  of  the 
Mesisiali — the  Immortal  and  Eternal  King,  clothed  with  divine  power, 
and  vet  a  man — which  had  heen  drawn  from  the  earliest,  as  well  as 
the  latest,  sacred  or  religious  writings  of  the  nation.  But  very  few 
realized  that  a  heavenly  King  m\\8t  imply  a  holy  kingdom;  that  His 
true  reign  must  be  in  the  purified  souls  of  men.  Few  realized  tliat 
the  true  preparation  for  His  coming  was  not  vainglorious  pride«  but 
humllUitlon  foi' sin.  :      ■)    :' 

The  prevailing  Idea  of  the  Rabbis  and  the  people  alike,  in  Christ's 
day,  wtis,  that  the  Messiah  would  be  simply  a  great  prince,  who 
^should  found  a  kingdom  of  matchless  splendour.  Nor  was  the  idea 
of  ills  heavenly  origin  at  all  universal:  almost  all  fancied  He  would 
1)0  only  a  human  hero,  who  should  lead  them  to  victory;  >   >aa  .  tu  i 

It  was  agreed  among  the  liabbls  that  His  birthplace  must  be  l&eth- 
lehcm,  and  that  He  mtist.rise  from  the  trll^e  of  Judah.  It  was  be- 
lieved that  He  would  not  know  thr-t  He  was  the  Messiali  till  Ellas 
came,  (^companlcd  bv  other  prophets,  and  anointed  Him.  Till 
then  He  would  be  hidden  from  the  people,  living  unknown  among 
them.  The  better  Rabbis  taught  that  the  sins  of  the  nation  had  kept 
Him  from  appearing,  and  that  "if  the  Jews  repented  for  one  day, 
He  would  come."  lie  was  first  to  appear  in  Galilee;  for,  as  the  ten 
tribes  had  first  suffered,  they  should  lirst  be  visited.  He  was  to  free 
Israel  by  force  of  arms,  and  subdue  the  world  under  it.  "How 
beautiful,"  says  the  Jerusalem  Targum,  '*i3  the  King  Messiah,  who 
sprlngi  from  the  house  of  Judah !  He  girds  His  loins,  and  descends, 
and  orders  the  battle  a'gainst  His  enemies,  and  slays  their  kings  and 
their  chief  captains;  there  is  no  one  so  mighty  as  to  stand  beiore 
Him.  He  nrnkes  the  mountains  red  with  the  blood  of  His  slaughtered 
foes;  Hi«  robesC  dyed  in  their  blood,  are  like  the  skins  of  the  purple 
grapes."  "The  beasts  of  the  field  will  feed  for  twelve  months  on  the 
llesh  of  the  slalu,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  will  feed  on  them  for  seven < 
years."  "The  Lord,"  wiys  the  Targum,  "will  revenge  us  on  the 
bands  of  Gog.  At  that  hour  will  the  power  of  the  nations  be 
broken;  they  will  be  like  a  sliip  whose  tackling  is  torn  away,  and 
whoso  muHjt  h  sprung,  so  that  the  sail  can  no  longer  be  set  ou  it. 


rm 


68 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Then  will  Israel  divide  the  treasures  of  the  nations  among  them — a 
CTeat  store  of  booty  and  riches,  so  that,  if  there  be  the  lame  and 
blind  among  them,  even  they  will  have  their  share. "  The  heathen 
will  then  turn  to  the  Lord,  and  walk  in  His  light. 

The  universal  kingdom  thus  founded  was  to  be  an  earthly  paradise 
for  the  Jew.  In  that  day,  say  the  Rabbis,  there  will  be-a  handful  of 
corn  on  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and. the  stalks  \yiil  be  like  ualm- 
trees  or  pillars.  Nor  will  it  be  any  trouble  to  reap  it,  for  God  will 
send  a  wind  from  His  chambers,  which  will  blow  down  the  white 
flour  from  the  ears.  One  corn  of  wheat  will  be  as  large  as  the  twq 
kidneys  of  the  hugcst  ox.  All  'the  trees  will  bear  contmuallv.  A 
single  grape  will  load  a  waggon  or  a  ship,  and  when  ii  is  brou0it  to 
the  house  they  will  draw  wine  from  it  as  from  a  cask. 

A  great  king  must  have  a  great  capital, ,  and  hence  Jerusaleni,  ^he 
capital  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  will  be  very  glorious.  In  the  days 
to  come,  say  the  Rabbis,  God  will  bring  together  Sinai,  Tabor,  and 
Cannel,  and  set  Jerusaleni  upon  them.  It  will  be  so  gieat  that  it  will 
cover  as  much  ground  as  a  horse  can  run  over  from  the,  early  morn- 
ing till  its  shadow  m  below  it  at  noon.  It  will  reach  to  the  gates  of 
Damascus.  Some  of  them  even  tell  us  that  its  houses  will  be  buijt 
three  miles  in  height.  Itsgates  will  be  of  precious  stones  and  pearls, 
thirty  ells  long  and  as  broad,  hollowed  out.  The  country  round  will 
be  full  of  pearjys  and  precious  «toncs,  so  that  Jews  from  all  parts  piay 
come  and  take  of  them  as  they  like.  ,     , 

In  this  splendid  city  the  Messiah  is  to  reign  over,  a  people  who 
shall  all  be  prophets.  A  fruitful  stream  will  break  forth  frpm  the 
Temple  and  w^ter  the  land,  its  banks  shaded  by  trees  lad^n  with  the 
richest  fruits.  No  sickness  pr  defect  will  be  Imown.  There  will  be 
no  such  thing  aa  a  lam^  man,,. or  any  blind  or  leprous;  the  dumb  will 
speak  and  the  deaf  hear.  It  will  be  a  trivimphal  millennium  of  na- 
tional pride,  glory,  and  enjoyment. 

It  was  to  a  people  drunk  with  the  vision  of  such  oiitward  felicity 
and  political  greatness,  under  a  world-conquering  Messiah,,  th^t 
Jesus  Christ  came,  with  His  utterly  opposite  doctrines  of  the  aim  and 
nature  of  the  Messiah  and  His  kmgdom.  Only  here  and  there  was 
there  a  soul  with  any  higher  or  purer  thoughts  than  such  gross,  ma- 
terial, and  narrow  dxeama.  ( 


Mm 


•  .1.,  ;     U'    ■ 
ir\i~  lit  tsi'     ,'.1  I  ;.    .;, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BIRTH  OP  JOHN  THE  BAPTI81. 


I  i  f  ■ '!  •  i 

fuiihv 


■,m1 


vv  H/t'*t(ft*''*'?.*"i 


The  time  had  at  la^t  come,  when  "the  mystery  which  had  been! 
hid  from  ages  and  from  generations"— -the  high  purpose  of  God  in 
the  t^vo  thousand  years'  history  of  Israel'— was  to  be  revealed.  The 
true  relations  of  man  to  his  Maker  and  Heavenly  King  t/xad  been, 
throughout,  the  grand  truth  to  be  taught  to  n^anKimd,  m  all  future 
ages,  from  the  education  and  example  of  the  Jewish  race,  and  this 
truth  was  now  to  be  revealed  directly  by  God  Himself,  all  loVeer 
agencies  a^id  means  having  proved  inadequate. 

The  people  of  Israel  had  been  set  apart  by  God,  while  yet  onljr 
a  family,  as  specially  His  own.  Brought  at  last,,  after  centuries, 
through  the  discipline  of  the  household,  the  bondajge  of  Egypt,  Ana 
the  life  of  the  wilderness,  to  a  settled  home,  as  a  nation,  in  Canaan, 
they  were  still  more  -distinctly  proclaimed  by  Hint  as  "  His  people," 
the  "portion  of  Jehovah" — the  "lot  of  His  inheritance."  Tlie  Lord 
their  God  was  th^ir  only  King,  and  they  were  declared  to  be  a  "people 
holy  to  Him,"  cuosen  m  peculiarly  His,  "above  all  other  nations.'* 
In  them,  as  a  nation,  if  they  faitu fully  observed  the  "covenant" 
which  they  had  made  with  Him,  was  to  bo  exhibited  the  spectacle  of 
a  visible  kingdom  of  God  amongst  men — its  obligations  on  the  side 
of  man,  ita  high  privileges  on  thp,t  of  Heaven. 

As  centuries  passed,  however,  it  was  clear  that  Israel  failed  to 
realize  the  ideal  of  a  "people  of  Jehovah,"  with  Him  as  lt$  direct  and 
supreme  Ruler.  The  anarchy  of  the  days  of  the  Judges— a  period 
not  unlike  our  own  early  history — ^showedtoo  clearly  tjiat  the  nation, 
as  such,  was  far  from  illustrating  tlie  true  relations  of  than  to  Grdd. 

The  Kingdom  of  God  on  earth,  in  the  simplest  form  o "  His  direct 
rule,  with  no  human  intervention,  having  proved  too  lofty  and  spirit- 
ual a  conception,  the  second  step  in  its  development  was  introduced, 
by  the  appointment  of  a  supremo  magistrate  as  His  representative 
and  vicero3%  He  remaining  the  actiiul  Sovereign.  The  king  of  Israel 
stood,  thus,  before  the  people,  simply  as  the  deputy  of  its  invisible 
King,  and  was  as  much  His  servant,  bound  in  all  things  to  carry  out 
only  His  will,  as  any  of  his  subjects.  Yet  his  office,  as  the  viceger- 
ent of  God,  had  an  awful  dignity.  He  was  "the  liord's  Anointed" 
— His  Messiah — consecrated  to  the  dignity  by  the  holy  oil,  which  had, 
till  then,  been  vised  only  for  priests. 

But  the  ideal  sought  was  as  far  from  being  attained  as  ever.  The 
history  of  Isiiicl  was  very  soor  only  that  of  other  kingdoms  round  it. 
Instead  oi  being  holy  to  Jehovah,  it  turned  from  Him  to  serve  other 
gods,  and  grew  corrupt  in  morals  as  well  as  creed.  The  order  of 
prophets  strove  to  restore  the  sinking  Sttit<\  and  ret^all  the  nation  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


its  faith;  and  good  ldng#from  time  to  time  listened  to  them,  and 
sou^t  to  carry  out  their  counsels.  But  the  people  themselves  were 
degenerate,  and  many  of  the  ki^gp  found  it  easy  to  lead  them  into 
still  greater  sin  and  apostasy.  Tlie  pmphets — at  once  the  mouth- 
pieces of  God  and  the  tribunes  of  the  people— 'Uobly  resisted,  but 
only  to  become  martyrs  to  their  fidelity.  The  inevitable  result  came, 
in  the  end,  ia  the  ruin  of  the  St0,te,  and  the  exUe  in  As&yritt  and 
Babylon.'.;  ^inn^-'  ''miKm-j.wii-^'r-tji-Mt^ 

The  third  step  was  no  less  a  failure.  On  the  feturii  from  cap- 
't$Vity,  a  zeal  for  Jehoyah  as  the  only  King  of  Ii^rael  became  the  deep 
and  abiding  piassion  of  all  Jews.  *Hencefor>vard,  it  was  determined 
that  whiat  We  niight  call  the  **  Church"  shoukl  act  as  His  vicegerent. 
By  turns,  priests,  priest-kings,  and  other  ecclei^astical  or  religious 
leaders,  led  the  nation;  but  only  as  temporary  substitutes  for  a  great 
eXpect(?d  King — thei  Hifessikh^  before  Whose  glorv  even  t^KAtJ  of  David 
or  Solomon,  their  niost  fatuous  monarchs,  would  be  as  nothing.  But 
ihey  we're  as  insensible  as  ^yer  to  the  highest  charHctcristids  of  a  true 
llujerof  tl^e  "people  of  God,"  ruler  or  subject,  alike,  looking  only 
to  butwiard  power  and  splendour,  ahd  political  ambition,  and:  forget- 
ful of  the  grand  fact  that  tlw  kingdom  of  God  must,  first,  of  neces- 
sitjy,  be  the  Teign  of  hblinesi^  ^nd  truth,  in  both.  Religion  bccan^  a 
thing  pf  outward  observances,  with  which  the  heart  arid  life  had;  no 
necessary  connfectioh.  The  Messianic  ho|Jcs  of  the  centuries  im- 
mediately ^)efore  Christ  degenerated  into  a  standing  conspiracy  of 
the  natiion  against  their  actual  rulers,  and  a  vain  cionfidehce  that  God 
would  raise  up  some  deliverer,  who  Would  "restore  the  kingdom  lo 
tsrael"  ill  a  merely  jiolitical  sehise.      /n».  in'^      /  ^!K  ;    >u   j:>^;   ?;v:a 

Thus  the, true  conception  of  the  kih^btti  of  God  bid  beenwell- 
ijlgh  ^QSt.  A  few  of  the  Kabbis,  indeed,  with  a  finer  spiritual  sense, 
taught  that  ti  v  condition  of  the  coming  6f  (tie  Messiah  must  be 
sincere  i'epentance  for  their  sins,  on  the  palt  of  the  nation,  and  a  ro- 
turn  to  a  purer  state.  Biit  such  counsels' had  little  weight  with  th<i 
community.  Blindly  self-rii^hteous,  and  yet  Wedded  to  evil,  e\'^ry- 
thin^  tended  to  a  speedj|^^  extinction  pf  Judaism  by  its  inveterate  cur 
ruption,  .' *.  , 

It  was  fit  tl^is  time  t!/at  the  first  direct  steps  were  taken  by  God 
towards  the  advent  of  the  true  Messiah,  who  should  Anally  eredt, 
oncw  for  all.  His,  the  tnie,  divine,  kingdom,  on  earth,  all  the  dreams 
of  Which  had  hitheito  been  such  ciisastrous  failures.  He  would  thus 
save  Judaism  from  itself,  by  perpetuathig  that  which  was  permanent 
in  it  under  Hia  holy  and  spiritual  reign.  Discarding  all  that  was 
merely  temporary  and  accidental,  and  bringing  into  "lastimg  promi- 
nence whatever  of  everlasting  truth  the  older  dispensation  contalhed, 
He  would  found  the  only  true  kingdom  of  God  possible  on  earth;  one 
Id  which  the  perfect  holiness  of  the  Anointed  Head  should  stimulate 
a  like  holiness  in  all,  and,  indeed,  demand  it.  The  Messianic  hope 
was  to  be  realized  in  a  grander  and  loftier  sense  than  man  huX 


THE  LIFE  OF  GHRIST. 


«t 


dreamed,  but  the  very  ^andeur  and  loftiness  of  tl^e  reali,i^oa  would 
attest  it«  divine  Whonty  |nd  source.  , 

K>!rbe  priesta  among  tbe  Jews  had  been  divided,  su^ce  tl^e  time  of 
David)  that  is,  for  about  a  thousand  ^ears,  into  tweni^-four  courses, 
known  also  as  "houses"  and  "families."  Of  the  original  courses, 
however,  only  f our,,  f^h  numbering  about  a  thousand  members,  had 
returned  from  Babylon,  after  the  captivit^r;  bMt  out  of  these  the  old 
twenty-four  courses  were  reconstituted,  with  the  same  names  as  be- 
fore, that  the  original  organization  might  be  perpetuated  as  far  as 
possible. .  The  priesthood  of  the  second  Twnple,  however,  never 
took  liie  same  rank  as  that  of  the  ^rst  The  dinunished  glory  of  the 
sanctuary  in  which  \t  ministered,  comp^ed  wi^  that  of  Solomon, 
alone,  made  this  inevitable,  |or  the  second  Temple  had  no  longer  the 
sacred  ark,  with  its  mercy  seat  and  the  over^iadowing  cherubim, 
uor  the  holy  fire,  kindled  at  first  from  heaven,  nor  the  mysterious 
Shechina,  or  Glory  of  God,  in  the  Holy  ol  Jftolies^nor  the  tallies  of 
stone  written  by  the  finger  of  God.  nor  Uie  anciept  Book  of  the  L^w» 
handed  down  from  the  great  lawgiver,  Moses.  The  spirit  of  proph- 
ecy was  no  Longer  granted;  the  IJrim  and  Thmnmim  no  longer  shone 
out  mysterious  oraples  from  the  breast  of  the  high  priest^  and  the 
holy  anointing  oil,  that  had  been  (handed  do^q,  as  the  KaJbibts  taught, 
from  the  days  of  AAron,  had  been  lost.  There  could  tt^us  be  no 
consecration  of  the  high  priest,  or  his  humbler  bretlpren,  by  that 
symbol  which  above  aU  others  had  been  most^  sacred—the  priestly 
anointing. '  The  priests  were  now  set  apart  to  their  office  <?^^y  hy 
solemoly  clothing  them  with  their  officii  robes,  though  the,  subordi- 
nate acts  of  sacrifice  and  offering  were  no  doubt  continued,  fhe 
rise  of  the  Synagogue,  and  the  supreme  importance  attached  to  the 
study  of  the  Law,  tended  also  to  throw  the  office  of  the  priest  into 
the  background.  In  the  eenturi^  after  thp  Beturp,  the  jRabbi  be- 
came the  foremost  figure  in  Jewish  history.  -Tet  the  ftriest  was  a 
neoessary  appendage  to  the  Templar  ^^i  ^ven  the  tri^itions  of  the 
past  lent  his  office  dignity.    ;  ;  .  ,; 

The  services  at  the  Temple  in  JerusaliBm,  where  alope  sacriflces 
could  be  offered,  were  entrusted  to  the  care  of  each  course  in"  rota- 
tion, for  a  week  of  fix  days  and  t?«v'o  Sabbaths,  and,  hence,  the  mem- 
bers of  each,  whose  ministrations  might  be  required,  had  to  go  up  to 
Jerusalem  twice  a-year.  .  • 

As  the  office  was  hereditary,  the  number  of  the  priesthood  had  be- 
come very  gi-eat  in  the  days  of  our  Lord,  so  that,  V^cording  to  the 
Talmud,  in  addition  to  those  who  lived  in  the  country,  and  came  up 
to  take  their  turn  in  the  Temple  services,  there  were  no  fewer  than 
24,00Q  settled  in  Jerusalem,  and  half  that  number  in  Jericho.  This, 
however,  is  no  doubt  an  exaggeration.  Josephus  is  more  likely  cor- 
rect in  estimating  the  whole  number  at  somewhat  over,  30, 000.  But 
even  this  was  an  enormous  proportion  of  clergy  to  the  population  of 
a  country  like  Judea,  as  the  name  was  then  applied,— a  district  of 


09* 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


about  100  miles  in  length,  and  sixty  in  breadth,  or  asL  nearly  as  possi- 
ble of  the  same  nmnber  of  square  milds  as  ^Yorksmre."  They  iauet 
have  been  a  tfiore  f Amiliar  sight  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem;  and' of 
the  towns  and  villages,  than  the  seiemingly  coftintless  ecclesiastics  in 
the  towns  and  cities  of  Spain  or  Itlily  at  this  time.  '  '  'J'^'  *  '•'" 

The  sbcial  pbsitioti,  as  well  afe  ofBcial  standing,  of  •siifth^a  liifge 
order*  iiei6feis(ftrily  vsiried  ^atly.  First  in '  cdnsidbration,  after'  the 
high  prieigt,  came  his  afcting  deputy,  or  nssistc(nt-^the?  Srtffhn^&hd 
those  who  h{^  fllldd  that!  offlice,  and  the'  heads  or  jireteidcutsl  of  the 
twenty-four  conrses-^^oUectively,  the  " high  priests,"  or  '"Chi6f 
priests, "  bf  Jose^hns  and  the  New  Testament ;  an<f  neirt,'  thfe  IrtTge 
l)ody  of  officiating' priests,  the  couMferpart  6f  our  Wol'kibg  clergy. 
But  th^re  wei«,  biei^ides,  large  nnfnibers,  like  the  lower  priests  of  Hiife- 
sia  or  Italy,  tltieducated,  who  Wefe  the  object  of  eon  tempi;,  from!  their 
tehorance  of  the  Law,"in  the  Rabbinical  sense.  The  countless  sacri- 
fices and  offtefings.  With  the  multiplied  forms  to  be  observed  in  con- 
nection With  them,  Vrhich  Werd  settled  by  the  strictest  rutes,  reqiili'ed 
a  knoVirledge  at  oneSe  minute  and  extensive,  which  eould  only  l3e  at- 
tained by  assiduous' and  lon^-<^ntinued  labour.  Hence;  it  is  no 
wonder' that  there  were  to'anr  priests  who  knfew^  little '  beyond  the 
rites  in  which  th^y  had  to  take  part;  The  priesthood  was  thtis  di- 
vided into  **|ie  leatnfed*' — or  those  who  knew  and  observed  'the 
countless  laws  of  cerfemonial  cleanness;  and  the  endless  ^ritual  en- 
forced-^and  "cfonimon  priests."  There  wet(^  bthfers,  doubtless  in 
large  numbers,  whdmsome  physical  defect,  or  other  cause,  disquali- 
fied from  public  ministrations,  though  they  retained  a  right  to  their 
share  of 'th^oflCe^ingi*'^'''^  ■  »*^'^'''   ah  .vni^i'  .^nti^  ■iv.-j^xv^it.- •*>:v->*. 

The  great  mass  bf  the  ofd^4''innst%AV^  %^tt  ffe©*  fn^  t^^  days  of 
Christ,  Which  were  certainly  in  no  way  higher  in  tone  than  *  those  of 
Maldicht,  wheh  blind,  and  torn,  and 'lame,  and  sic^,  beasts  w^re 
offered  for  sacrifice,  so  that  the  prtcst  a*  well  as  the  altar  suffered; 
and  «' the  whole'  nation"  withheld  theh-  tithes  and  offerings.  The 
higher  ranks  of  the  priesthood — rich  and  haughty-i-cbntributed  to 
the  degradati<>n  Of  their  jworer  brethren,  whoni  they  despised,- op- 
pressed; and  plundered.  Nor  was  the  general  character  of  the  priest- 
hood unaffected  by  the  corruption  of  the  times;  as  a  class,  they  were 
blind  guides  of  the  blind.  !Not  a' few,  however,  in  so  numerous  a 
body,  must  have  retained  more  or  less  religions  sensibility,  for  we 
find  that  many  even  of  the  members  of  the  Jerusalem  Council  were 
so  alive  to  the  coiTUption  of  the  hieirarchy  at  large,  that  they  be- 
lieved on  Christ,  its  great  antagonist,  and  a  large  number  of  priestp, 
shortly  after  His  cruciflxiouj  openly  joined  His  disciples.  But  the 
evil  was  deep»-rooted,  and  widely  spread,  and  the  corruption  and 
demoralization  of  the  order,  especially  in  its  higher  ranks^  grew 
more  and  more  complete.  Tlie  high  soelety  of  Jerusalem  was  mainly 
comprised  in  a  circle  of  governing  priestly  families,  and  their  exam- 
ple tainted  the  ^hole  priesthood.        ■?•  -  ^^ -,>'  » r-v4.hrK>;  --  . - .,  >^.f  ru  • 


■''tj'.n^ 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHraST. 


63 


^,,j<The  pride,  tb«violonce,  irreligion,  and  Jiixury  of  tliis ecqlesiastical 
aristocracy  already,  at  the  beginning  of  our  era,  pointed  to  th^  ex- 
ce^ep  tiiey  belong  reached.  After  the  banishment  of  Archolaus,  in 
the  early  childhood  of  our  Lord,  the  government  became  an.aristoc- 
yaqy-^the  high  priei^is  virtually  ruling  the  nation — under  the  Ro- 
.iuan9;  U^^er  H^roid  and  liis  son,  tJiey  had  been  mere  puppets,  ele- 
vated to  their  dignity,  for  their  proved  subserviency  to  their  loyal* 
masters.  Under  Agnppa  II.,  ladies  bought  the  high  priesthood  for 
their  husbands  for  so  much  money^  Martha,  daughter  of  fio^thus, 
one  of  tiiese  simoniaps,  when  she  went,  to  me  her  husband,  spreacl 
carpets  frpni  her  door  to  the  gate  of  the  Temple.  The  high  priests 
themselves,  were, ashamed  of  their  most  sacred  fimctions.  The  ha v- 
ing  to  preside  oyer  the  sacrifices  was  thought  by  some  so  repulsive 
and  degrading,  that  they  wore  Mlk  gloves  when  officiating,  to  keep 
their  hands  from  touching  the  victims,  Given  to  gluttony— rtjie  spe- 
cial vice  of  their  Kom^  masters— they  also,  like  them,  abandc'ued 
themselves  to  luxiury>  and  oppressed  the  poor,  to  obtain  the  means 
for  indulgence.  Thoroughly  heathep,  in  feeling,  they  courted  tho 
favour  of  the  Ronians^  who  repaid  them  by  rich  places  for  their  som;, 
and  they  openly  robbed  and  oppressed  the  poor  priests  supported  by 
the  people,  going  the  length  of  violence  in  doing  so.  josephus  tells  us 
that  they  even  sent  their  servant:*  to  the  threshing-floors,  and  took 
uft way  by  force  the  tithes  that  bielonged  to  the  priests,  beaming  those 
wh9  resisted,  and  that  thus  not  a  few  poorer  priests  died  from 

Yet  the  office  of  the  priest,  in  itself,  was  the  hi^est  in  Jewish 
society,  and  the  whole  order  formed,  a  national  aristocracy^  however 
poor  and  degraded  many  of  its  members  might  be^  Eyery  priest  was 
the  lineal  descendant  of  a  .j)riestly  ancestry  running  back  to  Aaron, 
and  as  the  wives  of  thei  order  were?  generally  chosen  ifrom  within; its 
families,  this  lofty  pedigree  in  many  cftses  marked  both  parent8.ir  tu 

The  law  fixed  no  certain .  age  at  j  wliich  the  young  priest  should 
enter  on  his  office,  though  the  llabbis  maintaiin  that  he  needed  to  be 
at  least  twenty,  since  David  had  appointed  that  age  for  the  Levites. 
As  in  corrupt  ages  of  the  Church,  Iwwever,  this  wholesomie  rule  was 
not  always  observed,  for  Josephus  tells  us  that  Herod  made  Aristo- 
bulus  high  priest  when  he  was  seventeen,  and  we  read  of  comiaon 
jpriests  whose  beards  were  only  beginning  to  grow.  r'.lrfff'ivu^ 

The  special  consecration  of  the  young  priest  began  while  he  was 
yet  only  a  lad.  As  soon  as  the  down  appeared  on  hiseheek  he  had 
to  appear  before  the  council  of  the  Temple,  that  hisgenealo^  might 
be  inspected.  If  it  proved  faulty,  he  left  the  Tempte  clad  m  black, 
and  had  to  seek  another  calling:  if  it  satisfied  the  council,  a  further 
ordeal  awaited  hinat;  There  were  140  bodily  defects,  any  one  of  which 
would  iiicapacitate  him  from  sacred  duties,  and  he  was  now  carefully 
inspected  10  discover  if  he  were  free  from  them.  If  he  Imd  no  blem- 
ish of  any  kind,  the  whittj  tunic  of  a  priest  was  given  him,  and  he 


04 


TmC  tiPE  OP  CHRIST. 


vim 


mm 


mm  1' 


m 


I' 


1: 


(r 


began  his  offieial  life  in  Its  Humbler  (tfiticis,  tis  a  trabifi^for ilper 
re^onsibilities  in  aftei*  yc^rs.  ^ 

Ordination,  or  ratlier  the  formal  consecratibh,  followed,  When  the 
priest  attained  the  legal  age.  For  this,  mjibh  more  was  hecessar^jr,  in 
theory,  than  freedom  from  bodily  blemish.  The  candidate  miist  be 
of  blameless  character,  though,  in  such  ^n  a^,  this,  no  doubt^  wits 
little  considered.  ^^^ 

The  ceremony,  as  originally  prescribed,  was  imposing.  The  i 
phyte  was  first  washec^  before  the-  sanctuary,  As  a  typical  cleansing, 
and  then  clothed  in  his  robe.  His  head  Vas  next  anointed  with  hbly 
oil,  and  then  his  priestly  turban  wa^  put  on  him.  A  youiig  ox  was 
now  6lain  as  a  sin-olfering,  the  prieSt  putting  his  hands  upon  it&  h6ad; 
then  a  ram  followed,  as  a  Whole  burnt  oftering,  and  aft^r  that,  a^cond 
ram  as  an  offering  of  consecration,  and  this  was  the  crowding  featute,; 
in  thorite.  Some  of  the  warm  blood  of  the  victim  t^afl  put  on  ih^} 
right  ear,  the  right  thunib,  and  the  right  great  toe  of  thiEl  candidate," 
to  show  his  complete  consecration  to  th«  fiervice  of  Jfehovah.  He  Wks 
then  sprinkled  ivith  the  blood  flowihg  from  the  altdr,  ah<^^ith  the 
holy  oil,  as  if  to  coiivey  to  him  their  purifying  virtues,  and  transfotm 
him  into  another  man.  Thid  sprinkling  was  the  sign  of  coriipleted 
consecration;  he  was  now  a  pnest.  The  pieces  of  the  ram  foi  the 
altar,  with  the  meat-6ffeHng  that  accompaniied  them,  were  put  mid , 
his  hands,  to  ishow  tliat  he  coUld,  henceforth,  hiinself  jpreparc  what  wAs 
needed  for  the  altar  services.  Havihg  laid  them  on  the  altai*,  other 
ceremonies  followed.  The  pieces  of  the  sacrifice  usually  given  to  the 
priest  were  consumed  as  a  special  sin-offering,  and  with  their  burn- 
ing on  the  altar  the  iilstallHtion  into  ofiice  ended.  The  first  day,  ho-^- 
evcr,  did  not  close  the  ceremorties.  The  satrie  sacrifl<^es  offered  on  this 
day  were  required  to  be  rOjieat^d  on  each  of  the  seVen  days  following, 
that  the  solemnity  of  the  act  might  be  felt  Vy  all.  It  had  be^  thus 
in  the  early  and  glorious  days  oi  the  priesthood,  hut  how  many  6f 
these  ceremonies  were  observed  under  the  i^cond  Temple  Is  hot  kn6wn. 

The  official  dres.^  of  a  prio«it,  like  t^at  of  I3ie  priests  of  ancl^ht 
Egypt,  was  of  white  linen.  On  his  heuc  he  wore  p  kind  of  turban  in 
his  ministratiohs,  reverence  demanding  t^iat  he  should  tiot  6nter  the 
presence  of  Jehovah  uncovered,  attd  f  L)r  the  same  reason  his  feet  were 
left  hare,  the  ground  on  which  he  stood,  in  the  near  vision  of  the 
Almighty,  being  holy.  The  full  oflieial  dress  was  worn  only  In  the 
Temple,  and  was  kept  there  by  a  special  guardian,  wheh  the  minis- 
trations ended  for  the  time.  In  private  life  a  simpler  dress  wa« 
worn,  but  whether  in  his  service  at  the  TemjJle  or  at  his  house,  he 
was  ^till  a  priest,  even  to  the  eye.  The  richly  ornamented  dress  of  tlie 
hi^"priest-^the  •*  golden  vestmeht"  as  it  was  called  by  the  Rabbis- 
was,  of  course;  much  more  costly  than  that  of  his  brethren,  and  passed 
down  from  one  high  i:>riest  to  another.  It  mat-ks  thei  Character  of  the 
times  t^t,  under  the  Romans,  it  was  kept  ia  their  hands,  and  oi^y 
given  out  to  the  high  priest,  for  use,  when  needed. 


X^:P ,  m^E ;  OF  CHRIST. 


fu^ 


The  duU^  o|  the  priests  were  many  and  yarinus.  It  was  their 
awful  and  peculiar  horiolir  to  "  come  new:  the  Lord."  None  hut  they 
could  minister  before  Him,  iji  the  Holy  ?lace  where.  He  maiifesM 
Hi^  presence:  none  others  Could  "come  nigh  th^  vesaels  of  tho 
sanctuary  or  the  altar."  It  was,  death  for  any  one  not  a  priest  to 
U^urp  thiese  sacred  prerogatives.  They  offer^  the  moniing  antl  even- 
ing  Incense;  trimmied  the  lamps  of  the  golden  candlestick,  aii4  HIIq^ 
them  with  oil}  set  out  the  shew  bread  weekly;  kept  up  the  ,flre  on  the 
grea^  altar  in  front  of  th?  Temple ;  removed  the  aaues  of  the  sacrifices; 
took  part  in  the  slaying  and  cutting  up  of  victims,  and  especiaUy  ia 
tlic  sprinkling  of  their  blood;  and  laid  the  offerings  oT  all  kinds  oii 
the  aitor.  They  also  announced  the  new  moon;^,  which  were  sacred 
days,  like  the  Sabhatas,  by  the  blowmg  of  tmmpets,  But  this  was  a 
small  part  of  thieir  duties.  They  had  to  examine  all  cases  of  cei^- 
monial  lujcleanness,  cspocip,lly  leprosy,  clearing,  tliose  wlio  were,  pure, 
and  pronouncing  others  lincleau;  to  estimate,  for  cpnmiutatiou,  tho 
value  of  the  countless  oiTerina^  vowed  to  the  Temple,  and  to  watch 
the  interior  of  the  Temple  by  jii^ht.  They  were  required,  moreover, 
to  instruct  the  peopl^  in  *  niceiies  of  the l^aw,  and  toffive decisions 
on  many  points  reserved,  --long  us,  to  magistrates.  THbie  priests,  la 
fact,  were,  within  certain  limits,  the  judges  and  magistrates  of  tho 
land,  tbough  the  Sanhedrini,  which  was  the  slUpreme  court  in  later, 
Jewish  history,  was  composed  of  chief  priests,  iayraen,  and  scribes,  oir"( 
Rabbis,  in  apparently  equal  numbers. 

It  was  necessary  that  an  officiating  priest  should  be  in  every  point 
ceremonially  "  clean"  during  bis  period  of  duty,  for  a  priest^  who  wa3f( 
not"cleaii   could  not  enter  the  Temple.    A  wise  law  prol;iibited  hia,; 
tasting  wine  of  strong  drink  during  the  term  of  his  seryico,    Tho 
deino^strationsof  j^ief  cpmtnou  to  the  nation  were  unlawful  in  him;,, 
he  n^Ust  not  rend  his  garments,  of  cut  Jiimself,  or^h^vei  his  beard  pr^^ 
head,  whatever  befell  him  or  his.    Coht^qt  with  the  dead  was  to  ibo 
carelfully  shunned  as  a  defllement.  * 

f  he  j^auuj  ideal  piirity,'  as  of  one  holy  to  the  Lord,  marked  the' 
laws  ot  the  priest* Ji  mafrijage,  for  he  ipoula  o|ily  marry  a,  vi^in,  or  a.^ 
wi4ow  wiio  had  not  beep,  divorced,  and  slie  ^l^st  be  a  pufe  Xsro^Ute, 
lawfully  born*    The  aaughiers  of  priests  were  held  in  special,  hoYiour», . 
and  marrito  of  priests  wijth  them  was  in  high  favour.   A  priest,  saya^* 
Josephus,  must  thaf ry  a  wife  of  his  own  nation,  without  paving  any. 
regard  to  mon^y,  or  oth^r  dimities;  but  he  is  to  make  a  scrutiny,  and 
take  his  wife's  genealogy  from  the  ancipnt  records,  and  procure  many* 
witnesses  to  it,  just  as^  his  own  liad  been ,  carefully  tested  before  hia, 
consecratiop.    lijx  or^ef  thus  guarded  by  countless  special  laws  must 
have  been  as  sacred  In  the  eyes  of  the  multitude  as  the  almost  simi^jf 
larly  exclusive  Brahmins  Of  India,    Josephus  coulc^  niake  np  boast  cf  ' 
whi<?h  he  f0lt  so  proud  as  that  he  beloiiged  to  such  a  sacerclotal  no- 


I'U 


mvmmm''mw'^^''im^!m^<^i^^  .itodiq* 


]  V 


86  THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 

eii^  aittjfesf^to  tt,''%lion  thefir  dnllbs  hailed  them  to  the  Tetojplc,  yrere 
assigiied  t6  the  pHests.  During  their  term  of  service  they  lived  in 
^omi^i  the  Temple  btiildirtgs,  but  thuy  ciuhe  thei'e  illone,  le&Ving 
thdrikrtiisehplds  behind' thcti^. 

Porthe  suppprlf  6f  the  oiddr,  provislop  had  been  made  from  the 
cianidst  tim68,  bjr  ftssignihg  them  part  of  the  various  tithes  paid  by 
the  peopite;  fees  for  tlie  redemption  of  the  first-born  Of  man  or  beast, 
iitid  in  cpiiiniliitailon  of  VOWS,  and  what  rimy  be  balled  the  perquisites 
of  ttieir'6flSce— tlie  sh6wbr^ad,  heave-offerings,  parts  of  the  sacHflfccs, 
the  first-fruits  of  corn,  winp,  and  oil,  and  other  things  of  the  same 
Mrid. '' piBciatirig  priests  Were  thus  secured  in  Btioderati^  comfort, 
if  iiiey  r^ti6ived  a  fair  piroportion  of  their  dues,  and  the  whole  order 
had;  besides,  the  great  advantage  of  freedom  frbm  any  tax,  and  fron'i 
military  service. 

Atiloiig^e  ttieriibei'Sbf  thi^  sacred  caste  ministering  ifi  the  Terh^tb, 
ifii  the  atitijmn  of  tiie  "sixth  year  before  that  with  which  the  Christian 
era,  as  corarnonly  rcckohed,  commenceii,  was  one  who  had  come  up, 
apparently,  from  Hebron.  ITe  was  now  an  elderly  man,  and  had*  left 
behfiid  him;  at  lioiVite,  d  childless  wife— Elisabfetli  by  nanie-^Iike  him- 
self,  advanced  in  yearsl  The  two  Were  in  the  fullest  sense  *  *  IStaelitC3 
ini^etl':*'  their  faniilv  records  had  established  their  conimon  d^jscent 
fr()rii  Aftron^  and  tjie^  lives  rltoved  their  lofty  realizatio'n  bf  the 
ii^tiohal  faith,'for*^  they  were,  both,  righteous'  bcfote  God,  walking 
in  jiU  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord 'blameless."  ' 
'  "Bdi,  ^noiWithstJiiiding^  all  the  satisfaction  arid  inward  peabe  of 
innocent  and  godiy  lives,  ill  spite  6f  jtlie  natin'al  pnde  the^,'  dbUbiless, 
fblt  In  th«i  cbhsid6i*ation  that  mu$t  have  been  shown  thepi,  as  born  of 
a  priestly  4ri(5^estry,  stretching  back  throrigh '  fifteen  hiindfcd  )^(itx\% 
arid  tliougH  tl^cy  must  liave  had  round  tJiiCrii  the  comforts  of  a  mode;  t 
compbtenw,  there  tC-as  a  s^ctet  ^ief  in  the  heart  b'f  bbtli.  BlisabOth 
hM  no  bhnd,'atidwll^  this  riiijaiit  to  a  Hebrew  -v^ife  it  is  hai^d  fpr  U:i 
to;l^ancy,  Jtachel's  words,  "Give  me  Children,  oreliie  I  die,"  weit) 
tlie  bitrdet^  Vt  e¥ery  childless  -v^oman's  heart  iri  Is'ra'cl.  '  The  bii^  of 
flt'c!iilid%&^  tW¥criibvKl  of  a  riprbach.  Hannah's  prayer  fo^  a  ^ii>ti 
was, that  of  all  Jewish  wives  in  the  same  position.  To  have  no  cliild 
was  rogaiided  as'a  heav;^  ptiriishnient  from  the  harid  of  God.  Hpv/; 
bitter  the  thought  that  his  name  should  perish  was' for  a  JeS^  t6  bear, 
^yaS  sc^k  in  the  law  whichi'equired  that  A  cliUdle^s  widow  ^hdtild  be, 
forth\^ith,' married  by  a  dead  husband's  bi*pther,  that  children  mi^lit. 
be  raised  rip  to  preserve  the  memory  of  the  phildlcss  man,'  by  beiiig 
acCourited  nis.'  jN'dr  wa^  it  endugli  that  ond  brother  6f  a,  number 
acted  th^isriti  the  ima^ina;iy  itt.4tanee  given  by  theSadducecs  to  oifr 
Lord,  scvert 'brothers,'  m  succession,  took  a  dead  'brother's  "vvite,  fcr 
this  object.  The  birth  of  a  cTiild  was  tlierefore  a'  siiecial  l)lcs!;:irig, 
as  a  sechrity  that  tlie  iiam6  of  his  father'"  fehbuld  not  be  cut  olT  'froiii 
ajniouff  hjs  brp^hren,- and  from  the  gate  of  his  placej:"  and  t!iat*it' 
fi&oriia  ubt  be^'put  oiit  of  Israel.*'    Aiicient  nations,  gcrieraily,  s6dm 


■■!.:,:  .'Ml 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


«7 


3e  **I&taielifc3 


to  bave  had  this  feeling,  and  it  is  still  so  strong  among  Orientals,  that 
after  the  birth  of  a  first-born  son,  a  father  and  a  mother  are  no  longer 
known  by  their  own  names,  but  as  the  father  and  mother  of  the 
I  child.  There  was,  besides  a  higher  thought  of  possible  relations, 
however  distant,  to  the  great  expected  Messiah,  by  the  birth  of  chil- 
dren ;  but  Zatiharias  and  Elisabeth  had  reason  enough  to  sorrow  at 
their  childless  home,  even-  on  the  humblei  ground  of  natural  senti- 
nient^.  They  had  grieverl  over  their  misfortime,  and  had  made  it  the 
burden  of  many  prayens,  but  vears  passed,  and  they  had  both  grown 
elderly,  and  yet  no  child  had  been  vouchsafed  them. 

The  autumn  service  of  the  course  of  Abia  had  taken  Zacharias  to 
Jerusalem,  and  his  wfeek  of  Temple  duty  was  passing.  As  a  minis- 
tering priest  I>e  had  a  chamber  in  the  cloisters  that  ran  along  the  sides 
of  the  outer  Temple  court.  His  office  took  him  day  bjr  clay,  in  his 
white  official  robes*  to  the  fourth  and  inmost  space,  immediately 
beside  the  sanctuar;^  itself,  a  part  into  which  none  could  enter  but 
priests  wearing  their  sacred  garments.  This  court  rose  above  three 
other  spaces,  each,  in  s:uccession,  lower— the  court  of  the  men,  that 
of  the  women,  and  that  of  foreigners  who  had  become  Jews— each, 
separated  from  the  other  by  marble  walls  or  balustrades,  and  ap- 
proached only  by  great  gates,  famous  throughout  the  world  for  their 
magTiiflcence.  Over  all,  in  the  central  space,  stood  the  sanctuary, 
sprmging  from  a  level  fifteen  steps  higher  than  the  court  of  the  Israel- 
ites, next,  below  it,  and  thus  visible  from  all  parts,  as  the  crowa  and 
glory  of  the  whole  terraced  structure.  It  was  built  of  blocks  of  fine 
white  marble*  each  about  37  feet  in  length,  12  in  height,  and  IS  in 
bi-eadth,  the  courses  which  formed  the  foundations,  measuring,  in 
some  cases,  the  still  huger  size  of  70  feet  in  length,  9  in  width,  and  8  in 
height.  The  whole  area  enclosed  within  the  Temple  bounds  formed  a 
square  of  600  or  900  feet,  and  over  the  highest  level  of  this  rose  the 
gilded  walls  of  the  sanctuary,  a  building,  perhaps,  about  150  feet  long 
by  90  broad,  with  two  wings  or  shoulders  of.  30  feet  each,  on  a  line 
with  the  fa9ade,  the  whole  sui'raounted  by  a  roof  glittering  with  gilded 
spikes,  to  prevent  pollution  from  above  by  unclean  birds  alighting 
•on  it.  .        .  '['■'■^'■v'  :„,;;  • 

When.it  is  remembered  that  the  natural  surface  of  the  hill  on 
which  these  amazing  structures  were  built  was  altogether  too  con- 
tracted and  steep  to  supply  the  level  space  needed,  the  grandeur  of 
the  architecture  as  a  whole  will  be  even  more  apparent.  The  plateau 
of  the  successive  courts  was  only  secured  by  building  up  a  wall  from 
the  valley  beneath,  to  tlie  height  required^  and  this,  on  the  south  side, 
required  a  solid  mass  of  masonry  about  600  feet  in  length,  and  almost 
equal  in  height  to  the  tallest  of  oui>  church  spires,  while,  on  the  top 
of  an  erection  so  unequalled,  rose  the  magnificent  Royal  Porch,  a 
building  longer  and  higher  than  York  Ca,thedral.  No  Wonder  Jose- 
phus  cSls  suclj  a"wall  "the  most  i)rodigious  work  ever  heard  of," 
nor  that  its  surpassing  magnificence,  in  these  years,  when  its  dazzlinjj; 


'i  :l<; 


Hii 


6S'  THE  LIFE  OF  CIlRIST.l 

wh!i«ne«^  Rhone  fre^h  frcrni  the  mafion's  handn,  idiould  haro  gotxt 
abroad  to  all  countries.  . 

The  ianctnary  Itwelf  was  divide<l  into  two  tmccmal  p»rt»— tholloly 
and  thteHoly  of  Holies.  Before  the  porch  Btood  the  great  altar  lor 
burnt  offerings,  with  rows  of  rings,— to  which  tlie  heasta  for  saorificD 
were  tied,— -sunli  in  the  paTcment,  near, — while  a  line  of  oedar  bennin, 
resting  on  eight  low  pillars,  gave'  the  priests  the  means  of  hangkig  up 
.  the  slaughtered  victims,  to  dress  them  for  the  altar.  The  Holy  of 
Holies,  the  inmoet  division  of  the  sanctimry,  was  left  an  awful  soli- 
tude throughout  the  year,  except  on  the  mreat  Day  of  Atonement,  ou 
which  the  liigh  priest  entered  it  alone.  In  the  Temple  standing  in 
Christ's  day'  U  was  entirely  empty,  unless,  indeed  ^  the  tradition  of 
the  Mischna  We  correct,  that  a  stone  stood  in  it,  iniRtcad  of  the  long- 
lost  Ark  of  the  Covenant,  as  a  spot  on  which  the  high  priest  could  rest 
his  chaser.  Great  gates,  plated  with  gold,  shut  in  this  awful  chamber, 
and  a  thick  veil  of  Babylonian  tapestry,  in  which  blue  and  scarlet 
and  purple  were  woven  into  a  fabric  of  matchless  beauty  and  enor- 
mous vame—- tlie  veil  tlmt  was  afterwards  rent  in  twain  at  the  time  of 
thecruciflxlon— hung  before  it,  dividing  it  from  the  Holy  Place,  and 
shutting  out  all  light  from  its  mysterious  depths.  ; 

The  entrance  to  the  Holy  Place  was  by  two  doors,  of  vast  li^ght 
and  bi^fldtli,  covered  with  plates  of  gold,  as  was  the  whole  front  on 
each  Side  of  ^hem,  over  a  breadth  6f  thirty  feet^  and  a  height  of  fully 
a  hun^d  and  thirty.  The  Upper  part,  over  the  gates,  which  remained 
always  open,  was  covered  by  itn  ornamentation  of  great  golden  vines, 
from  Which  hung  Clusters  of  grapes?  the  length  of  a  man's  stature.  No 
W'ondcr  Josephus  adds  that  such  a  front  wanted  nothing  that  could 
give  kh  Idea  of  splendour,  since  th^  plates  of  gold,  of  great  weight,  as 
he  addd,  reflected  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun  with  a  dazzling  bright- 
ness, from  whfch  the  6yes  tumed  away  overpowered.  When  the 
gates  of  the  Holy  Place  were  opened,  all  was  seen  as  far  as  the  inner 
veil,  and: all  glittered  with  a  surface  of  beaten  wld.  i  .) 

In  the  Holy  Place  stood  only  three  things:  the  golden  candlestick 
with  its  ^V^  lamps,  in  all'usion  to  the  seven  planets;  the  table  of 
shewbrcad ;  and,  between  them,  the  altar  of  incense.  In  the  entrance, 
which  was  hierely  the  open  fore-half  of  the  sanctuary,  and,  like  the 
rest  of  the  ft-ont,  Was  covered  with  plafesof  gold,  stood  two  tables, 
one  tft  marHe,  the  other  of  gold,  on  which  the  priests,  at  their  entering 
or  coming  oWt  of  the  Holy  Place,  laid  the  old  snewbread  and  the  new.  - 
Before  the 'entrance,  in  the  court  of  the  priests,  stood  the  great  altar  of 
burnt  ofteringj  of  unhewn  stone,  which  no  tool  had  touched,  and  the 
brazen  laver,  m  which  the  priests  washed  their  hands  and  feet  before 
beginnitig  their  ministrations.        •  *■ 

"In  the  morning,"  says  Josephus,  "at  the  opening  of  the  inner 
temple^"  that  is,  of  the  court  of  the  priests,  • '  those  vvho  are  to  ofSeiate, 
recMve  the  sa«rific*9,' as  they  do  again  at  noon.  It  i^  not  lawful  to 
cajcfjr-nhyveisselinto  the  holy  house.  When  the  days  afe  over  in  which 


It 


THE  LIFK  OF  CHRIST.  W 

■» 

a  course  of  priests  officiates,  otlver  priests  succeed  in  the  p^rfoonmioe 
of  the  sacrifices,  and  assemble  tocctner  at  mid-day  and  i^elvf  t^  kev^ 
of  the  Temple,  and  the  Vessels.  Amon^  the  various,  pHestlv  diitl^ 
none  was  of  such  esteem  as  the  offering  of  mcc^nse.  The  heat  of  eastern 
and  southern  countries,  by  its  unpleasant  pliysical  effects,  doubtless 
first  led  to  the  practice  of  burning  odorous  substances,  though  hixur^ 
and  mere  indulgence  soon  adopted  it.  Ultimately,  not  only  chambersi 
clothes,  and  furniture  were  thus  perfumed,  but  the  beards  and  whole 
persons  of  guests,  in  great  houses,  at  their  conning  and  leaving.  Burn- 
ing censers  were  waved  before  princes,  and  altars,  on  whiui  incense 
was  burned,  were  raised  before  them  in  the  streets,  When  they  entered 
towns  or  cities.  Thus  esteemed  a  mark  of  the  highest  l^onour,  the 
custom  was  early  transferred  to  religious  worship,  in  the  belief  that 
the  deity  delighted  in  the  odours  thus  offered.  Hence  it  became  a  part 
of  the  recognized  worship  of  Jehoyah,  the  Mosaic  law,  requiring  in^ 
cense  to  be  burnt  on  the  altar  with  many  offerings.-  A  daffy  incense 
offering  morning  and  evenipg,  on  a  special  altar,  in  the  Holy  Place^ 
at  the  tihies  of  trimming  and  kindling  the  sacred  lafups,  was  al^  op 
dained,  and  another  vcarly,  in  the  Holy  qf  Holies,  by  |he  high  priest, 
on  the  great  Day  of  Atonement,  ,,  . 

The  daily  incense  offering  required  the  ininistrationjoftwp  priest^,  one 
of  whom  bore  the  incense  in  a  special  vessel;  theother,^lQwnig  embers 
in  a  golden  fire-pan,  from  the  altar  of  burnt  sacri^cehemre^he  eptrance 
of  the  Holy  Place,  and  these  he  spread  on  an  altar  witthiUi  Tlie  first  priest 
then  sprinkled  the  incense  pn  the  burping  coals,  an  office  held  so,  lion- 
ourabfe  that  no  one  was  aJJo'wed  toperform  it  twice,  since  it  btouglit^tl^e 
offering  priest  nearer  the  pivine  Presence  fn  the  Itoly  of  Hqlies  tlmn. 
any  other  priestly  act,  and  carried  with  it  the  richest  olessipg  f  ^6ih  oii 
high,  which  all  ought,  to  have  a  chapjce  of  th^^  obtaining. ,  I^k^  jth^, 
rest  of  the  sacred  functions,  it  was  determined^iwly  ,by  lojt.  /    ,    r      ' 

During  the  burning  of  the  incense,  each  n^oruing  and  n^ght,  jthe  wor- 
shippers in  the  diffenent  courts  remained  i^  silent  prayer,  thi^ii;  fiices 
towards  the  holy  spot  where  the  symbol  of  their  devotipn^  wa^  ^s^nd- 
ing in  fragrant  clouds  towards  heaven:  their  fondest  hope  bei|ig,that 
their  prayer  might  rise  up,  odorous  and  well-^pleasing  lilce,  ^i|;,  tpward^ 
Jehovah.  While  the  priests  entered,  morning  and  eveningt  iStp  the 
Holy  Place,  with^  its  seven  lamps  burning  ui^t  and  d^y  for  evejf,  the 
memento  of  the  awful  presence  iii  the  pillar  of  fire  that  ha<|  guaxde^ 
them  of  old,  and  its  table  of  * '  continual  breajii"  of  the  pr?^nce-^fi.  iojiide 
lamb,  with  the  due  fruit  and  drink-otteriogcoijiaecteaVithwcli  a  sac- 
rifice, was  r^jadjr  to  be  offered  pn  the  great  altar  pi  buriit  oiBpering  but- 
side.  The  atoning  sacrifice,  and  the  clouds  of  iuceinse,  the  outward 
symbol  of  theptayersof  the  people,  were  thus  indissoliiblyj^oc^aied, 
and  so  holy  were  they  in  all  eyes,  that  the  hours  sacr<^d  to  thein  were 
known  as  those  of  the  morning  and  the  evening  @acrilpice> .  They  sei^e^ 
still  furth^,  to  set  a  time,  throughout  the  Jewish  worlds  for  t^h^mprft- 
ing  and  evening^^yers  of  all  I^el,  and  thus,  when  tne  prie»  8to9d 


70 


THj:  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


1    «!3''l"!.f'l 


if!'\;;!      i 


by  the  incense  altar,  and  the  flame  of  the  burnt  o^ering,  outsjd^,,  as- 
cended, the  prayers  offered  in  the  Temple  courts  were  repeated  all 
oyer  the  land,  and  even  in  every  region,  however  distant,  to  whj^h  a 
godly  Jew  had  wandered.  ,  rT  A 

On  the  day  when  our  narrative  opens,  the  lot  for  the  daily  inciense 
offering  had  fallen  on  Zacharias.  In  his  white  sacerdotal  robes,  with- 
covered  head  and  naked  feet,  at  the  tinkling  of  the  bell  which  an- 
nounced that  the  morning  or  evening  sacrifice  was  about  to.be  laid  on 
the  great  altar,  he  entered  the  Holy  Place,  that  t|ie  clouds  ^of  the  in- 
cense, which  symbolized  Israel's  prayers,  might  herald  the  w,ay  for  the 
smoke  of  the  victim  presently  to  be  burned  in  their  stead.  In  a  place 
so  sacred,  separated  only  by  a  ve'V  from  the  Holy  of  Holies,  the  awful 
presence  chamber  of  the  Almighty— a  place  where  God  had  already 
shown  that  He  was  near,  by  human  words  to  the  olRciating  priest — at 
a  moment  so  solemn,  when  Jt  had  fallen  to  him  to  enjoy  an  awful 
honour  which  most  of  his  brethren  could  not  expect  to  obtain,  and 
which  could  never  be  repeated,  he  must  have  bpen  well-nigh  over- 

Eowered  with  emotion.    At  the  t'nkling  of  the  bell  all  the  priests  and 
icvites  took  their  stations  through  the  Temple  courts,  and  he  aiid  his 
helper  began  their  ministrations.  „    ^  V,        i 

And  now  the  coals  are  laid  on  the  altarj'the  helpipg  priest  rerires, 
and  Zacharias  is  left  alone  with  the  mysterious,  evei'-burninsr,  lamps, 
and  the  glow  of  the  altar  which  was  believed  to  have  been  kmdled,  at 
first,  from  the  pillar  of  fire  in  the  desert,  and  to  have  been  k^pt  un- 
quehched,  by  miracle,  since  then.  He  pours  the  incense  on  the  flames, 
and  its  fragrance  rises  in  clouds,  which  are  the  symbol  of  the  praj'ers 
of  Israel,  now  rising  over  all  the  earth.  As  the  intercessor  f or  liis 
people,  for  the  time,  he,  too,  joins  his  supplications. 

We  need  not  question  what  the  burden  of  that  prayer  must  have 
•been,  with  one,  who,  like  him,  "waited  for  the  Consolation  of  Israel," 
and  "looked  for  Redemption."  It  was,  doubtless,  that  the  sins  of  the 
nation,  his  own  sins,  ana  the  sins  of  his  household,  might  be  forgiven; 
that  Jehovah  would  accept  the  atonement,  of  the  lamb  presently  to  burn 
on  the  great  altar  in  their  stead;  and  that  the  long-expected  Hope 
of  Israel,  the  Messiah  foretold  by  prophets,  might  soon  appear. 

"While  he  prays,  there  stands  a  mysterious  Presence  before  him,  on 
the  right  side  of  the  altar,  the  side  of  good' omen,  as  the  angels,  after- 
wards, appeared  at  the  right  side,  in  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  as 
Christ  was  seen,  by  the  Martyr  Stephen,  standino;  on  the  Right  Hand 
of  God.  No  "vvonder  he  was  alarmed  at  such  a  sight,  in  such  a  place. 
Fear  Of  the  supernatural  is  instinctive.  In  the  history  of  his  owii 
nation,  which  Zachaiias,  like  every  Jew,  knew  so  well,  Jacob  had 
held  it  a  wonder  that  he  had,  an  he  believed,  seen  (Jpd  face  to  face, 
and  that  his  life  was  preserved;  Jehovah  Himself  had  hidden  Moses 
in  a  cleft  of  the  rock,  that  he  might  see  the  divine  glory  only  after  it 
had  passed  by,  "For  no  man,"  He  had  said,  "shall  see  me  and  live." 
ilpie  stout-hearted  Gideon  had  trcmolcd  at  the  sight  qf  an  angel; 


The  life  of  christ. 


n 


pripst;  retires, 


Manoah  had  expected  to  die  after  a  similar  vision;  and  vrhen  Daniel 
saw  the  very  angel  now  before  Zacharias  "there  remained  no  strength 
in  him." 

But  Gabriel  had  come  on  a  mission  l)efltting  the  world  from  which 
he  had  Ijeen  sent.  The  hour  had  arrived  when  the  prayer  which 
Zacharias,  and  tliose  like  him,  had  so  long  raised,  should  be  heard. 
The  Messiah  was  about  to  be  revealed,  and  the  faitliful  priest  who 
liad  so  longed  for  His  appearing  would  be  honoured  by  a  relationship 
to  Him.  He  had  for  many  a  year  desired  a  son :  not  only  would  his 
wish  be  granted,  at  last,  but  the  son  to  be  born  would  be  the  prophet, 
long  announced,  to  go  before  the  Expected  One,  to  prepare  His  way. 
He  needs  not  fear:  he  who  speaks  is  Gabriel,,  the  archangel,  who 
stands  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  as  one  who  thus  always  beholds 
the.  face  of  the  Great  Father  in  heaven,  he  has  a  tender  love  to  His 
children  on  earth.  Had  Zacharias  thought  how  the  skies  rejoice,  at  a 
sinner's  repenting;  how  the  angels  are  always  near  us  when  we  pray;, 
how  they  near  our  prayers  into  the  presenceof  God ;  and  how,  at  last, 
they  guide  the  souls  or  the  just  to  everlasting  joy;  hewoul^  jijiaiy^.r^-^ 
joicea  even  while  he  trembled.  ,- -  j 

But  the  heart  is  slow  to  receive  the  access  of  any  sudden  joy,  and 

f  to  lay  aside  disappointment.    The  thought  rises  in  the  heart  of  Zaclia- 

l  rias  that  tlie  glaa  tidings  of  the  birth  of  the  Messiah  may  well  be  true • 

Imt,  as  to  the  son  promised  his  wife,  stricken  in  years  as  she  ?ipw  ig,  V 

can  it  be  possible?    A  sudden  dumbness;  imposed  at  the  anjgeVs  word, 

at  once  rebukes  his  doubt,  and  confirms  his  faith. 

Meanwhile,  the  multitude  without  wondered  at  the  dela,y  in  his  re- 
appearance, to  bless  and  dismiss  them.  The  priest's  coming  out  of 
the  sanctuary  was  the  signal  for  the  lamb  being, laid  on  the  altar,  and 
was  a  moment  of  passing  interest  in  Jewish  Worship.  A  passage,  in 
that  noble  relic  of  pre-Christian  Jewish  literature,  Ecclesiasticus,  re- 
specting the  great  patriot  high  priest,  Simon  the  Just,  brings  a  .similar 
scene,  tliougli  on  a  far  grander  scale,  on  the  great  Day  of  Atonement, 
vividly  before  us.  The  crowds  now  around  marked  some  other  than 
a  common  day,  and  we  need  only  tone  down  the  pictui'e  to  suit  it  to 
the  present  case;  for  Zacharias,  as  a  faithful  priest,  engaged  on  such 
a  service,  was,  for  the  time,  an  object  of  almost  sacred  reverence. 

**How  glorious  was  he,"  says  the  Son  of  Sirach,  "before  the  mul- 
titude of  the  peoj^le,  in  his  coming  forth  from  within  the  veil!  He 
was  as  the  niornmg  star  in  the  midst  of  a  cloud,  and  as  the  moon 
when  its  days  are  full ;  as  the  sun  shining  upon  the  temple  of  the 
Most  High,  and  as  the  rainbow  that  glitters  on  the  bright  clouds,  aiid 
as  the  flower  of  roses  in  the  spring  of  the  year;  as  lilies  by  tlie  rivers 
t)f  waters,  and  as  the  branches  of  the  frankincense  tree  in  the  time  of 
summer.    ... 

**  When  \}Q  put  on  the  robes  of  state,  and  was  arrayed  in  all  his  orna- 
ments, when  lie  went  up  to  the  holy  altai',  he  adorned  the  forecourt 
of  the  Sanctuary.    But  when  he  received  the  pieces  of  the  sacrifice 


pv,'       '» 


7^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIS^. 


km 


ai 


from  the  hanQS  of  the  t>riests,  and  stood  at.  the  side  of  the  altar^  a 
crown  of  brethren  roima  him,  then  was  he  like  the  young*  cedar  on 
Lebanon,  and  they  were  round  him  like  palm-trees,  and  all  the  sons 
of  Aferon  were  in  their  splendid  robes;  and  the  gifts  for  the  Lord  in 
their  hands,  from  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel.  And,  wh^n  he 
had  finished  the  service  at  the  altars,  that,  he  ihight  do  honour  to  the 
oifering  of  the  Most  High,  Almighty,  he  stretched  forth  his  hand 
over  the  sacrifice,  and  poured  out  the  blood  of  grapes;  he  poured  it 
out  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  as  a  sweet-smelling  savour  unto  the  Most 
High,  the  King  of  all.  Then  shouted  the  sons  of  Aaron;  witli  the 
silver  trumpets  of  wondrous  v^'orkmanship  did  they  sound,  and  made 
a  gi'eat  noise  to  be  heard,  for  a  remembrance  I  efore  the  Most  High. 
Then  all  the  people,  together,  hasted,  and  fell  down  to  the  earth, 
upon  their  faces,  to  worship  God,  the  Lord  Almightv,  the  Most  High. 
The  singers  also  sang  praises  with  their  voices;  with  great  variety  of 
sounds  was  there  made  sweet  melody.  And  the  people  besought  th(! 
Lord,  the  Most  High,  bj^  prayer  before  Him  that  is  merciful,  till  the 
glorious  exalting  of  the  Lord  was  ended,,  and  His  worship  was  finished. 

**Th6n  he  came  down,  and  lifted  up  his  hands  over  the  whole  con- 
gregation of  the  children  of  Israel,  to  give  the  blessing  of  the  Lord 
with  his  lips,  and  to  glorify  His  name.     And  they  bowed  themselves 
down  to  worship  the  second  time,  that  they  laigikt  rebcive  a  blessing  i 
from  the  Most  High."  I 

Fear  lest  any  calamity  might  have  befallen  Zacharias  added  to  the  j 
risipg  excitement.  He  might  have  been  ceremonially  unclean,  and 
the  divine  dinger  at-  the  Holy  Place  being  thus  polluted,  might  have 
struck  him  down.  The  offering  priest  never  remained  longer  than 
was  necessary  in  so  august  a  Presence.  His  appearance,  at  last,  how- 
ever, explained  all.  They  could  receive  no  blessing  that  day,  and 
Zacharias  could  no  longer  minister  in  his  course,  for" he  was  speech 
less;  all  he  could  do  was  to  tell  them  by  signs  what  had  happened. 
Had  they  known  it,  his  silence  for  the  time  was  but  the  prelude  to  I 
the  lasting  silence  of  the  Law,  of  which  he  was  a  minister,  now  that 
Christ  was  about  to  come. 

Having  now  no  more  to  detain  him  at  Jerusalem,  Zacharias  returned 
home,  we  presume,  to  Hebron.    His  journey,  if  it  was  in  October,  asj 
seems  likely,  would  lead  him  through  the  cheerful  scenes  of  the  grape  j 
harvest — a  great  event,  even  yet,  in  the  Hebron  district.    Had  it  been 
in  April,  at  the  spring  service,  the  stony  hills,  and  deep  red  or  yellow 
soil  of  the  valleys  through  which  he  had  to  pass,  would  have  been  abhnze  I 
with  bright  colours;  shrubs,  grass,  ^ay  weeds,  and  wild-flowers,  over! 
all  the  uplands,  and  thickets,  of  varied  blossom,  sprinkled  with  sheets 
of  white  briar  roses,  in  the  hollows;  the  beautiful  cyclamen  peeping 
from  under  the  gnarled  roots  of  great  trees,  and  from  amidst  the 
roadside  stones.    Towns  of  stone  houses,  of  which  the  niins  still  re 
maip,  rose,  flat-roofed,  from  the  hill-sides,  or  from  their  tops,  in  sight 
of  each  «ther,  all  the  way.     Fields  with  stone  walls,  now  In  the! 


THfi  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


78 


le  of  the  altar,  a 
young'  cedar  on 
and  ail  the  sons 
for  the  Lofrd  in 

And,  wh^n  he 
lo  hono\ir  to  the 

forth  his  hand 
(es;  he  poured  it 
ir  unto  tiie  Most 
\aron;  ■witli  the 
?.ound,  and  made 
I  the  Most  High, 
vn  to  the  earth. 
,  the  Most  High. 

great  variety  of 
pie  besought  the 
merciful,  till  thei 
ship  was  finished. 
iY  the  whole  con- 
ning of  the  Lord ' 
owed  themselves 
i-GCcive  a  blessing  i 

rias  added  to  the ! 
illy  unclean,  and 
ited,  might  have 
ned  longer  than 

ce,  at  last,  how- 

g  that  day,  and  i 

"he  was  speecli 

had  happened. 
It  the  prelude  to 
nister,  now  that  | 

Icharias  returned 
IB  in  October,  as  | 
)nes  of  the  grape 
let.    Had  it  been  j 
jp  red  or  yellow 
lave  been  ablaze  i 
liid-flowers,  over! 
Ikied  with  sheets 
]clamen  peeping 
mm  amidst  the 
Ihe  niins  still  re- 
pir  tops,  in  sight 
Uls,  now  In  the 


itumn,  lay  idle  after  the  harvest,  or  were  being  re  sownt  but  the 
leyards.  which  spread  far  and  wide,  over  valley  and  sloping  height, 
jounded  with  voices,  for  the  hoases  were  well-nigh  forsaken  to 
Itlicr  the  ripe  grapes  Soniewhere  in  Hebron,  in  its  cradle  of  hills, 
Irue  thousand  feet  above  the  neighbouring  Mediterranean,  lay  the 
>me  of  Zacharias,  and  there,  some  tnne  in  the  next  year,  in  accord- 
ice  with  the  promise  of  the  angel.  Elisabetli  bore  a  son — the  future 
Iptist;  and  Zacharias  received  back  his  speech,  on  the  glad  day  of 
ie  child  getting  its  name— the  eighth  after  its  birth,-— the  day  of  its 
[mission  into  the  congregation  of  Israel  by  circumcibion. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  ANNOUNCEMENT  TO  MART. 


i 


\Vhile  Zacharias  and  FUsabeth  were  rejoicing  at  their  promised  . 
fessing,  in  their  ciuiet  home  In  the  south,  there  lived  in  the  village  of 
Izar  jth  or  Nazara,  oyer  a  hundred  miles  to  the  north  of  tli^,  a 
of  the  name  of  Joseph,  and  a  simple  maiden  named  Mary,  who 
betrothed  to  him  as  his  future  wife.  Though  humble  enough  in 
[jtiQu— for  lie  was  by  trade  a  carpenter — Joseph  was,  in  reality,  of 
noblest  blood  of  his  race,  for  he  could  claim  descent  fron^  the 
i^ient  kin^s  of  his  nation,  and  was  the  legal  heir  to  the  thrgne  of 
fvid  and  Solomon. 

[t  needs  not  surprise  ^s  that  the  representative  of  such  an  illustrious  J 
vestry  should  be  found  in  a  station  so  obscure.    In  the  book  of 

Iges*  we  find  a  grandson  of  Moses  reduced  to  engage  himself  as  ; 
hilly  priest,  in  Mount  Epliraim,  for  a  yearly  wage  of  '  *  ten  shekels,  . 
piiit  of  apparel,  and  his  victuals. "  At  the'  present  day,  the  green  , 
rbau  which  marks  descent  from  Mahomet  is  often  woni  in  the  East 

the  very  poor,  and  even  by  beggars.    In  our  own  histoiy,  the  r 

)ry  of  the  once  illustrious  Plantage|\ets  so  completely  waneci,  that  ^ 

^  direct  representative  of  Margaret  Plan tagenet,  daughter  and  heiress  \ 

George  Duke  of  Clarence,  followed  the  trade  ol  a  cohblef  in  New- 

(rt,  Shropshire,  in  1637.     Among  the  lineal  descendants  of  Edmund  , 

Woodstock,  sixth  son  of  Edward  I,  and  entitled  to  quarter  the  ^ 

fe  al  arms,  were  a  village  butcher,  and  a  keeper  of  a  turnpike  gate,  1 

yd  among  the  descendants  of  Thomas  Plantugonet,  Duke  of  Glouces-  J 

r,  tifth  son  of  Edw." "d  III. ,  was  included  the  late  sexton  of  a  London  ' 

lurch.    The  vicissiwUdes  of  the  Jewisti  nation  for  century  after  cen-  * 

ry;  its  deportation  to  Babylon,  and  long  suspension  of  national  life;  , 

succession  of  high-priestly  rulers,  after  the  return ;  its  transition  to 
Asraonean  line,  and,  finally,  the  reign  of  the  Idumean  Ik  use  of 
jrod,  with  all  the  storm  and  turmoil  which  marked  so  many  changes,  J, 
[d  left,  to  use  the  figure  of  Isaiah,  only  a  root  in  a  dry  ground,  an  ' 
iniblc  citizen  of  Nazareth,  as  the  heir  of  Us  aucicut  royalty.    ^^^^  ♦„ 


74 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


j-'  In  tho  Game  city  lived  a  family,  which,  like  that  of  Joseph,  seenifi 
to  have  been  long  settled  there.  The  names  of  the  parents  we  do  not 
know,  but  they  had  three  daughters,  one  of  whom,  Mary,  was  be- 
trothed to  Joseph.  The  relation  thus  created  was  familiar  to  our  own 
ancestors  as  late  as  the  time  of  Shakespore,  and  was  equivalent  to  a 
civil  contract  of  marriage,  to  be  duly  followed  by  the  reli^ous  rite. 
Among  the  Jews  of  Mary's  day,  it  was  even  more  of  an  actual  en- 
gagement. The  betrothal  was  fonnally  made,  with  rejoicings,  in  the 
house  of  the  bride,  under  a  tent  or  slight  canopy  raised  for  the  pur- 
pose. It  was  called  the  "making  sacred,"  as  the  bride,  thenceforth, 
was  sacred  to  her  husband,  in  the  strictest  sense.  To  make  it  legal, 
the  bridegrocTi  gave  his  betrothed  a  piece  of  money,  or  the  worth  of 
it,  before  witnesses,  with  the  words,  "Lo,  thou  art  betrothed  unto 
mc,"  or  by  a  formal  writing,  in  which  similar  words,  and  the  maiden's 
name,  were  given,  and  this,  in  the  same  way,  was  handed  to  her  beforo 
witnesses.  Betrothals  were  commonly  arranged  by  the  fathers,  or 
in  case  oc  their  being  dead,  by  the  mothers,  or  guardians,  and  the  con- 
sent of  any  brothers  the  maiden  might  have,  was  required.  In  tho 
carllil'  ages,  verbal  agreements,  sometimes  confirmed  by  oath,  before 
witnesses,  were  most  in  use,  but  after  the  Keturn,  written  formis  be- 
came the  rule. 

Though  betrothal  was  virtually  maniage,  and  could  only  be  broken 
off  by  a  formal  "bill  of  divorcement,"  the  betrothed  did  not  at  once 
go  to  her  husband's  house.  To  give  her  time  for  preparation,  and  to 
soften  the  pain  of  parting  from  her  friends,  or,  perhaps,  in  part,  to  let 
them  get  a  longer  beneflt  of  her  household  services,  an  interval  elapsed 
before  the  finiu  ceremony;  it  might  be  so  many  weeks,  or  months,  or 
even  a  whole  year. 

It  was  now  the  sixth  month  from  the  appearance  of  Gabriel  to 
Zacharias,  and  Mary's  time  of  betrothal  was  passing  quickly  away  in 
her  family  home  at  Nazareth.  The  future  Herald  had  been  pointed 
out,  and  now  the  advent  of  the  Messiah  Himself  was  to  be  announced, 
as  silently,  and  with  as  little  notice  from  men,  for  Christ,  like  the 
smi,  rose  in  noiseless  stillness. 

A  heart  like  that  of  Mary,  full  of  religious  though tfulness  and 
emotion,  must  have  been  doubly  earnest  in  the  daily  devotions  which 
no  Jew  or  Jewess  neglected.  Like  all  her  people,  the  time  of  the 
morning  offering,  the  hour  of  noon,  and  the  time  of  the  evening  sac- 
rifice, would  fir^i  iier  in  her  private  chamber  in  lowly  prayer.  At 
some  such  momt:^t,  the  great  event  took  place  of  which  the  narrative 
of  St.  Luke  informs  us. 

In  the  sixth  month,  we  are  told,  after  the  visit  to  Zacharias,  Gabriel 
was  sent  from  God  to  Mary,  and  having  entered  her  chamber,  where 
the  presence  of  a  man  must  have  been  startling  at  any  time,  but  then 
especially, — stood  before  her  with  the  usual  salutation,  to  which  he 
add(;d  the  niysterious  words.,  that  she  was  highly  favoured,  and  that 
the  Lord  was  with  her.     Naturally  troubled  by  such  an  interruption 


THE  LIPS  OF  CHRIST. 


\5 


and  such  words,  she  shows  a  characteristic  of  her  calm,  self-collected 
nature  in  being  able  to  think  and  reason,  as  if  undisturbed,  what  the 
salutation  might  mean.  Whatever  fear  she  has,  speedily  passes, 
before  the  soothing  words  of  her  visitor.  He  bids  her  lay  aside  her 
alarm;  he  has  come  to  tell  her  that  she  has  found  favour,  above  all 
other  womevi,  with  God,  by  being  chosen  as  the  future  mother  of  the 
long-expected  Messiah,  who  waa'to  have  the  name  of  Jesus.  "The 
Holy  Ghost,"  lie  says,  •'  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the 
Highest  shall  ovcrshadoAv  tliee ;  therefore  thy  son  sliall  be  called  the 
Son  of  God;  and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  \mto  Him  the  thron?  of  His 
father  David;  and  He  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever; 
and  of  His  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end."  It  would  have  been  no 
more  than  human  weakness,  if  doubts  had  risen  at  such  an  announce- 
ment, but  these  he  sets  to  rest,  if  they  were  springing,  by  telling  her 
that  a  miracle^  no  less  wonderful  than  that  which  would  happen  with 
herself,  had  already  been  wrought  upon  her  relative  Elisabeth.  Mary's 
answer  is  the  ideal  of  dignifiea  humility,  and  meek  and  reverend  m- 
nocence: — "Behold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord;  be  it  unto  me  accord- 
ing to  thy  word."    And  presently  she  was  alone. 

Had  the  narrative  of  the  miraculous  conception  occurred  in  the 
literature  of  a  heathen  nat?or ,  it  would  justly  have  raised  doubts. 
But  in  the  sober  verses  of  the  Gospels,  written  by  Jews,  it  takes  a  far 
different  character.  The  idea  was  altogether  foreign  to  the  Jewish 
mind.  The  Hebrew  doctrine  of  the  Unity  of  God,  and  of  the  infinite 
elevation  of  the  Divine  Being  above  man,  the  profoimd  regard  of 
the  Jews  for  the  marfied  state,  and  their  abhorrence  of  unwedded 
life,  make  it  impossible  to  imagine  how  such  a  thought  could  ever 
have  risen  among  thera.  The  improbability  of  its  being  invented  by 
a  Jew  is  heightened  by  the  fact,  that,  though  lofty  thoughts  of  tlin  ^ 
nature  of  the  Messiah  were  not  wanting  in  some  Israelites,  the  alm()v  i 
universal  belief  was  that  He  was  to  be  simply  a  man,  who  would 
receive  miraculous  endowments,  on  His  formal  consecration  as 
Messiah. 

What  best  to  do  in  a  position  so  mysterious  may  well  have  troubled 
Mary's  heart.  The  angel  had  told  her  tliat  her  relative  Elisabeth,  as 
well  as  herself,  had  been  favoured  of  God  in  connection  with  the  ex- 
pected Miessiah,  and  it  is  a  hatural  trait,  in  one  whose  strength  of 
mind,  and  calm  decision  of  cho'acter,  had  shown  itself  even  in  her 
Visitation,  that  she  now  detern lined  to  go  to  Ixcr  kinswoman  and  con- 
fer with  her,  though  the  distance  between  them  was  over  a  hundred 
miles. 

W^hat  were  the  thoughts  of  Mary  in  her  solitary  journey — for  soli- 
tary she  must  have  been,  with  such  a  secret  in  her  heart,  even  if  she 
travelled  with  a  company?  Slie  likely  went  on  foot,  for  it  was  the 
custom  of  her  people,  and,  moreover,  she  was  poor.  The  intimation 
made  to  her  was  one  which  she  could  <|iardly  graap  in  its  full  signifi- 
cance.    Her  Son  was  to  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His  fi*ther  David,  and 


I'! 


■* 

:  •  jlMm 

'■:      ''^.■*'3^B 

V 

i    -   ^ 

•Ij 

f 

::;i 

5 

♦    '''■'■M 

»' 

§M 

7fl 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


iM' 


reiga.  over  the  iioiiae  of  Jacob,  founding  a  kingdom  wliich  sliould  e> 
dure  for  ever.  But  this  was  only  what  she  liad  expected,  as  a  Jewess, 
for,  like  all  her  nation,  she  thought  of  the  Messiah  as  a  Jewish  king* 
whio  should  restore  the  bug-lost  glories  of  her  race,  and  make  Israel 
triumphant  over  all  the  heatlier .  She  had  been  told,  as  well,  however, 
that  her  child,  from  its  birth,  should  be  called  the  Son  of  the  Highest, 
and  the  Son  of  God.  The  human  iflind  is  slow  to  grasp  great  tnitlis,  and 
needs  to  grow  into  a  comprehension  of  their  meaning:  it  cannot 
receive  them  in  their  fulness  till  it  has  been  educated,  step  by  step,  to 
understand  them.  Long  years  after  this  tho  only  jmrtially  realized 
the  import  of  such  words.  In  her  Son's  youth  she  was  perplexed  to 
know  what  was  meant  by  His  answer,  when  He  stayed  lehind  in  the 
Tenvple,  and  years  after  that  she  failed,  once  again,  to  realize  her  true 
relations  to  Him.  Nor  does  she  seem  to  have  risen  to  the  full  sub- 
limitv  of  her  position,  and  Of  His,  while  He  lived,  though  the  death- 
less love  of  a  mother  for  her  child  brought  her  to  the  foot  of  the 
Cross.  But  in  such  slowness  to  belierve,  and  such  abidingly  imperfect 
conceptions,  she  was  only  on  a  footing  with  those  who  enjoyed 
habitual  intercourse  with  Him,  hearing  His  words,  "and  seeing  His 
miracles,  day  by  day;  for  even  the  disciples  remained,  to  the  end, 
Jewish  peasants,  in  their  ideas  respecting  Him,  thinking  that  He  was 
only  a  political  deliverer  of  the  nation.  Preoccupation  of  the  mind 
by  fixed  opinions,  leads  to  a  wrong  reading  of  any  evidence.  We 
unconsciously  distort  facts,  or  invent  them,  to  support  our  favourite 
theories,  and  sec  everything  through  their  medium,,  like  the  musician, 
who  held  that  Grod  worked  six  days,  and  rested  on  the  seventh,  be- 
cause there  are  seven  notes  in  mubic;  or  as  in  the  instance  fancied  by 
Helvetius,  where  a  loving  couple  had  no  doubt  that  two  objects,  visi- 
ble on  the  disc  of  the  moon,  were  two  lovera  bending  towards  each 
other,  while  a  clergyman  had  as  little,  that  they  were  the  two  steeples 
of  a  cathedral.  Our  conclusions  are  determined  largely  by  our  pre- 
dispositions, and  our  prejudices,  or  prejudgments,  in  great  measure 
monopolize  our  faculties.  We  are  riot  so  much  ignorant  as  perverted. 
We  see  WMth  through  a  prism.  We  are  so  entirely  the  creatures  of 
education*  of  the  opinions  of  our  neighbours  and  of  our  familj,  and 
of  the  thousand  influences  of  life,  that  the  only  w^ay  we  can  hope  to . 
see  truth  in  its  own  white  and  unbroken -light  is,  as  Christ  tells  us,  by 
our  l)ecoming  little  children.  With  Mary  and  the  disciples  tliis  came 
in  the  end,  but  not  till  then.  The  hifluence  expressed  In  Seneca's, 
apophthegm^ — iSordet  cogncta  «?mi5cw— blinded  their  eyes,  in  part,  wliile 
our  Lord  was  still  with  tlicm;  but  He  rose  to  His  divine  grandeur  as 
He  left  them.  In  the  Acts  and  the  Epistles  the  disciples  breathe  a  far 
loftier  spirituality,  in  their  (conception  of  the  work  and  Person  of 
(Christ,  tnan  in  the  Gospels,  and  Mary,  beyond  question,  was  not  be- 
hind men  witii  whose  lot  ifdie  from  that  time  cast  in  her  own. 

Her  meeting  with  EiisubetlL  was  naturally  marked  by  the  deep 
emotion  of  both,  and  we  owero  it  the  eai'licL^t  tiud  gro-iidcst  of  our 


liymns,  the 
of  her  Loi-d, 
nature;  in  a 
into  which  si 
one  imbued, 
the  "Old  Teste 
utters  a  song 

My  sovU  c 
And  my  i 
For  He  h 
For,  behc 
For  He  tl 
Am 
And  His 
He  hath  I 
He  hiV^h  I 
He  hath 
Andexal 
He  hath; 
And  the  i 
He  hath 
In  remen 
'    As  Heap 
To  Abral 

The  whole 

guage,  and  s 

people  that  h 

nature,  an  e 

might  have  ( 

those  days  ii 

oracles  of  G 

phrases  and 

contemplate 

them,  must 

special  prov 

her  people  i 

tanism,  of  t 

very  atmos{ 

hereafter  to 

The  high 

veal  a  natu 

shows  spiri 

tliroughout 

Jewish  mai 

rejoices  in 

greatly,  not 

for  her,  wh 

has  thus  fa 

such,  from 

strength  wi 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


rt 


i 


hymns,  the  Mmnifimt.  Greeted  by  Elisabeth  as  the  future  mother 
of  her  Lord,  >Iary  breaks  out,  with  the  poetical  fervour  of  Eastern 
nature;  In  a  strain  of  exalted  feeling.  The  rhythmical  expression 
into  Which  she  falls  was  only  what  might  have  been  expected  from 
one  imbued,  as  all  Jewish  minds  were,  with  the  style  and  imagery  of 
the 'Old  Testament.  Like  Miriam,  Deborah,  Hannah,  or  Judith,  she 
utters  a  song  of  joy:— 

.    My  soiU  dotb  mg.gnify  tl^e  Lord,  ;  , 

Andmy  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  (iod  my  Saviour:  ' 

For  He  hath  regarded  the  low  estate  of  His  handmaiden : 
For,  behold,  from  henceforth  all  generations  Hhall  call  me  blessed. 
For  He  that  is  mighty  hath  done  to  me  great  things: 

And  Holy  isTlis  name. 
And  His  mercy  is  on  them  that  fear  Kim,  from  generation  to  generation. 
He  hath  shewed  fitrength  with  His  ana. ; 

He  haybh  scattered  the  proud  in  the  imagination  of  their  ^^wts 
He  hath  put  down  the  mighty  from  their  seats;  ■ 

Andexaltedthem  of  low  degree.  *     •  »;  ■  i 

He  hath  filled  the  hungry  with  good  things;  e. 

And  the  rich  He  hath  sent  empty  away.  ' 

He  hath  holpen  His  servant  Israe 

In  remembrance  of  H/s  mercy;  ' 

As  He  spake  to  our  fathers. 
To  Abraham  and  to  His  seed,  for  ever. 

The  whole  hymn  is  a  mosaic  of  Old  Testament  imagery  afid  lan- 
guage, and  shows  a  mind  so  coloured  by  the  sacred  writings  of  her 
people  that  her  whole  utterance  becomes,  spontaneously,  ashy  a  second 
nature,  an  echo  of  that  of  prophet-  and  saints.  It  is  such  as  we 
might  have  expected  from  the  lips  of  some  ideiil  Puritan  maiden,  in 
those  days  in  our  own  history,  when  men  were  so  deeply  read  in  th(; 
oracles  of  God,  that  their  ordinary  conversation  fell  into  Scriptuml 
phrases  and  allusions,  and  their  whole  life  was  coloured^lby  the  daily 
contemplation  of  superior  beings  and  eternal  interests.  Mary,  like 
them,  must  have  lived  in  a  constant  realization  of  the  presence,  and 
special  providence,  of  One,  with  whose  gracious  communications  to 
her  people  she  had  thhs  filled  her  whole  thoughts.  A  Jewish  puri- 
tanism,  of  the  loftiest  and  most  spiritual  type,  must  have  been  the 
very  atmosphere  in  Which  she  moved,  and  in  which  her  child  was 
hereafter  to  be  trained.  uii  •  *- 

The  high  intellectual  emotion  and  (eloquence  of  the  Magnificat  re- 
veal a  nature  of  no  common  mould,  as  its  intense  religious  fervour 
shows  spiritual  characteristics  of  the  noblest  type.  But  the  strain 
tliroughout  is  strictly  limited  to  what  we  might  have  expected  in  a 
Jewish  maiden.  It  is  intensely  national  when  it  is  not  personal.  She 
rejoices  in  Gf)d,  and  magnifies  His  name,  for  having  honoured  her  so 
greatly,  notwithstanding  her  low  estate.  He  has  done  great  things 
for  her,  which  will  make  all  generations  pronounce  her  blessed.  He 
has  thus  favoured  her  because  she  feared  Him,  for  His  mercy  is  on 
such,  from  generation  to  generation.  -As  of  old,  when  He  shewed 
strength  with  His  arm,  and  scattered  the  proud,  and  put  down  the 


m 


i 


'U 


78 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Ji:*i 


t  ': 


mighty  from  their  thrones,  to  deliver  or  exalt  His  weak  and  lowly 
people?,  so,  now,  Ho  has  exalted  her,  and  disappointed  the  liopes  of 
the  great  ones;  He  has  IUKmI  her,  who  was  like  the  hungry,  with  good 
things,  and  has  sent  away  the  rich  empty,  who  expected  His  favours. 
Through  her  He  has  holpen  Israel,  In  remembrance  of  His  promise  to 
her  fathers,  to  Abraham,  and  to  hi^  seed,  for  ever,  that  He  would  b« 
their  God.  Her  son  was  to  be  the  Anointed  who  should  redeem 
Israel  out  of  all  its  troubles.  As  a  descendant  of  David,  she  doubt- 
less thinks  of  Herod,  sitting,  as  an  Edomite  intruder,  on  the  tlirone 
rightfully  due  to  her  oyrn  race,  yet,  as  an  Israelite  in  the  best  sense, 
the  redemption  of  her  people  goes  beyond  the  merely  patriotic  and 
political,  to  the  restoration  of  that  primitive  loyalty  to  the  God  of 
their  fathers  which  she  cherished  in  her  own  breast,  but  the  spirit  of 
which  her  people  had  well-nigh  lost,  amidst  all  their  steadfastness  in 
the  outer  forms.  ' 

It  is  easy  to  understand  how  willingly  Mary  lingered  in  Hebron, 
and  that  she  was  loath  to  return  to  Nazareth  sooner  than  was  neces- 
sary. Elisflbeth  knew  her  great  secret  and  her  innocence,  but  at 
Nazareth  she  would  be  among  her  neighbours,  who  might  not  credit 
her  assurances;  and  she  must  some  day,  as  late  as  possible,  break  the 
matter  to  her  betrothed.  It  is  no  wonder  to  find  that  three  montjjs 
passed,  before  she  could  venture  to  turn  her  face  homeward  pnce 
more. 

Her  position  on  hori  return,  indeed,  exposed  her  to  a  trial,  great 
above  all  others  to  a  virtuous  woman.  Conscious  of  perfect  purity, 
she  is  suspected  of  the  revei'se  by  him  to  whom  her  troth  is  plighted; 
but  He  who  tempers  the  wind  to  the  shorn  lamb  relieved  her  frcni 
her  troubles  by  making  known  to  Joseph  the  mysterious  truth.  As  a 
just  man-)*ihich  was  a  (Jurrent  expression  of  the  time  for  a  strict 
observer  of  tlie  LaM'^ — and  yet  unwilling  to  expose  her  to  publico 
shame,  he  had  made  up  his  i:nind  to  divorce  her  formally,  by  a  written 
"  bill,"  duly  attested  by  witnesses,  but  being  divinely  instructed  that 
his  fears  were  groundUjss,  he  freed  her  from  all  future  trouble  by 
tfliking  her  home  as  his  wife. 

Legend,  as  might  have  been  expected,  wus  early  busy  with  the  story 
oi  Mary  and  Joseph. 

We  are  told  that  Joseph,  though  a  carpenter,  was  made  a  priest  in 
the  Temple,  because  of  his  knowledge  of  the. Law,  and  his  fame  for 
holiness.  Mary  was  his  second  wife,  and  found  herself,  on  her  com- 
ing home,  in  a  circle  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  left  by  her  pre- 
decessor— the  family  known  in  Ihv  Gospels  as  the  brethren  and  sisters 
of  our  Lord.  Maiy,  as  has  been  said,  was  the  daughter  of  Joachim 
and  Anna.  On  her  father's  side,  she  came  from  Nazareth;  on  her 
mother's,  from  Bethlehem.  Joachim  wns  a  simple.  God-fearing jmui, 
a  shepherd,  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  married  Anna  when  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age.  Twenty  years  jjiisssed,  however,  without  their 
having  a  child,  and  both  Joachim  and  Anna  grieved  sorely  at  their 


loneliness.     I 
from  among 
Anna,  also,  hf 
Then  *'  Am 
day  of  the  Lo 
thy  .soul  moui 
the  Lord  has 
gave  tne;  It  i 
maid,  and  Iho 
and  laid  aside 
bridal  robes,  t 
she  saw  a  lau 
God:— "God 
heardest  Sara 
now,  she  v.'iis 
the  laurel-tree 
have  no  child 
before  the  ch 
away  from  th 
I  liken  mysel: 
not  to  the  sen 
not  to  the  cr( 
earth,  for  it  X 
Lord." 

Then  an  ai 
Anna  said,  *V 
I  vow  it  to  tl 
And  A  ana  be 
mandcd. 

When  six  i 
found  that  s 
Lord  liveth, 
have  led  thee 
year,  Joachii 
scribes,  and 
maiden  to  th< 
fathers,  bless 
through  all  g 
We  are  th 
was  three  y< 
her  in  her  fa 
foot  of  the  fl 
changing  the 
the  custom  ^ 
but  kept  her 
that  she  mig 
From  this 


A  ^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


70 


and  lowly 

le  hopes  of 

^  with  good 

lis  favours. 

I  promiso  to 

e  would  be 

uld  redeem 

she  doubt- 

Ihe  tliroue 

best  sense, 

ktriotlc  and 

the  God  of 

he  spirit  of 

Ifastness  in 

in  Hebron, 
was  neces- 
ice,  but  at 
not  credit 
,  break  the 
ree  montjis 
iward  once 

trial,  great 
Feet  purity, 
is  piigiited ; 
i  her  frcni 
Vith.  As  a 
tor  a  strict 
to  publi(! 
yawriiten 
ucted  that 
trouble  by 

U  the  s^ory 

a  priest  in 
is  fame  for 
her  com- 
)y  her  pre- 
and  sisters 
f  Joachim 
h;  on  her 
iringjniui, 
3n  he  was 
tiout  their 
ly  at  their 


loneliness.  At  the  .Temple,  Joachim  Tound  himself  ordered  away 
from  among  those  who  had  children,  and  his  offerings  refused,  and 
Anna,  also,  nad  to  bear  reproach  from  the  women  of  lier  people. 

Then  *'  Anna  wept  sore,  and  prayed  to  God.  And  when  the  great 
day  of  the  Lord  came,  Judith,  her  maid,  said  to  her.  How  long  will 
thy  .soul  mourn?  It  becomes  thee  not  to  be  sad,  for  the  great  day  of 
the  Lord  has  come.  Take  thy  head-dress,  which  the  needlewoman 
gave  tne;  It  is  not  allowed  me  to  put  it  on  th(*e,  because  I  am  thv^r 
maid,  and  thou  cpmest  of  kings."  Then  was  Anna  much  troubled, 
and  laid  aside  her  mourning,  and  adorned  her  head,  and  put  on  her 
bridal  robes,  aVid  went  into  the  garden  about  the  ninth  hour.  There 
she  saw  a  laurel- tree,  and  sat  down  beneath  it,  and  prayed  thus  td  ^ 
God: — "God  of  my  fathers,  bless  me  and  hear  my  cry,  as  Thou 
heardest  Sarah,  and  blessedst  her  by  giving  her  a  son,  Ismic. "  While, 
now,  She  wUs  looking  up  to  heaven,  she  saw  the  nest  of  a  sparrow  in 
tlie  laurel-treCi  and  she  sighed  and  said,  '*  Woe  is  me,  woe  is  me,  who 
have  no  child!  '  Wliy  \ias  I  born  that  I  should  have  become  accursed 
before  the  children  of  Israel,  and  despised,  and  scorned,  and  driven 
away  from  the  templO  of  the  Lord  my  God?  Woe  is  me,  to  what  can 
I  liken  myself?  Not  to  the  birds  of  tlie  heavens,  for  they  have  young; 
not  to  the  senseless  bea^s,  for  they  aro  fniitful  before  Thee,  O  Lord; 
not  to  the  creatures  of  the  waters,  for  they  have  young;  not  to  th« 
earth,  for  it  brings  forth  fruits  in  their  seasons,  and  blesses  Thee,  'O 
Lord." 

Then  an  angel  came  and  told  her  she  should  have  a  child.  And 
Anna  said,  "  As  the  Lord  God  liveth,  be  it  male  or  female  that  I  bear, 
I  vow  it  to  the  Lord,  and  it  shall  serve  Him  all  the  days  of  its  life." 
And  Anna  bore  a  daughter,  and  called  it  Mary,  as  the  angel  had  com- 
mand(jd. 

When  six  months  hnd  passed,  Anna  put  Mary  on  Iho  ground,  and 
found  that  she  could  totter  a  few  steps.  Then  she  said,  "As  the 
Lord  liveth,  thou  shalt  never  put  thy  foot  on  the  earth  again  till  I 
have  led  thee  into  the  Temple  of  the  Lord".  At  the  end  of  the  first 
year,  Joachim  made  a  great  feast,  and  called  to  it  the  priests  and 
scribes,  and  the  elders,  and  many  friends.  And  he  brought  the 
maiden  to  the  priests,  and  the}^  blessed  her,  and  said,  "God  of  our 
fathers,  bless  this  child,  and  give  her  a  name  which  shall  be  known 
through  aill  gen61'atlons.     And  all  the  people  said,  Amen." 

We  are  then  told  that  Mary  was  taken  to  the  Temple  when  she 
was  three  years  old,  having  lived  till  then  in  a  sanctuary  made  for 
her  in  her  father's  house.  And  while  Joachim  and  Anna  were  at  the 
foot  of  the  fifteen  steps  that  led  up  to  the  Temple  courts,  and  were 
changing  their  soiled  travelling  raiment  for  clean  and  titting  dress,  as 
the  custom  was,  Mary  climbed  the  steps  allone,  and  never  Kx)ked  back, 
but  kept  her  face  tow^ards  the  altar.  And  she  was  left  in  the  Temple, 
that  she  might  grow"  np  with  the  other  virgins. 

From  this  time  till  she  was  twelve  years  old,  it  is  said,  she  lived  in 


.  t  iifl 


•f 


<-  -  -j-^-'^ 


W: 


80 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


the  Temple,  her  graces  keeping  pace  with  her  years.  From  the  morn- 
ing till  the  third  hour,  she  remamed  in  prayer,  an3  from  that  till  the 
nitith  slie  was  busied  with  spinninff.  Then  she  betook  herself  once 
more  to  prayer,  till  an  angel  each  aay  came  with  food  for  her.  Her 
betrothal  to  Joseph  is  related  in  great  detail,  but  we  forbear  to  quqtc 
it. 

Tradition,  to  which  we  owe  these  beautiful  legends,  has  delighted 
to  speak  of  the  Virgin's  appearance  ami  character.  She  was  moro 
given  to  prayer,  we  read,  than  any  round  her,  brighter  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  God  s  law,  and  perfectly  humble;  '^he  delighted  to  sing  the 
Psalms  of  David  with  a  melodious  voice,  aud  all  loved  her  for  her 
kindness  and  modesty. 

It  is  impossible  to  trust  to  the  descriptions  of  Mary's  person,  but  it 
is  interesting  to  know  how  remote  generations  imagined  her.  She 
was  in  all  things  serious  and  earnest,  says  one  old  tradition,  spoke 
little,  and  only  what  was  to  the  purpose;  she  was  very  gentle,  and 
showed  respect  and  honour  to  all.  She  was  of  middle  height,  though 
some  say  she  was  rathci-  abo^  c  it.  kShe  spoke  to  all  with  a  prudent 
frankness,  soberly,  without  confusion,  and  always  pleasantly.  _  She 
had  a  fair  complexion,  blonde  liair,  and  bright  hazel  eyes.  Her  eye- 
brows were  arched  and  dark,  her  nose  well  proportioned,  her  lips 
ruddy  and  full  of  kindness  when  she  spoke.  Her  face  was  long 
rather  than  round,  and  her  hands  ajid  fingers  wf  re  finely  shapea. 
She  had  no  pride,  but  was  simple,  and  wholly  free  from  deceit. 
Without  eflfeminacy,  she  was  far  from  forwardness.  In  her  clothes 
which  she  herself  made,  she  wa3  content  with  the  natural  colours. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  BIRTH  OP  CHRIST. 

It  might  have  been  expected  that  Mary's  child  would  have  been 
bora  in  the  city  of  Nazareth,  where  Joseph  and  Mary  lived,  but  cir- 
(;umstances  over  which  they  liad  no  control  made  a  distant  village 
the  birthplace. 

The  Jewish  nation  had  paid  tribute  to  Rome,  through  their  rulers, 
since  the"  days  of  Pompey;  and  the  methodical  Augustus,  who  now 
reigned,  and  had  to  restore  order  and  soundness  to  the  finances  of 
the  empire,  after  the  confusion  and  exliaustion  of  the  civil  wars,  took 
good  care  that  this  obligation  should  neither  be  forgotten  nor  evaded. 
He  was  accustomed  to  require  a  census  to  be  taken  periodically  in 
every  province  of  his  vast  dominions,  that  he  might  know  the  num- 
ber of  soldiers  he  could  levy  in  each,  and  the  amount  of  taxes  due  to 
the  ti-easury.  So  exact  was  he,  that  he  wrote  out  with  his  own  hand 
a  summary  of  statistics  of  the  whole  empire,  including  the  citizens 
md  allies  in  arms,  in  all  the  kingdoms  and  provinces,  with  their 


tributes  and 
fiscal  and  m 
and  767th  ye 
fore  the  blrt 
ond,  very  nc 

*In  an  era 
could  hardl; 
fixed  time;  ' 
provinces  oi 
minions  of 
manded  by  t 
ing  of  u  sub 
years  passed 
to  take.  II 
obtaining  tli 
that  in  one  c 
made  the  wl 
Emperor  as 

It  is  quite 
was  left  ven 
liis  people,  a 
like  a  genen' 
Avus  designee 
simple  rcgisi 
of  enrolling 
future  use; 
suits,  when 
will  hereaft( 

The  procl 
no  choice 
which  his  ffi 
quired  hini 
close  of  the 
in  Palestine 
the  Novemt 
as  St,  Luke 
willing  to 
Mary  with 
painted — Jo 
by-paths  int 
have  chosei 
which  it  is 
can  follow  t. 

Passing  d 
selves  cross 
tilled  and  w 
full  of  teem 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


81 


2  1 


the  mom- 
lat  till  the 
rself  once 
her.  Her 
r  to  quq^c 

delighted 
was  moro 
\ni  knowl- 

0  sing  the 
er  for  her 

son,  but  it 
her.  Bhe 
ion,  spoke; 

gentle,  and 

;ht,  though 
a  prudent 

ntly.  Slie 
Her  eyc- 

d.  her  lips 

1  was  long 
ly  shaped. 
Dm  deceit, 
er  clothes 
colours. 


have  been 
;d,  but  cir- 
tant  village 

leir  rulers, 
,  who  now 
finances  of 
wars,  took 
lor  evaded, 
odicallj  in 
v^  the  num- 
ixes  due  to 
s  own  hand 
the  citizens 
with  their 


tributes  and  taxes..  Three  separate  surveys  of  the  empire  for  such 
fiscal  and  military  ends  are  recorded  as  ordered — in  the  726th,  746th, 
and  767th years  of  the  city  of  Rome,  respectively:  the  first,  long  bo- 
fore  the  birth  of  Christ;  tlie  third,  in  our  Lotd's  youth;  but  the  sec- 
ond, very  near  the  time  when  He  must  have  been  born. 

*In  an  empire  embracing  the  then  known  world,  such  a  census 
could  hardly  have  been  made  simultaneously,  or  in  any  short  or 
fixed  time;  more  probably  it  was  the  work  of  yeafs,  in  successive 
provinces  or  kingdoms.  Sooner  or  later,  however,  even  the  do- 
minions of  vassal  king?  like  Herod  had  to  furnish  the  statistics  de 
manded  by  their  masti^r,  lie  had  received  his  kingdom  ou  the  foot- 
ing of  ii  subject,  and  grew  more  entirely  dependent  on  Augustus  as 
years  passed,  asking  his  sanction  at  every  turn  for  steps  he  proposed 
to  take.  He  would,  thus,  be  only  too  ready  to  meet  his  wish,  by 
obtaining  the  statistics  he  sought,  as  may  be  jtidged  from  the  fact 
that  in  one  of  the  last  years  of  his  life,  just  before  Christ's  birth,  he 
made  the  whole  Jewish  nation  take  a  solemn  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
Emperor  as  well  as  to  himself. 

It  is  quite  probable  that  the  mode  of  taking  the  required  statistics 
was  left  veiy  much  to  Herod,  nt  once  to  sh«w  respect  to  him  Ixjforc 
liis  people,  and  from  the  known  opposition  of  the  Jews  to  anything 
like  a  general  numeration,  even  apart  from  the  taxation  to  which  ft 
A\  u.^  designed  to  lead.  At  the  time  to  which  the  narrative  refers,  a 
simple  redstration  seems  to  have  been  made,  on  the  old  Hebrew  plan 
of  enrollmg  by  families  in  their  ancestral  districts,  of  course  for 
future  use;  and  thus  it  passed  over  quietly.  The  very  diWerent  re- 
sults, when  it  was  followed  by  a  general  taxation,  some  years  later, 
will  hereafter  be  seen. 

The  proclamation  ikving  been  made  through  the  land,  Joseph  had 
no  choice  but  to  go  to  Bethlehem,  the  city  of  David,  the  place  in 
which  his  family  descent,  from  the  house  and  lineage  of  David,  re- 
quired hina  to  be  inscribed.  It  must,  apparently,  have  been  near  the 
close  of  the  year  749  of  Rome,  or  at  the  opening  of  750;  but  winter 
in  Palestine  is  not  necessarily  severe,  for  the  flowers  spring  up  after 
the  November  rains,  and  Hocks  are  often  driven  out  to  the  pastures, 
as  St.  Luke  tells  us  was  the  case  at  the  time  of  Cnrist's  birth.  Un- 
willing to  leave  her  behind  in  a  home  so  new  to  her,  Joseph  tool; 
Mary  with  him:  the  two  journeying  most  likely,  as  tradition  has 
painted — Joseph  afoot,  with  Mary  on  an  ass  at  his  side.  There  were 
by-paths  interlacing  and  crossing,  all  over  the  country,  and  they  may 
have  chosen  some  of  these,  but  if  they  kept  to  the  travelled  road, 
which  it  is  most  likely  they  did,  both  for  safety  and  company,  we 
can  follow  their  progress  even  now. 

Passing  down  the  little  valley  of  Nazareth,  they  would  find  them- 
selves crossing  the  rich  plain  of  Esdraelon,  not  then,  as  now,  half 
tilled  and  well-ni'gh  unpeopled,  but  covered  with  cities  and  tillages, 
full  of  teeming  life  and  human  activities.     Galilee,  according  to  Jo- 


j^j 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


^^S.    ^  1^   12.2 

1.1   l.'-Ka 


IIJ5  i  1.4 


^ 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


39  WIIT  MAIN  ITMIT 

WIUTIR.N.Y.  14SI0 

(7U)I73-4S03 


\ 


\ 


<\ 


80  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

ficphus,  contfuned  in  those  days,  two  hundred' and  four  cities  and  vil. 
lag^/ the  smallest  of  which  numbered  above;  fifteen  thoiisaiid  inhab- 
itants. It  is  calculated,  indeed,  that  it  had  a  ^opulatioh  of 'alk>ut  fif- 
teeHhundrect  to  the  square  mile,  which  is  a  third  more  than  the  num- 
ber iri  Lahc^ire,  crowded  as  it  is  witii  large  and  densely  peopled 
towns.  Speaking  of  the  district  just  north  of  Galilee;,  Captain  Bur- 
ton tells  uiB  that,  to  one  standing  on  a  peal^  of  Lebanon,. overlooking 
it,  "the  land  must,  in  many  places,  h&ve  appealed  to  be' one  contin- 
uous town;'*  and  in  the  highlands  of.  Syria,  still  north  of  this,  ih  the 
region  of  Hamah,  there  are  the  ruins  of  three  hundred  and  si^diy^fivc 
toyvps,  80  that  Mh' Brake  had  good  ground  for  thinking  the  Jkr&hs 
riglit  in  saying,  "that  a  man  might  formerly  have  travellwi  for  a'year 
in  tii^s  distiiet,  and,  tieyer,  have  slept  tivico  in  the  same  villQ|;e.'*^      ' 

Leaving,  on  the  left,  the  rounded  height  of  Tabor,  and  me  villages 
of  Nain^and  Endpr,  up  among  the  Iiills,  the  road  gtretched  directly 
south  to  Jezreei,  once  Ahab's  capital,  on  a  gentle  swell  of  the  rich 
plain  of  Esdraelon.  On  their  way  they  would  pa^  tliroiigh  fk  land- 
scape of  busy  cities  and  tdwns,  varied  by  orchords,  vineyards;  Wi- 
dens, and  fields,  for  every  availabte  applt  was  cultivated,  to  the  veiy 
tops  of  theliills.  Thie  mountains  of  Gilboa, .  where  Saul  perished,  lay 
a  little  east  of  Jejsrc^i  £^  they  went  on,  and  theii  c$ime  Eng{mni|n, 
with  its  spring,  on:  the  edge  of  tlie  hill -country  of  Samaria.  DothOQ, 
wltfi  ite  nch  pastures.  Where  Josepli  had  found  his  brethren  sb'maiiy 
^ii^s  before,  would  sdoii  be  seen  oil  their  right;  and,  before  long.their 
mnding  rb^',  rising  and  faUin^  aoiong  continuous  hilW,  would  bring 
thejn  to  Samaria  itself,  thfen  just  rebuilt  %  Herbd^  with  fetich  mdg- 
nifioence,  that  he  had  given  it  the  name  Of  Sebaste,  the  Greek  e<^iv- 
aleht  of  Augusta,  in'honour  of  his  imperial  master.  Sycha^  or  She- 
chem,  with  its  lovely  neighbourhood,  would  bi^  their  i-estirig-place  on 
the  second  day,  for  it  is  nearly  niidway  between  Judea  and  Galilee; 
and  though  the  dii&tance  between  the  two  was  often  reckon^  as  only 
,  a  throe  days'' journey,  it  was  not  uhcoaninon  to  len^heii  it  to  foUi*. 
As.t^e  cliief  town  of  the  Samaritans,  Sjchar  Would  hardly  offer  hos- 

Sitality  to  travellers  with  their  faces  towards  the  hated  Jerusalem, 
oseph  a^d  Mary,  as  was  the  custom  with  Jaws  jpassing  thifougli, 
would,  therefore,  av6id  the  town,  and  pass  the  night  in  what  shcRer 
they  could  find  at  Jacob's  springs,  ^—or  Ja^'ob's  well,  as  our  yersion 
has  it,r— not  far  off,  eatixig  provisions  they  had  brought  with  them,  to 
avoid  tasting  food  defiled  by  the  touch  of  a  Sainaritan,  and  drinking 
only  the  water  from  the  springs.  The  beauty  of  the  valley,  with  its 
swdling  heights  of  Ebal  and  Gerizim,  separated  only  by  a  few  hun- 
dred paces,  and  its  rich  upland  glens,  opening  on  each  side  beyond — 
the  crown  and  water-shed  of  Central  Palestiuc— would  have  little  in- 
terest to  them,  for  it  was  Samaritau  ground.  They  would  biteathe 
freely  bnly  when  they  had  passed  the  heights  of  Akrabbim,  the 
border  ridge  between  Samaria  and  Judea,  and  had  once  mere  set  foot 
on  the  holy  uoil  of  Israel.  ,  :''\. 


THE  LIFE  OP  CIiraST. 


Os^ce  i»  Judea,  its  bleak  aud  Imre  Jiilla  wore.  IiallQwed,  at,  eaph 
opening  of  tlie  landscape,  by  the  sight  of  spots  sacred  to  ev^ry  J^w. 
Shiloh.  would  gre^t  them  first,  where  Qannah  o*ime  to  pray  before 
the  liord ;  then  OilgaJ,  where  her  son  sat  to  judge  Israel.  Thdr  way 
would  i^ext  pass  through  the  valley  of  Baca,  of  which  tiie  Psalmist 
had  simg,  "Passing  through  the  vaUe^r  pf  tears,  they  make  it  rich  in 
springs;  and,  the  mtter , raiiji  cpyer^  it  with  blessings."  The  road 
winds  on  from  this,,  through  the  distript  tQWk  Gpphwa,  pt^pt  the  yen-, 
crable  Bethel,  with  iall  its  memories,  and  past  Haiiiah,  in  Benjamin, 
where  Jeremiiah  had  pictured  Rachel  w:eeping  fpr  }\^  children,  slain 
or  carried  off  by  the  Babylonian  conqueror.  Oyer  against  U  rose 
Gibeon,  high  on  its  lull,  where  Bolomon  worshipped;  and  aa  hour 
later  they  would  pass  Mizpeh,  on  it^  lonely  height,  where  Samuel 
raided  his  memorial  stono  Ebenezer.  And  then,  at  last,  after  having 
passed  from  ouq  body  place  to  another,  their  feet  would,  stand  vt^itlilu 

the  gates  of  Jerusalem.  .^'^./c  ^ 

Bethlehem,  the  end  of  th^ir  journey,  lay  al|?6itt  six  miles  south  of 
Jerusalem,  on  the  east  of  tlie  main  road  to  Ifebroa.  It  covered  the 
upper  slope,  and  part  of  the  top,, of  a  narrow,  ridge  of  grey  Jura 
limestone,  of  about  a  mile  in  length—one  of  tjie  countless  height3, 
seamed  by  narrow  valleys,  which  make  up  the  hill  country  of  Judea. 
Its  narrow,  steep  streets  lay  no  Jess  than  2,538  Paris  feet  above  the 
Mediterranean^  and  loc^ea  i3Ut  over  a  sea  of  hills,,  bare  and  rocky f — 
oiie;Qf  thern^  about  three  miles  to  the  east,  the  peak  of  the  Frank 
mouritain,  Jebel  Fureidis,  now  bare,  but  then  covered  with  the  new 
fortifications  of  Herodium,  in  the  circuit  of  which  the  hated  tyrant 
Herod  was  -soon  to  find  his  tomb.  On  the  east,:  the  mountains  of 
Moab  lose  against  the  horizon  like  a  purple  wall,  the  b^irren.and  des- 
olate uplands  of  the  wilderness  of  Judea  lying  betw^n,^  and  stretching 
fta*  to  the  south.  The  ridge  of  Bethlehem  itself  is  still  covered,  on 
its  northern,  side,  as  all  the  hills  aroundmust  have  been  in  Mary's 
day,  witji  bold,  sweeping  lines  of  terraces,  which  descend,  like  gi- 
gantic steps,  to  the  lower  valleys,  and  bear  tier  oniier  of  fig-trees, 
olives,,  pomegranates,  and  vines;  the  vines  overhanguig  theierrace 
bgmks,  and  relieving  the  eye  from  the  dazzling  glaie  of  the  white 
limestone  roclvs  and  soil.  The  ridge,  as  a  whole,  breaks  down,  ab- 
ruptly^ into  deep  valleys,  on  the  north,  south,  and  east,  passing  into 
gwgcs,, which  descend,, in  the  dlstance,^  to  the  Dead  Sea,  on  the  east, 
and  tp  the  coast  lowlands  on  the  west.  In  a  little  plain  close  under 
the.  town,  to  the  eastward,  are.  some  vineyards  and  barley-fields,  in 
which  Ruth  came  to  glean  in  the  early  days  of  Isi-ael,  beside  a  gentle 
brook  which  still  murmurs  through  them. 

I^  was  to  Bethlehem  that  Joseph  and  Marr  were  coming,  the  town 
of  Rutk  and  Boaz,  and  the  early  home  of  their  own  great  forefather 
David.  As  they  approached  it  from  Jerusalem,  they  would  pass,  at 
the  last  mile,  a  ^pot  sacred  to  Jewish  memory,  where  the  ught  of 
Jacob's  life  went- out,  when  his  first  love,  Ilachel,  died,  and  waa 


84 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Ikiried,  as  her  tomb  still  Ihows^  "kuL  Uie  wa^*  to  Ephratin,  Ivltich  is 
Bethlehem."  .  sif^  .       -.1 

The  ascent  to  the  townji^ver  the  dustv  slare  of  tl^  grey  limestone 
hills,  was  the  laot  of  the  jomney,  and  it  U  well  if  Mary  did  not  find 
it,  in  parts,  as  other  travellers  have  found  it,  before  and  dnoe,  so 
slipped  as  to  make  it  seem  aafer  to  alight  and  go  up  on  foot.  A 
qiiartfirof  araileto.the  north  of  the  town-gate  we  would  pa3^  the 
w:eU,  fromwhich,  afl  she  liad  heard  from  infat^cy,  her  ancestor  I>avid 
had  so  longed  to  drink.  Presently,  ^s$ing  throng  the  low  gate,  she 
and  Joseph  wei^; in  the  mountain  town  or  yillage  of  Bethlehem.' ' 
..  Tiay«l'ing  in  the  East  has  always  been  very  different  from  Western 
ideas,  As  m  all  thinly-settled  countiies,  private  hospitality;  in  earfy 
tim^Bs,  supplied  the  want  of  inns,  bnt  it  was  the  peculiaii^  of  the 
East,  that  this .  friendly  custom  continued  throti^  »  Jong  -serifes  of 
nges.  On  the  great  roads  through  barren  or  unmbabitecTp^lUFts,  the 
need  of  shelter  led,  very  early,  to  the.  ej^ection  of  rude  and  simple 
buildings,  of  varying  sizi,  known  as'  khans,  which  offered  the  way- 
farer the  protection  of  walls  and  a  roof;  and  water;  but  little  more. 
The  smaller  structures  consisted  of  sometimes  only  a  single  empty 
ropm,  on  the  floor  of  which  the  traveller  mkht  spread  his  carpet  for 
sleep;  the  larger  ones,  always  built  in  ahwiow  square,  enclosii]^  a 
court  for  the  beasts,  with  wiate'r  In  it  for  theih  and  their  masters. 
From  ImmemOTial  antiquity  it  has  been  a  favourite  mode  tif;b6iiev- 
olence  to  raise  such  places  of  shelter,  as  we  see  so  fair  back  aslfie 
times  of  Davids  when  Chimham  built  a  great  khiiai  near  Bethldi^, 
otx  the  car&van  road  to  Egypt.  'J  ^  ^      ;1 

But  while  it  has  long  been  thus,  ih  special  ciieumstajK^sj'tiie 
Easteili  sense  of  the  sacredness  of  hospitality,  which  was  felt  deeply 
by  the  Jews,  made  inns,  in  ohe  sense,  or  even  khans,  where  tmvbNers 
provideMi  for  themselves,  unnecessary  in  atiy  peopleld  place.  Tha 
simplicity  of  Eastern  life,  which  has  fewer  wants  than  the  Western 
mind  can  well  realize,  aided  by  universal  hoi^ltality,  opened  private 
houses  everjrwhere  to  the  traveller.  The  aicient  •  Jew,  like  the 
modem  Arab,  held  it  a  reflection  on  a  community  if  a  passing  way-, 
farer  was  not  made  some -one's  guest  To  brin^  water  at  once,  to 
Wadi  the  traveller's  f6et,  dusty  with  the  Eastern  sandals,  was  an  act 
of  Courtesy  whidh  it  showed  a  churlish  spirit  to  omit.  Food  and 
lodging,  for  himself  and  his  beasts,  if  he  had  any;  w^re  provided, 
and  he  was  regarded  as  under  the  saicred  protection  of  his  host. 
At  the  time  of  Christ  this  primitive  simplicity  still  contimied. 
The  Rabbis  constaritly  urge  the  religious  merit  of  hospitality, 
promi^ng  Paradise  as  its  reward,  and  ranking  the  kindly  reception 
of  strangers  higher  than  to  have  been  honoured  by  an  appearance  of 
the  Shechinah  Itself.  Its  universal  rcco^ition  as  a  natural  duty,  in 
His  age,  is  often  found  even  in  the  discourses  of  our  Ijord. 
.We  may  feel  stire,  therefore,  that  it  wbs  not  an  "inn'*'  where 
Joseph  and  Mary  found  shelter  after  their  journey,  thongh  tliat  Word 


is-usfd 
which  it 
houses- 
enreiy  pa 
had;  «lr« 
only  aoco 
and  half 
lowaovc 
as  i$  still 
Howie 
was  bom 
and  a  sta; 
Luke  me 
.to  the  Sa 
Chtticlg^  s 


B^tthe 
for^e,oii 
of  the  ret 
place  bet^ 
only  reaso 
25th  to  ha 
could  ha  v( 
to.assQdat 
which  ma 
umphanti 

The  sin 
.  compared, 
recorded.! 
embellislu: 
miraeulQu 
features)  in 
or  eve©  sv 
how  the  e 
''Ith^pc 
going  up  t 
be  bom,  j 
a8s,'aiidh 
sliall  I  tal 
near  the  ; 
mothor  of' 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHHI8T. 


is,  used  In  <rai;  English  version.  In  tl4  only  two  other  plaoei  in 
which  it  occurs,  it  refers  to  a  friendly  "  guest-chamber"  in  a  private 
houses  •  i  At  m^  » time^  however,  when  Strangers  ha4  arrivea  firom 
0very  part,  th»  household  to  which'  they  looked  for  entertainment 
had;  already  epened  tihieir  guest-chamber  to  earlier  comers,  and  the 
only  accommodation  &at  could  be  offered  was  a  place,  half  kitchen 
anahi}f  i  stable,  whk^  was  simply  one  of  the  countless  natural  hol- 
lows or  oave»in  the  Jbill-side,  against  which  the  househad  been  bu|lt, 
as  i9  stUl  seen  fkvquently  in  PaliMtine.  ^  ^^^  n     <^^ 

HoW'long  Joseph  and  Mary  had  been  in  B^^thlehjeiti  before  JeMH 
was  bom  ii  impossible  to  say,  for  time  is  of  upvalue  to'  (Menials, 
andr  a  stsy  of  ia  lew  weeks  more  or  less  would  be  lltUe  regarded.  8t. 
Luke  merely  tefls' us  that  "  while  they  were  there^' Jilarv  gave  birtib 
.to  the ^viour«  '<|IKilton,  following  Uie  immemorial  traditioii  of  tiie 
Chttfchj(  slngsti^ufKiM;  4    '•  ■ 


•A  V 


■.i-i',-* ' 


'  WkU0;1ib»^heawn4K>raoliiId^ 

^  meanjlf  ;Wra{M^  JD(  th9  rude  iBihnger  liee; 
Nature,  i]&  awe  to  him, 
Had' dofTd'Uer  gaudy  tiim, 
•  Witli  her  flreat  llastej>  8Q  to  sympathise; 
,  ,      ItwiasnoseMouthenforheP: 
.       To  wanton  with  the  sun.'*  - 

BMt  the  soet's  ifaooyialone  creates  the  bleak  wintrjrnen  of  the  time, 
for^betoutlying  shepherds  on  the  hills  around  were  living  witnesses 
of  thettreveisKiw  Yet  it  seems  most  j)robaUie  that  liie  great  event  toc^ 
place  between  December,  749,  of  Rome,  and  Febriiary,  760;  and  the 
only  reason  why  therercaa  be  any  hesitation  in  supposing  December 
2dth  to  have  been  the  very  day  is  the  natural  doubt  whether  the  date 
coiddliave  been  handed  down  so  exactly^,  and  the  fear  lest  the  wish 
to.  assodate  the  Mrtii  oi  the  Redeemer  with  the  return  of  the  sun, 
wluoh made  Christmas  be  eiirly  spoken  of  as  the  ''day  of  the  tri- 
umphant su^, "  may ^have  led  U>  ita^hayin^  been  chosen.        < 

The  £umplioity(»  St.  Luke'a  narrative  is  very  stdking..  An  efvent, 
,  compared  wiUi  which  all  others  in  human  history  are  inHiffliificant,  ia 
recorded. in  a  few  words,  without  any  attempt  at  exaggeration  or 
embeUishment.  The  Apocryphal  Gospels,  on  the  contrary,  abound  in 
miraculous  details,  for  the  most  part  trifling  and  childidi.  Borne 
features!  in  their  narratives,  however,  are  not^  wautmg  in  naturalness 
or  eve^  sublimity,  and,  at  the  least,  tii?ey  have  the  merit  of  showing 
how  the  early  Church  painted  for  itseli  the  scene  of  the  Nativity. 
"Ith^penea,"8ay  these  old.  legends,  "as  Mary  and  Joseph  were 
going  up  tDwaUds.  Be^ehiffln,  that  the  time  came  when  Jesus  should 
be  born,-<jUid  Mary  said  to  Joseph,  'Take  me  down  frcmi  my 
ass,' and  he  took  her  down  from  her  ass,  and  said  to  her,  'Whea^ 
sliall  I  take  theCr  for  there  is  no  inn  here?'  Then  he  foimdacftVo 
near  the  grave  <of  Rachel,  the  wife  of  the  Patriarch  Jacob— the 
mother  of  Joseph  and  Benjamin;  and  light  never  entered  the  cave. 


THig  LIFE  OP  CHRIBf  r 


Hoi  it  was  ^ways  -  filled  with  darkness.  And  the  suii>  was  libki»ifist 
goiQg  down,  Intp  this  he  led  her,  and  left  his  two  sons  heside  ner, 
and  went  but  toward  Bethlehem  to  seek  help.  But 'When  Maiy  en- 
tered the  cave  it  was  -presently  filled  with  light,  and  beams/^AsIf  of 
the  snn,.«>boiie  arouna;  and  thu^  it  continued)  day  and  night^while 
i^e  remained  in  it. 

'  ^  In  this  cave  the  child  was  bom,,  and  the  angels  'were  round  Him 
ati  Ills  birth,  and'  worshipped  the  New-bom,  and  »iid,>^^01orjr  fo  €kkl 
in  the  highest,  and  peace  On  earth  and  good-will  to  mefj.,^^  M^tiiwiiile 
Joseph  waJB  wandenngafbotitj  seeking  help.  And  wheift  he  lo^k'^dUp 
tobeavto,he  saw  that 'the  pole  of  the  heavens  stoifd  still,' ftj^d  ihe 
birds  of  the  air  stopped  in  tlie  midst  of  theh*  flight;  and  4he  skv^  Was 
darkened.  And  looking  on  the  eartli  be  saw  a  dish  full  of  food;  'pm* 
pu-ed,'  and  workmen,  resting  roun4it,  with  their  handfi  in  this  dish  to 
eat,  and  those  who  were  stretcliing  out  their  hands  did'a<»i'tai:e'any 
of  tliie  food,  and  those  who  were  lifting  their -hands  to  tlieir  niouttis 
did  not  do  so,  but  theiaces  of  all  were  tunied  upwards.  And  he  saw 
sheep  which  wei^  being  driven  along,  and  the  ^Mep  stood  still,  and 
the  shepherd  lifted  his  hand  to  strike  them,^  but  it  ren.ained  uplifted. 
And  he  came  to  a  spring,  and  saw  the  goats  with  l?beh!'  mouths  toirch- 
in^  the  water,  but  they  dM  not  di:iD^,l)ut  wefe  linder  a  spell,  foir  all 
things  at  tliat  moment  were  tunned  ^rom  their  course.'! 
I^Butif  wonders  sUeh  as  these  were  wanting,  thiS' birth  of  thd&afyiour 
iiras  ndt  without  attestations  of  His  divine  glory.  Hf*  His  birth  was 
mean  on  earth  below,  it  was.  celebrated  with  hallel^cijahii  Inr^the 
heavenly  host  In  the  air  above.  The  few  fields  in  the  valley  below 
Bethlehem  have,  likely,  been  always  tbqf  valuable  to  be  Used  fbr 
pasture^  but  the  slopes  and  heights'  of  thef  hills  around  Were  then,  as 
they  had  been  in  David;'s  time,  and  are  stilj.  the  resort  of  shepherds, 
with  thMr  numerous  flocks;  whith  *Uppl!«a  t"KeMf*edulremefitS  of'  the 
netghboiiring  Temple.  Th€  *<0nomasti6on,"''<)f  Eiisfebliis  infOriis 
us  Ihat  about  -'a  thousand  patjiea'  from  Bfethtehdti  stands  ,1a,  toWer 
called- Eder— that  i«,  the  tower  df  iM  iSiej^rds-^a  natne  which  fore 
shadowed  the  angelic  ajipearance  to  the  shepherds,  at  the  birtti  of  6ur  .  | 
Lord.**<  '  Jewish  tradition  has  preserved  the  record  pf  &  tovrer  of'  this 
name,  in' thid  locality^  where  the  fl()cks  of  sheep  for  the  Temple 
sacrifices  were  p&s^tured;' and' there  still  remain,  at  thi*^ven  distance, 
eastwards  from  Bethlehem,  the  ruins  of  a  chUrch\vniCh  Hdente;  the 
moth^  of  Constantine,  caused  to  be  built  ori  the  spot  bellfeV^  to  have 
been  that  at  which  the  heavenly  vision  was  seen.  / 

On  the  night  of  the  birth  of  Christ;  a  group  of  shepherds  lay  out, 
with  their  fiocfcs,  on  the  hi)'-«de,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  this 
ancient  watch-toweri  Some  of  them  were  keeping  their  Ittrii  of 
watching  while  the  others  slept,  for  shepherds  rell^ve^  eafch  dthfer  by 
watches,  as  our  sailors  do,  at  fixed  hoursV  StJ  LUke  expressly  tfells  us 
that  they  were  "watching  the  watches  of  the  night."*  To  have' re- 
ceived such  surpassing  honour  from  above,  they  must  have  been 


TUB  LIFE  or  CHRIST. 


M 


i  Maiy  «tt- 
118,  is  If  of 

ha  8ky  ^"»8 
f  feod,  ptB* 
[  tbie  diBR  to 
lOttait^'iiriy 
[leir  tnouths 
And  he  saw 
lod  still,  and 
led  uplifted. 
outUs  tciich- 
spell,  foir  all 

i'th*  8(<v*iwir 
fis*irtlk  was 
iaW  iw^'tlie 
valley  below 
l)e  tised  fbr 
vere  then,  as 
if  shephet^s, 
nefitS  of  the 
t>itit  inf^ms 
mas  Mft  tower 
iffUcltioTe 

birth  of  «Tir 
;ower  of'  this 
the  Teitiple 
endistotnce, 
.H6letife;the 
ieV^tOhave 

'  it  '  ^  i       1   ..    - 
-    <     ■'     ' 

l^^  layout, 

pod  of  this 

Ithtelr  itirii  of 
^Ath  (i^fer  by 
ressiy  tfells  U9 
To  have*  Te- 
st have  been 


members,  though  poop  and  humble,  of  that  true  Israel.  wWcJi^ In-. 
chidedMatx and  Joseph,' Zachariiid  and  ElisMth,  SiM«bn  tfUd'A^ta 
-*-the'itepre«ntative!*,  in  those ^ferk  days,  of  thfe  saints  Of  t^iett 
nation  ih  its  bri^ht^r  pafit.'  They  must  hiaVe  'been  men  looMtig  o\it, 
in  their  simple  way,  towards  tlie  invisible  and  eternal,  and  seeking 
that  kingdom  of  <#od  f or  th?mselv«s  '^hich  waB  one  day/ad  thty 
believed,  to  'be  revet^lecl  in  their  nation  at  large.  Only  that  mind 
which  has  sympathy  with  extomat  riature  Can  recfeive  mtheir tvuo 
Bignificance  tlie  impi'cssions  it  is  fitted  to  convey,  and  only  the  heart 
whic!*- hafe  ^rmpathy  with  spirituarthinga  can  recognize*  their  fiill 
meaning.  Poetic  sen^bility  is  required  in  the  one  case,  i^nd  religiOuW 
in  the  other.  In  each  it'  is  the  condition  of  sincere  emotion:  ^The 
stillness  over  hill  fend  valley,  brolteh  only  by  ;th6  bleatW  of  the 
sheep;  the  unclouded  brightness  of  the  Syrian  sky,  with  itjs  fikf; 
numerable  'stars;  and  the  associations  of  these  mouhfaid  |)a?tuli^^l 
dear  to  every'  Jew,  as  the  scene  of  David's  youth,  w^r^  bV^*  ana 
around  theiu.    And  bow,  to  ijtiote  tlie  beautiful' nartatlye  of '  StJ^ 


you  16  bom,  this  drty.  In  the  City  of  DaVid,  a  Saviour,  who  ig'ChiJst 
the  Lord.  And  this«liall  be  the  sign  uiito  you:  ye  sh^  nM'a  t^d. 
wrapped  in  swaddlii^  clothes,  lying  In  A  manger.'  And  sudd<pnily, 
there  was  with  the  angel  8'm:iiHitudd  of  the  Heiiv^hiy  Host,  praising 
Godandsaymg— 


:')%};.  H 


Hory  ta  Gal  ia  th3  highest, 
Id  oa  earth  p^aqe, 


'■  1 


With  this  ever-memorable  anthem— the  first  and  last  melody  of,  hea^z^ 
ever  heard  by  .mortal  ears-r-the  light  faded  from  tho^hins/as^me 
Rng^is  we^t  away  into  bieaven,  and  left  earth  once  more  in  the^adow 
of  night,  knowing  ^nd  thinking  nothing  of  that  which  8b>  supremely 
interested  distant  worl|ds.  Wondering  at  such  a  vision,  and  fuU  of 
simple  ^nist,  the  shepherds  had  only  one  thought^— to  see  the  babe 
and  its  i;iM>ther  for  themselves;  Climbing  the  hUl,  therefcwe,  with 
eager  ha^te,  ^tliey  hurried  to  Bethlehcni,  and  there  found  Mary  and 
Joseph,  a^d  tlio  babe  lying  in  a  manger,  as  had  been  told  them.  'i  ^ 
No  details  are  ^ven:  no  heirfitening  of  the  picture  of  this  first,act 
of  reverence  to  the  new-bom  Baviour.*  Nor  are  they  needed.  The 
lowliness  of  the  yisitoy8»  the  pure  image  of  the  Vifgin  Mother  and  her 
Child,  are  better  left  in  their .  own  simplicity.  Infancy  is  for  ever 
dignified  bv  the  monger  of  Bethlehem:-  womanhood  is  ennobled  to 
its  purest;.  jLdea^in.i3^Iary:  .man,  as  such,  receives  abiding  honour,  in 
the  earIi^tMaf:p<^pt,ed  homage  to  her  Son  being  that  o?  the  slmplt' 
pop*-, 


i\ . 


\f/ 


iniilk^matel^jConceraed.  Theshepherd^ Bi>retia  iioroAd  im  ptofy, wltlt 
hearts  iMUxff  ffratf^pl  odoiaticm;  tlie  Jiearero^^  at  n,  bt^t  Miry 

T^mden  hi  b,cr  o^art  all  that  bad  bf^n  tqld  mfy  **  Thwe  lyore  ll^)re 
Tirgjnji  in  I«;ajel,  moP)?  eyea  of  tb^  iribiB  of ,  David,  thim  ili^,"  nays  the 
greM^preacber;  ^'but  sbe  was  tbe  CU^fiieii  of  Ood.  Itwaa  nQturttf, 
»nai\  ^>^a^/j^  uoderatjapd.,  ibat  appcai;anc6  pt  fingcls, 


Wj4^  pppder  in  bef  he^  tb«r  worn  |Wmqii,W»pCTn«^  h^r  uo 
nearly.  But;  if  we  asK  ourselVes^vva'^  Ibis  pondering  (bo  words  in 
i<5rJbeatfr^ea<Jy  ibe  tpie  faith  |hat  parrfca,  tbo  blwwipg.-ntbv  /i^^*'^* 
8c;f  d  pf  a,  »era^IW^  reiatfon,t0;^bd  8awur%did  mvf  ahciidy  believe, 

Ma  Ji;4T9  «s  ,ti)0  ofcjirlvito  ^hink 

ywf  ft  time.  Ipa^  alter  tbls,  ^ncu  jCJiriAt  was 

T^ap^er,  wlij^n j^e ;wav(jtcd  b<^twee»  Uto andlliib^clbrcu 

np|pC!H0ye  in,  )E(lg;  '*^'M^!'L!?®:^SSV*^^*^^^^  ^^  ^^'^"'^ 

'    Fii 


HJm^^wayirb 
circle  of  libme 


^li^JLSljan^  st?i3^I 


nn»mm 


Tangles  Of  heart,  bv  Uiat  gracojtw  apoya  wuiqh  vpu^d 


1101117/  iiO  jBiit .iiJiJert  diiii  jiiuT.    -    .,._   ,.,.-,  . 


WWj^iftonft^  iiot  a  lotiger'tllne, 

;?!re;B,  f^fljft^fjuif^tly  in  Bethleto     ^  Tbat  gr^al  ievebt  ih  jHeprejw 


:^m  tb^niiitions^^b^^^^^^       sacred  token,  was  ^  duty  wlvich  iio  .Jewish 

VpiE^e;i^t  wpiild  ioir  a  moment  date  to  n6gJect    "  On  the  eighth  day/' 

says  tb^  Book  ojc,  Jubilees,  •'sbalt  thou  circumcise  tby  boy,  foi^ 'on 

;^tbat  day  w^re  Abraham  and  the  peo^e  of  his  housa  circumcised. 


;Ahdhoone  mt^.diff^  to  f^^^^  the  day,  nor  go  a  dfliy  lieydrid  tlie 
eiglit^ays,  for  it  is  an  everlasting  law,  establlshSi  and  graven  6d  tbe 
/^iBlets  of  beaven.  And  be  who  does  it  not  belongs  no!  to  th^  cbil- 
'fe'n  of  the  promise,  but  to  the  childi'en  of  destrdotion.  8^n»'  of 
Belial  arip  they  who  do  it  not"  The  infant  SaViour  waa  in  aUt^rdba- 
bpLty  cai:?ied  on  th?  legal  4ay  tp  the  TempJe,  a*  it  was  sd  ncai*,  foir  tbo 
piMffoni^ce  of  the  tite,~f  and  J^^ary,,  like  allXtf^hat;  J^^i, 


'Icti^  LIFE  OF  CJk^W, 


« 


vroM  thinly  a  r9]Ugi6ii8  «ct  doubly  sacred  'vdihih  the  ^oirM  tcf^rta 
o^%(mttitni,  Qusioni.  hqweyer,  woiild aUo#  tts  b^hg dobe  ih  this 
)6cal  i^agbjrae,  dt  In  ni^e  ImtQl^le  bouse  of  |^6r,  in  Bethlehetn 
itself,  or  ev^r  to  tbe  bouse  in  "wbtcb  Mai^  (^ld  Josepb  lodged. 

Tbe  nan^elvary's  cbit4  received  ba^  already  been^^xedlit  tbe  Ati- 
nunciaitio]tiJand  W(w^fdrmdlly  glveik  at  tbe  circrlnicision;  in  accbrd- 
once  widi  Jewish  ^ciWtoms  in  rerorehce  to  riiiale  infants.  Its  associa- 
tion w^tb  jbueb^strietly  Jewish  rite  made  It  the  symbol  of  the  child's 


for] 

ben^efbit: 

Isr^^, 


,   .oil  into  the  conffregatioDi  of  Isra0l,  of  wbich  ho  'Was 
$%em|^bt.    The  iz^^r  Jesus  Was  nb^  ai^  iadkobwlcdgcd 

tfn^  daya  mbf e  ba^  to  ctese,  in  adcbrdanbe  Witb  Jiswhi. 
custpm,'b^fQ^^I«k^  ijould  yislt  the  Tipmbfe,  or  cvfeii  go  dultsld^  b^r 
dwelling,  or' tpiich  anyil^Qg ,  in^de  sacr^  by  bblng;' consecrated  to 
G^  ^cluaii^  tbb:  cNuSbision  we^^^^^  the  JeWi*^'tbbtbi^r  bila  tb 
pasus  toy.  fl^j's.  9^  fel^^Iop  after  t,^e  birth  of  a  sbn,  abd  fiJity-sik 
ai^  tbt^tbf a datigbter,. pelfpre  she coUld ag^n  take  pitrt  in  cbmiEnOn 
%  ,;^er  tbi^  Ippfi  del^J,  sbb  might  apiK-  in  the  m\f  l*lac^,  to 


prayer. 

hill  which  overlooks  Mount  Zion  from  the'  south, — that  on  which 
Pompey,  sixty  year»  before,  had  pitched  litis  .camp--a  defilement  of 
the  holy  soil  never  since  forgotten*  Passing  Herod's  great  amphi- 
theatre, with  its  heathen  ornaAiehts,-^a  sight  as  revolting  to  a  Jewess 
as  was  the  remembrance,  of  the  bloody  .gam<88  celebrated  in  the  circus 
within— K**ry  wpulctgp  up  the  Yalley  of  the  GUtnts,  andjat  the  further 
/eM^Mbe'twIlMe^^^^  bi?  the  b% 'and  tetnplt tl^^idWBSfore 
lieir.  The  loji'g  sWeeb  of  th?,  valley  of  Hinnom  ran;  bcndi%  Wesit- 
Wfir4^  totbb  yall4y  01  tb^  royal  gidrdens  where  the 

two  Vajyys^^9t,  ^nil  mansions  and  palabe^  ilking  6n  the  bills  beyond. 
Ovbr  Opbei  rose  the  '^zling  whiteness  of  the  Royal  Porch  of  the 
Temple,  a  s^uctiiiiB  lon^ej*  and  higher  than  Tork  Cathedral,  buflt 
upon  a  solid  m^^sipi,  masonry,  alrttoat  equal  in  height  to  the  taJlest  Of 
our  church  spumes.  I^assing  up  the  nprlhern  arm  of  Hinbom,'her 
ro^  skirted  the  pbols  of  Giho^,  ishi^ing,  as  she  looked  at  theib,  In 
the  babi'^ng  Ug^t^^od  Wpufld  round  tb  th^  Geqnath  0ate,  ubdcr  tiie 
sh^do^^bf  the  Wreat  towers  beybnd  thb'patade'of  Herod,  bn'tlib  lino 
of  the,  oldest  of  tb^  city  tiralls,  These  ^rtfesses  had  all  b66n  built 
by  Hei'od  '^o  overawe  Jerusalem,  and  had  been  nariied  by  him,  the 
biie/aftel^  lii^  frieiid  Hippidus,  the  ne^,  aftfeir  liik  brother  Phasdst?!, 
fviid  the'tlTiM,  ia|t(fj^^hi's  Wil^  ^Marfaliine,  Whom  hb  bad  mbrdered^btit 
could  b:ot  forget.    On  the  north-east,  thccbkif^Sal.'eir^t-Bided"***'^'^- 


»• 


imikw^.^1  m^fm 


po^  with  it^  doi^b^  cr^vm  of  brcuMtworkii  iu>4  bntttonupntii,  looked 
dowq  on  ih^  dty,'  and  all  four  glUtRroa  in  tliir  ontiy  11|(Ik.  oha'rosq 
high,  into  ihe  cleur  blue  of  the  ofcrl  Mary  was  nbw  wUnln  the  Walw 
of  Jehisalem,  aiid  had  to  thread  Let  way  through  the  narrow  ttire^ts 
of  the  Ibwter  town,  and,  after  crossing  the  bridge  over  the  valley,  to 
Mounjt  Hoiriah.  would  at  last  teach  the  eaiitera  side  of  the  Teni]>l6, 
where  the  Golden  Gate,  at  the  head  of  the  long  flluhtl  of  Uteps  that 
led  to  the  . valley  of  the  Kldron,  6pehed  into  the  Court  of  tl;^o 
Women. 

She  would,  doubtless,  be  early  :^nou{^h  on  her  Wfiy  to  boAf  th<)  thred 
trmnt>et  blaists  which  announced  the  Opening  of  the  btrt^f  gate,  long 
beforo  the  call  to  prayer.  The  earlier  she  eame^  the.  lefls  chf^nCe  Wi^Vild 
there  be  of  her  nieetmg  anylhhig  on  thd  way  thit  Alight  dellle  her, 
aiid  prevont  h^r  entering  the  Temi^le,  Woiheii ,  on  Tier  errand  totk- 
mohly  code  to  th<e  Temple  on  oxen,  that  thti  body  of  h6  huge  A  b^ai^t 
between  tnem  and  the,  ground  might  prevent  dn^  Ohance  of  deAl^ 
n.cn^  from  passing  over  a  sepulchre  On  the*  road,  ai^d,aoubtlM8,jaA]6 
road  either  an  ass  or  an  ox,  as  w'as  the  custom. 

WliUe  the  mothers  who  were  coming  that  morning  for  puri!flcatl6il 
gradually  gathered,  Mary  wotild  have  to  wait  out8ide.the  lofty  gatci  of 
the  Couit.^of  the  Israelites,  known  as  that  of  NicknOr,  because  th^ 
head  ^nd  hands  of,  th^  Syrian  ffeneral  of  that  nAm0,  ulaln  in  bHttle  by 
Hildas  Maccabaeus,  had  been  nung  up'  on  it  in  tnilipi^ii.  ^0  h^d 
doubtless  often  heard,  amoi^  the  household 'storl^a  of  her  chlldhoodk 
how  the  haughty  enemy  Of  Tier  people  wagged.his  h'and>  each  dAV, 
towards  Judea  and  Jerusalem,  with  the  words,  "  OhI  wh(5n  will  it  ofe 
in  my  power  to  lay  them  waste?"  and  how  the  hand  that  brtd  thxth 
been  lifted  against  £he  holy  place  in  bIa$p^etny,,lLad  bofeh  exposed  on 
the  gate  before  her  in  .^hanie.  It  Was  the  greatest  of  all  the'  Temple 
gates:  greater  even  than  the  outet  gate  eastdf  II;  known  as  the  Beatil- 
tlfiil,  from  its  being  covered  With  massy  silver  (ma  gold,  richly  <jarved; 
or  from  its|  being  made  of  Corinthian  brass;  blabdrhtely  ch^d,  and  Of 
far  higher  value  ihsm.  even  gold.  It  was  khowtf  dlso  aH  tlw  Agrfp^ 
Gate,for  over  its  easterh,  or  outer  side,  elittcred  a  gigantic  'Boman 
eagle,  underneath  which  Herod  had  in^crib^d  the  name  of  hl^  friend 
Yipsanius  Agrippa,'  the  friend  and  son-in-law  of  Ahgu^tus,  A  flight 
of  fifteen  steps,  in  crescent  sha|)Q,  formed  the  approach  to  it,  and 
marked  the  height  of  the  Court  ot  the  Men,  Abovd  that  of  the  Women. 
The  gate,  itself ,  stood  at  the  inner  end  of  a  mtfsfelve  striifcture,  fifty 
cublis  in  depth,  with  porticoes  at  the  eastern  sld^,  and  chamber^  above 
it,  under  which  Joseph  doubtless  waited  with  Mary,  foir  husbands 
could  enter  the  Cotirt  of  the' Women  With  their  wives,  though  no 
woman  could  pass  into  the  Court  of  the  M6n.  'Hiey  must  have  shud< 
dei'ed  as  they  passed  underneath  the  great  golden  eagle,  for  it  was  the 
hateful  symbol  of  idolatry  and  Boman  aominatlon,  for  destroyihg 
Whieh,  in  the  riots  before  Herod'd  death,  so  many  of  the  fiower  d 
Jerusalem  were  sOon  to  die.  -  .      "  <         v;J^i 


THU  LITE  OP  CHRIST. 


,rti  '>i 


Aftor  A  tine,  tiie  Nicsr  >r  Gat^iiFfis  opened/ ivid  the  ofterinn  ef  an 
tli»i|^omen  who  h«d  come  for  purilWation,  whid^  ^as  muQh  $e  same 
a$  oburohinff  is  ^iUi  U9,jirer0  taken  from  them,  by  the  I^ites,  into 
the  Court  of  the  Piiests^  to  be  burned  pn  the  aUur,  after  the  morning 
saeritice.  Mary  ipight  hayu  )uid  either  t^  Iamb,  or  n  pair  of  youns 
pigeons,  for  the  rite;  but  JToseph  was  poor,  oaa  isl>o  was  contented 
with  ^e. cheaper  owerinff  of  dove^,  very  probably  bought  from  tho 
Temple  officer,  wlio  kept  flocks  of  doves,  purclinsed  with  the  fund^  of 
tlie  Temple,  and  m^  to  those  who  were  about  to  o^er,  at  the  marK('t 
price,  ;  Or, she  may  have  got.theui  in  the  outer  couri,  which  had  be(^nt 
tiwned  into  «  noisy  i  bazaar,  by  gre^t  numbers  of  money '<;bangen!i, 
selleraof  dov;e9,>ana  even  dealers  in  omm,  ^'ho  nought  the  custom  of 
the  crowds  frequenting  Ihe  Temple,  contrary  to  the  very  idea  of  siioU 
a. place.  .Meanwhile^  the  assembled  mothers  spent  the  interval  before 
their  offering  was  laid  o^  the /iltar„in  giving  tlinnkS)tp  God  for, their 
recovery*  Alter  |i  time;  a  priest  came  with  some^f  the  bloqd,  and^ 
having  sprinkled  them  ^Itl^  it,  pronpui^:^  tI^|n'>cil<^,iAwl  thuh  the 

riteeOtded.      !<);•* 'irr'Mffr   inr.  •  m^' ,    .^^..-^.itY'On:     .>;•  >«r,.)rr.    i*' 

Her  ow»  ")Puriflcation,"  howeyer,  was  not  the  only  object  of  thi^ 
first  visit  to  the  Temple,  after  th?  birth  of  her  Son.  In  the  patriarchal 
times,  the  firstborn  son  of  ^ch  family  seems  to  have  been  the  assistant 
of  the;  family  Head  in  the  prlestlY  seryices  of  the  household*  Jewish 
tradition  has  always  supported  this  belief,  and  the  ancient  commeur 
tat^ors  appeal  tp  viiripiM  pass^es  in,supportfOf  ijt.,  A  great  change 
was^  however,  introduced  hy  Moses., ,  AarpU;  wad  his  sons  were  set 
ap$rt,  w|th<^h^  whole  .t|ribe  of  X^vi,  as  the  only  priests,  and  thus  the 

Ep^stLy  services  of  the  ^rstborn  tw^re  no  lop^er  requir^. ;  That  they 
adsongiiiallybEsen  claipted,  howeyef,  was  sUllkept  before  the  people 
by  a  law  erelong  announced  at  Sinai,  that  the  eldest  male,  of  ))otl| 
ipan  (md\  beast,  wa#  sacred  tQ  God.  0^  the  lenver  creaturesf  some 
^6^0  tobeoifferedouji^hejiU^r;, others^  redeemed  fit  a  i^xed,  price. 
The  firstborn  ^oxl  wa^  to  be  presented,  before  0od  in  the  Temple,  and 
conseorated  to  His  service,  a  month  after  birth,  but  a  money  payment 
of  not  mpre  thsm -five  shekels,  and,jn  the  c?ase  of  a  parent's  poverty, 
of  tepsi  was  accepted  as  a  "redemption"  of  the  rights  this  involved. 
Rabbinical  law,  m  the  time  of  Mary,  had  made  a  refinement  on  tlie 
original  statute  of  Moses,  no  child  being  required  to  be  "presented 
to  the  t^Qrd"  who  was  in  any  way  maimed,  or  defective,  or  had  any 
blemish,  so  ;as  to  bo  unfit  for  a  priest-ra  rule  which  throws  an  inci" 
dental  light  on  Mary's  child,  such  as  might  have  been  expected.  He 
must  have  been,  in  all  points,  without  physical  bleraishv  . 

The  details  of  the  cerem^uy,  as  observed  in  the;  days  of  our  Lord, 
h^yenoicome  down  tO'Us,  buimay>  doubtleee,  be  illustrated  by  those 
stilljn  force^  for  the  '•redempitiou  of  the  firstborn"  is  still  observed 
by  st^cti  Jews  »»  th^  legacy  of  immemorial  tradition.  The:  Hebrew 
father  invites  ten  friends  and  a  Habbi,  wlio  mi^t  bcfl!  Cohen,  t^t  is, 
one  reputed  to  belong  to  the  housti  of  Aaron, — to  his  house,  on  the 


«l 


tEtti'Lirtfol'  OHrtftT. 


m 


tbittr-fliriBt  tlay  afte^  the  cMtd's  bir0i.  1*ho  infimt  Is  thdft  bfouflfhi  In 
by  him  and  laid  on  th6  table  befonf  ibe  Rabbi,  inritta  a  mm  of  m6iiey 
— ^hfeh.  in  England,  if  the  father  be  'ordinarily  well-to-do,  ttewhm 
amounts  to  about  twelve  shillings.  He  then  formally  tdls  the  Ilabbi 
that  hici  wife,  who  is  an  Israelite,  has  borne,  as  her  fli^tbom,  a  male 
child,  which,  therefore,  he  now  gives  to  the  Kabbi,  as  the  reprcscnta* 
tive  of  Ood.  "Which  would  you,  then,  rAther  do?"  asks  the  Babbi, 
•  "give  up  your  firstborn,  who  is  the  first  child  of  his  mother,  to  Jehb- 
vm,  &f  reaeem  him  for  five  shekels,  after  thd  shekel  of  the  sanotnai^, 
which  is  five'  gera?"  The  father,  of  course,  answers  that  he  wishes  to 
redeem  his  child.  "This  is  my  firstborn,"  says  he;  "  her<»,  tak^  nnto 
thee  tlie  fire  shekels  due  for  his  redemption.^'  As  he  hands  tl^e 
mohey  to  the  Rabbf,  he  prirfses  God  for  the  day»-^*'  Blessed  art  Thoii, 
O  Lotd'onr  Qbd,  Ktag  of  the  Universe,  who  hast  ianctifiW  us  with 
Thy  commandniefnts,  and  commanded  us  to  perform  the  redemption 
of  a  son.  Blessed  art  Tho«;  O  Lord  our  Ooa,  King  of  the  U^iver^e, 
who  hast  maintained  ns,  and  p^i^feservecl  us,' to  enjoytbis  season.*"  The 
Babbi  then  takes  the  money,  and  after  passiog  the  coin  round  the 
child's  ht!fid,as  a  symbol  of  redemption,  lays  his  oth«(r  hand  on  its 
bro^  with  the  Words- "This  [childj  is  instead  of  this  [moneyX  anii 
thfai  tmoney}  instead  Of  this  [child]  t  may  this  child  b6  brouglit  t6  Hf^, 
to  the  Law,  andto  th^  fear  of  heaveil;  and  a^  he  has  been  brought  to 
be  ransomed,  so  may  he  enter  into  the  Law,  and  good  deeds.  "^  He 
then  ]f)Iac^s  both  his  hand^  on  the  child's  head,  and  p)nays— "Odd 
make  thee  as  Ejihraira  and  Manasseh.  The  Lord  btess  and  preserve 
tliiee.  Tlu)  Lord  Ifft  up  His  countenance  t|poii  thee,  tind  give  th^e 
beaicel  Len^h  of  days,  ^^rs,  and  pleace,  be  gathered  to  thee;  and 
God  keep  thee  from  all  evil  and  save  thy  tonl.*^  And  noW  ^e  rite  is 
:0yeT.  '   '  '■■■■  "   /  ■  ■  " ""'  ■     .  •'      ■■ 

In  a  nation  whi0h  ha^  boasted,  for  tWO  thousand  yeiirs,  tlu&t  It 
hand^dowh  its  r^ligibus customs,  from  generation  to  generation,  with- 
out a  shadow  of  <3iange,  in  Word  Or  form,  a  prattlce  of  tO-day  H, 
doubtl^,  in  most  respects,  idehticalwith  its  counterpart  in  th(!  time 
of  Mary. .  It  Was,  we  may  assume,  With  some  sUch  pi^yers'ttnd  solemn 
forms  that  Jos^h  and  Mary,  still  standing  beforfe  th€f  Nicanor  Gatjo, 
"presented"  the  infant  Saviour  "tothe  Lord,"  aftci-  Mary  had  been 
declared  "  clean"  by  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  the  dOves. 

It  Wa6  still  morning,  ahd  crowds  of  men  were  enterinjj:  the  Court 
of  the  Israelites,  by  the  Nicanm*  G^te,  or  passing  out.  T^e  mothers 
and  fathers  who  had  firstborn  sons  to  redeem  Were  still  before 
the  gate,  MaryandiJoseph  among  them.  And  now  an  aged  hian, 
who  could  not  cOme  earlier  ta  Ins  motning  devotions,  ^proaches. 
We  know  only  that  his  name  Was  Simeon,  a!  very  common  one,  thfeh, 
among  the  Jews,  and  that  he  was  one  in  Whom  the  the  reign  of  ioittti 
Ifnd  rite  had  not' extinguished  time  spiritual  conceptionSv  He  WBl  "& 
Jost  m&n  and'  AeVont,"  sayja  St.  Inik^^tai  expressioii,  Hhe  f Oite  of 
which,  in '  tbosd  days,  id  seob  tn  the  ^splanatmn  of  nearly  the  sttme 


Ee  Bam>l 
n,  a  m*le 
eproBont»- 

p.tb  Jehd- 
ianotnaryi 
!  wishes  to 
tak^  unto 
bands  tl|e 
art  Thon, 
3d  us-with 
«demptioii 
XJnlvcrw, 
son."  The 
round  the 
[and  on  its 
ioneyX  and 
ighttoHf^, 
brought  to 
eeda.*^  He 
ays— "Odd 
Id  preserve 
d  give  th^ 
>  tnce;  and 
V  liie  lite  is 

M,  thi&t  jt 
ation,  with- 
f  to-day  4», 
InthCtlnie 
and  sOlicnin 
canov  Gatjp, 
''j  bad  been 

ves. 

g  the  Court 
'he  mothets 
6tiU  befote 
aged  inian, 
appiroaches. 
h  one,  then, 
iffnof  ?0Ttn 

Howa>"<^ 
he  f  ofce  of 
riy  the  sttne 


TftB  HFB  Of  CH WST.  .     m 

okuftcter  K^ven  to  the,  grei^  hicb  orieat  ^imon.  "He  was  «a11^ 
''Just'  both  for  his  piety  towards  God,  and  his  charitv  towards  liis 
oountrymen.  '*  Simeon  must  have  been  one  who,  tliou|i}i  he  followed 
the  Xaw,  did  so  from  the  Ioyo  of  it,  and  from  the  fear  of  God,  and 
wa^  careful  of  its  snirit,  while,  no  dout^t,  exact  in  the  countless  ritual 
obseryf|k^ice9  then  thought  to  constitute  "righteousness;"  one,  lil^e 
KathanM.  '*an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  was  no  guile."  Habitually 
drawing  n^r  Qod.  the  promise  liad  been  fulfilled  tq  (his  aged  saint 
that  Qod  would  draw  near  to  him:  for  "the  Holy; Ghost  was  upon 
hiUt.'*'  Too  014  to  cair^  for  longer  life,  so  far  as  earth  alone  was  con- 
cerned, his  heart  y^i  beat  warmly  for  his  down-trodden  nation,  and 
for  nian  at  large,  sunl^  in  heathen  darkness.  H9  would  fain  wait 
Among;  the  living  till. the  appearance  of  the  "  Consolation  of  .Israel"-^ 
the  familiar  name  by  which  his  race^  in  their  deep  yearning  for  de- 
liVeranoe,  ha4  con^,e,to  speak  of  the  long^xpccted  Stessiah*  as  the^uro 
restorar  of  its  glory.  He  had  a  premonitfon,  4iviuely  aent,  that  he 
sljipuld  have  this  joy»  and  had  come  this  morning  "by  the  spirit"  into 
the  Temple.  How  he  knew  it  we  cannot  tell,  but,  as  Hary  stood  pre- 
senting he;r  child.  h&  recognized  in  Him  the  "  Messiah  of  God. "  The 
ceremony  over,  |^U  full  heart  cannot  restrain  itself.  Tottering  towards 
the  young  moJ^Qr,  he  takes  her  babe  in  hi?  armst  ^d  gives  thanks  to 
Oou  in  ^ords  of  tpuching  beauty — ",t*ord,  now  lettestThou  Thy  sier- 
yant  deptu't  in  pea^,  accorctiug  10  II*hy  word :  f or  mine  eyes  have  seen 
Thy  Salyation^  which  Tbou  ha/^t  prepared  beforethe  face  of  all  peo- 
ples: ,9k  light  to,  light^  the  heathen  and  the  glory  of. Thy  people 
Israel.'*  Like , a  true  Jew;,  lie  thinks  of.  ilsmel  «is  the,  centre  of  thfs 
Messiaulp^loryi,  the  %ht  of  which  is  to,stream„ afar,  over  the  heathen 
wojld  aMpvE^.d/ii^ttracti  ,..,,, 

Turning  to  Joseph  ana  Mary,  the  old  man  then  says  a  few  parting 
wqrda*  w^h^  prophetic  insight  of  the  future  both  of  the  ohUd  and.  its 
mothisr.  :**,Xpur  child,"  eays  ho  to  her, ." is  destined  |oy}h^  fall  ,oC 
mtuiy  in  IsfaeJ,  for  niany  will  reject  Him;  but  awo  for  the  rising  agiuu 
of  many,  who  will  believe  on  Him  and  live.  He^  is  sent  for  a  sign 
which  sh^l  be  $poken  against,  and  will  meet  with  reproach  and  con- 
tradiction, which  will  reveal  ^e  thoughts  of  many  hearts  ■re^)ecting 
Him"— a  truth  too . sadly, culmmating  at  Calvary.  Mary's  own  heart 
"  would  be  pierced  with  a  great  sorrow." 

Atthat  instant,. w^a^etql^,  an  aged  woman,  Anna  hy  name,  of  the 
tribe  of  ,A^er,>and  therefore  a  Galilean,  approached  the  gate.  She 
was  eighbr-f  our  years  of  age,  and  had  thus  lived  through  the  long  sad 
period  of  war,  conquest,  and  oppression,  which  had  intensified,  in 
every  Jewish  heatt,  the  ye^rbing  for  national,  deliverance  by  the 
promised  Messiah.  She  must  have  remembered  the  fatal  war  between 
the  Aanaon^iu  h^thers,  Aristob\|lus  and  Hyroanu^*  which  had  brought 
all  the  n^ry.  .61  her  people  in  ^ts  train,  and  she  had  likely  seen  ttie 
Mons  01  ^omti^>  when  they  eucamped  on  the  hills  round  Jerusalem. 
Tbii  iJifMBi  oil  Hiptoa  wift  «  ^oUectijMi  of  im  middle  life,  and  its  dr^BiOr 


H  TINI^  lilFS^  OF  OHI^T. 

ixAmarj  of  "war.  murcjer,  and  crime,  must  bi^ye  &uok  ipto  lie]i^.]]i^it|^ 
a»  It  hm  into  the  jneAtp)  of  till  her  race.  ; ' '   v 

Hef  long  life  Imd  been  ajient  in  pious  apt^ancl^^ryic^^;  to,  iift^ 
^e  had  been  AoVen  yearn  a  wife,  her  husbaha  had  died,  leavlhs^  her. 
doubtlees,  8tiU  .very  young,  i4ncQ  Hebrew. ^rls  married  at*  tWeive  iir 
lourtceu  years  of  tioe*  Bhe  had  never  married  a^aiu,  a  fact  then- 
tioned  by  St,  Lulce,  In  accordance  with  .the  feeling  of  the  day,  ,to  h^r 


Temple,  apd  to  have  spent  hef  life  in  jfastings  and  prayers;  having 
yery  likely  come  from  Galilee  to  be  near  the  holy  place,  and  thud  ab^ 
to  give  herself  up  to  religloua  exercj^es,  on  the  b^i^  "^h^ere^  in  i^ 
eyesof  4i  Jew,  thpy  were  most  sacred.  *    V      , " ';  ^ 

Bud*  a  woman  rnuit  have  been  well  knowi|  ^:a-pla<i^,1i?;e  J6i^% 
1^/  Catching  tbo  burden  of  Simeon's  wpr^  as  she  paked,  islie  tc^, 
lik^  himi  forthwith  (hanks  God  that  jlhe  t»^m}se  of  the  M^i^ii^ 
is  now,  at  last,  fulfll^fgd.  There  could  have  been  feWj,  hbWever,  to 
whom  the  glad  tidings  of  «JUCh  a  Saviour  were  welcomie,  for  thoUj^h 
the  heart  ortbo  nation  was  burning  with  Messianic  hOjpes  of  a  po"" " 
cal  kind^  we  are  told  that  4-^na  waa  able  to  tell^^^jehi  to  allln  Jip: 
len^  who  looked  for  a  redemption  of  a  higher  type, ; 

Returning  to  BetiQl<»hem,  Joseph  and  Maiy  seepatoliaveiuiefidM 
to  settle  i^  it  pemaaneatly,  for  even  after  their  return  frotti  Egyp| 
they  would  have  gone  to  it  again,  but  for  their  feai*  of  Archelaus:  B% 
Matthew  speaks  of  their  living  in>'"  house'*  when  the  Magi  cam4, 
very  soon  after  tho  Presentation,  but  the  natural  chiEunbet  in  the  mVc 
side,  which  was  Mary's  first  shelter,  would  be  a^  much  ft  jittrt  Of'^ 
hpuse  as  any  other,  It  has  for  ages  been  the  custom  to  speak  of  the 
;birthplace  of  Jesus  as  a  cave,  but  the  word  raises  Very  dinbrCnt  ideas 
in  our  minds,  from  any  that  could  have, been  felt.  Where  sutJh  0061, 
dry  recesses  aire,  even  still,  ordinary  parts  of  village  or  country  hotif^ 
of  the  humbler  kind.  ;       ). 

The  '*  Cave  of  the  Nativity"  now  shown  in  Belhlebcm,  !s  surrounded 
by  «uch  artificial  distractions,  that  it  is  hard  to  realize  the  possibility 
of  its  being  the  actual  scene  Of  the  most  stupendoUis  event  in  all  hi£i- 
tory.  A  convent,  like  a  mediaeval  castle  for  strength  and  solidity, 
and  of  great  extent,  crowns  the  hill,  its  huge  buttresses  resting  on  the 
shelving  rocks  far  below.  The  village  lies  on  the  eastern  arid  westiern 
sumnrilt'Crests  of  the  hill,  at  a  height  above  the  sea  only  800  feet  lower 
than  the  top  of  Hclvellyn,  and  as  hish  as  the  loftiest  hill-top  in  the 
Cheviot  range.  You  may  walk  rO'jjid  it  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  or 
along  its  whole  leugth  in  half  that  time,  or  from  side  to  side  of  it  in  a 
quaiter.    Tlio  villagtrs  support  thefmselves  partly  by  field  work,  but 


THi'>iMlS  '■OF*  '<OTfRtt^- 


m 


lUitiM,  Imt'pft^  iifjcneWed  aince.   To  t;bis,<?l»(ifc]^  |hefe  i8^jQ|Ile^»  ofl[ 
thip,  portal.  tUe lij^tfc  cjoi^terorthe  ,1?rah<?ik5aa^^^  )th« jCbijirQ^ of 

tlie  Airowi»iAn.clQi8t;er4     ,  ,;^; ;;.  .•;.  |.^;  ,/.>  ^' ;,s  v    ,r:f'..;-      \  ,•' ' ' 

—is  built  in  the  form  of  a  cross.  The  choir,  two  steps  hi^he^  t|^ii 
the  long  nave,  includes  the  top  amLanns  of  the  cross,  and  *^  clivid'edf 
from  th6  nave  by  a  partition.  A  low  door,  in  the  west,  leads,  through 
the  pptqh,  to  the  desplate  ai|d'  cl^ceriespEi  na,ye,  with  forty-four  pillars, 
in  seyen  jows,  supporting  the  roof,  the  rou^  beams  of  which  are 
uncovered,  and  look  vry  bare  and  drfeftry.  The  Greeks  and  Arme- 
9i(ans  h^ye^.vhargjB  of  .itjlkis  part,  the  Latip^  beinc  bhl;^  Mlowe<}>tQ.pass 
mrough  It  to  th^ir dorter.  The  forra^i;  havp  altpj^uithe  Cihpir ';  that 
of  tj^e  Gr^s^  y^rhich  js  consecrated  to  "  tiie  tjiree  1uiig&,^V8tandinff  in 
thjB^^htrei^  and'Bl)|Owug,;m  a  niche  iu^der  i^^  astai*  of  White  marble, 
ip^trkbjg  th^  spot  wheife^e  '^tar  of  ttie.wis^  men  stood  in  the  heavens 
bye^  BetJileheinlj  The  C«^ve  of  the  Nativity  is  UD^er  the  altar,  and  Is 
r0a(^h^d/  f  rom  both  sides  of  the  chpir,  by  a  flight  of  b^ckad  ftnd  be&u- 
tuul  mftrble.  stepp,  respfecilvely  fifteen  and  thirteen  in  nupibOT.  The 
cave  itself  is  about  thirty-eight  feet  loiig,  eleven  broad^  and,  nine  high, 
and  i5fp9,ved  with  black  an^d  red-yeiuecTmariyie.  The  sides  are  partly 
lii^^yfjit^  pai;l(le  slalis,  but  some  pf  t^dse,^-op  the  north,  havo  faUen 
pS^and  pfi^QW;  tl^'bai?©  wall,  while,  ©Isewhei^e,  curta^w  of ^iljk  or  linen 
^0 hi^giifH^the  silk  ;appareji%  only  At  iesfiif  -^rpp^  the  ropf 
li^gsft rdy  of  ^IVer  lajnps  alopg the  wjipje  lengt^ 6f  t^^  care.  Tlie 
si^  of  tb^  manger^  itself  is  oh^e  e^  si$!  of  ih^  grotto,  iii  a  rounded 
nl^tejkbpU^*^^||t  feet  high  Ariel  fp;U|r  broadj  jn^  wh|ioh4n  altar,  staiijds. 
the  payem^iit  of  this  xec^ss  is  aj-ifew  inches  tigher  tjhan  th^l  of  thf 
cay^,  4ith4  jSttQiTDied  of  niarblie  siftbabm^bim  there  Js^awlver  sitf|% 
w^th  ^rkiihg  liBys,  liiliai^  with  i)reciou8  j^tpnes.  Alon^  the  ^0clg^ 
runs  An  jnsoriptipniyh^ch  no  one  ca;n  ,ree4.  without  emotion—**  luc 
die  Vitgine  Maria  Jesus  Ohristus  natusi  est^ " 

Soilth  from  this  jppt,  i|^  a  corner,  is  a, small,  sept^rate  cave,  tlixjee 
stepsi  loWer  jtM^ ,  this  liir^r  one,  t^nd  in  this  stwds  the  "  Altaff  of 
the  Mapgc^;  but  qks  the  wooden  inanger  w^ich  was  exhibited  in 
^jcher  0mes  wais  taken  to  Rome  in  i486,  by  Pope  SixtusV.,yeryUttIe 
y  terest  Attaches  now,  e^ven  pp.  the.  ground  of  antiquity,  to  the  crib  of 
v;oipu,re4  mairble  shoyirn  in  its  place.  ^  A  painting  of  tne  Adoration  of 
thq  Shepherds  covers  thip  rock  behind,  Piye  sijfyer  lamps  swing 
before  thi8,^nd.  opposite  is  the  ''Altar  of  Ijhe^agi,^*  with  another 
painting.  It  tlurpisys  additional  distrust  over  all,  except,  perhaps,  the 
central  facts  of  the  spot,  that  a  door  from  the  larger  cave,  admits  into 
a  long,  crooked,  ^oi;^h  opening,  like  the  gallery  of  a  mine,  in  which 
are  various  altars,  in  recesses,  natural,  or  formed  by  man.  You  are 
sliown  thp  "vihap^l  of  St.  4^oseph;'V then.jthal of  *'The  Innocents," 
uhderlh^  altar  of  ;Wl3to  a  6^^  sajd  to  lead  to 

the  iea¥6  ixi  wMc^  fuenb^v^s  o^  the  murdered  Iimockmts  were  Inmed. 


#1 


THij  LIFE  OF  CHRIfr. 


It' 


I 


^   •   -'•  .:■■'■    '    :\..:-..-;-  ^--^ '■■;   ■■    r^-. :?,:..     ■.■■;■■;    ,■   ^'■''.     ■■-■'i-v- 

The  two  centnries  tn  whicb  JudeaT^a^  a  province  of  ttbe  Persiim 
Empke  Werd,  perhaps,  the  happiest  time  ixi.  the  hi^ory^  of  t^e  Jewrah 
natioii.^'Eiijoyiflff  perfect  liligioi^S'  Rberty,  for  whiph  aJoije  thes]- 
c0edi  tlt^y  fw^re  toyid  ^iid  ^conteated.  iN^hemia^,  the  Te^uUder  <^f 
Je^saHem,  %as  at  the  eatn^  time  a  Ferpiaa  xmeh^^ai^  thj^:  P^ple  a^ 
larjge  onl3r^xpr»BS0d  their  oomi|U)n:fideIi|by  t(f  Uie  pojwer  hei  reprie[<! 
seilted,  in;  aHoifdhl;  with  a:  Iib^^ity  amazing  in  thiif  case,  a  8culpb^ 
ture  of  Bu^,  theirei^tan  w^>ppllSi,torhe/eu^  I8w 

ofthfe^Tempte.:-/.  jrrW-m^nl<  l?'  .prtn-rKr'  ri'ii '3iiT:ii' ^i!of>^Gi0- 

'The  mostfstnkiing  jGharactert$tic'  0f  eaeh  rPatipn  furthered  ti^sa 
ihiitual  resp^f .  InnPersia J&e  highest  form  of;  A^yaia  riTeligiou,  hfta. 
hieen  brpilghtifaceti». face  with  the  highest  ,fotm,0|Biieinitjc,  m^t^ 
there  weire  many  ptnois  in  whi.'ah  mutual  syi^ai^Afjidrnpgi^we]^' 
inetitable;  Both  oiatioiis 'hated  idolatry;  Inqeed.  the  [j^rida^.<\iif^i^i^^^ 
more  zealous  In  this  'than  the  Jew  had  l^ieeBi  fqr;  t|)ero  ■wcife  o^f' 
wanting,  eren  isi  the  eocile,  J«ws  who  served,  idols.  In  Ormu^d  ta^ 
Ahiiman,  the  ^rsoniflcations  of  Juight  and  |)aii^ni?s8,  or.  Oood  an 
Evilj  the  Persian,  ^B  it  might(aee!m.  l^d  Qnly  dev^oped  jtli^«Ke 
doctrine  of  Jehovah  and  ihe*  Evil  that  stru^led  t<>  Goimteract  Wii 
hcireficent  rule.  T6  thd  Persian,  as  to  the  jJeWjf  his  tocred  t^^ 
were  the  weapon  against  darkn^s,  and  the  guid^  to  blessedness. 
They  prescribed  commandments  and  supplied  reVflations.  They 
taught  a  life  after  death,  and  future  Jreward»  and  punishments ;  t^y 
disclosed  the  issue  of  the  gwat  struggle  bet:weeu  Gopd  and  Evil,  and 
what  would  happen;  at  the  end  .of  ^tie  world.  Tiineft  of  great  trial 
were  to  prove  the  fafthful  before  the  final  day.  Their  blood  Wjpuld 
flow^ke  water.  At  the  end  of  every  millennium,  howevep,  Ormuzd 
would  send  a  prophet,  with  anew  revelation,  and  thus  a  reformatlpn 
wotild  be  effected  for  the  time.  The  prophet  next  to  appear  woujd 
te  bom  of  a  virgin,  and,  after  destroying  the  works  of  Ahrunan, 
would  establish  a  happy  kingdom  fop  a  thousand  years.  To  aid  hlj^i 
in  this,  the  mcMst  famous  men  of  all  times  would  appear  in  iif'Q  again. 
At  the  end  of  the  millennium,  thfe  resurrection,  it  was  taught,  woul^ 
take'  ph^;  through  fifty^sciven  years. .  Then  yrpuld  hfeg^u  the  burp- 
pf  the  world  by  fire:   the  mountaii;ii;^W{^\ddy^k,yap4 

bccom*  like  a  sea  of  molttn  meiols.    Thr6u[^h  this  W 


ing-up 
wftdle  globe 


•^^^g^SI^R^ 


97 


men  ifiust  xm^  to  he  purified  from  the  sins  still  cleaving  to  them; 
iSit^&iliS-lpl^oiy  irdUid^  do  it  w^h^eap^^  th^  ^fcked  m&M  saSet, 
^{iii^h  afs  £hel  stiiii^  f  6ii^ent|  Wd^d  hftve  ^ven  them  during  life, 
^t^  thid'  j^'rificE^tion,  ^v>eti  th^  formerly  Mcked  ^oukl  be  freed 
f h)A '  tirili '  A^iihftu  and  hell  would,  be  tidn^iiered  and  pass  away ; 
there  \^u)d  ^  reina3h  only  isbi&  great  conimiUudli  bf  the  ueased,  who 
live  with  Ormuzd. 

As  regards  this  life,  the  Persians  were  taught  that  no  man  caii  re- 
main neutral,  but  must  take  the  side  either  of  good  or  evil.  To  fol- 
low \he  former  was  not  only  4ight  but  natural,  since  Ormuzd  is  the 
Creator.  Yet  even  he  who  chooses  the  right  side  does  not  always 
receive  his. reWard,  for  evil  iJa  powerful,  and  hinders  Ormuzd,  m 
mapy  "way^l  ■  f ronS^^v^rin^liid  servant  tmi(6:  The^  bad,  by  the  help 
(^  ^^Miittih,  Bu^  oMtin '  proi^i^ity  even  ««iufe.  the  blessinga 

4e^ig^c<f>f^r  the  ifoodt,  but  in  the  wbrld  to  corner  this  irould  be  no 
Ibnget  jK)k|blb;  M  a  tidEati  has  lived  on  earth,  so,  thoy. believed,. 
wdmd?l»h1j^  re^^rd^  isufferirig  in  the  life  beyond.  He  who  has 
beeii  l^ooa  and  pure,  m  thoudit,  word,  and  deed,  wofiuld  be  owned 


a^  a  sfervatit  of  OrmtiM,  and  rebeived  into  the  fellow^ip  of  the 
^irfis  in'  li^t,  whil#  he  Who  had  opposed  Otmitzd  here,  would  be 
driy^n  do\vn,  In  tl^e  life  hereafter,  to  dwell  with  Ahrirhan  and  Jua 
foHowera,  |i^  thick  d^ktiea»,  The  dieeision  as  to  tlie  ude  to  which 
ajoy  oiie'bel6ii^^6ul5  be  jjiven  aticonMng  to  to  woifea  Oit  the 
thftd  day  after  d^th.  fudgmeiii,  they  were  taught;  will  lye  held,  and 
ev^  ^ul  will  l^vji  to  pass  ovet  a  bridge,  where  thp  wt^ys  to  heaveni 
andneU  divide.:  'Bedideit  sifthe  judge^of  the  deadand  weigh  the« 
tieeds  of  each  »6ur  in  gi'eat  sbales.  If  the  gcjtod  bear  down  the  erikfi 
thc'soiil  |34s  forward,  over  the  brid^,  to  Paradiae,^ :  where  it  Ir 
welcomed;  apd  h^s  its  dwelling  till  tlie  Last  Judgment  But  wheoL  ^a^ 
wicked!  s6ul  presents  it^If ,  on  the  t^ird  d^y  after  deaths  to  fry  to  {iasft 
aver  the/bridge;  it  seems  too  nai*rdw  and  alight,  the  fdotstepa  fcotterji 
and  the  soul  falls  into  the  dark  abysa  beneath.  It-  is  there  isoei ved' 
with  Eti^ter  and  mockery  by  fiends,  and  tortured  with  the  bitterest 
agoniestillthe  pay  of  Judgttlertt.-^c^a;>cuI)(uill^(uo^^^b^^^^^^         .        . 

How  Hy  this  earlv  creed  retained  Its  hold '  limbi%  the  Persians  in 
the  days  of  the  Captivity,  is  not  known,  and  there  are  no  grounds  for 
assuming  that  the  Jews  were  indebted  to  it,  to  any  great  extent,^  for 
the  development  of  their  theology.  The  unity  of  Jehovah  was  in 
direct  opposition  io  the  dualism  ot  the  Persian  system.  The  Jewish 
condeption  of  Batan,  like  that  of  the  resurrection,  has  its  roots  in  the 
Old  Testament,  in  which  the  development  of  both  maybe  traced. 
The  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  indeed,  seems  hardly  to  have  beei^ 
among  the  old  Persian  popular  beliefs,  Uiough  found  in  one  place  in 
the  A  vesta.  Jewish  i^as  respecting  angels,  good  and  bad,  no  doubt 
received  ^n  impulse  from  those  of  ^e  Persians,  but,  as  a  whole,  the 
relation  betweeh  the  two  theologies  was  mainl^thatof  indopendent 
8i)Qhiliti<y;ih  8omi3detaU&^^^^-  '-'^^  >-     .^^i*  V   ^^>^-      - 


0  TBiB  UFH  ^Cf  CHmSl*' 

Btit  wiiile  the  Jew  borrowed  ym  Uttlfi  from  Persjian  flpurcea,.  .die 

the  tla^t  ati^  tfieir  brctlireiL  in  Paleistine/inu^lmVfi  jcrefiited  a  dee^ 
intet(ist,  on  t)t)t^^de^,  Iti  flaitlis  t^hie^  had  pb  nlupii  in  commbn.7   ' 

The  eifeiit  to  whl(A' 'Piat^ism  Md  stH-ei'd  in  the'^S^,  in  tixe.day&.^f 
Christ,  cannot  be  known,  but  it  had  doubtless  diffused  itself,  more  or 
le^/by^^  thetinol^c%jhta  of  thfen  In  thes^  tb^blo'iis  tfiiiLes,  of er  many 
.regions,  .  ^  *•■•  .■    ■.*    ■  -  ■■  '  'v     '■' -^^ '■'■'" 

Oii  the  d^hteV  hand,  'the  kiioWled^e  of  Jndailiri  Was^  by  rib  means 
Conffiied  tb  Palestine.  '  The' ^eat  biilk  Of  th6  Jewisii' natiqh  l»^d 
revcii^  returned  froih  Babylon,  but  remaihed',  fai  djistin^t  con^mim- 
ties,  ^read  ovef  the  surface  Of  that"  ^%M  TOii*  fidelity  to  their 
faith  %as  pfdved' b¥  th6ir  hatinr  sup^Wed  the  colony'  a^'JefUMaepi 
till  it  jio  Ibtt^t^  needi^d  thel^'lelp:  Tl^ey  looked  to^e  f^inpleas 
the^r  retigit^s  ct^trfe,<^olritHMiicd' largely  16'  its  funds,' aiid  Received 
their' ecfclesihstiT^diinstnictloiis  ffom  W  atithbrtties.  ''TheB^bylonlaJi 
Jet^  iSided  hiitf^elf  oii'thfe  buHtf  6f  his  d^Seeiit.  "Whit  the  Hebre?^ 
6f  Judea '  bbS^ted  theV  were,  'cdnipdrea  to  thol^  Bt  dtlier  ijqiihtrles, 
tie  Bah^rlohiah  ^fi^ehr?^  cl^htf^d  to  be  to '  the  ^Tu^ean— ^'^'Me^glirt 
flour  eoniibited' to  dotigh,"  'Ftom  Babylon,  !th^  jJ^'w  had  spr^ 
thro^glj.  fev^ty  r^oh  or  the  Ea&t,  and  wher^Vei^'he  Went  he  became  k 
itealo^^  mis$ionary  Of  his  faith.  TaWbus  causes  had  jed.tfoth^' same 
wide  «si>ereidh  In  th^  We^l,  with  ^t^^ 

proselytes  gained,  over  the  world,^  by  this  propa^flda,.  wap  ih(^M^- 
M  •TheW'elrt'M^as'fuilof  Je^sl^^  the  Kast.  Eg3>^^pt;  and  ofce; 
pai*fs  of  Africa,  had  a  vast  Jewish  poftiliitiori. '  To  t^e  the^brdsqf 
JOsifephusi  the  halhltable  gloh^  was  so  Ml  of  Jew^,  that  there  was 
ficdr^elj^  a  tprhdr  ,bf  ^  the  Roman,  eiripire  Wheijei  tl^^V  might  hot,  be 
f oimd.    The^'great 'i^ytiagoguBat Alesfandria Wa&  so ; large  ihat,. iif we 


KbmanX  thus  won  o^e|,  to  whcit  they  regarded  as  a  hatciiil  siipersti- 
tlbn./  Exeihptibn  from  'mtlitfarvSerVicb,  glinted  to'thfe  ,PeWs,  ttad? 
prh'ilcges  they  specihllj'  enjoy ca)  iiiaWkge',  arid  btht^r 'inducements, 
swelled  the  list  of  proselytes  ih  te very  pdrt  "  The"  .TewiBh  faith,** 
says  Seneda,  "  ishow  received' 'bter'e Very  lahdi'  th-^  conq^uered  havie 
^v^n  fatws  to  the  conqueror." '  *'*'This  race/'  says  Di^.  Cassiu^,  "  has 
been  repeatedly  cheCKcd  bythb  Itpnia'ns,  yet'ithas'indfeased  amaz- 
inglr,  so  that  it  hds  assiimdd  the  greatest  pldfi^ss."  josephlis' tells 
us  that  in  Antloch  a  great  mdltittide  of  ilrifieks'  wete  cohstah^  qom- 
iiig  f6t%ard  as  prosdytcS.  Still-fUHhc*  east,  it.  wd^  the"  Same.- tor 
St.  Luke  records  that  proselj1;c3.thionged  to  tn«f  feaiSts  at  Jfeniau^ai 


Pontus,  Asia,  Phrjr^a,  rftmphyli^  Capij^oppia,  and  x^r^BLl^mfi  It- 
self;  from  its  soutuehi  teiititbries^iueli  as  Egvpt,, A^ji^b^,,  Or^te,  and 
the  parts  of  Libya  i^bout  Cj^eii^  a^  from  U9,  fj^l^^  ^Qi^^ties. 
and  evei^  from  J^ds  bejond— H 

and  Elaiji^ti^-T-dweflejrs  m  w  vaQi  regi6^  TCgcJ^n^  ftpflfi  the  Cas- 
pian Sea  to  th^  PeJ^ian  0ulf,,,on  thCjiiifirtlji  ana^v^th,  anaevfin^f- 
ther  to  the  eadtl    The  indiience  of  Judaism  extended  into  aU  \fk^as.  "' 
Among  the  Jewish  ideas  diffused  far  and  heai- by  this  lini^Jfersal 

agency^  none  would/^nd  so  ^^y.And  .wide  a,  fjwcwlatipi^/^jliift* 
\mch/at)«ye  lol  othefs,,,^^^^^  and  neaili  at  4j&:y  J,o;w  ip 

that  age--4^e  expected  appe^ranc^  of  a  grea^,  prinpcL  of  whom  they 
spokd  asihe  Ues^iah  or,  'Vi^^oin^^dJ"^  'N?)  jndi^ajto  p^popiihit  jPeel- 
ing  can^  tje  more  s^  than  twat  Supplied  by  the  hteirf^tiir^  Of,  a  iMjric^d ; 
and  Jewi^li  literat^0,  from  the  date  of  .P^niet  jto  jthe  tgk  pi.  phris^. . 
was  more,  and  mdiie  completely  Messianic.  ,The  Soq)|:^  C)f  ;4lnoch,  t^ 
Jewish  ;SibyIUne,.;booK3^  tl^  Psajiter  of  Sol^nion,  the  AsQ'e;h$l<yn  of , 
Moses,  ilie  i^ension  «f  Xsalah,,the,  jPourtJf  Bo^^  o^  Ei^dras,^^^^,^*]^-! 


gums  of  OhMos  land  Jonal^^n,  aii^  Pther  ,w^iti^  of,  )ii|i^er  .^^^ai^fi^, 
strove  to  sustain  ahd  rou^e  tlie  nation,  in  ili9ge,^arlid,ay^i,,py  n^ 
phettc  antlcipatipnsipf  >]tf?s^^nie  deiiver^neev  JBi^n^g,  l^qpe  ^p^^^^ 
througij^.  thpfla,  like,  fire'  thifougl^  clpud^,  revealinff'  t^e  .feVefi)^|f  eon- 
cen^mtfqnoljhearti^n^ 

Ilie  resttes^xieas, of  * Jiide,^,  was  ojily- ^nptlwr  ,&ymptom,'p|' l^is'^ 
ver^,  tension  of  thp  popular  n^i^id.    patriotio  hatred  of  iorelgji'  ru|o,  <- 
and  religions  'z0a^  against  the  intrp^iiction  of  he^Jjl^n  jjianner^,,  kept 
the , cbuntryjn  a^,contifiu^l;fe|^meht  , Iws  washej^teihed  at  e\^esy 
festival  t^yasauranceja of  tljie  Kiitibis,  pr^stf,  and  fa#ticaj  '*»r<iph- 
et^,    that  4^Mvah  would  not  much  ledger' enduM,t|^,m^ 
the  heathepi'  into  His  own  Jjand.    Tjiis  temper  of  tiies'p^      fprcfid 
Herod  to  erect  ^ve  Itimes  as  many  lortresses  In  Jud6a  as  were  re- 
quired^ in.  GaUlee;  and  y^t,  In  spite  pf  t^em,,,th^,,rpbbeir^  and  handits 
of  the  Jiidean  hUls  nev^r  ,C(?ased  ifcp  inake  war,  against  the  eixistiuff 
gpvernmei^t,  in  the  nam^  of  Jehovah.    Blind  supersfWn  reigneo. 
The  bigoted  masses  we|i,-e  coptinimllY.  deceived  by  pretended,  M      . 
siahs, '  who  led  tl^em,  at  ope  t%e,  to ,  the  Mouh^  iof  Ofl^^,  ^6  see  the 
walls  pf  t^ii?*/  now  heathen  Jenjpj^lem  f^^^^  down  at  ujje/word  of  tlio 
prophet;  at  anotjier,  to  ^e  Jordan,  to, pass  through, 4^*7 -shod,;  likp  • 
their  fatheirsiftt  a  third;,  as  if.  nothing  could  warn  them,  .into  the 
•wilderueps,  tq  ws^t  forihesigns  of  the.^A  of  Jf  an  predicted  by 
Baniel.    "what  mpst  have  bpeiij  tl\e  cpntagipus  effcc^  pf  svicli  a  wp 
of  things  on  the  multitudes  Of  Seyip  ahd  pr9^1yt?8  ^om ,  eyery  coun; 
try,  who  yearly  vi^ted  Jerus^i^eni?    Jfoseplxi^^ptffltapa.withson?^ 
exaggeration,  tells  us  that,  at  many  if^ts,  fliejie  wera,  not  ^pap  thaii 
three  pEmiidnspf,  pilgrims.    How  mji^t  they  .hcive  spread  o^,  this 
whole  fearth  the  expec'tatioh  of  a  gif^at  Jewish  king'  Wh6  wlW  *td 


ill 
1 


I 


lOp: 


TWir^Ua!^  0F  ^WilSf ^ 


coiinjfieciln  trorW  h  l(WJWs  ll>ft  MfSsj^^ir  was^  to  iMjp<^mp|{^lv    It 
wonder  th&fJoeepbvs,  Taoitus,  asid  »i)e|»;>i;iiu8  sbi^la  rebpm  tn^  »C%, 
thous^  «ie  Jfl^iflb  bistojian  ift  iwn.  fla^^,i^ 
thertura  of  affairs,  aimliaj  It  to  Yf^»8iaDi.,(!  /rt   >,,;rr".  .^.c  ...J; ; 

It  is,  tlionsfovei  only  w)iat  nuglit  ha^^  peen  e^ctedr,  wheti  St., 
Matdiewl^lls  ti«  that  str^ngisTs,  fro^  w  $98t  came;,  soicm.  altei"  His, 
bjrtli,  to  virit  tbe^infaift  Jesu^,  4^y  real,  or  ^toic^e^  pcc^jB^'on,  wlli^ili^ ' 
might  lead  to  the  belief  that  th^  pri^(»,  jSp^^ivi^rsAll^ldo^ed  fo^^ 
h^  actually  Appeared,  was  w^l-ui^  (^rtain  to  ip»BU/fol(]|i  A^cl^.^ 
inpident.- ■.•-::;:■>.,..■.,,..,  •.,,,/  ',,"''.,      ■'■"'"■"■■'  ^.■> 

ITh^  tiinple  noticei  giy^  us  throws  ipo  further,  %1tt!pn  Ui^s<^  earlt^sr 
pilgdirit  from  the  great  (jleirtile;wrprJdi  thau.i|j  ^praed  by  thfeMe 
Hl^,  and  t^e  intimatioii  tbat.Ui^,  wei^  led  to  unjderta^  vi\0i.  joti^-' 
n^fo  Bet^h^Q  >y,  some  myste^ioiifi  appearances  in  Uie^e^^^ens^ . '  ■  _ 

The  wiorsliip.ol  the  hieftyeajy  boi^ieis  Sad  t»een  ^abtjsJfaE^  fot^ 
memorial  ages  in  the  East,  where  the  transpartot  atmosphere  i'eye^ls;; 
the  spMnd<inrs  i>f  thQ  upif er»^  both' by  oi^^t  i^d  day,..wi^.a.jglo]^ 
upimolnrB  ito  duller  regions,    fia  ^g^s  wAeja  cicience  was  yi^'t^nj^wn.  . 
and  motion  was. evejvwherc^  assui^ied  as  the  result  of  Injber^ijil;,  life,' jl 
was  almost  ilieyltalMe'  |o  regard^the  sun  iis  tbe  lord  oil  c^s,  s^&'im^ 
moon  and sta^sasraHng tbe  rml^    ]^rom  t^is. it  waS; diii|;  a  aiil^gle ' 
stepta  silperstltipnu  .  ''Magic, -as  Ifrdf^ss^r  ^asiisin  qbsert^s;  *^^l 
therpbysics of  t^e  children ol nature/'    tt  is,Uie0rst step^;w^ij^ 
indwdou;  and 'misleads,  only  by  as$ummg  Uiai  accidental,  piriiido-', 
Pfmdentj'Colncidence,  or  sucoee^op,  is/nec^ssfrily  c^ui^  ^d  elte!^^ 
lAka  ohQdren,  iaiif n> :iq;  umplQ 'ages,  jump  io ^^olu^pnsl  f^mik>-  i 
lated  obseryations,  nor  .isr  the  power  of  sfbw  ai^i'  careful  gebe)^i2iii|w 
tk|>n;tem  ^rwiderang^  of  facts,  ^titomc^,  titt  yej^r  much  lat<^,"    ^r 

^ho  ^pihen^^ia  -m^e  daaiy  «nd  £^j^bt)y  ^e^yei^s  thus'  l^ijt.  It^iy,. 


it 


eirijt,iiii.tfae  £iSt,^tQ  |i,  bdi^liii;  astrolojriri  thefpatien^  scieutific,  f^     ., 
beh%yetiwito^big  TiThich  w^ul4  ior^to^rjrdewto 
intoa^pnomy,  ^i 4u  *  Ifftey  ^ge,  it^raig^i^  aichemy;^ 
1^  jstars.' were  supposed,  theui  iij^tlicy  have  been  tiU  receut  t!m^^  ta 
eieercifil^  snl>i^eme  mfiuenc^^Qyjer  humaii  li^and;  tbe  cpurse  of  jikture, ' 
and  fr6m^lhif  belief  a  vast  system  of  jmai^niury  results  wastel^bpr^tejci;, 
The  spedal  power  ©I  each  s^r,  alone  or  h>  cowunption  w|th^  J^^ 
*oyer  health  and  ^?ickn05Si,  proepeipity  pif  trouMe,  Kfe  or  deaw,  tfip 
a#drs  of  natil^ns,  and  the  phenomena  of  i^ature,  was  $ui>pps!^\ip 
.have  been  discovered;  apd  this  ppwer^asb^jieyied  toafTectthe  f»;turo' 
as  well  as  ^  pres«it.    Piod^rus  Biculus,  who  lived  inj^e  gaiei*^t|pn 
before  Christ,  says  of  ti^^.a^rologers  of  the  East,V''Tl\<?y  think  t^ift' 
upl^Bt  tlndyis  tj^oitliie  Uye  star^calleid  p^nets,  which  tbey  baft 
inteiprtJtersi  •  TMs  'nyini^  ihey  gi^e  tl|e^;  liecause  other  stars  do  nbt 
Wfoiaerlike' tfe^i; '|«it';|iave  a  fixed  courste,rwr^ilf>;  the^'have  path$  ot 
t)rei^st>Wtt,  A^predicjE  tlungs;tip(  b?,  thus  inierpreti%  to  men  the  will 
of^tjw    ^or  they )say.tbat  they  portend^  some/ thinks 'b^J^^lf 
iMlig,T(>tipet8  l^,t|ieir  sfittiiii^  f^^^ 


TBK'I^BnC  OF  CB^SSf: 


im 


the  yi9Moei  V^'  6toM^  inolner  tMezeeM  6f  rdns  or  bfJitet,  the 
Kp^Ha^iit  6ainet8,  ediiises  of  tMsOA  or  moon,  ou^quakes,  Imd,. 
jnoeed,  every  chanse  in  the  skr/ either  forttmftte  or  the  Teverse»  not 
only  t0  itt^onA  an<fdi^trk^. bm  to'kii^gti  attid  Comtnon  people."  The 
position  6t  th^^tarii  ift  a  tOrnd'e  birtiti  ^ais'held  tty  determfaie  its  fature: 
fate'br, f oitiinn^;  Imd,  behce,  tocisst  Ji^viCi^,  ea^ly  becaine one  of  the 
most  lin]^D«^fi(t  MhotTons  (^  :    I 

i%l«  dcieme  %f:j'Tei^  ettri^  <^llw^  aiiybng^be  tnxm  inhabiting 
the  Me^opQtamian  plains.  Like  all  hi^htsr  knowledge  ih  simple  times, 
it  tras  in  tfie  hands  ic^  'a  l^H^gv  caste,  known  ad  Iragi,  s  w<^  vfhldti 
se^nid  of 'Af^an  derivation.  This  order  fionrished  among  thife  Ifodes, 
Babytbiiiaiis,  and  Bersiahs,  biit  it^is  cMeflji^ftanous  in  eonn^tion  witli 
Per^i  anci  serins  ai(  if  H  bad  ^sensimdi^  the  Amn  rAced^'andhad 


by  Kc^ehadne^zar  to  Jertic^slem— tM  llabmag,  or  head  of  the  Ma^^; 
and  jiTthefibblc  of  Diniel,  we  €nd  the  caste  divided  into  five  classes, 
as^b^ldt^roio^rs^s^d^drisath  interpreters  of  Babylon.  Thdr  origin, 
ho^e^er,:  id^ifled  tb$m  with  the  pnrer  faitib  of  Persia,  nsiidi  .more 
ttiinl^W*  ft;  corrupt  iddlatty*;  and  bence  th%  especially  flouristied 
iih'dbir' t^e  Per^Kui  rule.  In  *  later  titiied  thef'^cUiie  lost  its  early  ppr^ 
tige;^trdiii^er^Wth  6f  lower  magical  arts,  praottsed  as  theOrder 
degeiiera^.  to  that,  in  the  New  Testament,  it  is  applied;  exc^epdng 
int)i[e''e!Eide  of  tb^^o  caM^'to  viSU;thi3inf^t  Saviour,  only  to  tnrd 
'■'sJdf^t^rs^^Siniott  If a^iis^  =  >i'»•.-^>•.v-^.^'fb  !/^<;i: 

^Qoniftyr'tb^'^^r^titatlon^f  pur  Lord  In  the  Teinple,  astiiuivBf 
report nMd'itbrbtighJ^]^  Mctnbers of  tlie (^priestly oaSe 

onftfe^nad^^*  borne  Woin  ihe  East,  '^  inqttiriBg  wiiere  ^ley  cduid  find ; 
a  ne:vir-born  King  of  tbe  Jews»  whof^etaflf^  ifhey  sttii^'  thoy  had  seen  in 
the  Bfl^,  It  was^i«e!i^  keeping,  with  Jew^ish  belief  to  find  indica- 
tions Of  great  event^'li^  tbcr' .ap^^r^Mice^  ^of  '^^  heavens,  for  their 
Ancient^riptures  spokeof  «star  thiit  should  come  out  of  Jacob,  and 
they  bad  long  referred  the  prophecy  to  tbeureiLpeoted  Messiah.  It 
was,  indeed,  uhiversally  believed  that  ejttraordinary  event?,  especiidlyi 
the  birth  And  death  of  gr^t  men,. were  heralded  by  appearances  of 
stars,  and  istill,  more  of  coiptets,or  by  conjiinGtions  of  the  heavenly 
bodies.  Thii^  Suetonius  tells  us  that  at  the  death  of  Csesar  "a  bainr 
star  shone  contihu6UsIy  for  «^en  d^ys,  risiug  about  the  eteifenta 
hour, "  And  Josephus  •  relates  that  for  a  whole  year  before  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem  a  star,  in  die  ishape  df  a  sword^-^^ubtleis  a  comet-^hung 
over  the  doomea  dty.    A  hundred  and  thirty  ye^<8  after  OhHsfs 


WhMF^i^^'^^fl^ 


apa 


^J^{Vfi^jiJ|^  ipra3;  Wi^  |to ,  I^  Ili«  ili? 


ili^%6^'0'n0vjxy)  has  much.'  I^Iiose  wtp  urelibrayunder  the  suiai 
arc  b^ii|itif  1^  |md  iioblc-l^o^ni'.franJt.apf^  0|)e^;  >bQii,  born  ^tiider 


plan    ,  „ 

that  qnly  ii  Sp^  eoul4  o^prefliiTry 
;ycs  ^t^kJ* ;  Mw^y,  R^iDhii  ,gftV^  .^em* 

wortents'^t  the  Diith  pi  ^eat  ]:Qpn,  survj^v^d^  ud«o4  ^p  rfcont  umetB' 
Chaucer  aboimds  in  aUuslo^s  to  it. ,  H^eVattrimitea  ih<p  grcA^ralix  and 
iU^^e^ehce  pf  .1^  ap^  jai^  to  ap  e^trfkC^Hry  .OoniuQOtipn  p|. 
8al]arn[  kUh  pt|iex^p  the  jl^^zTpf  Iiiti^cui  Talfjie  |ti|yM«»-Y ' 


I  '  '  '  "  (^ 


.;■  V , 


Of  Batnpsoni  Turnusi,^aiidof  SooraoM 
Jeth." 


.ne    s'.' 


,j  mU;; 


.:     ■   .      r    T^4ett 

BtiM  later,  Shakeepere  tells  us— ^  ?    ,     - 

*' "Witea  beggars  die  there  atli  np  C6tnets  geen; 
The  faeaTeoB  th^nselves  bfiaze>  forth  tbd 'death  Of  priBtl'," 

akd  Bedford  at  Henky  V.'s  funeral  is  mad©  tp  soS-^  ' 

n  *'"  "€omets.  importing  Qhange  of  tinM  and  9tat@«i    , 

Bi-andish  your  ci^BtaJi  tressei}  iu  th6  gkir, 

,*,         And  with  tfh6fiasc<>ui-ge  the  bad  revomngltani  " 
■  •  ,  Thathav©  consented  tintoHeurjr'fi  dei|tb,'' •  .liMii  t" 

Tlfe^ecialphenpnieha  that  led  the  ifa^t^  wad^rtake  ^eir  J6uniey 


MH  ilFB  or  CHIrtflrfj 


lOS 


Ui^l  yiiltte 

19,  bvjb  Oft 

ier  the  iuni 
ovn  utkider 
moryMiid 

imi 

il,"  l^ut  the 

eontiime^. 
unction  dI 


ft-','in 


•  -      ■  ^    .        A. 


Jetrs  to  be  tbat  lu.^bich  aaWlm;jcopiu9otl<>n  bit1>p«Aectl)^l6ro  tb« 
biiih  of  ]IEpipes,  9na  In  wbich  iinoi^^r  Vi^l  to  Occur  befote  IdEie  birth  of 
thie|i;^ittb.  uioUld'hA^e  KnAS^  tbe  aXU>nisiQn'oi  BBJento  wbomUw 
m61l0n»of  m0J)llmei^wetere1r0]iB0o&sf]r^  beaten,  was  only  natiirali 
DotibtliBts  tbey  ba^'^^^'^^^^P^'^  Qoutitiy  a^ob  abeliet  ezpi)S8aed 
by  Jew6,  and  t^tsd-  to  ipQ  pi^opb^  of  Bau^km,  one  of  tbeb  own 
caste,  and  fibkh  their  pwp  p{%rts.  when,  |n.,adjiltibti  to  8U0hs|gn|fi* 
cant  fac^g,  ait  A  t3ihd  when  all  men  wt^re  looking  for  a  great.  Jewish 
prihcCi:  a  comei^appeared  soon  aft^r,  nothi&g  could  be  morel  in  keep^t 
mg  than  that  men,  to  whom  such  phenomena  were  the  yoiee  ofQocU 
BhotildsefoutJto  pay  ,h0n)^ge  to  the  new-born  King  who  waa  to  ml#  . 
the  Ymd.^:^V^'^^f^'\^r     .     -  .  ■   y,f 

Attbe  time  when. the  magi  anived-,  Herod,  now  an  old  man,  was 
sinking  into  the  last  stages  of  disease,  but  was  stilikas  jealous  and 
afraid  :0l  attempts  against  bis  throne  as  ever.    Its  steps  wa^  wet  wltl^ 
the  blood  of  his  ,best-Iovj3d  wife,  his  sons,  bis  .benefact<^,  and  of  tha 
flower  Of  the  natioi|,  ordered:  to  mak^e  it  secui^.    XiKp  our,  own- 
Willitoi  the  Conquer,' or,  Hejny'Vttl,,  or  like  Ale^atider  the  Greiat, 
or  l^ero,  j^rl1*ib(^a8|'l^is  character  had  ^own  dairker  in  his  later  yJeaES,r 
and4{>^V;,|n|u8  old  age,  he  ^t  alone  in  hls*new  palace,  ami^stsplenr 
ddtir  t»;ar6hrte0tuTe:gt«ate;rii  possible  than  tbftt  of  the  Temple^  Wcly, 
hated  aiibd  hating,  his^  subjeds  watting  impatieutly,  in  veUed  rebe^&in, 
for  his  death,    in  his  own  court,  shortly  before,  a  plot  had  beeii  dfs- 
coveWd  vrhi^h  had  filled  all  Jerasalem  with  coihinotiOii,    The  Pharl-. 
sees,  to  the  number  of  6^000,  had  refused  to  take  theoatkof  allegianice, 
and  ttieiilleaders,iwhoifa  the  people  believed  gifted  with, the  power  of. 
pfojihecy,  bad  gone  the  Jength  of  asserting  tn»t  Ck>d  baddetermineiii 
that  H^od  and  his  faimiiy  i^butd  be  s^^dily  driven  from  the  throher> 
to  niftke  t*%j?  f or  the  Me^gfe       Tp  secure. tb«  fujiibneiit  of  tbi»,pre«' 
diction,  the  influence  of  their  firm  ^pijorter,  the  wife  of  Pheroras, liis 
brother,  was  used,  to  canry  the  plot  iniikifitl^ItalaGejam^ 
df  the  court.    B^^bas^  the  euniich^  t^  .^Ost  e^ly  approached,  from 
his  connection  with  the  hareip,  Was  p^;^i^  their  tocij,  and,  with  him,  a 
youth  named  Cams,  the  lofveliest. person  of  his  day,  but  loathsomely 
immoral.    Bagoas  was  won  over  to  believe  that  he  would  be  the  father 
of  the  coming  Messiah,  but  Herod  found  out  the  wbolewand  the  cdn*3 
spiracy  Was  quenched,, iu  blood.  .Mo  wonder  that,  as<  St  Matthew ' 
tells  us,  '*he,v^'as  tTQUbled,  and  aU  Jerusalem  with  him,"  when  the 
news  spread  of  strangers  having  come  on  such  an  errand  as  tbait  o|{ 
tlie  Magi.     To  Pleroa  their  arrival  was  a  fresh  causQ  pf  jealous  terror: 
to  Jerusalem  a  possible  ground  of  hope. 

Herod  had  often  before  shown  the  craft  bred  by  habitual  suspicion, 
and  was  too  clever  to  take  any  rash  steps  now.    Summoning  the  headtl 
of  the  priesthood  and  the  "scribes"  to  his  pajace,  be  di^iumded  oli; 
them  #^here  Christ  siipul4  be  born.     ;  -  i 

Je^dslrtlreblb^Md  alre%yj^^^^ 
Tv-j^  td  1;>(f  of  ihe^t^ck  6f  jmaJ^^wH^h  bad  irqm  the  tot  challeng^ri 


the  ieijy^p  of  ^  iii|^  ima  hlfcdjti^  ilhee  ^^    ,„_ 

taptivlty  In  aSitHk   It  iSittS^  of  mvlS,  mlaceitot  iMlH^  W^ 
t6&^  of  t^i^  M^sstidi;  and  the  #or<l8  ot  Ji6ob^thftrthe  '*Bcet>Pr 


Messiah  fe  bdrfar'    '  What  IS  hls^Mrt^"^  ^'liiik/d  tt^i  jW.T'&^bah^ 
cries  **^'>-'>^«-'<m'<'^' "<'^<^»*«  '^i^'^'^  "^i^  i^^        ul"^^>HiJi.«'  ^^  ^ii.t 


m 


whei^tfiemessia^i;  , 
8ay«.t}i^  hook  SquaT 


^  .jssifah, 
r-tJqcht)fC 


2p dayg."    '4TJomtitf 
**  tlie  so^  of'  thes  star,**  ^^^  ii-tembje  ilmstrfttjon  of  this 

'to  bear  o|  Biagi  coming  frt)m  flic;  East— tue  country  <^f  !^t<Wih^  (lie 
reputed  fotmd^r  of  the  cast^;,  arinownolii g  t^e  appearance  of  ^h^  star 
ot  tiiB  Wessialv  ;wh|cfii  th^y  tftwselyes  ^xpfj^iecf^  ^ah,  mride,  tim 


1$^ 


the  black  art.    He  had  learned  tlie  f^atesi  bafhes  (iiftiiii!ea/0f *  apgel^ 


''m^W^9Vf»BWk^- 


m 


ITS  6%,  t&v 


t 


le': 


Ihe  e«p<5i?tM  birthplaibe  of  the  MesM^ti,  "Wtiidh  he 
re  k&bWQ^  ^<K(^c  beea  a  Jew  and  iibt  iti  tduineiati^ 


str^iVms;  the  jjemoVal  of  vmil^Mimao.  thlotisam^  (ither  thmnC  tlie 

v,abji)i.  wJto  m^^t  dlapl|)tes;%  blaSk  aft,  ai;i(t  thju  tUe  Maif.  hM 
F^uGcessoijf^  kpio^v  his  |^rophecy  of  the  litfu'  Of  ,tlie;Mei^^|i/t]](;rd^^'tlb^ 
tmaif|oi|  ojt.l)|f  ^ 

wo,v3cl 

ifreteki 
Very;' 
iQugnts  were  id  urs  Heart,  a  aeisce^oant  oi  i^ma  w^ 
not  Jlil^ly  t^bo  ?p^'^^  ^y^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  miutletei)  llic  mt  of  ih6 
A^pne%3,,,  TiiP,  J»f>p8,  bif  1h^  world'\tfas  not  to  perfeh.  thiUj,  tow- 
evcr>f6rthe,Ma^  w'^^k  paid  th^h*  vtalt  to  Bcth^ieheM,  &nd  ttr^eofed 
gifts  to  Hiip/S^ftTJ?^  c|<>  wtien  they  copie  ^tpf^  jfi-itice^'br 
the.  jgrfs^t, ,  a  drei^n,  sent  p[6fn.  above*  W  '^l?W ,  w  retiirbi  to  mclt^-im 
caiiati^  withoUi  rcvisititig  J0^usale))i  \  ■  ,  '  '       , 

Balked  ik  tiis,  purfx)SQ^.$o  ^cur, J^erod  wa$>  no^  tlie  1/ii^'  to  b^^* sfC 
haIf-)»|MBM|r|b. ,  V  A  few  tiiuiider^ 'ioiof^,  were  nothing,  /tfie  ttio^ 
thoroi)ig!|x  pre^iiilions,rau^ .  l;>e  taki^i^ ,  .A  b«in<|  of  fjotolcis  wjka  Idier^ 
fOTc  sm^i.  Bdmehe)p  AVi^  MeJ!$  0  ;Wn  eyer^  miil^  (Jhiid  ni^r  th6 


suppdjM  fde^      the  ijifa^^  M  dreaded.    JOsepl^tis  i^  ^ileht  ab6ut  this 
8lftae|^,5ut,  tW^^  119,  f or  \</^t  ^  a  sib^le  d^ 

of^blpodVJn  a  ihoimidin  vni^e,'  aoiong  the  crimes  of  Herodt    iCor  ti 


it  flibnelJiPhe  oiwssidns  for  Ws  i^hofe  hfetoirybf  thd 

centuries Mt^nhe Roto «tmt0wip^^^  '■,    '  "^ 

Joseph  And  Jfra.Jiadt^ttmto  tbU  tmgtedy,  aid  lia4 

fled  to  tl£  mS^^  :sheft^r  01  ®1?l,  ^t  a  vrdttiiiJ  S^^  ^vfen. 

una0t  )EvBrQfl,:^\tliat  &^  cpntd' h^  fheni  iji  4°y  pa^'of  it, 

but  in  Esfypt  ^litj  tUgitiyesi  wetef  #fl^.  "tt  yv^$^  ihiih^dter-  idmo^t 
another.  ,Jt^^a;*tor  the  f a^O^r  i^^iwn  id  yieiif  rWe  b^y^  the  FtoIt5riiii€i8 
lij^d  inanced  as  iminyas  a  niilllbii  of  Je^'s*tb  settle  ^'tlf^e  Me  valley; 
and  of  the%e  qnarters  pf  Al^xan^a,  with  30^,000  fre^  Htfiien^, 
Jews  opc^pied  mpre  thaii'tvlrdj'  tbe^  had'^rid  a  temblb  Of  th^ii- oWn 
at  LeoiitojpolisJ  in  the  I^eita^  for  abOui  160  vc^ts,  thbiigh  thifejr  pi^' 
ferred  to  gp  up  to  that  at  Jcnisalem|  the  week  transliitlocl  of  the 
Bil)le,wbiA  haft  already  Wvi^ely  taken  the  place  pf 'the  Hebrew 
origii^j^,  ha^  beeD  n^^'de  in  iJgjr'bt,  and  th^  I^gyptiia^'ltabbis,  by  ttieir 
e^ort^ip  t'orii  jfvdaisni  into  a  philo^^hic  syst^na  whlidh  shomd  win 
it  thejaybm*  pf  the,  cnltiytiti^d  itomans  and  JGf^efks/hh^' founded  a 
new  scl^i  of  Jewish  iheoibgy,  which  was.  hereaf ter^  to  influence 
evenidhMafiitfJ;';'n^f  ^:^''^'^:^;^    '-^^^^^  '''''' '  "'       '    --^'^'  '■ 


m 


Tmr'iiirflr'iijr  iMinSf 


yew  7Q0-rr^bat  Im  witbia  a  few  month's  alter  the  birtli  of  CbthA. 
But  th<s^  fleemto  be  come  retuons  for  b^eying  that  lie  Uvikl  till  T58. 
;)t,  Jbeepblia.Qiiy*  that  he  died  shortly  before  the  Paasoyet',  and  that  an 
Mlipne.of  th0  moon  happened  not  lonff  before.  In  the  year  790  rach 
an  eoIipiB  biifppenedo^  th6  13th  of  March:  but  if  ho  died  at  the  end 
of  tlu^t  mon^»  dr  in  ApifU,  the^  must  iiave  beien  a  crowding  of 
eVentf  Into  ^  tftort  interval,  beyond  what  seems  poeirible.  ^ 

It  appeoris,  however,  that  there  was  an  eclipse  of  thb mdolr  bhtlio 
night  olJiM?^\wy^  the  IOUjl,  in  the  vear  758,  and'  it  is  urgdl  thit  this 
suita  the fticts,muph better,  hy  giiing three  months insteiui of  onefor 
the  jUicidents  mentiqned  by  Josephns,  even  if  Christ  Were  bom  thi^ee 
years  later,  and  by  leaving  ample  time  for  those,  related  by  Matthew 
and  Luke.)  A  paitoage  has  been  found  in  a  Calendar  of  the'  Feasts,  in 
the  Talmud  which,  seems  to  support  this  later  date.  "The  Ist  Shebot 
(orSktth  of  jRBUdry).is  a  day  or  double  good  fbrtimo  ns^  the  da^erf 
the  death  of  Hci-od  and  of  Januiii,  t'oa*  it  la  joy  befoi^Ood  when  the 
wicked  are  taken  f Horn  this  world."  If  tbis  be  right,  the  eclipse 
happened  on  the  10th  of  January,  Herod's  death  on  the  24lJh,  and 
there  was  ample  time  before  April  lor  the  buriild  ahd  oil  thatibltowted. 
'\nrhic}i  must  have  required  weeks.  .  *  1      '  i  ?  '  t  f  !   < !  r \ 

I^  then^  Heirod  had  yet  nearly  three  years  to  live  after  the  birth  of 
Qhrisjt,  Joseph'  and  Mary  miist  have  stayed  in  Egypt  thati Idngthocf 
ti^.,,,Kor  would  it  be  difficult  for  Joseph  toflna 'sQp|)ort,BS'tli6 
dlJSerent;  classes  of  Jewish  workmen  in  ICgypt  vretc  nssocbted  In 
guildSr  which  jtnaintained  those  out  of  employment,  much  ailradod' 
unions  do,  nov/.  The  goldsmiths;  the  siLversmi'tlis;  the  naH-makers 
A^d  needle-ipakers,  .the  copi^crsthiths,  and  the' weav^,  are  speclklly 
mentioned  as  being  banaod  togetU^t  in  duch  assobidtions,  which 
supportediany.  stranger  of  their  respective  crafts  -till  ho  found  Work; 
Th^  workers ; in  wood,  in  an  probability,  had  suoh  auidoiias  well; 
and  Josei^,  moreover,  though  called  a  carpenter  in  the  Gospels,  may 
It^ve.  been  more,  for  the  worn  does  not  neeessatily  mean  a  workef  \\\ 
wood  only,  but  a  waggou.smith  and  other  occupations  as  well  In 
Ita, Hebrew  sense,  it  tnay  mean,  indeed,  any  kind  of  tradb  which  uses 
cutting  instruments^  and  isutdcd  indifferently  of  workers  in  metal, 
wood,  orstona  ' 

4«,«^ypti  though  thus  filled  with  a  Jewish  ijobulation,  was,  however, 
no  land  for  Joseph  and  Haty,  nor,  above  all,  fot  tlic  infant  Jesus. 
Heither  the  Greek  inhabitants  of  the  towns  and  cities,  nor  i  the 
Egyptian  peasantry,  were  very  friendly  to  the  strangers  who,  in 
liun^reda  of  thousands, .  intruaed  into  the  Nile  valli^.  The  old 
hatred  between  the  land  of  Mizraim  and  the  sohs  6;f  Israel  seemed 
sUll,  insome  measure,  to  survive  on  both  ^des.  The'JeWs  hated  thb 
Egyptian  pnestbood,  with  its  worChless  secrets  and  Its  ridicutous 
symbols,  and  prided  tbemsolvee,  as  the*  prophets  had  done  of  old,  ou 
theiis .purer ftutli.  They  s»>y,  in  J^gypt^  the  ingamatibnof  thft most 
^gpnrupt  heatitehisnv    'l'hextijaiiniui(l,  *^/^bqA  shjOt  iBcoke  noiQieenoss 


THE  LIFfT  OP  CHRiarr. 


m 


ot0k^9n  im^ftc,**'vr9B  nowhere  mockM  to  mich  mi  i^fxte^t'ks  on  the 
te&Kli'd!  the  Nile.  Even  Philo  iomlum  the  remark  that  the  Egyi^lan 
lelMon  in  tM  moet  groveUinff  of  all  forms  of  idolatry,  B[n(st  it  did 
not  look  to  the  heavens  for  objects  of  worship,  hut  to  the  earth;  and 
the  slime  off'ilhe  Kile,  with  its  cr^tures.  Josephn^derides  the  system 
which ,Wor^lf)ped  crocodiles  and  apes,  ripei's  and  catt^;  atid  eten  the 
BoinMiiiiyenal  scoffed  at  h  race  Who  f^rerw  their  divinities  in  their 
kMrnVwdett.  The  Apostle  Paul  evidently  had  Egyptian  heathen- 
ism iA  niii  itoind  whon  he  speaks  of  idolatry  as  nmnmg  to  the  foul 
license  of  cfannglnff  the  imace  of  the  invisible  Q6A  into  the  Hkenesq 
of  mea;  of  birds,  of  foin'-frtoted  liea^ts,  and  creeping  things;  On  thie 
other  hand,  the  Jews  sulfct^d  from  the  traditional  'hatred  of  their 
race  by  the  'Eg}'p(i»ns,  in  the  ^petition  of  sc;andals  and  shatnefuV 
cftluinnies  agtlinAt  tli^m;  >^hich'  had  survived  since  the  Exodu.  It 
was* said  that  thQ  children  of  Israel,  whom  Moses  led  out  of  Egypt, 
were  Ibpers,  whom '  Pharaoh  had  banislied  from  the-  country;  and 
Gr^ekei  iiDd  itotivee,  datchh)g  at  th^  hitter  shmder,  strove '  ivhi(^ 
should" turn,  it,  and  others  easily  contemptuous,  with  most  effect, 
against  their' Jewish  fdlow-citizend,  whom  all  Equally  disliked.*  The 
very  fact  that  the  Romans  had  granted  special  favouts  to  the  JdWs, 
ana.  thai  they  were  rivals  in  trade,  was,*  iftdeed,  itself'  sufficient  to 
Bccduixt  for!  suph  an  attitude  of  acrid'  raillery  and'  'deprechitlein; 
Tilings  had  at  last  dome  to  open  rupture',  and  tlie  Jewish  coihmunity 
01  Afoxanaria  looked'forward  only  to  ultimate  expulsloh  and  nUn; 
It  isilawohdcr,  tdierefoie,  that  Joseph  aild  <Maiy  sought  to  return'HA 
soon  as  ¥'*''**^^  ^  t^®^*"  own  country. 

TWie  Apocryplial  Gtospels  are  full  of  extraordinary  miracles  wroilghlt: 
by  the  infant  Jesus  while  in  Egypt;  tod  of  legends  resp^ingllim 
ofid  Mary,  'but  ribne  of  them  are  worth  reprodwcing. '  Mbiiphifir  is 
commonly  given  to*  the  place  where  Jd^i^  settled,  and  Mis  stay  % 
variously  stated  as  having  lasted  three  years;  two,  or  only  one^  ' 

The  star  and  the  Magi  have  natur«rtlygiVen  f\m  t(J  many  Wends. 
The  bouhtry,  the  number,  ahd  the  names  of  the'  illustrious  visitors 
are  as  etft^i'efy  passed  over  by  the  Apocrypha  acr  by  the  Gospels,  'but 
Ihtet  tradition  abundantly  atones  for  the  omission'.'  TheJ'  were  said 
to  be  the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba,  in  Arabia,  come  to  offer  gifts  to 
His  lij^ht  and  to  the  brightness  of  Hi^  rising,  biit  Persia,  Chaldea, 
Ethiopia,  and  India,  have  each' had 'th^ir  advocates;  It  is  equally 
undetermined  in  the  legends,  Whethet*' they  were  Jews  of  Keatheflj 
thougii  most  of  the  fathers  fiivour  the  idea  that  they  "were  the  latter; 
and  the* Arabic  Gosplel  of  the  Infanby represents  them  as  worshipping 
fire,  and  a^  referring  to  a  prophecy  of  Zoroaster  respecting  the 
Messiah.  Their  three  gifts  led  to  the  fancy  that  they  themselves 
were  only  three  in  num'ber,  ^f^lcli  wasi  supposed  to  correspond  to 
the  threfedi'dta<M8  of  the  earth  as  then  known,  Ecirbpe,  Asia,  tfttd^ 
A^ca.  Sometimes,,  however,  they  are  spoken  of  '  «6  (twelve,  Uy 
ooampimii  rwidi  lihe^  Aperies,  and  >4hei^•'IlanieB-glivI^',  i'ivtth^^ttiMr 


10» 


TKB  LIFE  OF  eipiST.- 


special  gifl  which  each  prescntxicl,    Til^eiir  ,^ing4pm^  alsq  AT^.^xfi^i^^^ 
tioned,  and  their  verj  ages,  which  Arie  mad(B  to  jrepresei^t  j^outh.  imai],-, 
hood,  and  grey  hairs.    Bede,  indieed,  is  able  to  tell  us  that,  Helchio^ 
was  an  old  man,  with  long  while  hair,  and  a  sweeping  bea^d^Ltiia 
that  he  gave  the  gold  as  to  a  king;  that  Caspar  was,  a fDeai;<|lesj^  ^'^''^^^a 
with  a  ruddy  face,  and  tliat  he  presented  the  |^ran]uncen^e,Jt§  ^^ti 
worthy  the  God;  while  Balthasar  was  a  swartl]^,strong-o«fira^ 
and  gave  the  myrrh  for  the  burial.    In  the  cathedral  ,a^Col6g;j;ie, 
visitors  may  vet  see  the  supposed  sliuUs  oj^  the  thr^e,  iiet  !n|  jieweld^, 
and  exhibited  in  a  great  gilded  shrine.,   They  are, said;  tg^  hayebjB^ii' 
discovered  by  Bishop  lleinald  of  Cologne  in  the  twelftb  century,  |,^,, 

Imagination  has  been  equally  busy  with  the  star.  The  ^Arable, 
Gospefof  the  Infancy  says  it  was  an  angel  in  the  form  of  a  star,  and 
several  of  the  Fathers  were  of  the  same  opinion.  Origen  believed  it 
to  have  been  a  comet.  Onjs  tradition  is  beautiful.  In  the  farthest 
East,  it  says,  lived  a  people  who  had  a  book  which  bore  the  name  of 
Setb,  and  in  this  was  written  the  appearance  of  the^taf  ol,$]^ 
Messiah,  and  the  offering  of  gifts  to  Him.  I^hisr  boo^  was  himded 
down  from  father  to  son,  generation  after  gei;ierai49h.  Tj^ply^  m(5n^ 
were  chosen  who  should  watch  for  the  star,  apd  when  ohe  ofcdr 
another  was  chosen  in  his 'place.  These  men,  m  tbe  speec^  of  t]^,e 
land,  were  called. Magi.  They  went,  each  year,  aftier  thejWheaVliarr 
vest,  to  the  top  of  a  mountain,  which  ,was  called  the  J^^t^nt&iii  of ', 
Victory.  It  had  a  cave  in  It,  and  wa^  |)Iea^nt  %  its  imings  and 
trees*  At  last  the  star  appeared,  and  iu  it  the  form  of  ^  UtU<^.cl^i^,; 
and  oyer  him  the  sign  of  the  cross;  a^d  t^e  star  itself  spoHe  to  ih^^,^ 
aD<}tol(i<them  to  go  to  Judea.  For  two  years,  which^^  was  the  t%e  <j>f 
their  journey,  the  star  moved  before  them^  and  tliey  wanteu  nejithei* 
fdod  nor  drink.  Gregory  of  Tours  adds  that  the  stjar^anj^^^tl^, 
into  a  spring  at  Bethlehem,  where  he/himaelf  1^4^,^^  ^,^^j^^^hm^ 
it  still  may  bo  seen,  but  only  by  pure  maidens.; f},,;  *    v  l  r-a  c-  r^  iv  - '' 

The  Gospel  of  Matthew,  which  was  written  |or;^e  Jewish  C,hri^*J- 
tians  of  Palestioe,  has  for  its  primary  aipi  the  p^ooj^  that  Jei^iis  waB 
the  promised  Messiah,  and  as  nothing  would  weigh  so  mudtii  ii^  me 
minds  of  men  trained  in  Jewish  ideas,  a9  evidences Iro^/ihetrib^ 
Scriptures,  it  abounds  with  quotations  from ,  them  to  >how  tow 
popliecy  was  fulfiyed  in  our  Saviour.  There  are  jftve  such  quotations 
in  the  first  two  chapters,  some  of  which  would  not  perhaps  have  Struck 
us,  of  themselves,  as  primarily  hearing  on  thcMi^ssiah.  jLn  iyhrist's 
day,  a  system  of  allegorizing  was  in  vogue  with  the  Kabbis  of  thd 
various  Jewish  schools,  as  it  afterwards  came  to  be  in  the  ChristiaD 
CTiurch,  and  this,  though  familiar  to  those  for  whom  the  Gospel  was 
first  written,  is  not  so  much  so  to  us.  How  fai*,  in  some  cases,  it  i^ 
intended  to  be  understood  that  the  passages  quoted,  originally  re- 
ferred to  the  events  to  which  they,  are  ;applied,  has  beea^a  suMigct  of 
much  eontrovf  rqy^  for  the  sf  cued  writei-s  ihemselyes  evidently  lti|;ep(i 
th^  to  b«^UBdii«toQd»  in.ioine.  iUfttanq^^,  ^  a  d^vi^e  ial^^i^i^  ^i. 


The  ex 

Jesus  *C|I^ 

inheaveh 

sin,  i^:atn: 

muchdiffl 

human  inl 

ThejEtett) 

see  Hi«ii 

In  testis  ( 

tiohs'tvhi( 

explain,  n 

frail  asut 

child  on'  ta 

giveh  tnoti 

plied,  iniL 

presence  $; 

as  united 

Christ  Jejsi 

His  divine 

and  ther^  i 

but  the  m 

human  sidi 

It  seems 

"we  have  re 

reverence  t 

mystery  of 

beyond  the 

earthly  life 

Having' 


Tifite^'fjffi  dip'  efflRisT-- 


im 


Erdbhi^j^/1)tit;1i!(  -bthef§,  only  iw  an^  illustra^on  andpafttlldli  'P^m 
aps  t^  Mle  laid  doMrn  l^y  Thdiuck  is  as  nearly  right  to  any/ 
♦*  Where  ^araHeh  are'  adduced  in  thie  New  Testament,'*  says  ikl 
"from  thfe  Old,  Whether  it  be  itt  t^rords  of  tli6  trophets,  or  in  instftu- 
tioD3  or  events,  it  is  to  be  taken  for  gi^tea,  in  general,  %it  tfale 
inler^tion  was  w6  Should  rfe^at'd  them  as  divinely  desigiied;  ,  On  the 
contrary,  jhere  art  other  cases,  as  for  eicaihpde,  Matthew  IL  17i 
where  the  |)hrase' that  it  niight  be  fulfilled'  is  not  used,  but  onty 
'  thfeh.*;-  In;  these  the  siAcred  writer*  is  to  be  Regarded  as  following  the 
custobi  of  hi^  day,  by  Expressing  his  own  thoughts  in  theivordsof 


;;a€iOTAPTER  XIL^^w^^^irE^jj'- 


The.  exc^din^difficiilty  of  telling  the  story  of  a  life  li&e  that  of 
Jeaus^TfSt,  araan  ftiidyet  divine,  one  having  all  power  given  Hittt 
in  heaVeri  and  in  earthy  and  yet  like  other  men  in  all  r^sp^cts  except 
sin,  11^'.  at  Phce  ^^deht,  on  the  least  reflection.  Indeed,  it  is  not  m 
much  difficult  as  imposlaible,  to  ttell  it  as' duch' Conditions  demand,  for 
hiiriiim  iht^ect  bdiji  only  comprehend  the  created,' not  the  Greatoirt 
ThejEtert^aflf'stiflaw'elfera  thick  darkness;  no  eye  hath  seen  or  caff 
see  B\iti\  iftis  V^ry  attributes  utterly  transcend  our  com];>rehension. 
In  J'e^tis  Christy'  as  at  ohe*  God  and  Man;  we  hBVe  opposite  concept  - 
tions*  wWch'  we  m&y  humbly'  ii^ceive,  but  can  neither  Jiannonize, 
expliiiii,  nor  afleqtuAB^ly  i^xpt-ess.  Man,  aB  such,  is  not  almighty,  but 
frail  aanfio^f^ei:;  not' ou^niscient;  but,  even  at  his  highest  vrisdom}  i^ 
cMld  on' th6  shore  of  the  Ihfliiite;  not  omdipresenti  but  fixed  at  ahy 
giveti  tnoiiient  to  one  minute  sfpot.  We  cannot  conceive  what  is  im- 
plied, in  c  nature  of  which  almighty  power,  omniscience,  and  <nnni- 
preseucei0^eattriiiute«;lar  less  present  them,  adequately ^  in  words, 
as  uiilted  with  human  weakness  and  local  Iimiti9,tion.  '  Tlie  Maa 
Christ  Jejsu'stiiay  be  realized.  HiS;  acts  and  words  maybe  related; 
ttis  divine  powers  thay  be  illustrated  bjr  their  recorded  exhibitions, 
and  ther<^  inay  be  the  most  sincere  admission  of  His  highest  claims; 
but  the  narrative  must  still  inevitably,  as  a  whoje,  be  that  of  the 
iiumari  side  of  His  nature  only.  ■ .  :v 

It  seems  necessary  to  remind  tho  reader  of  this  at  the  point  which 
•we  have  reached,  to  prevent  misconceptions.  We  yield  to  none  iu 
reverence  t6  Jesus.  Christ  as  "Ood  manifest  in  the  flesh;"  but  the 
mystery  of  a  nature  which  could  be  thus  described  must  ever  remain 
beyona  the  power  of  adequate  presentation  in  any  narrative  pf  Qif 
earthly: life:      ;''^'-i'- >^^\  f:.>- •••'    ■  .».c,:>aJ;i^ 

HaViiig  heai'd  of  Herod's  death,  Joseph  determined  to  return  ta 
Palestine,  with  the  intentioA  of  settling  permanently  at  Bethleheziii. 
Oh  reliHi^'^fudcjn  howei^r,  aftd  fijidiag  >jtteeh»laus  had  be^  i^h 


1 


THi^  'UFE  OF  €HM«t. 


in 
III 


ppittted  ethiiiu*c|i,  .  the ,  dread  of  one  :wlio,  of  t^Il  the-  fmn^ly^  -  vrt^ 
Mlieved  to  be  the  inofit  like  the  hated  tyrant,  his  father  Herod,— r^he 
tuibults  and  massacres  in  Jerusalem  at  h|s  accession,  and  the  chronic 
disfturbanee  of  the  country,  induced  liim  to  choose  his  former  place 
of  residence,  in  Galijec,  instead. 

,.In  Nazareth,  he  was  still  under  t^he  rule  of  another  of  Herpd'^ 
isons,  H^rod  Antipas — q.  man  of  no  higher  principle  than  his  brother, 
as  his  shameless  life  abundantly  proved,  but  less  likely  to  he  gqade4 
into  violent  acts  towards  his  people,  from  receiving  Itsp;  Irrjtatiqn  at 
their  hands,  th^n  Archelaus  had  to  bear,  at  those  of  , the  fiercely  or- 
thodox population  of  Judea.  With  the  exception  of  the  dead  Anti- 
pater,  moreover,  Archelaus  was  the  most  tyrannioal  and  self-willed  of 
the  sons  of  Herod,  and  he  was  not  at  all  unlikely  to  follow  up  the 
suspicious  cruelty  of  his  fatfier,  which  had  kd  to  the  Bethlehem  mas- 
sacre, should  any  hint  betray  the  return  of  the  supposed  rival  to  his 
dominions.  Herod  Antipas,  on'  (he  other  hand;  wafe  far  less  likely  to 
trouble  himself  about  any  claimant  of  the  throne  of  Ji^dea,  a  prov- 
ince unconnected  with  hii^  government.  Thus, ,  Ka^tetJ^i  "bec^e, 
oncenqiore,  a  year  or  two  before  the  commencement  of  pur  prckent 
eUft,  the  habitatiop  of  tlie  infa^t  Jesus.  Here  He  wias,  to  speiia  j^ll 
H;b  future  life,  except  part  of  its  last  few  years.  .  ,  , 

Kazareth  lies  among  the  hills^  which  extend  for  ahdut  die  ihilei^  be- 
t|Ween  the  plains  of  El  Battauf  on  the  north,  and.  Esdraelqn  b^  the 
sout^.  It  is  on  the  north  side  of  the  latter,  and  overlooks  one  of  tjie 
liumerciis  little  folds  or  bays  of  the  great  plain,  which  are  seen 
wherevtr  liie  hills  open.  The  village  lies  on  the  portherii'side  pf  this 
green  bay,  and  is  reached  by  a  narrow,  steep,  and  rough,  mountain 
path»  over  which  the  villager^  h«iye  to  bring  Jfbeir  harveks  JaJ^or- 
lously  from  the  pdain  beneath,  on  camels,  mules,  and  donkeys.  If,  tire 
traveller  ride  up  this  path  in  March,  when  Palestine  is  at  its  best,  he 
will  be  charmeq  by  the  bright  green  of  the  plains  and  the  beauty  of 
the  flowers,  everywhere  lighting  up  the  otherwise  barren  hills,  which, 
at  best,  yield  scanty  pasture  for  sheep  and  goats.  The  red  ^.nienibno 
and  the  pink  phlox  are  the  commonest;  rock  roses,  white  and  yellow, 
are  plentiful,  with  a  few  pink  ones,  the  cytisus  here  and  there  cov- 
ers the  ground  with  golden  flowers,  and  the  pink  convolvulus, 
marigold,  wild  geranium,  and  red  tulip,  are  varied  by  seyeral  kinds 
of  orchis- -the asphodel,  the  wild  garlic,  mignonette,  salvja,  pimper- 
nel; and  white  or  pink  oj^clamen.  As  the  path  ascends,  the  little  fer- 
tile valley  beneath,  running  east  and  west,  gradually  opens  to  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  breadth,  covered  with  fields  and  gardens, 
divided  by  cactus  hedges,  and  running  into  the  hills  for  about  a 
mile.  Near  the  village,  beside  the  pathway,  about  an  hour  from  Es- 
draelon,  is  a  spring,  from  which  the  water  pours  from  several  taps 
i?i  a  slab  cf  masonry,  falling  into  ^  ^trough  below,  for  camels,  horses, 
oases,  and  cattle. 

JXhfi  4i8tftUt  yi«w  ol  th«  village  itself,  in  spring,  is  beautiful.    Its 


THEr  LIFE  OF  OHRIST. 


^1 


streets  rise,  In  terraces,  on  the  hill-slopes,  towards  the  north-west'. 
The  hills,  here  and  there  broken  into  perpendicular  faces,  rise  aboTO 
it,  in  ftri  amphitlieiatre  round,  to  a  height  of  about  five  hundred  feet; 
and  shut  it  in  from  the  bleak  winds  of  winter.  The  flat-roofed  houses^ 
built  of  the  yellowish- white  limestone  of  the  neighbourhood,  shine 
in  the  sun  with  a  dazzling  brightness,  from  among  gardens,  and  fig- 
trees,  olives,  C3rpresses,  and  the  white  and  scarlet  blossoms  of  thi 
orange  and  pomegranate.  A  mosque,  with  its  graceful  minaret,  a 
large  convent,  from  whose  gardens  rise  tall  cypresses,  and  a  modest 
church,  ^re  the  principal  buildings.  The  streets  are  narrow,  poor, 
and  dirty,  and  the  shops  are  mere  recesses  on  each  side  of  themj  but 
the  narrowness  shuts  Qut  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  the  miniature  shops 
are  large  enough  for  the  local  trade.  Numbers  of  do^  which  belong 
to  the  place,  and  have  no  owner,  lie  about,  as  in  all  Eastern  towha 
SmaU  garden^,  rich  in  green  clumps  of  olive-trees  and  stately  pahns, 
break  the  monotonous  yellow  of  the  rocks  and  houses,  while  doves 
coo,  and  birds  of  many  kinds  twitter,  in  the  branches,  or  flit  across 
the  open.  The  bright  colours  of  the  roller,  the  hoopoe,  the  sunbird^ 
or  the  buTbul,  catfch  the  eye  as  one  or  other  darts  swiftly  past,  and 
many  birds  familiar  in  England  are  seen  or  heard,  if  the  traveller's 
stay  be  lengthened,  for  of  the  332  birds  found  in  Palestine,  173  are 
also  British.  The  song  of  the  lark  floods  a  thousand  acres  of  sky 
with  melody;  the  restless  titmouse,  the  willow- wren,  the  blackcap, 
the  hedge-sparroT/^^,  the  whitethroat,  or  the  nightingale,  flit  or  war- 
ble, on  uie  hill-side,  or  in  the  cactus  hedges,  while  the  rich  notes  of 
the  soEiGi-thrush  pr  blackbird  rise  from  the  green  clumps  in  the  valley 
bei^eatii,  The  wagtail  runs  over  the  pebbles  of  the  brook  aa  here  at 
hoiiie;  the  common  sparrow  haunts  the  streets  aqd  house-tops'? 
swallows  aiid  swifts  slam  the  hill-sides  and  the  grassy  meadows; 
and,  in  winter,  the  robin  redbreast  abounds.  Great  butterflies  flit 
over  ^he  hiUjpides,  p,mongst  the  flowers,  while  flocks  of  sheep  and 
go^s  dot  the  slopes  and  the  Irttle  plain  below.  Through  this  a 
brook  ripples,  the  only  one  in  the  valley,  and  thither  the  women 
and  maidens  go  to  fetch  water  in  tall  jars,  for  household  use.  It 
is  the  one  spring  of  the  town,  and,  hence,  must  have  been  that 
which  the  mothers  and  daughters  of  Christ's  day  frequented.  It 
rises  under  the  choir  of  the  present  Greek  church,  and  is  led  down 
the  hill-side  in  a  covered  channel.  An  open  space  near  the  church 
is  the  threshing-floor  of  the  village,  where,  after  harvest,  the  yoked 
oxen  draw  "the  threshing-sledges  slowly,  round  and  round,  over  the 
grain,  in  the  open  air.  No  wonder  that  in  spring  Nazareth  should 
have  been  thought  a  paradise,  or  that  it  should  be  spoken  of  as 
perhaps  the  o.nly  spot  in  Palestine  where  the  mind  feels  relief  from 
the  Unequalled  desolation  that  reigns  nearly  everywhere  else. 

Later  in  the  year,  the  hills  around  lose  the  charm  of  their  spring 
flowers.  They  are  then  grey  and  barren,  divided  by  dry  guUioff, 
with  no  colour  to  relievo  their  tame  and  eommonplt^Qt  outtk^Hie 


i 


'I  t 


w 


,  -  - 


i'i 


i'i 


TIHB  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


X-'r-. 


mie  <)tt  evert  sfde^   Biat  even  tpfij;  the  rich  hues  at  sunset;  with  its 
tints  reflected  from  the  rocks,  the  long-drawn  shadows  of  afternoon, 
|tnd>  the  contrasts  of  light  and  dark  on  a  cloudy  day,  give  freqtidiit 
%5harm8  to  a  landscape  in  itself  unattractive^,:^.;'^V>^^^^  ^^^^^**i'' 
^Nazareth  lies  nearly  twelve  hundred  feet  aJ)dtt8  th«i'  s^V  o^d  *ionic 
of  the  hills  which  cluster  roimd,  and  shut  it  in,  rise,  as  has  been 
said,  about  five  hundred  feet  higher.    It  is  a  mountain  village,  only 
to  be  reached  from  the  plain  by  a  tedious  climb.      -;    -  -"^^^    .. n  •: 
,;    "the  Nazareth  hills  are  of  different  kinds  of  whitfe  I&nieston^;    A 
^thickbed  of  this  Tock**-containing  flints,  and  merging,  abcre>  into 
the  marl  which  is  still  found  at  Nablus,  and  into  a  niore  thini}  bedded 
soft  limestone  beneath — originally  covered  the 'whole  country,  ftom 
Bamaria  to  Nazareth.    This  stone,  though  hiard  ^hen  exposiB»a  ti>  ^Jie 
air,  is^so  soft,  where  fi^esh,  that  it  can  be  cut  like  ^hall^    Beneath  it 
lie^  hard  dolomitic  limestone.    The  hills  are  the  remans  Of  these 
diderent  rocks,  after  denudation  through  a  long  geological  period, 
their  strftta  being  more  or  less  disturbea  by  volcanic  uphieaval  and 
"fcohtortion.    Three  centres  of  eruptive  outbursfe^re  viisiWe  ha  the 
5beighbourhoOd  of  Esdrttelon— one  in  the  range  of  Gilboa,  oil  t^e 
fiouth-«ast;  another  at  Little  Hermon,  between  Gilboa  and  Tibor; 
and  the  third  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  Oarmel  range,  at  Jeb6l 
Iskander — no  fewer  than  twenty-nine  outbursts  of  basalt,  on  the  ea^, 
west,  and  n^h  of  the  plain,  marking  their  former  activity,    The 
Hn^stone  beds  tire  everywhere  more  or  less  tilted  up  by  this  volcanic 
energy.    The  i^h  dark  soil  of  Bsdraelon  has  been  formed  from  the 
\^Wkring  down  of  the  basalt  which  now' forms  part  of  some  of  the 
ndgbbouring  hills,  and  from  strata  of  volcanic  mud  derived  from  it. 
The  smaller  plains  of  Palestine  are  of  A  more  cliiyey  soil^  the  hills 
lOtmd  them  being  of  limestone  or  basalt;  presenting,  at  timcs^  sudden 
-and  precipitous  cliffs,  and  the  original  soft,  chalky  limestone  remain- 
ing still  on  their  tops,  i' f^  ,i   ,  . 

The  free  air  of  their  mountain  home  seems  to  have  hid  its  c^eflit  on 
the  people  of  Nazareth.  Its  bright-eyed}  happy  children  and  coteely 
'Women  strike  the  traveller,  and  even  their  dress  differs  fromi  that  of 
other  parts.  Through  Palestine  generally,  the  frequent  and  exces- 
sive changes  of  climate  expose  the  peasants,  or  fellahin,  to  rheuma- 
tism, coughs,  and  bronchitis;  and,  as  a  protection,  the  men  in  many 
parts  wear  a  sheepskin  coat,  on  warm  days  as  well  as  cold.  The 
women,  however,  make  no  change  in  their  dress,  which  usually  con- 
sists of  nothing  but  a  long  blue  garment  tied  in  round  the  waist,  a 
bonnet  of  red  cloth,  decorated  with  an  edging  or  roll  of  silver  coins, 
bordering  the  forehead  and  extending  to  the  ears,  reminding  one  of 
tie  crescent-shaped  female  head-dress  worn  by  some  of  the  Egyptian 
priestesses.  Over  this,  a  veil  or  shawl  of  coarse  white  cotton  is 
thrown,  which  hangs  down  to  the  waist,  serving  to  cover  the  mouth, 
^^idle  the  bosom  is  left  exposed,  for  Eastern  and  Wekem  ideas  of 
decorum  differ  in  some  thin|^        ^i .  •«.-    • 


^*^- 


THE  X4PB  OF  CHHIIPT. 


XX9 


^  Ttiei people  of  the  plain  of  Esdraebn  aee^  different..  -Tlieir. dark 
Bkins^bn^t  eyeS)  white  teeth».  and  iwonderfol  taste  in  t|ie  coml?ina* 
tiou  of  tt^  brightest  colours^  draw  the  attention.  Nothing  more  pic- 
turesque could  be  desired  than  the  womeo^  in  their  red  yeus  and  long 
pointed  sleeves,  carrying  water;  the  dark  calnel-drivers,  in  b^acK 
head-dresses,  and  striped  brown  and  white  abbas,  riding  on  diininu- 
tive  donkeys,  before  the  train  of  clumi^,  swinging,  duU-eolourctd 
camels;  the  rich  sheikh^  in. a  purple  jacket,  scarlet  TOOts,  thin  white 
cloak,  and  yellow  headrdress;  his  grey  iDare,.with  a  scarlet  saddle, 
with  long  brown  tassels  at  itS)  peaks;  alterna(tingi|^i1ii,theijt)eidf;if^ 
black  goats  and  diminutive  red  oxen,     fi,  uit  n  ^^      rr  >  h/  rr r  •am 

The  various  costumes  which  seem  peculiar  to  Kazareth  are  not  less 
striking.  The  short  abba  or  eloak  of  the  men,  and  their  gorgeous 
kefeyehsi  or  kerchief s>  folded  triangularly,  and  thrown  over  Uie  head, 
so  as  to  fall  over  the  neck  and  shoulders;  the  white  veil,  the'sd^ 
dresses,  the  broad  scarves,  and  many-coloured  trousers,  red>  green, 
blue,^  and  yellow,  of  the  women^  give  a  crowd  a  peculiarly  picturesquft 
appearance,  and  differ  materially  from  the  sordia  dresses  of  the  poorer 
southern  villages.  In  a  country  where  nothing  changes,  through  age 
after  age,  the  dress  of  to-day  is  very  likely,  in  most  respects^  the  same 
as  it  wa^  two  thousand  yearsago,  though  the  prevailing  colour  of  the 
Hebrew  dre%,  at  least  in  the  better  classes,  was  the  natural  whit<ehf>t 
the  materials  employed,  which  the  fuller  made  even  whiter.  ,  ,  ,  i^v; 
One  characteristic  of  the.  hills  round  Nazareth  existing  already  m 
Christ's  dayi  and,  indeed,  much  earlier,  is  a  striking  proof  of  the 
densenesaof  the  population  of  Pfilestinc  in  former  times,  and  Qf  Jts 
restless  industry  a,nd  ener^.  Manv  of  them  are  honeycombed  with 
countless  excftvations  of  various  kinds.  Cemeteries  of  over  two 
hundred  tombi^  out  m  the  soft  rock,  some  of  them  large  tunnelled 
vaults,  with  separate  hollows  for  twelve  bodies  r  large  nunUbei^  of 
cisterns,  grape  and  olive  presses,  store  or  dwelling  caves,, wells  and 
quarries,  ar#  everywhere  abundant,  as^  indeed,  tJiey  are  oven  the 
whole  country,  but  especially  in  the  Shephelah  or  Philistine  plain. 
The  cisterns  are  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  deep,  shaped  like  a  courch 
bell  or  inverted  funnel^  about  two  and  a  half  feet  across  at  the  mouth, 
and  fifteen  to  twenty-five  at  the  bottom,  the  whole  cut  out  of  the  solid 
limestone,  showing  that  Palestine  must  always  have  been,  for  a  good  ^ 
part  of  the  year,  a  waterless  country,  needing  to  store  up  the  rains  of 
autumn  and  spring.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  tind  groups  of  from  tlirce 
to  ten,  or  even  more,  of  these  tine  excavations  together.  What  must 
have  been  the  density  of  the  population,  what  its  civilizatipn  fmd  in- 
dustry, to  leave  such  remains  in  such  numbers?  ..  i■ii,fW..■ 
The  Nazareth  hills  are,  for  the  most  part,  neglected  noWj  but  were 
utilized  in  Christ's  day  as  the  hill-sides  along  the  Rhine  or  the  lime- 
slopes  of  Malta  are  at  present,  by  terrace  cultivation.  Traces  of  these 
ancient  terraced  may  MiU  be  seen.  AH  the  loose  stonea  were  gathered 
and  built  into  rough  walls  along  the  sides  of  the  hiUsy  l%e^«>^many 


114 


TftK  niPE  OF  CHRIST. 


li 


st6{{8,'at  fit  Bethl«b(^  still.  The  tops  df  the  strips  thus  gained;  after 
bein^  levelled,  produced  grapes  and  all  kinds  of  fruit  in  great  abuud^ 
ance.  The  supporting  walls,  having  been  long  neglected,  have  falten 
down,  and  well-nigh  aisapi)eared;  the  eaith  once  bdliind  them  has 
been  washed  away  by  the' heav^  rains,  and  the  slopes,  >  except  in 
spring,  when  the  flowers  are  in  their  glory^  show  little  but  barren  rock, 
i  ,Tlie  view  from  Nazareth  itself  is  limited,  as  mis^t  be  expected 
fronti  its  nestling  in  an  amphitheatre  of  hills,  that  shut  in  the  little 
valley,  except  to  the  west,  where  it  <:>pens  oh  Esdraelbn.  From  the 
top  of  the  hill  at  the  back  of  the  village,  to  the  north,  howevisr,  it  is  very 
different.  Galilee  lies  spread  out  like  a  map  at  onki's'  feet.  The  eVe 
wanders  over  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  in  its  broad  western  sweq). 
Three  hours  to  the  east,  it  rests  on  the  round  outline  of  Tabor; 'with 
its  woods  of  oaks  and  pistachigs,  and,  beyond  it,  on  the  swellii^g  mass 
of  Jebel  el  Dahy,  or  little  Hermon,  Which  closes  in  the  plain,  at  about 
the  same  height  as  Tabor.  Banging  southwards,  the  mountains  of 
Oilboa,  four  ojr  five  hundred  feet  lower,  shut  in  the  lowlands;  while 
far  bejrond  them,  across  the  hidden  course  of  the  Jordan,  rise  the 
mountains  of  Gilead.  Looking  to  the  south,  across  Esdoraekm,)  the 
hills  of  Samaria  are  seen,  through  the  openings  of  the  Mx)oded  heights 
of  the  Carmel  range,  reaching  northward  to  joiii  it.  Turning  slo'^ly 
towards  the  west,  the  whole  length  of  the  Cartnel  hills,'  running  thirty 
miles  north-west  to  the  coast,  s^ein,  in  the  pure  air  of  these  parts,  as 
if  olbse  at  band.  About  twenty  miles  off,  almost  directly  west,  rises 
thie  headland  of  Carmel;  its  top  crowned  with  woods  of  oaks  and  fig* 
trees,  its  slopes  varied  with  orchards,  laurels,  and  olives,  and  its  sea- 
ward face  sinking  abruptly  into  the  Mediterranean  water^r  Nestling 
at  the  northern  base  of  the  hill,  ob  the  sea-shore,  the  white  houses  of 
Haifa  arrest  the  eye.  The  blue  waters,  specked  with  sails,  stretch 
far  awdy,  beyond,  to  the  distant  horizon.  The  whole  Bay  of  Acre  is 
seen,  ttiough  Acre  itself  lies  too  low  to  be  visible.  The  browp  sandy 
shores,  sweeping  far  to  the  north,  are  hidden  only  here  ted  th&te,'  by 
intervening  hills.  Leaving  the  coast,  and  looking  from  north-wesfc  to 
north,  the  panorama  shows  a  sea  lof  hills— the  highlands  of  Galilee,— - 
broken  bv  the  fertile  upland  plain  of  Battauf,  close  at  hand,  with  the 
ruins  of  the  once  famous  Sepphoris,  on  a  solitary  hill  at  its  southern 
edge,  and  beyond,  on  its  northern  slope,  the  cottages  of  Cana  of  Gal- 
ilee. In  the  background,  twenty  miles  away,  tower  tl^e  hills  of  Safed, 
3,770  feet  above  the  sea,  rising  above  the  ever-heightening  summits  of 
the  highlands  of  Upi^er  Galilee.  But  Safed  itseli  is  only  midway  in 
the  landscape.  Mountains  rise  beyond  mountains,  to  the  north,  till 
they  culminate  more  than  sixty  miles  off,  as  the  crow  flies,  in  the 
highest  peaks  of  Hermon,  ten  thousand  feet  above  the  see4evel.  As 
the  eye  wanders  round  to  the  point  from  which  it  b''i?;ui«  its  survey, 
hills  beyond  hills  still  meet  the  view,  stretching  away,  with  rounded 
tops,  towards  the  Sea  of .  Galiliee,  and  rising  again,  bey<»id  it»  to  a 
greater  heijj;ht  on  its  eastern  ^ores.  ' 


raBrl^IPE.  OF,  CHRIST- 


115 


Jathe.towof  ^j^zar^ULtlien,  doubtless  mvch  brger,  Jesu^  spent 
most  ofHis  life.  ASiidst  tUese  hills,  lii  these  8treetsl,  He  was  biong;ht 
up  8A-  a  cl,u^ ; ,  laad '  *,gre:w,''  as  a  boy,  * '  ju  wisdprp  an^  stajture. "  Here, 
for  many  years,  He  Iplwur^d'as  athan  for  His^ly  br^eadi '  This  was 
the  lauosc^e  pn  which  He  daily  gazed,  and' it  Was  along  thei^moun' 
tain  pathi^  £[e  w^ked^  He,  must  of  ten  have  i^tood  on  the  hill-top  from 
which  tli^  'vy'holepQuntry  is  seen,  ^nd  the  little  bay  (Of  the  great  plain 
below  the  village^  with  its  encliirclih^  hei^htig,  must  have  been  familiar 
to  Him  in  its  ie^t  detail.  If  there  be  a  spot  t6  which  a  Christian 
pilgrim  niight ,  rightly  turn*  as ,  the  most  $acre^  in  the  history  of  hig 
faith,  it  isNaz^reUi,,,  (..,  :,v,4f ,,.,  ,.<,,      ^      >,,'-■"';■-  ■  • 

Tke:  inj&ueuce  qf,  ^Ucli  a  hpme  on  the  chartifcteroiP 'fts  people  must 
liavQ  beeniiiiiarkcd,  Liess  lovely,  perhaps,  thian  tlie  plain  pf  Getmesa- 
retlij  (OOf  the .pther  side, of  the  hills  Ph  the  nortli-east^  it  was,  yet,  a 
place  fittedj  aii^  by  tl^e  q^Gamy  quiet  pf  Its  enVirbnment  pf  heights, 
the  ^passing  view  frpmr, the  hill  abpVe  it,  tl^iB  beauty  pf  earth  an4 
sky,  an4  tbe  soul-inspiring  purity  pf  its  rhpuntain  air,  tp  fprm  true- 
hearted  and  geperpus  chilclren  Pf  nature,  qiuck  in  intellect,  bright  iti 
imi^giaatip;^^.  and  noble  in'  Jiigher  characiteristics.  Yet,  wath  all  its 
8eclusiqn>  flie  pps^on  pf  jC^a?areth,  checked  tifiynarrpw  pnesidedhes$. 
The  ypndf^rf^l  larid3cape  f rpiia  its  hill-top  i^ade  this  impossible. .  The 
gr^atf,  ricli,  Seppihdris,  ,the  capital  pf  Gfuilee,  ait  pnce  a  tpWn  and  a 
fortress,  jWaa  scarcely  tlire^  hpurs  distant,  Tiberias  Was  phly  eight,  and 
a  crpw-u  p^  p<)piflous  villages  rpsG  pn  all  sides,  arpund.  Tnefflreat 
high  rpad— knpwn  even'in  the  days  of  Isaiah  a^  "the.  Way  or  th)9 
8ea"rT-raQ  acrosSrtll^e  p^aiu  pf  £1  Battauf,  just  behind  Nazareth,  frpni 
Da^ijia^us  tp  l^tplema^s.  ,  j^pther  caravan  road,  from  Damascus  tp 
Judea  and  Egypt,,  .crossed  IBl^drajsion  at  the  fppt  bf  the  Katoreth  hill, 
meeting  a  thir^,  from  the  ndrth,  at,  Megiddp,  dn  the  Pther  side  pf  the 
plain.,V  Tljie  Kpmar^  road  from  Syria,  mprcpVer,  after  passing'thrpugh 
lierytijs,  $idpn,  ^yve,  and  Ptplemals,  ph  thecpast,  ran,  by  Way  pf 
Bepphpris,  thipugh  Naz^aieth,  to  SamaJ7i|>  Jerusalem^iEind  the  south; 
Nazareth  was,  tmis,  at  tlie  croasipg-piace  pf  the  natipns,  where  cpni- 
merce  or  milita^'y  changes  gaye  daljy  familiarity  with  all  the  neigh- 
bouring races^-T-tpe  Syrian,, UiePheniciap,  the  Arab,  and  the  Jlpman; 
and  whi^re  there  was  sp  much  intercpurse,  there  must  have  been 
greater,  iibejcality  tlian  in  ptl]L0r  pai*ts  pf  Jewish  territpry . 

It  has  been  uaual  to  think  pf  Nazareth  as  a  rpugb  and  fierce  plai^, 
with  a  dpubtful  chai-acter  even  fpr  morals.  The  rejectipn  of  its 
greatest  Son  by  his  fellow-townsmen  has  been  thpught  tp  shpw  their 
rude  cparsoness ;  but  Jesus  pffers  a  milder  explahatibn — that  a  prpphet 
lias  no  honpur  in  his  pwn  cpuntry.  Yet,  even  in  rejecting  him,  pnly 
a  rough  and  coarse  people  would  have  acted  sp  rudely.  The  ejc- 
clamatipn  of  Nathauael  seems  to  imply  the  doubtful  morality  of  the 
town,  perhaps 'frpm  its  ppsitipn  in  the  midst  pf  constant  heathen 
trafl^c  on  the  great  ^pads;  and  this  appears  tp  cprres^ond  with  the 
other  nptices  pf  it  In  the  Gpspels,.;  If  itwpra  sp,  it.WQuld  only 


116 


THE  LIFE  01^  CHRlM^ 


Mghten  fbe  wonder  tMt  kvidh  i^ltoOt jibould  gtpw  froin  groun<l  lo 

firyl  ■'  ■"'  ^  "  '  '.  • 

Of  Uie  Urst  tMrty  Years  ofCl^rist's  life  We  know  ])bthln|(:  ^t^t 
Oie  obe  incldieiit  Of  His  visit  to  «ferusa1eni,  wtfh  tloiebh  anq  H^ry, 
\ffheii  a  boy  of  twelve  y<^  old.  It  is  not  ditjAcuIt,  howeveir,  tb  im- 
agine  ^t  least  some  of  the  influences  \l«rhiOh  must  h&vd  h(Ul  their  part 
In  the  development  of  that  "wisdom"  In  which  U©  "HfreW/'as  His 
jibUdhood  and  boyhooapa^d  awflv. 

It  must  be  granted,   iaavs  Ewaid,  "  that  in  no  andlent  peb^^le  hhs 


J.V  i« 


family  life  maintained  itself  so  powerfully  as  in  J«ra@l,  (fiirin^  t)ic 
early  days  of  the  outward  strength  of  the  natldn.  6r  with  0O  llttlo 


wealcening  and  deterioration  as'^during  ^he  periqd  Of  Ita  jD[rc 
decline.'*    In  their  patriarch  I^aac  ^nd  his  wife  Rebecca,  th^V liad^n 


fadual 


abiding  i4eal  which  it  seeme^  tli^e  highest  felicity  to  copy.  Woman, 
among  the  Jews^  ;wa^  n^yer  so  depehide^t  and  MplHed  aa  ^on^  other 
Eastern  raced,  for  the  LaW  procl^iiicbed  thaf  she  WAf  bOrile  Of  maH's 
bone,  and  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  deisigned  to  be  A  holphieet'  fqf  hini. 
!n  the  pictiii-e  of  Eve  ii&  theoneivffe  of  Adani  ^wpmy  wft&  in- 
directly censured,  and  it  was  no  le^  so  in  the  coihnia^d  ^voh  in 
£den,  that  "^  man  should  lea,\^e  his  fatlier  and  moth^  kiid  Ol^aye 
imto  his  wife,  and  that  they  should  be  one  fleah."  If^&^e  it  Was 
never  ii^  much  favour  amohjg;  the  j^ws,  and  ftmSamlfy  gave,  pWa 
to  the  original  law.    Indeed,  it  was  at  any  tim^ 'rather  ft  feature 

.  The  JBooii:  Of  i^verj^s  tln^w^s  gpftat  light  oU  thb'  pbiiitI6n  of  WomAn 
in  Israel  (^nd^  incidentally,  on  her  place  apd  occupations  iiH  thohousb- 
toW.    "^^  gtaciom  Vfotim^"  we  are  told,  "remineth  lionour}"  *'a 
wise  wohi^n  buildeth'herhbu^,'^  that  is,  establllih^  her  fkniil^;  and 
^'the  price  of  a  virtudu$  woman  Is  set  far  above  that  of  rubles." 
liistcad  of  being  tlv?  playthings  6r>Iaves  of  itiari,  wonlen  ire  taught 
th^t  they  may  l^  his  helper^  ahd  tiobtest  friends.    "  Ttte  heaft  of  the 
husband  of  the  viriiious  woman,'*  days  ICing  Lemneh 
^'Potli  safely  trust  in  her,  so  that  he  shall  hot  Want  for  gain. 
She  will  do  him  good  and  nOt  liarm  all  the  days  of  her  iTfo. 
8he  seeketh  wool,  aiid  flax,  and  workcth  with  diligent  hands. 
She  is  like  the  merchant  ships;  she  bHngeth  her  food  from  afar. 
She  riseth  also  while  it  is  yet  night,  and  giveth*  meat  to  her  household, 
And  the  day's  work  to  her  maidens. 

She  considereth  a  field  and  buye1«K  it:  with  the  fruit  of  her  hands  dbe 
V  .plantcth  a  vineyard:    ^.  '7^;^^    :^ ; ' 
She  girdetli  her  loins  wiui'strbngth,  and  makcth  strong  her  arms, 
^be  sees  tliat  her  trading  yields  good  ^roflt;  her  lump  is  kept  burn- 
:     ing  by  night. 

She  lays  her  hands  on  the  spindle,  and  her  hands  hold  tlie  distaff. 
6])e  stretehetU  out  her  hand  tdti^e  poor;  yea,  she  reaehbth  forth  her 
handis  to  the  needy.       '    '         -        '  ,  <. 


JSheis 
ate 
Shem 
Whi 

'df,tl 

She  m 

mier< 


She  op 

kind 

She  loc 


Her  sc^ 

her^T*" 

'Manv 

'fears 

Give'he 

are  th 

^m 

thaiithi 
dred  ye* 
and  Hon 
hUI,  ^ 
erbs,  is  1 
succesaii 
design,'.)! 
of  yeaf^ 
ma: 


has.eve^ 


ispect;  o'j 
above,  ai 
died  big 
believe  U 
tlvitiesiai 
developn: 
The  re 
iug.    If  1 
great  ^ft 
she  given 
"for  the 
you  may 
your  wife 
Talmud, 
withouth 


JOE  LIFE  OF  CHBIflT. 


m 


ret  ^  ^^■ 
their  pint 


pebJE^W 
;h  iSTittle 


ti  gradual 

woman, 
ttion^Othpr 
Q  01  mftii'fl 
jt'  lot  Ulm. 
rnVMr^b  In- 

biia  Ol^ave 
b^e  It  tras 
^v6,  pl^6c 
If  a  fteftttire 
of  ordiiitti^y 

a  tha  houftb- 
lOBOttiPl"  *'a 
fiipallj^i'ftttd 
Of  rubies." 
rlar^  taukht 
heatt  of  me 

ilo. 
fo. 
ids. 
_..afar. 
Ithbuiehold. 

lirliiindi  dbe 

ler  aiimt. 
kept  burn- 

le  dUtaff. 
}lh  fottb  het 


ai^  clothed  with  acanet  wool.  .4 

31w}  jnftketh  he^lf  rqb^ :  her.clotbinff  is  si}]l|Liuid  purplp.  .  ^ .      . 
Her  busbkna  i?  known  in  the  gates,  when  he  cdtleth  apaong  the  elders 

,  ■'■ottheTSid,' ,  ,, ,, 

3he  mak'e^ii  fine  linen^  and  ^elleth  it ;  and  deliverqth  girdles  ui^tp  the 
"  inerchi^rit.' . "  .,  '1  ./,^, ;.'',.  '    ,  ' ,,  , ..'..  ;,   ;'; 

Strength  and  honoiir  arc  h^r  clothiiig;  and  tihc  smiles, at  days  to  ^oxhe. 
§he  opei)e|J;\j|^^^i]^y'ith  wji^t^  wisdom;  and  in  |i^r  tQjps;ue  is  .the  law  of 

'kiddii^ss,  ^\\  £  ^^  '":':^{.  ■■  ,  \\.;:C..Vxi^/^Ji' 

She  looketh  Weil  to  the  ordering  of  her  household,  and  eafeth  not  the 

br^gif  Idleped?, 
]^er  8(^\rise  /Up  and  pi^ise  j^er;   her  husband,  also,  and  he  ei^t^s 

*Mmv  dailgj^tei¥^te  d6n^  but  thou  excejlest  theiu  .aS* 

Gr{|(5e^ulh^ss  is' deceitful.,  and  beauty  is  a  bte^li^  but  ^^^(^t|)m  dui^ 

leara  J^i^aa,  she  1^  .  :'■:''  '    j,^-  v'   -^' v»^ 

Give' hex:  .the  M99oiir  that  the  iruit  of  hqr  hands ,  deserves;  ber  tyorlp 

areth^V^rai^bfi^U  iu  tbe|(ate^  '.,  ^, 

IJo'Uttfaiure  of  any  age  'ottet^.a  finer  id^(^  the  Wife  and  Hother 
thahithisHlQbrewjKjeni,^  written  not  leas  tlianii|v6  thouse^nd^ye  hun- 
dred yea^^  a^^,.  when  the  hJstoryo;fQreeee,wasst^U^  the  era  of  fa,ble, 
And  Home  ^as  little  m^rq  than  a  rUde  fort  on  the  tOP  of  Uie  Fala>tjii;^e 
hill.  *](ii^t  liis  ^  separate 'poe;iu,  in^rted  in  thisq^lectionof  I?roy- 
erbs,  IS  sieen'i^om  its  construction,  each  verse  beginning  Ivith^ihe 
succe^ve  letters, of  the  IJebrew  alpbat)et,  in  .regular  order,  jWi^i  iiie 
design,  ';ii<).  dpu^t,  of  help^^  ^®  memory  to  retsoii  it,  fo)t  hif ni^eds 
of  ye&p^.  l^fore..MMy*&  day  it  had  been  on  th^  lips  of  eVeir  jiewish 
maiden^  tf^.t]bfi^<)rus  of  the  sabred  bobld  werq  familiar  tp  ^le.  vhoj© 
JfiWisb  race,  a^  ho  par^  of  jiny  other  literature,  so  far  t^.WKiiow, 
hasever  been  to  aiiy  people.  The  picture  ot  lovih^  fidelity,  ip^asoless 
indust^j:,'  prii^ence,  management,  charity,,  thrift,  wisdpm,  <^lf-r$- 
ispecl ;  of  noble  reverence,  ri^ing^  f rom  the  hii^band  on  earth  tp  God 
above,  ai^d  of  m6;therly  virt\ies  towatds  her  cbUdren,  must  have  kin- 
dled higii  aspirations  in  many  a  Jewish  wife..  It  cannot  be  wrong  to 
believe  that,  M^i^pv  sphere,  Mary  realized  this  ideal,  both  in  ^er  ac- 
tivities and  in  I^  character,  ana  that  it  had  its  share  in  the  spiritual 
devejopmenj  of  her  wondrous  child- 

The  relation'  of  the  Jewish  husband  to  his  wife  was  equally  strili- 
iiig.  M  hQ  were,  her.  Isaac,  she  was  his  Rebecca.  *' A  good  wife  is  a 
great  gift  of  G6d,"  says  t^e  son  of  Sirach,  "  to  him  tliat  fears  Crod  ia 
she  given^"  "Joy  to  the  man  who  has  such  a  wife,"  says  he  again, 
"for  the  number  Of  his  days  is  doubled."  '/ Honour  your  wife  that 
you  may  be  rich  in  the  joy  of  your  home,"  says  the  Talmud.  "Is 
your  wife  little?",  sayi?  another  Jewish  proverb,  also  quoted  in  the 
Talmi^du  "then  bow  down  to  her  and  speak" — that  is,  do  nothing 
without  her  advice.    "  in  eating  and  drinking,*'. mi^^  ^'J^^l^  *'  }^i  a 


'if! 


1  h 


ti 


118 


THE  LIFE  or  CHRJWT. 


i 

m 


^^  keep  within  his  id^;  i&  fiir  0^  Mif^  let  liim  spend  as  his 
means  allow:  but  let  Mm  honoyr  his  wife  auU  uhlldren  to  |he  .very 
ed«i  of'hls-ttWeK  fdr*Sey  W  depetidertt,  oh  h!ni;TtJiit'¥e  iffi^tf  £ 
depfehdedf <&  <3fod  Whdse  woM  m&e  the  wortd."  tlid  Jiitab^r'  that 
mfuriEs  the  Jew  in  all  ages  made  a  btitt,^f  the  man,  whpV  ilibntrary  to 
thb  b^ter  feclinrof  MS  ]^oi)le,  ventured  t6  take  tWo'wlyel.  "Bald 
he|:e.  and  bald  there,"  sayaa  Jewinli  proverjj,  in  allusion  to  ope  \^1iq 
had  two  Wives'  one  yoimg  brid  one  old.  The  Vouni^'bne,  riaid  Jewish , 
wit:'^ritl6d^6*  th^  white-  hairs,  'rind  tlW,  old  biid  th4"bl(fck.  ,till  h^ 
he^d  yafi  as  smooth  as  an  ivory  balll, ,  .j'  ,,  ,^ 

•'The  reyelrenc^  iof^iihUdrein  towatda  tli^if  l^^roiitV  wn&  ^arrlctl  to  tlie 
fiiib^me  in  Hebrew  families,  The  child  lOuml  tljo  Wertl  of  l^is  ofcedi- 
ehd*  in  isaai's  wiffihgly  fifelding  himself  to  death  at  hl»  falhelns  com- 
nmnd.  Every  Hebrew  cnUd  heard,  from  its  earllpnt  years,  How  tho 
ihiffer  of  Gbd  mmMfM  written  M, the  m\^^  bt  sto^, ' '' Jl6hour 
thy  father  ind  thy  mbtfier,  that  thy  days  may  be  Jbhkflipo^ ,  the  laha 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  3thee;"  and  tnlB  c6mmana  thc^  found 
rtj)^ed^gaiiiif' anda^liirin  the  sacred,X^w.  I)Mot<^'4t«^titee  to  a  itoorbr 
mother  was  made  a  public  crime,  which  the  bomhuihity  mlkht  pii^sh 
t^tth  death.  tJnWdrthy  children  were,  laid  uhdof  th^'  iadi^t'  awM 
tht^t^ihg^  -of '  (fitiiie  di^leaWb.     The'  child*  read"  tti^r,  JbscfitJ. 


sacred  duty.*    Tl^b 
Scrljptu^e  miw.'  t^o 

,     _--i ^       ..  ,    ^,  .-  -,-—'t.  and  forget  licit  the 

jitow^  of  ^jr  ihdther:'  Rl^tt'embei-  that  thbu  wast  bdgptten,?if,  t^ippv. 
and  how  canst  thou  recompense  them  the  things  that  mey  have  done 
for  thee?"  That  a  father  cmd  a  mother's  bluing  was  prized  as  sa- 
cred, and  its  bein^  i^ithheld  riscarded  as  tho  saddest  los^,  shows  hov; 
deeply  such  teaching  had  siihklnto  the  Jewish  mind.     , 

Family  life,  resting  thus  on  the  holiest  duty  and  reverence,  haa 
been  nowhere,  innny  age,  more  beautif\il  tlian  it  t^an,  and  still  is, 
amon^  the  Jews.  Jn  tlie  pareufe,  n^nVeovev,  tho  feaSHlonatc  love  of 
offspring,  characteristic  qf  the  iace,  doubtluHs  luiUo wed  these  loft/ 
sanctions.  The  children  of  a  Jewish  household  were  the  centre  round 
which  its  life  and  love'  moved/  Full  of  tilfectlon  and  Sensibility,  the 
heart  of  a  Jew  was  hot  content  with  loving,  only  those  of  his  own 
generation,  but  yearned  to  eictend  itself  to  others  who  would  inherit  tii« 
future.  A.  childless  marriage  was  the  Wtten^t  trhil,.  The  Rabbis 
\r$iit  eVeii  fed  f^r  as  to  say  that  childless  pai^ents'wero  t(X'bo  liimfeiitcd 
as  Dh^  would  laiinent  the  dea(i"  The  purify  6f  JiB^wisli  fnnilly  life  was 
prtrv«rj^tiii'^Veii'ik  antiquftyi    Ti^e  «irphi»sing  morality  qt^t|ieitadi3n't 


\  as  his 
me  v^liQ 


THE  LITB  OF  CHRIST. 


Hi 


.mp^ 


et'^8  corn- 
how  .tjUo 

..the  lariu 

«'  Joseph, 

tilWu"    He 
[tespectto 

liefore,  t^p 
ettdcr  caro 

lutv:  po 

get  nbt  tlio 

have  done 

[rized  as  sa- 

jhows  hov; 

srence,  han 
Pind  still  is, 
fate  love  of 
[these  loll/ 
lentre  round 
Isibility,  the 
1  of  his  own 
li  inherit  tlAii 
Jrhc  Kabbis 
le  IsLia^titcd 

fciUyliitcVra; 

^'iihe'ttncii^nt 


OeHptuwii  anfl  iHe  illustratioi^s  6f  ideal  virtub  presented  by  ludh 
motners  In  IsrMl  as  Sarah,  Rachel,  Haimah,  and  8u«inBa»,«h«cl  a 
holinesA  OTCV  household,  relationship  in  Israel  that  wM  /Unknoim 
elseiivhere.*'  The  Taltnud  hardly  goes  too  far  when  it  asccibet  to.  th» 
fidelity  of  the  wlr^es  of  the  nation  in  Egypt,  its  first  dellyerance,  and 
its  n&aonil  existence,  and  a  modern  Jew  is,  perhaps,  justified  in  be- 
lieving that  the  bond  of  family  love  among  his  people  is  stronger 
than  m  any  other  race.  "From  the  inexhaustible  spring  of  Jewish 
family  love,"  says  he,  **  rise  the  saviours  of  the  human  race."  **  The 
Jewish  women  lUone,"  savs  he  lustly,  elsewhere,  "  have  the  sound 
priticlple  to  subordinate  all  other  love  to  that  of  the  mother,"  AXex- 
ander  Weill  puts  into  the  mouth  of  the  Jewish  mother  the  words,, 
'*Dare  any  Jewish  mother,  worthy  of  the  name,  let  the  thought 
of  *  love '  in  Its  ignoble  sense,  ever  cross  her  mind?  It  seems,  to  hes 
no  better  than  a  Vile  apostasy.  A  Jewess  dares  love  only  God,  her 
parents,  her  hubband,  and  her  children."  Kompert  ventures  to  re^ 
peat  the  audacious  Jewish  8a3ing— "  God  could  not  be  every wbeKe, 
and  therefore  He  made  mothers.*'  "The  mother's  love,"  be  jOOUj 
tinu^,  ^'is  the  basis  of  all  family  life  in  Jewish  romances;  its  pas* 
gion,  its  mystery.  The  same  type  of  the  Jewish  mother  is  found  in 
all  alike.*'  It  is  true  in  all  ages,  as  Douglas  Jerrold.put  it,  that  she 
who  ro^ks  the  cradle  rules  the  world.  The  earliest^eara  of  a  child 
are  the  most  receptive.  *'  It  learns  more  in  the  first  three  or  four 
than  in  all  its  after  life,*'  says  Lord  Brougham.  The  character  of 
the  mother,  h^care,  her  love,  her  lool&s,  hei^soul,  repeat  themselyiei 
in  the  child  while  it  is  y^t  in  her  arms  or  at  her  knees.  ^7  %/ 

It  is  n6t  too  much,  toen,  to  ascribe  supreme  influence  to  Hary,  in 
the  development  of  her  wondrous  child.  Woifd& worth's  Jon^net  is 
only  the  adequate  utterance  pf  wliat  must  have  been  daily  realizc^l 
in  the  cottage  at  Nazareth:^  ^ 


**  Mother!  whose  Tirffia  bosom  WM  uiicrbS8''d 
With  the  least  shade  or  thQiufht  to  atn  allied; 
'Woman!  above aU  womea^KMifled; 
Our  tainted  Nature's  solitary  boast; 
Purer  than  foam  on  central  ocean  tossed : 
Brighter  than  Eastern  sides  at  daybrealc  strewn 
With  fancied  roses,  than  the  unblemish'd  moon. 
Before  Iter  wane  begins  on  heav'n's  blue  coast; 
Thv  Image  falls  to  earth.    Yet  6«ome,  I  vreen, 
I^ot  unforgfven  the  suppliant  knee  might  bend. 
As  to  a  visible  Power,  In  whom  did  blend 
All  that  was  mix'd  and  reconciled  in  Thee 
Of  mother's  love  with  maiden  purity. 
Of  high  with  low,  celestial  with  terrene  I" 

•  - 

That  both  parents  of  a  Jewish  child  took  an  active  part  in  its  early 
education  is  shown  by  tlie  instance  of  Susanna,  of  whom  we  are  told 
tliat  "  her  parents  also  were  righteous,,  and  taiight  their  daughter  ac> 
cording  to  the  law  of  Moses,"  and  by  that  of  Timothy,  "who,  from  a 
child,  had  luiown  the  Holy  Scriptures;"  his  grandmother,  Lois,  and 


irt 


'  i 


i? 


I't'' 


tan  rm:  life  of:  aiiasx; 

M  ivMvOii'Miefiithtiv  especially,  that  Uie  obUimtionilftyf  !.tQ(tQiokk<hi# 
etatldrilii^of  <both  Mxee^  the  sacrod  Law  and  tike  other,  Seript^ures,  th6 
Icnowtedj^e  of  which  flonalituted  almost  excIuBivel^  the  .-sum  of^ifw- 
ifih  edufiatiqii.  'Abraham  l^ad.  if ound  divine,  favour  >on>  the  e^|rreti 
gr6iiDd>  that' he. '^* -would  command  his  children  and  his  hou9f)bolo 
after  hkn^  ahd  they  should  keep,  the  .way  d  J<ehavah;?  asid  oxprcw 
in  jundtions  required  every  (father  to  teach  the  sacred  history.  0v  1)19 
natioD,  ^ith  the  great  dc6d»  and  varying-  fortunes  of  his  auicettorst 
and  the  words  of  the  Law,  "  diligehtly"  to  hid  children*  and  to  taPiL 
of  tihem  while  sitting  in  the  house,  or  walking  hy  the  way,  'Wbep  <hOiy 
retired  to  rest,  and  wlien  they  rosie  for  the  day.  It  was^  in0eed«;  jti^ 
quired  by  the  Rabbis  that  a  child  should  begin,  to  ieam.  the  J^aw  .11^ 
heart,  I  when  live  years  old.  As  soon  as  it  could  speak  it  had.  in,  th)9 
same  way  to  leMm  tlie  lessons  and  petitiona  of  the^mornhij^  seryicot 
At  the  frequently  rocurring  household  religious  feasts^  speoiiU.iiitQ^i 
wliieh'should  stir  the  child  to  ask  their  meaning,  formed  a  reigulaf 
part.  The  book  of  Proverbs  abounds  with  proofs  of  the  timjity 
with  which  these.  comraandH  were  carried  out  by. both  fathers  ao4 
mothers,  liji  a  virtuous  home  no  opi>ortunity  was  lost-nM  t^ie  taVWi^ 
at  holme  or  abroad,)  evening  or  momingT-of  instiilinj?  reveroofitf  lor 
Clbd's  law  into  tho  minda  of  the  family,  and  of  teaohmg  tlietD>4ts<e^'> 
press  words  throughout^  till  they  knew  them  by  Iiea^  .Wt^p  y^e 
remember  that  the  festival,  made  laboiu:  unlawful  for  t>4rQ  montlp  i^ 
each  v0M:;;in  th^  aggre^te,  it  is  evident  tliat  the  leiauv(^it)uM(|K9Qm^d 
would  give  great  fadlities  for  domestic  instructiOa,  Au'iir  i4.'  p  r/i.^u 
■i 'Such^liad  been^foi'  ages,  the  rule  in  Israel,  and  It  doubtks$  Mill 

Srevaited  iutuaay.hou/fieliolda  £kmentary  schools,  hotvifever.  gradt 
aUry  oame  to  be-  lelt  a  necessity  for  orphan  children^  j^id,  in^Uie  po^ 
cliue  of  manners,  even  for  those  of  many  livings. parents.  .^Uftthejc 
they  had  been  generally  establis^ipd  in  the  days  of  Chrjis^'s  childhood 
has,  nevertheless^  bejen  questioned.  "  If  any  na^i^**  s^y^  the  Talmud, 
"deserves  that  his  name  £d)ould  be  handed  down  to  posterity,  it  is 
Joshua,  the  son  of  Gamaliel.  For,  but  for  him  the  knowledge  of  tho 
Law  would  h^ye,  .perished  lia  Israel.  ,  In  eariytirpcs  be  who  had  a 
father  was  taught,  but  he  who  had  not,  did  not  learn  the  Law.  For 
they  were  commanded  in  the  words  of  the  Law,  'you  '-^dpubtless  tho 
fathei*s — '  shall  teach  themi*  At  a  later  date  it  was  ordered  that  school- 
masters should  'i)e  appointed  to  teach  the  youth  of  Jerusalem,  becaiiso 
it  is  written,  '  The  law  shtdl  go  forth  from  Zion.'  But  this  plan  did 
not  remedy  the  evilv  for  only  the  child  that  had  a  fatb^r  was  sent  to 
school,  while  he  who  had  none  was  not.  sent.  If  was  iherefore  pro- 
vided that  higher  teacliers  slionld  be  appointed  in  every  district;,  atid 
that  the  youthod:'sixteeuor  seventeen  years  of  age  ahouM  attend  the! ( 
Bchoola  Buti  this  plan  failed,  because  any  scholar  whomtbQ.mtVit^'r 
c'nast^d  presently  ran  off.  Then,  at  last,  Joshua,  the  son  of  QamjiT 
lial,  ordained  that'  teachers  should  be  appointed,  as  in  every  district, 


lK>ihe 

wMjjplei 
thit  h6 
The< 
the  wor 
to  hunt 
tnittt'W 
tile  ehlU 

hi  tlie  w 
fliey  TtiH^ 
l^Aw  tuhr 

"rtlvetsal 
int«r^  ( 

abotit  aii> 
rules  of  ri 

more  ren« 

smilis."  ^- 

Mthbtt^Vc 

I"  l?Wce^d 

fromiUie^e 

IJt'teftnbi 

«"'>cH«poa 

the  kind  of 

l)earsrttoijj 

i«ii'sasrev 

eilfldliood, 

are  taught, 

and  in  the  I 
and  Vi^tdt 
so  thbn^i^h 
nien  of  th^ 
"«n  thAtu  I 
«*»e,  Iha  k 
not  only*  jia 

l^ythe^'tviu 
n<^  l>ecame  i 
Dioral  and  ri 

The  age  ai 
JWischna?    J 
not  take  a  bi 
yeat  ffeefeiV(5 
»eaj'sahfc/W' 


tHE  LIFK  OF  i'llHlST. 


m 


w.ih6 

to  tellL 

thcra  WW* 

TQUce  ^F 

Wl¥Jl>  we 
[Qont^  w 

JKWhox 
I  childhood 
[e  Talihvd. 
terity.  H  is 
jdge  of  the 
iho  had  rt 
[Law.  For 
Uibtless  tho 
that  school- 
fm,heca\iso 

lis  plan  dUl 
was  sent  to 
^refoTC  pTo- 
liBtnot,  awl 
ftttena,theK 

itUP.n>>Vii^5» 
I^ry  oititrict, 


|K>  |h  erery  town,  to  whom  tlic  Iwys  from  the  Hlxth  or  Rcvcnth  year  ot 
th(4r  a^  shoiild  be  c^mmUtxid. "  But  «uch  a  larti  mrtpt  have  bfee^  brih^ 
whbpleittentary  to  already  exfrtting  nistoinft,  and'  It  cahhot  hedoitbtea 
tliit  Wys'fic'hoofci  Wcreali^adyajpneml  in  tfte  timopf  Ghrht.     , 

The  enthiisltem  of  the  Jews  for  education,  whlbh,  in  thc!^  sch^  of 
Ihe  wo»xi^  was  tlici  lenrning  to  read  "  t!ic  La<"  and  the  dommittihg  it 
to  hwtn&ry,  wafci  amazirtg.  "A  town  In  which  thew  is  Hq  school 
hnlAt'jfti'Msh.'*  'STc'rtwalcijd  was  destroyed  he(?au8e  the  education  of 
tlie  ^Wldh»n  was  nerfected,"  wiys  tlieT«hmid.  Jos(*f>hTia  tellH  iis  that 
"  Mriten  comihanded  that  the  cliHdfen  be  taught  to  read,  and  to  wrtlk 
in  tlie  ways  of  the  Law.  and  to  know  the  deeds  bf  thelf'fathc't's,  that 
(hey  Tnl^t  iMiitate  them,  and  that  tlieV  might  neither  transgl-esir  tli^» 
Law  n4!rt"  Hh  Vt^  fW^  exciWe  of  ignorancb.  Fie  repeatedly  b  )asrts  o*  th^ 
tirtive^nsatVieft!  thAt  prevaik^d  for  the  education  of  the  yOungi  '*  W^ 
intefttrt  OUrifelves  mor6  about  the  education  of  our  childr(!^  thu'A 
Abo6t  aM^hitig  el«e,  and  hold  the  oljservab'cc  of  the  laws,'  and  th^ 
rulcjs  of  piety  tliey  inculcate,  as  the  weightiest  business  6f  our  Wh6f6 
llvcM."'  "If  ytoii  ask  a  Jew  any  matter  ooneerning  the  Lawl  he  tain 
more  readily  ex  philn' it  than  tellliiij  own  name.  Since  we  learn  it  fi-rtni 
the  first  begirihing  of  iritelligence,  it  is,  ais  it  were,  graven  on  our 
KOttl^*''**  Our  legislator  neitiicr  left  practical  enforcement  to  go  oij 
IvltiMMy^ 'Verbal  instruction,  nor  did  he  permit  thcf  hearing  of  thcLaW 
to  ptT!kiedd%ithout  its  illustration  in  practice;  btit  l)e^irining* his  IdWi 
from  itlie'  earliest  ihfandy,  with  the'  appointment  Of  every  oilie*s  dhjt; 
he'lefi  no  act  of  life,  of  the  very  smallest  consequence^  At  th^  plcasurij 
and  disposal  (ttthn'  person  himself.*"  This  passage  throws  fight  ott 
the  kind  of  instruction  imparted.  Pliilo,  a  contemporary  6f  (Tirist, 
l)ears  similar  testihiohV.  "Sitice  the  Jews,"  says  he,  *Mook  on  their 
iuWs  as  revelations  from  God;  and  Are  taught  thcin  frotti  their  eariicdt 
cltildllood,  they  fceiat  the  image  of  the  Law  on  flieir  souK"''  ^'TlieV 
are  taught,"  says  he  elsewhfere,  "j(o  t6  fep^ak,  !n>m  thteli'  v^i4'feWka- 
dllng  l6lbA<^,  hy  thcii'  parents,  mist^,  tod  teadic  ;,  in  th6  ^oav'law 
and  in  the  unwritten  customs,  and  to  believe  iti  God.  the'ohcFkther 
and  Creator  of  the  world."  Josephiis  bojtsts  tliai  at  toiiftecn  he  had 
so  thbr^i^b  'd'  knowledge  of  the  Law.  that  the  hi^h  priests  and  flrfrl^ 
men  of  th^  townlsoiight  his  opiniVm.  There  can; indeed,  lie  no' QUes> 
tion  thtU^  ft  l*oy  was  traintifd,  fifiiii  the  t^'ndereft  years,  with  s^dulbn^ 
ciire,  ilia  kriowlaige  of  (he  moral  and  cei*emonini  laws  of  Judaism,* 
not  ool\hias  written  in  ripture,  but  as  explaihe'd,  in  endless  detail,' 
by  the  ^'traditions"  am.  .ales  of  the  Rabbi.<»:'  '  At  thfe  age  6f  thiHiieii 
he  ixicame  a  *^gon  of  the  Law,"  and  was  bound  to'  practlisie  all  it^ 
moral  and  ritual  requirements.  ,  ' 

The  age  ait  which  cliildren  "were  to  he  mni  to  school  is  fifed  iu  th0 
Mischna.  liaf  said  to  Samuel,  the  son  of  Schilath,  a  teacher,  ''Bo 
not  take  a  boy  to  be  tauglit  l^fore  he  is  six  years  old,  but  froni  that 
yeat  ffecteive  him,  and  train  him  as  you  do  the  ox^  which,  day  h^dA'^ 
bears  ft  h'eaivler  load."-  Even-  Ihc-miraber  of  -scbolaxs  a't^»^hei^iiflgiif 


Mi: 


I;' 

111 


.  ■:im 


au 


'Tj 


TH]p),LIFB,QF,C;HRTftT. 

■  .■    ',■  '^  -.^.  .  .■  ■   ■  -J. 

take  la  rigidly  Hxod.  '*  Hnbba  (or  liaO  has  sakl,  ^  schoolnoftster  ipfi^ 
receive  ito  the  numltor  of  twcdty-Dve  schblara.  IS  tbbre  l^e  fif^f  th^ 
miist  be,  two  icboolmaiitcrs;  it  only  forty,  there  mukt  be  iin,  aasjst* 
ant,  who  is  to  be  paid,  half  by  the  congregation,  half  hj  U)0 
schoolmi^itor.''  The  few  children  who  wera  i^ot  sent  to  school, 
from  whatever  caiue,  were  called  Am-ha'aretz,  or  i)oors--it  being 
tlke^  for  granted  that  they  must  have  lived  iji  so^ie  rude/di^ti'icl 
where  bcboobwere  not  eoBy  of  access.  I^either  unnuhr^  ^^nor 
women  were  allowed  to  be  teachers.  Itie  JBtazanr  or  ''pmisififix'*  of 
the  nearest  synagogue  was,  in  general,  the  master,  apd^  synagoguo 
itself,  in  a  great  many  cases,  served  as  the  school-house. 

In  school  tho  children,  accordingtp  their  age,  sat  on  benches,  or  oa 
the  ground,  as  they  still  do  inthelEafet,  the  luaster  »tting  on  a  raised 
seat.  The  younger  childreti  l%ad,  a»  text-books,  some  simple  passage 
from  Uie  Bible,  carefully  written  out— for,  of  cour^^  there  were  ;fto 
books^  fn  dtir  sense,  then— ahd  they  »ecm  to  have  .repeated ;  it,  m  % 
smg*soi)e  cftdeneo  tiu  they  kamcd  it  by  heart.  In  li^sterri  sclioois, 
af  this  ilme^  some  of  the  lessens  are  written  by  each  ^holar,  witli 
chalki^  on  tablots  ,of  wood,  like  our  slates  in  shape,  and  these  it&. 
cleaned  after  each  lesion.  Borne  centuries  after  Christy  tl^e  bo^; 
having  bad  portions  of  the  "  Law*'  as  their  cltiss-hook  till  ihey  were 
ten  years  old,  began  at  that  agetore^d  the  Mischna,  or  Rabbi^iciaL 
cO|rtmeiits,  attd  at  fifteen  entered  on  the  reading  of  the  (^^ufura*  or  th^ 
collected  comments  on  both  the  Law  and  the  Miachna.  In  Ch^'^ 
clay,  advanced  CMlucation  wa^  no  doubts  much  the  sara^  but  it'i^qiu^ 
havb  be^Q  given  by  oral  instructian,  for  the  saymgaoi  thd|betbhia1«rerQ 
not  a*  yet  committed  to  \^rmtig.^-'  /'-^^'■''''^^^^'';^^^ 

The  eariy  yeara  of  Christ  were,  doubtless,  spentih  scftne  suclLsclipoIi 
aft^  He  had  pilsned  from  the  fli^t  lessons  of  Mary,  and  the  instruc- 
tloha  of  Joseph.  Hysterious  as  it  is  to  us,  we  must  never  forget  that, 
u  4  child.  He  passed  through  the  same  stages  as  other  children. .  'I'hQ 
A^iecryplkl  Qdfl|M;la  are  full  of  mitadcs  attributed  to  theso  ppenitig 
ycar^  aesciibinff  the  Infant  as  already  indefihitely  beyOhd  His  age. 
There  is  bo  wammt  for  this  in  Scripture.  Kothiug  mras  out  of  keep- 
ing ia  the  Ufo  of  our  Lord.  Aslrene^  says^  "Ho  sanctified  childhood 
by  passhig  mrough  it.*'  Neither  His  words  nor  acts,  His  childish 
plcliktfes  nor  His  tears,  were  different  from  those  of  His  age.  l^vil 
alone  had  ho  frowth  in  Htm:  His  sotil  gave  back  to  the  jieavcns  all 
thehrBacrcd  bnghtacsa  The  Ideal  of  humanity  from  H!$  butll,  Ho 
n^ver  lost  tho  innocence  of  childhood,  \i\xt  He  was  none  the  less  com* 
plffely  like  other  children  in  all  tilings  else.  We  are  told  that  "tho 
child  crew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit;"  that  **  tlie  favour  of  Go<l  waa 
upon  liiCi,''  und  that  **  Ho  kept  on  increasing  in  wisdom  and  stature, 
and  in  favour  with  Qod  and  man;"  ^nd  thb  can  only  mean  that,  with 
a  sweet  attrootivoness  of  childish  nature.  Ho  spoke,  and  understood,, 
ana  thought,  as  nlmply  as  His  playmates,  in  the  fields,  or  o^.tho  hill^ 
tides,  of  rfozArcth.    The  earlier  words  are  the  sa^ic  aa  are^used  ai 


JoKilt 
itig.  J 
tuaryi 
and  Wi 

chUdlic 

uientir 
HIssbu 


bMf^ 


I  J 


^.  i  » — 


The  I 

rieeessari 
and  we  r 
tlii3  resp 
being  iiiu 
reflects  tl 
^  Habbin 
tho  Great 
tioh,  wffli 

fftrehgloi 
teathousi 
in  Jewish 
in  those  y 

iifetoohs 
fare,  shocl 
tiieir  valii( 
tions  laicl\| 
pi'ivafelift 

l»utit  was 
wanting, 

tlie  idea  of 
^iiere,aiiii 
nacity..  ;Or 
«^aiiykii, 

J  hey  are  ff] 
attraction. : 
dreamy  tho 

observahcei 
tJelights,     1 

throi^h  W^_ 

A  devoiij 


i( 


vi 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHmST. 


lermWF 

by  ti^^ 

scliotxl, 
it  l>eiiig 

lister"  of 
/Tiagbgufe 

ieB»  ov  ou 
aaKUsed 
[e  passage 
5  were  ifto 

3d  it  to  «^ 
ft  scUools, 
lolar,  wltll 

th^e  are 
tbe  boys, 

they  were 
RalAJittCal 
nani^ortliQ 
fo  Christ's 

but  It  m^^ 
b.febU^^^ 

wcttschpol, 
theinstruc- 
iorgett^t, 

Idren.   ^Uo 

id  His  age. 
)Utof  teep- 
d  childhood 
■nL$3  duldish 

ag!B.    EviV 
beaWnaalV 

i$  birth,  Ho 

Lhel^acom- 

dtiiaf'tlia 

'olGo^lwaa 

and  Btaturc, 

inthat.^it]» 
vmder^tood^i 

on,th0^iW: 


JfMv^V^^  'Baipiist  in  his  childlibod,^  iaiid  can  pear  oip^ylRie  «^«  xa^ahi- 
irig.  Both,  grow  ini  the  shade  of  a  retired  country  life,  in^.  the*  sanc- 
tuary oi  home,  ifipeirt  from  the  great  world,  under  the  eyes  of  0o4» 
and  With  His  g;race  upon  them,  lit  was  only  in  later  years  that  the 
mighty  difference  between  them  was  seen,  when  the  fresh  leaves  of 
chudhood,  mtich  ahke  in  all,  passed  into  dower.  Inhere  was  no  mo- 
ineut  in  Chti$t's  life/^hien  the  higher  light  began  to  xeve^l<  itself  in 
His;soul  V  life  and  "  grace"  dawned  together,  and  grew  iuA  conuniOA 
iacMi^;tP^th«.«ad,'\  ,....,;,.....,  K...-'.,,.; 


.■D'i/oiif'Ofb-': 


.TL 


tJEAFTBR  Xm. 


!t..\. 


TSE  .reU^bti^  tife  of  the  home,  the  Church,  and  thd  'Communilyi 
lieeessarily  mould,  more  or  less,  the  susceptible^  nature,  of  children, 
and  w^  may  be  certain  that  "  the  child  j«sus"  was  jpio  excwptlpn^  in 
thi3  resitect,  mOr^  tlian  in.  others,  to  the  general  4awv  His  opening; 
being  must  haive  reflected  all  that  was  good  around  llin^,  as>the4Qwar;, 
reflects  the  cojtours  of  the  Bght.  ;  »  •  •     .i 

l^abbinism  was  then  in  itsiuU.glory,    The  strong  hand  ot  Herod 
tho  Qreat  had  suppressed  all  political  agitation  for  more  th^  a  generoir. , 
tion^  wMi  the  result  of  turning  the  attention  of  the  Rabbis  supreme^ 
ta  j-chgious  questions,  which  alone  were  left  for  their  discussion..  Tl^e , 
ten  thotisan4  le^  deimitions:and'decisik)hs>^w        are  now  conipri^ 
in  Jewish  relfgioiia  Jurisprudence,  were  fpr  tlio^  most  iMwt  elaborated 
in  those  years,  and  every  devout  Isosielite  made  it  tlie  labour  'of  ^ 
life  to  ob3eKvd  the'm  faithfully,  asfar.as  pofi^ible.  •  tt  nui$tnot,i|fhere^, 
foo-e,  shock  us,  acciistbmed  as  we  are  to'  feel  that  reli^ous  iu$3  JOSQ* 
their  value  when  not  free  and  Spontaneous,  ;to  find  minute  prsscripp;, 
lions  laid  dowii  and  observed  in  jludea,  fpr  every  detaijpf  public  anid 
private  life  and.  worship.   The  whole  existence  01  ^;^ew  wasxeligiouSj 
but  it  wasa  religiousness  which,  while  the  right  i^lrit  might'  not  .l^e; 
Wiinting,  was  yet  elaborately  mechanical  at  every  stop.  ;\^»^v  lirlf  xii  aiiii 

The  East  ifl  essentially  dmerent  in  its  spirit  fix>m  the  We^^  Hei^^j 
the  idba  of  im^'ovemeht  and  adyanceraeut  leads  to  incessant  cliangev;. 
vhere,  an  intense  £ohservatisih  retains  the  pas>t  with  ^iperstitieus  tch, 
riacity..  C^ientals  cling,  by  nature,  to  the  olo^  merely  as  such.  Kaveltji 
of  a6y  kind  is  painful  and  annoying.  They  resist  the  least  innova- 
tion. The  customs  of  their  fathers  are  law;  use  and  wont  are  sacred.. 
They  are  graver  and  quieter  than  we.  Koisy .amusements  have  little 
attraction  for  them;  lliey  seldom  laugh  or  joke*  The  play  of  wit,, 
dreamy  thoughtfulne^s,  (ittractive  narrations  and  inventions,  religiovis, 
observances,  and' the  displuy  of  religious  festivals,  are  their  sumcing<i 
dclightSi  We  must  guard,  therefore,  against  looking  at  Oriented  lijto, 
thrbugli 'Western. c?yes. ,  ..',.,*  .  ^..  ,.,-'  ':'^rht(J^^  ■-/•'''  '■!l]^'OM•  ^}'''  'xo  Hj)jh 

A.  devout  Jew  began, his  daily  x»iigi6usHfoMth*hisfira^ 


THK  LIFE  OF  CHRISTu 


m 

Iff, -f^/ 

\\\  I " 
r 


moments.;.  *fEv6iy  Israelite,"  say*  Mairiirinides,  *'^1ikmRt  hk  p^^ 
trated  ait  a^  times  by  reverence  for  his  Almighty  Creator.  ^'TJle  cfett- 
tral  tKoujEcht  of  the  godly  and  tlevotrt  man  i»-r*I  have  set  the  liord 
continxially  before  me.*  ,  As  if  he  stood  beforq  a  king  of  tf^sh  and 
blood,  he  should  never  forget  the  requirements  Of  right  conduct  and 
cercmoniai  purity."  lie  was  taught  that  his  first  thoU]|^ht8,  as  soon ts 
he  waked,  should  be  directed  to  the  worship  of  God.  <  Sleep  wsfs  re*- 
gai^ded  aaakindi^jdeath,^  ifi  whidh  the  soiiVleaTeB  the  body,  to  retui^ 
to  it  Qu  its  awaking,  and  hence  the  first  words  ofirevivMconsiciotifii. 
hess  were  an  acknovv^ledgment  before  "  the  living  and  everlasting 
Kiug,  of  llis  having  given  back  the  soul  for  another  day,  in  His  great 
merey  and  faithfulness."  .'THi^nlts'fbii  Acjwlife  thus  granted  followed 
in  something'  like  this  form;— "My  God,. the  soul  which  Thou  hast 
^iven  me  is  clean.  Thbii  liast  cheated  it,  forrned  it,  and  breathed  it 
*ttto,me,and  flhou  wilt  lake  it  from  inej  and  reiftore  it  nie  ag^ln. 
tV^Jiilethiisfipul  lives ittBfie, I  tliauk  Thee, O  Etemai  One, my Ctod; 
imd  tiie  God  of  my  fathers  Itolrd  of  all  works!  King  of  all  soliis! 

Pmsed  be  .Thou.  OJilternal^  Thou  who  uuttest  thCi  souls  again  iM& 

^d£4ui:b9diesJ':!,iuU:  (.vi,iV-  ;,:;''::  •  ,^ .,,  t.[---  ff^^  f^  ,.'iiv,:-, ^^.^V-^^T  -'  '  -F^.-: 

Having  risen  from  bed,  it  was  not  aHow'ed  to  jm6ve  finir  etfeps 
l^efoi:^  Va^hing  the  hands!  and  ftice;  which  the  Habbia  taught  i^as 
joeeded  to  cleanse  one  troiii  thp  defilement  of  sleep,  as  the  image  ()f 
;3^tkt>  It  was  unlawful  to  touch  the  face,  or  an^^  other  part  of 'the 
^&y,  till  this  was  done,  nor  could  it.  be  done  except  in:  the  form  pre- 
JBcribcd.     Lifting  the  ewer,  after'  di'essing,  ;iv]th  the  ri^ht.  hand;  it 
Jmuist  be, passed  into  the  left,  and  clear  cold  water;^^  Eabbihically  clean, 
miisit/b&poujed  tihrice  over  the  right  hand,  t)ie  fingers  of  which  itiust 
3ie  open^iaud  must  point  to  the  gi'otiud.    The  left liaud  must  then  be 
«?ashediu  the  same  way^W'itb  water  poured  on  itirom  the'right,  and 
then  thq  face  must  be  washed  three  tunes.    The  palms  of  the  hands 
jinuet  then  be  jomed,  with,  the  thumbs  and, fingers  outstretched,  and 
tJiewprdsmusrt;  be  uttered-—* 'Lift  up  your  hahds  to  the  sAnctuary, 
a»d  praise  thie  Lord !"  Then  followed  the  prayer,  '  *  Blessed  art  Thou, 
O  Lord,  our  God!  Kipg  of  the  universe!  '  Thou  ilvho  hast  sanctified 
Ipe  through  Thy  commandments,  and  hast  required  lis  to  wash  the 
hand8.i    Blessed  art  Thou,  0  Eternal,  our  God,  King  of  thte  universe: 
whohast  formed  man  in  wisdom,  and  hast  made  in  Jbiim  many  vessels. 
If  but'  one  of  these  stood  open,  or  was  stopped,  man  c^Uld  not  live 
aiid  remaiu  before  Thee.    This  is  evident,  and  confessed  before  the 
tliirone.of  Thy  majestv.   Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Eternal  One,  maintaiuer 
of  all  flesh,  who  in  Thy  Creation  doest  wonders!" 
.With  some,  such  forms  and  words,  the  morning  began  iu  Joseph's 
iipuse  in  Nazareth. .  But  this  was  only  the  preparation  for  morning 
jpray^rs.    it  was  not  lawful  to  do  any  woi'k,  or  to  eatt  any  food*  tiU 
^bfise,>had  been  ,l)@peat^d^  either  at  home,  or  more  properly;  in  the 
jvu^ogue,  where  they  formed  the  daily  morning  eervjic^.  ('I  shali 
fytaxilM  ih^m  14  hen  I  come  to'  speak  of  me  feynagdgtie  wdri^M^ 


ingwi 

tioned 

Jew  h 

from-t 

day  of 

to.  its  f( 

and  fro 

the  ath 

usages* 

his  reii^ 

byplBsi 

of  life,  I 

had  to 

fea.sts^  a 

every  W( 

were  sin; 

public  w 

and  on  i 

were  roq 

week  wiu 

T^beraac 

moreover 

Temple,  l 

oftenasti 
the  i  most 
food  and. 
the  access 
llis  phylf 
at  the  rii 


est  care  61 
to  observe 
events  ofl 

deaths,  «n| 
odically^ , 
prolixity 
ordinary  J 

again,  laa^ 
lation.:  M 

niind,  nor  | 
"lost  eases 
Opporlu, 
the  Law.r] 
evident  th^ 
life,  miist  J 
f ul  soufpe.  I 


tkeaUFBi  OR  cmuisx* 


xm 


T^e  cfeii- 
tbe  liord 
tl6sh  and 
iduct  and 

,  to  i«t«i^ 

sverlastlng 
I  His  great 
d  followed 

Thou  tas^ 
breathed  it 
irie  agSin. 
eJ  my  wod; 
I  all  social 

5  four  Btfeps 
taught  "'^as 

tie  ima^  ^^t' 

part  of  "the 

tieforxn  pre- 

rht,  hand;  it 

tieally  cl^an» 
which  ihust 
must  then  be 
heright,  and 
of  the  hands 
tretched,and 
le  sanctuary, 
sed  art  Thou, 
ast  sanctified 
I  to -wash  the 
thfe  universe: 
many  vessels. 
c0ttld  not  live 
ed  befoT*e  the 
le,  maintaiuer 

n  in  Joseph's 
^  for  morning 
i  any  iood,  till 
op'erlyi'm  the  i 


.  /Fhe  irdixiousheBd  of  the  :first  momenta  o*  thQ  day  wt«  pnly  An  Heep^ 
ing'Withtne iwhde  lifo^of  a  devout  J  v^ like  Jose{xh.  ,  IhavQ  meo- 
tioned  the  morning  first  because  ottr  day  begins  then,  but  tliat  of  the 
Jew  began  in, the  eveninj^.  From  the  beginning  of  each  day'-^tliat  is, 
from- the  appearance  of  the  first  star — to  its  close,  find  from  the  fir^t 
day  of  the  week  till  tho  Sabbath;,  from  the  beginning  of  each  mpntii 
ta  its  feasts  and  half-feasts;  from  each  New  YCar's  jftiay  to  the  next; 
and  from  one  Sabbath  year — that  is,  each  seventh  year-^tilV  another; 
the  attention  of  every  Jew,  was  fixed  uninteriiiittedly  on  the  sacred 
usages  *which  returned  either  daily,  weekly,  m*  at  set  times,  and  kept 
his  religion  continually  in  his  mind,  not  only  by  symboM'cal  Mtes,  but 
by  proscribed  words.  !Tliere  was  little  lefeurC  for  the  lighter  pleasures 
of  Mfe,  and  little  taste  for  thcn^.  Lengthened  prayers  in  set  forms 
had  to  be  repeated  three  times  each  day,  and  also  at  all  feasts,  half* 
feasts*  and  fast  days;  each  kind  of  day  having,  its  special  prayera.  In 
every  week  there  waa  a  preparation  day  for  the  Sabbath,  and  there 
were  similar  preparation  days  for  each  feast  in  the  djiffefrent  montb^j 
public  worship  was  held  twice  weeklv,  each  Monday  ahd  Thursday, 
and  on  feast  days  and  holy  days.  Three  pilgrimages  to  Jerusal^n^ 
were  required  yearly^  and  others  were  often  undertaken.  A  whole 
week  was  occupied  by,  the  ^f'east. of  Unleavened  Bread,  and  by  tiiat  of 
Ti^berhaclesy  and  by  the  Eeastoftihe  Dedication.  Every  /ewwas^ 
moreover,  occiipied  to  a  largei  extend,  through  his  connection  with  the 
Teniple,  by.itithesi  jjacriflces,  anii>  vows.  He  visited  the  Holy  Place  as 
often  as:  possible,  for  prayer,  and  to  offer  special  gifts.  He  had  to  pay 
the.most  minute  attention,  continually,  to  permitted iand  forbidden 
food  andi  clothing,  and  to  the  strict  observance  of  all  laws  resj^c^ing 
the  accessories  of  his  piiblio  and  private  Worship,  his  rolls'of  thelikWy 
his  phylacteries^  the  blowing  of  trtimpets,  the  gathering  of  palm  twigs 
at  the  riglit  times,  and  much  mere.  The  endless  tules  re$pbeting  the 
cleannessand  unclcanhessof  Iporsons  and  things,  demanded  thegreatr 
est  care  every^hour.  Both  men  and  women;  as  such,,  had  many  detail^ 
to  observe.  Then,  there  were  the  evet-recurring usiges, testiyities,  or 
event*  Of  family  life-H-circiimcisiions,  betrothals,  marriages,  divorces, 
deatiis,  and  mournuig;  the  laws  of  the  Sabbath  year,  Jcecnrring  peri- 
odically»  and  many  other  diversi^ed  ocoUrrfenceS,  which  hadieachits 
prolixity  of  religious  form,  not  to  be  'overlooked.  Besides  all,  extra: 
ordinary  solemnities  were  appointed  on  special  occasioiis,  and;  ♦hesc; 
again,  na^de  gFfrvc  demands  oh  the  thoughtful  care  of  the  whole  popu- 
lation. No,  wonder  that  the  Law  was  almost  the  one  thing  in  a  Jew's 
mind,  nor  that  a  child  brought  up  in  such  an  atmosphere  should,  in 
most  cases,  be  blindly  conservative  and  narrow. 

Opportunity  will  be  taken  hereafter  to  illustrate  what  life  under 
the  Law. really  was,  but  even  without  the  statement  of  details,  it  is 
evident  that  a  system  which  spread  its  close  meshes  over  the  whole  of 
life,  must  have  been  a  heavy  l^irdeu  oh  the  conscientiousi,  and  a  fruit- 
ful source.  o|  hypocrisy  and  dead  formality  to  the  maas.  ^  The  hedig9 


N. 


M 


■B4o 


■# 


Mi 

a 


m 


rm^UFR  OF  CHRIST. 


li^yented  br  Babblnism  was  a  unique  expansion  of  a  few  written  pb»- 
i^pts  to  Idimite^etail.  ArMflcial  interpretationft  of  Scn-ipiuic,  ofteii 
66iitrdr^  t6  th6  sense,  and  even  to  the  letter  «£  iSie  Law,  winie  indented 
as  ocdolsioli  ircquiiiedV  and  then  enforced  as  of  more  authority  than  the 
Law  itself.  The  Rabbi  could  ''bind  and  loose;"  no  case  escaped  his 
casuistry  t  religion  was  turned  into  a  lifelong  slavery,  so  burdensome; 
that  ev6ii  the  Talmud  itself  speaks  of  "the  vexatious  worry  of  the 
Pharisees."  Ethics  and  theology  were  reiined  into  an  elaborate  sy»- 
iem  of  jurisprudence,  till  even  where  the  requirements  wereiright, 
thei^  iiorality  was  poisoned  In  its  priiiciptefe,  and  deadcnedtthe  fresh 
][Ftilses  of  spirituallife.  .■       , 

Still  there  Were  many  in  Israel  who  retained  more  or  less  ot<  the 
primitivie  godliness  of  the  i^atioA.  If  Rabbinism,  as  la  svstem,  ^ad 
fallen  from  its  earlier  sltid  nObler  idea  of  binding  the  nation  perma- 
nently to  the  true  faith,-^  if  it  had  substituted  teaching  for  ^a^  change  of 
heart;  'legality  for  iBpoiltaneous  fidelity;  endless  prescriptions  for  .the 
life-givitig  spdrit,  thferfe  W6re  hot  a  few,  alike  amoi^  the  RfUibis  and 
ihe  people,  to  whom  the  external  was  not  all.  There  may  >  have  bsen 
ft  Rabbi  At  Nazareth  as  seilf-right^ous  as  Nechimza  Ben-  H^kana,  ^lo, 
#lien  he  left  his  school,  was  wont  to  pray—"  I  thank  Thee,  O  Lofd, 
my  Ood,  that  Tliou  hast'  given  tiie  my  portion  aniong  those  who  fre- 
ml^tit  the  Hoiisfe  of  Instruction,  andtiot  among'thdse  who  arabusy  at 
the  street  corners;  for  I  rise  early,  and  they  rifie  eaWy;  I  apply  mysfdf 
0arlv  to  the  Law,' and  they  to  va^in  things;  I  work,  and  thrar  w(xrac;  I 
tsrbt-fe  ahd  receive  my  reward,  ttifeyw6rk  and  receive  none;?  it  run^  «nd 
tSieyrun;  I  mii  after  eternal  life,  and  thejr  to  the  pit.*?  But/jtheie 
may  hive  b^n,  alsol  anotiter,  like  tlie  Rabbi  of  Jamnki^^wliojrtiild.hia 
fifchokns,'  "I  <^m  a  creature  of  Godi  and  my  f^Uow-man  is'  no  less  sb. 
I  hate  mV' calling  iii  the  t6wn,  he,  his,  in  the  fidd.  *  tl  go  early  to  my 
wbrk;  afha  ■  he  to  his.  As  h^  is  not  made  proud  by  hisi  labour,f I  j&m 
not  mad<^  i)Vo'!i<»  by  mine;  If  you  think  timt  I  am  busied  Avithcgre^t 
matters  and  he  with  small,  remember  that  tiue  work^  whether  tgixaat 
or  small,  leads  to  the  same  end.'^'v'^  'M'  'n /a  •  ^t^A.aii  ti  i.^^u*  jtoi;.<.i 
Tlie*  child  Jesus,  must  have  ■  6f  tew  lieard  to  the  house  of  ilKuch  jatnan 
asJo^ph;  and  in  those  <>f  his*  h^igh  bom's  of  like  miiHi  wklv  hini, 
'#btim  he  visited',  a  healthy  Intelligent  religiousness^  beautiful  in  any 
age.  Tlie  popular  proverbs  Arid  sayings  which  have  come  down  to 
U6  m&y  easily  bring  back  many  ah  Evening  scene  in  >  Nazareth,  wben 
ftiends  or  neighbours  of  J6depli%  circle  ro€t  for  an  hour's^^qudet  gos- 
i^;  when  thieir  day's  toil  was  overi*' Quite  ti-ue,  neighbour,"  we 
may  fancy  one  of  such  a  group  saying,  "he  who  knows  (he  Law  and 
has  no  fear  of  God,  is  like  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue  who  has  only 
thte  key  of  the  inner  d<>or,  but  not  of  the  outer."  "  Yesi  Zeoharyah, 
ft  God-fearing  Rabbi  is  like  a  good  player  who  has  his  h^tp  with  him, 
but  a  godless  Rabbi  is  like  one  who  has  nothing  on  w^ich  lomnke 
music. '*  *'' You  speak  triily.MenHhem}  a  godly  man  is -the  glory  of 
.*  %'UMn:  ihi  res^mr<i»  ftnd  i^  oiiiiiinM^M;  If- Me  leaver  it^^it^^  1^  :c«- 


wurd, 
tell  mi 
who  n 
liar,  tk 
Mh,  ' 
stands 
of  hi^  I 
Gooc 
tauglit 
scholar 
.  fragran 
words- « 
and  in  i 
iNazarit 
"A  fific 
faults^  ii 
goM  pi( 

granted 
idolater, 
roses;  ol 
you  fear 
of  God. 
none  m  i 
lesson  f I 
He  died 
was>bein 
lievetlie 
to  the  gi 
yielded  t 
fate  as  h 
passed^oi 
before  G 
A  ;wis« 
but  wise 
Joseph 
"One' '81 
mother, 
left' banc 
wall." 
heart  be 
"The  br 
wisdom 


THE  LITE  OM  (MRIfil*i  iSt 

ii^fd,  Mid  Its  ^^nifiment^  leave  it  ■y^'itn  miii.*^  "  My  .ratner  used  10 
tell  me/*  chimoa  ill  Hananyah  Ben  Hizkiyah^  **that  there  are  four 
idio  never  have  the  face  of  God  lifted  upon  them*— the  scoffer,  tht? 
liar,  tbehyiwcriter  and  the  slanderer."  "Rahbi  Nathan,"  saya  the 
dfth,  ''is  right,  I  think;  I  have  heard  him  say  that  the  man  who 
stands  firm  in  temptation,  and  the  hour  of  whose  death  is  like  that 
of  hi^  birth,  is  the  onlyman  to  bo  envied."'  r 

1  ilGood  counsels  to  the  youn^  were  not  wanting.  The  Haz^nwho 
f aught  the  Nazareth  school  m  thet  synagogue,  may  have  told  his 
scholars — "Get  dose  to  the  seller  of  perfumes  if  you  want  to  be 
fragrant;"  Hevinay  have  given  the  groups  of  little  ones  at  his  feel 
words'  of  wisdom  such  as  these+— that ' '  grapes  on  vines  are  beautif  ul^ 
and  in  their  right  place;  but  grapes  among  thorns  are  neither."  "A 
(Nazarite  should  go  round  about,  ratheri  than  come  near  a  vineyard^" 
"A  fifiend  who^  as  often  as  he  meets  you,  tells  you,  in  secret,  your 
faultSj  is  better  than  one  who,  whenever  he  me^ts  you/^vsa  you  a 
gdM  piece."  "If  you  see  an  humble  man,  you  may;  almost  t«j^  for 
granted  that<  he  fears  God,  but  a  proud  man  is  no  better  than  jan 
idolater."  "Make  the  best  of  your  childhood;  youth  is  a  crown- of 
roses;  old  age  of  thorns.  Yet  do  not  fear  death,  it  is  only  a  ki|is,  if 
you  fear'  God. "  "  Truth  is  the  «eal  of  God. "; "  Ti-ust  in;  the  inefcy 
of  Godi,  even  if  liie  sharp  sword  be  at  your  throat;  He  forsake^ 
none  or  His  creatures  to  give  thorn  up  to  destruction.'*  t**Tali^ ,» 
lesson  fi^m  Jose  iBen- Joezer,  who  was  the  first  Jew  everi  crucified. 
He  died  for  his  faith  in  the  evil  time  of  the  S)rrian  kings.  As  hd 
wasbeing  led  to  dfeath,  his  sister's  scm,  Alkim,  tried  to  make  faim  Ib^i- 
Itevetliat  God  showed  more  ftivour.to  transgressors  of  the  Law  tli^a 
to  the  godly;'  He  could  have  «aveid  Jose's  Ufe,  if  the  martyr  ha4 
yielded  to  him.  But  Jose  only  answered,  ^  If  Qod  preptures  siiph  Jft 
fate  as  miilie  for  the  godly,  what  will  becomeof  the  wicked? —apd 
paf»ed>o&<to  the  cross.'*  I'-The  humble  man  is  he  who  is  as reyei^^iit 
before  God  as  if  he  saw  Him  with  his  eyes."  .  . 

A  wise  teacher  may  have  spoken  thus  to  the  children  in i the  s^obl, 
but  wisiB  counsels  would  not  be  wanting  at  homo.  Lilte.  all  Orientals. 
Joseph  Was,  doubtless,  given  to  speak  in  proverbs  and  parables. 
"One'sliWD  follows  another,"  he- might  have  said.  "As  is  the 
mother,  s&  m  the  daughter."  "A  man  without  friends  is  like  the 
left'hand  without  the  right"  "The  road  has. ears,  and  so  has  the 
wall."  ^^'Jt  is  no  matter  whether  a  man  have  miuch  or  little,  if  his 
heart  be  set  on  heaven."  "A  good  life  is  better  than  high  birth.'* 
"The  bread  and  the  rod  came  from  heaven  together."  "Seeking 
wisdom  when  you  are  old  is  lik^  writing  on  water;  seeking  it  wheu 
you  are  young^ls  like  giuving  on  stone."  "Every  word  ■you  speak, 
good  or  bad,  light  or  serious,  is  written  m  a  book."  "Flr6  cannot 
Ke0pibom|)an^w4th49x  without  kindling  it."  "In  this  world  a  suin 
foUowi  his  own  will;  i|i  the  next  comes  the  ludgment'!.  ,1*  Wl^  i^ 
tame  mmiiMivrWi  which  a  man  measures  to  others  it  will  he'  tntaa- 


iiiM 


THM  tilFB  OP  'CkRiST. 


tited  to  !ilih  tolfa;"  *^' Patioiliice,  did  stWnce^iii  fltrlfeiHreth^f  „_ 
iof  a  noble  minq."  **  Hd  who  ihakes  the  pleasturee  of  thJJShWcrl^  M* 
pbrtioh^  loses  those  of  the  world  to  cwne;  but  he  who  seeks  thosei  of 
hefevep,  receives,  also,  those  of  earth."  "He  who  humbles  himself 
will  be  exalted  by  God;  but  he  who- exalts  himself ,  him  viU  Q^ 
humble/'  "Whatever  God  does  is  right."  "Speech,  is  silver; 
silence  is  worth  twice  as  much."  "Sin  hardens  the  hfcart  of  wau." 
^"It  is^tt  'shaiiife  for  a  plant  to  speak iill  of  him  who  planted  It." 
"•^  Tw^o  bits  of  dry"  wood  set  a  moist  one  6n  flre.'V  All  thCsjCi  are  jew- 
irfi  saying,  which  Jesus  may  Well  have  heard  in  His  childhood. 
i '  Kazai'eth  would,  no  doubt,  have  its  finer  spitits  who,  ffrom  tinao  to 
time,  shed  the  light  of  tl^eir  higher  nature  over  family  gatherings, 
and  none  of  this  could  be  lost  on  such  a  child  as  Jesus.  On  some 
glorious  night,  when  the'  nioon  was  walking  in  brightness,  a  mind 
like. this  may  have  told  the  children  round  him  some  such  :0ne  He- 
brew apofogue  as  followB:-^''^r  I  *f*4j'      .     ■-  i-i 

"The  Eterial  sent  forth  His  creating  voice,  saying,  *tet  two 
lights  1^ine  in  the  firmament,  as  kings  of  the  earth,  and  dividers  pf 
the  revolving  yedcr.'  •  "  '    , 

"He  spake,  and  it  was  done.  Thri  sun  rose  as  the flrs$  Light. ,  As 
a  bridefgtocKpi  comes  forth  in  the  morning  froiti  his  cbiamber)  afi(a 
hero  rejoices  on  his  triumphal  march^  so  rose  he,  clothe^  iji  the 
i^iehdour  o!f  God.  'A  crown  of  all  hues  encircled  his  head;i  the  e«rth 
re jblced,  the  plants  sent  up  their  odours  to.  him,  And  the  flowers  put 
on  their  best  Array.  '    ;, 

•  'iThe  other  Li^ht  looked  on  with  envy,,  m  it  saw  thast  it  coiulid  not 
outvie  the  Gfonous  One  in'  splendour.  *  ViTliiU,-  need  is  there^^*  it 
^igk«d,  murmuring  to  itself ,  *bf' two  kings, on  one  throne?!'  "Why  was 
i  the  second  instead  of  the  Urat?'  /  ?    :    V 

**' "  J'ortihwith  itii  bri^tness'faded,^chased;away  by  its  inward  cba- 
^In.    It  flew  from  ft  high  thipygh;  the  air,  And  became  the  .Host,  of 


fcvtars. 

'  "The  Moon 


M  >7   /f; 


-   '    •; 


pale 'fts  tite  de&t!;  a^haxhed  be^te;  aH  tl|e  hifeav- 
enly  oniBs,  aufi  i^ept--**Have  pity  on  me^  I^Mher  of  all  creatures, 
haVejpity.*  •     <if^;rr':   ■    ■  •■••-■;f5V  v   •:  '•■•         ,    ..   ,■ 

'VfThen  the  irigelof  God  stood  before  tHe  Sad  One,  and  told  her 
i^d  decree  of  the  Highest.  'Because  thou  has  envie#tihe  liglitof 
the  ^ub,  unhappy  one,  hehceforth  thoil  wilt  only  diine  by  ;hi9  light, 
and  when  yonder  earth  comes  between  thee  and  him.  thou-  wilt  stand 
dafkenekl,  ifl  part,  or  entirely,  a^  now.  ■    '; 

"•Yet,  aiild  of  Error,  weep  hot.     The  Merciful  One  has"  f cr- 
aven thy  ^,   and  turned  it  to  |good  fof  thee.     "Go^v  said  He, 
•speak  comfortably  to  the  Sorroyrful  One;  she  ^vill  l^e,  at  least,  a. 
c^ueeh,  in  W  brightness.    The  tears  of  her  sorrow  will  be  $.  balm  to 
quickeii  idMiving  things,  and  reoi^ew  the  streagth  wliic^ithe  beaniis  pf 

'^  '  3Idoii  iir«iitra^(mjE  Ciitenidrted^-floid,  Ida^ 


i^rl^ 


leaK^^q 
she  set 
,  ,$ucJ 

wortjlj- 

Child.; 

and  {^ 

.    -VP.fJjo^ 

trades  i 

the  sin 

sailed  \ 

less.^gf 

syna^of 

t|ip  tliOJ 

)vith|^ 

Mary,  ti 

learn  its 

Jpsejph.i 
cle,JoiC.( 

T?l^.i 
tbeH^c 
readings 
we  can 
dred^in 
Syuagog 
oner  the 
Jerus^] 

lifted  A 
sacriijiccs 
sented,  t 
spoke  to 
beefli  w;^ 
summaH 
gressed, 
belongs  t 
lio  rjeadii 
ple.ancj^ 
interpret 
tliepubi 
Jerusalei 


tHK  XXFE^  OF  CHKMT. 


CSX) 


3  tliose  of 
IB  himself 

Vill  Gf9^ 
id  silver; 
of  matt." 
anted  It." 
,  are  Jew- 
^ood; 
>m  timo  to 
ratherings, 
Opsotne 
3S,  a  mind 
h  fine  He- 

1*1.  *    ■*• 

«tet  t^o 
divid^apf 

liigbt.  <  As 

ihed  iii  the 
hi  the  earth 
lowers  put 

tcouji  »Qt 
I  there;  it 

-Whyfwas 

•  •  '»■,■.,,• 

n'ward  oba- 
th«.Hostof 

it  il<e.h*i^t- 
i  creatures, 

Dti"  told  her 
Uie  Uglitof 
)y;hi9  light, 
pjTriir  stand 


>ne  has'  for- 
j-'?  aaid  He, 
B,  at  least,  a 
se  «i  balm  to 
the  beams  of 


l^l  tfOkiyl^gkiDea^  in  which  itke  «tiU.  ahdhes:  she:  set  florth  on  that 
peaX)e|ul  pallii  in  which  i^e  still  moves,,  us  Queen  6f  .the  Night  imd 
leaipli^^  of  |h^  sjtajr^.  JLamjdntmg  her*  sin,  and  pitying  the  tews  of  men, 
she  seeks  w)>om  si^?  ca'i?  ire:Yive,.and  looks  for  any  one  she  can  cheer." 

;^uch,  m  doubt*  would)  be  some  of  the  chariEicteiistios  of  Nazareth 
life,  ifver^ ,  one  would .  know  every  one ;  industry  and  idleness; 
wotrtji  piid  vicei  pleasure  land  sadness;  would  be  around  the  growing 
Child.,. , The  Prxienploughijig  the. little  valley  below  the  town  and  the 
gr^t  piain  putside,  would  of  ten  arrest  his  eyes;  the  asses  and  mules, 
and  i^i^ielslad^fwijth  goods  or  produce,  Would  pass  then,  as  now, 
,np,tlio<;u9unta^  k^ck,  to  the,  narrow  tN^uu«th  streets:  the  diffisreht 
tradf^  of  the  village  would  be,  busy,  as  they  are  stilL  The  wise  and 
the,  simple;, ,th?  clown  and  the  scholar:  the  poor  and  the  rich:. the, 
sailed  workman  and  the  proud  squire :  helpless  infancy,  and  as  help* 
lessfig^;  4he:^hQol,;tiie^.  play -ground,  the  nmrket,  the  court,  the 
synagogue,  and  the  cemetery,  would  each  in,  turn  be  prominent  for 
t|k^.  tmne.  !^ut  At  would  be  under  Joseph's  roof,  as.  in  a  silken^nest; 
with#^rCOuns^isi  of .  Joseph,  and  the  gentle  and  lofty  devoutness  of 
Mary,  that  jthe  young  soul,  destined  one  day  to  be  so  great,  would 
learn itsnichestiesaona of cliildhood.    ,  •   i 

At  a  .Vj^ryi  early  agQ,  Jesus  would  be  takeU  to  the  synagogue  with 
Jps«^h,a|)allary«  and  tlie  other  children  of  the  Nazareth  family,  cirs- 
cle,.iqjf:eyen  them  thsttinstitutionluid  become  the  banner  of  Jewish 
i^atioinaU^ftjiitc  centre X3df/ national  life,  and, the  segis  of  the  JeWii^ 
faith,  whose  services  no  Israelite  would  think  of  neglecting* 

.111^.  importance  of  the  Synagogue  dates  not  later  tlian  the  age  of 
the  J^a^cqab^a,,,,  It  rose  from,  the  Institution,  by  Ezra^  of  periodical 
readings  of  wie  Law  in  public.  Its  earliest  history  is  not  known,  for 
we  can  hardly  trust  the  Rabbinical  traditions,  that  there  Were  hun- 
dred^ iu^iQrusalem^under  the  second  Temple.  But, the  germ  of  the 
Svnagogue  dpubtlpsis  existed  in  Babylon.  The  exiles  coukl  no  longer 
oner  their  sacrifices,  for  this  could  be  done  only  in  the  Temple  at 
Jerusftl^mv  W^npe  they  uaturally  betook  themselves  to  pray-er,  and 
lifted  t^^ir  hands,  in  their  loneliness,  to  Qiod,  at  the  times  when  their 
sacriijiccs  w^e  wont  to  be  cons^imed.  Instead  of  these  they  pre- 
sented, their  prayers*  and  prophets  like  EzeMel,  on  the  Sabbath, 
spoke  to.thip  of  their  duty.  It  would  seem  as.if  the  Law  itself  had 
Im^jqi  Wi^li'nigh,  unknown  during  the  exile»  from  the  fact  of  Ezra 
summa'ung^  thei  people  to  hear  it,  .as  something  which  they  had  trans- 
gressed, from  ignorance  of  its  requiremon(;a.  .To.  him,  apparently, 
belongs  tlic  signal  Upnour  of  establishing  the  qi^stonLof  constant  pub- 
liq  rjBading  of  the  sacred  books  before  the  congregations  of  the.peo^ 
ple,,andof.  taking  care  that,  as  Hebrew  was  no  longer  understood, 
inte^-prettrs  should  be  provided,  to  translate  tho. Scripture  lessons,  at 
the  public  sery^^,  juto  the  (Spoken  dialect,  .  Established^  first,  in 
Jerusalem,  synsgogijes  soon  spread  over  -thevJand,  and  even  beyond 
U,  5yl^erciyj^ij/4PV/*,Jia^iSetU©i,  >.,Thcyv.gradua^  the  great 


4 


,fi } 


'  Ir 


^m 


^THarilFE*  OF  CHRISt. 


■f) . 


«hiin«6t^8tfo  JofHienatloiipfbr;  though  thv  Mrrlcotof  Ihe  TMIfriii 
wer«3/<^  cherished,  -the/Byii8fi^^  loctl  coivmlenoe,  Ha 

supfeniti  itifluenicc  iiL  fixing.  Jewish  reUgious  opinion^  and  lit  Matunl 
impofliifiikc^  «&  the/oenctre  of  ieaeh  ccanmunity^  and  the  taaliol  tbcdr 
ficxnallife^oaniedwHbitthe  steedsctf  the  dostruetion  of  ^•iHtrtoUy 
lo^-l'etapb  sefrvicec  The  vpriest,  henceforth^  watt  of  lift^import- 
ancce^t^ii'th&la^  Rabbi;  for  while  the  OBO  touched  dlfe  at  only  ffj&w 
^i^;  the>  other  directed  its  trvoiy  movement.'  In  (Jhrlit'a  day%ere 
were'6yBf(^^>gtied^ev^erywheiie.  .  In  Jerusalem,  alone,  tbefe^gnidUaHy 
rose,  aooordiag  to  the  Talnxnd,  ho  fewer  than  480.  Tiberias  had 
thIrtiseD,  Damascus  ten,  and  other  cities'  and  towns  hi>  jiroporlioh  to 
Ihdr  pi0|mlation.  But  the  Mother  Synagogue  in  the  Teoipie  sllU'  te- 
mained,  as  it  were,  the  model  after  which  all  other  synagogues  vtere 
organized; -I' -jM  ''r-(''hh-,'>X'i)'d\iii&>ui  .>'i/r,j;  >a;'^'t'M  /»(mu>  '^ti^'-'  ivti'ttuMji^  -ini, 
'  Whereverftin  Jewii  wete  isttlod;;  itn^ilnomwbeht  ©ft  themVtO 
ft^!  Hiemsolves  into  a  congi-egation,  and  have  svniigogue  serviioe. 
Open^trhetures  on  the  banks  of* rirers;.  or  on  the  sea'shore^  wqre 
prelenied,'where  the  Jewish  population  was  smaU^  front' their  ooii- 
venience  for  the  necessary  purifications;  but,  whoTOver  Ifwas  possi- 
ble, a  synagogue  was  erected  by ^e  free  contribntinns  ol  the  p<»t>le. 
Sdmelinies,  indeed,  arieh man  built  one  at  his  owin  expMniei  The 
minst  of  those  in  Galileej  €hrist'a  own  country,  enable  ue  to  learn 
ihdny  particulars  resflecting  this  locality  at  least*  la  nelectliig  sites, 
tble%ulldei9  by  no  means  always  chose  prominent  poeltiottii' '  If » iii 
some  casosj,  <^e  Rabbinical  requirements  were  observed  that  the 
symtgogfie  should  be  raised  on  the  highest  paartof  the  towti,  and  its 
totran^o  he'  on  the  ^western  side,  they  wore,  seemingly,  nioro  fre- 
quently  n^lected.  Thejniinsof  the  old  synagogues  In  the  district 
on  the  geaof  Galilee,  amd' north  oif  it,  are  somotimes  In  th(r  lower 
part  of  the  town,  and  at  othera  have  hod'  a  sitS'  ONcavitted  for  ithem  in 
the  rocky  side  of  a* hiU. i  Their  taitrances  are  almost  alwaysi atthe 
soUdvem  end,  an  arrangement  hardly  to  have  been  expeoted,  as  it 
required  every  Jew,  on  cnteting;  to  tiiun  his  back  to  Jeruialem^   it 

The  building  waa  iilways  rectan^^r^  with  its  longed  dimension 
hia  nearly  south  and  north  direction,  and  its  interior  divided  Into 
fire  aiaksB,  by  fourro^sof  columns;  unless  it  wns  vei^  email.  "When 
two  rows  01  cOldmns  were  used,  making  •  only  three  nlsleii  IShe 
w?a]ls  were  well  and  solidly  built  of  native  Umostoner  the  stones 
"  chitellcd"  into  each  other,  without  mortar,  and,  while  finely  4res9ed 
outside^  left  rough  on  thQ>  innen  side^  for  plasU^ring.  The  entrances 
were  three  ia  number;  one  large  doorway,  opening  Into  the  central 
aisle,  aod  a  smaller  one  on  each  side,  tnoiigh  sometimes,  in  small 
synagogues,  there  was  only  one  entrance.  Folding  d^oni^  with 
socket  hinges,  closed :  by  bars  on  the  t  inside,  gave  mem  security. 
Over  the  doors  was  more  ornament  that  we  might  have  expected— 
eeiult^iirasiof  the  goldien  candlestick-t*-or  of  the  pot  of  manaa— orrof 
psm!hsk}]aasi^ii*iHx:tlt»t}^eiKr,:&  p»vod  with  '«|M^of 


THE  LIFSr  OF)  CHMST. 


m 


^^ttelhnestcin!,  mud  the  arrangement  of  the  txfkamoB  wm  tfafr^MBe 
In  f&tt.  >  Hie 'itpacesi  betvreen  theas  urere  vcrr  emAlli  thongh.  tlio 
columns  tlveziaMlves  wera  eometimes  6laboratei7  finishtd  vrVuk  Ck> 
vlotlikii  and  clonic  capitdSi  Blocks  of  stone  loid  from  oohunn  to 
bolomn  recxriyed  the  'wooden  miters,  which  were  bedded  deeply  in 
these  eappoits  for  strnngth,  and  were  ver|r  broad  as  well  at  thics,  to 
bear  up^a  flat  rodfv  covered  heavily  "^^th.  ^arth,  which  was  the  fa«di> 
ion  in  private  houses  aleo^  as  it  mil  is  in^nearlr  all  Arob  dweUing8» 
as  best  adapted  for  keeping  out  the  intense  heat  of  tbefsun.  'Die 
ruins  are  too  imperfect  to  show  the  arrsngement  of  the  windows. 

!Fhe  n^nagogues  were  op&n  ^v^y vday  for  three  services,  but  as^bose 
<»f  the  anemoon^indeveniQgwerc  always  joint     there  were^  inareality^ 
only  two.    It  was  the  duty  of  every  godly  Jew  to  go  to  each  aervioe, 
for  so  sacred  was  daily  attendance,  that  the  Rabbis  taught  that  M  he 
Wli9  practised  it  sav^  Israel  from  the  heathen,**    The  two  market 
daysvJMbnday  and  Thursdayv  when  the  country  people  came  into 
town,  aind:wheh  the  courts Vere  heldy  and  the  SabliathSii  were  tiie 
special  times  I  of  public  worship.    Feast  days,  and  fasts,  were  also 
:  marked  by  airailarsacrBdness.ni:5.,MH','{i.t  ■,■<■        .-i  «>,'!  t^.-  .-m-, .-..>"■ 
"'<  Theinteriorof  the  synagogues  was  aitanged,  asf ar  as  possible,  after 
*the  model  of  the  Tabernacle  or  the  Temple.    Before  the^^oors^f 
Uame.^  »  sunken  space  for  a  porch  formed  a  counterpart '  to  ^he-  fore* 
court  lof  the  sanctuary.    The  space  immediately  inside:  was  for  ^e 
congregations.    Alittle  beyond  the  middle^  a  raised  and  enclosed  i^at- 
f  onii;  in  the  centre  of  the  fioor,  in  some  measure  corresponded  to  ^e 
alte    Here  the  officiaistood  to  conduct  the  services^  by  reading;  from 
the  sacred  books  and  chanting  the  prayers.     In  the  wall  at  the  larther 
ond  was  la  teoess,.  before  which  hung  a  veil;  the  recoss  thocquivalent 
of  the  Holy  of  Holies;  the  veil,  ofr  the  one  before  that  mysterious 
chamber  in  the  Temple.    In  this  shrinei  were  kept  ths  tSacred  Bt^s, 
wia|)ped  in  several  covers  of:  linen  and  silk;, the  outer  one  adorned, 
as  means  allowed,  with  gold  and:  silver.    The  Babbisi  required  that 
this  i^rine  idiould  look  towards  Jerusalem,  but  this  was  not  generally 
provided  for  in  the  Galilean  sjmagogues  of  Chdsf«  day;  i  rS^fore  the 
shrine  hungan  everburning  lamp-^me  representative  of  the  ^*  i^emal 
fire"  in  the  holy  place  in  the  Temple.    Beside  it  stood  a  iarge  eiglit- 
brancfaed  ]an»pv  like  the^*  golden  candlestick"  of  the  Temple,  which 
we  now  see  sculptured  on  the  Arch  of  Titus,    It  was  adorned  with 
inscription^,  and  was  kept  for  tlie  illumination  made  at  tl]«  Feast  of. 
the  Dedication,' each  December,  when  the  joyotithe  nation  at  the  <re- 
ktodling  of  the  lamps  in  the  Temple;  after  the  tvinmphof  Judas  Mac- 
cabseus,  was  celebrated  for  eight  .days  together.    Other  lamps  hung 
Up  and' down  the  synagogue  to  illuminate  it  during  tiie  Sabbath  even- 
ing service,  whether  needed  or  not,  in  honoui'  of  t!^  day,  as  was  done 
h^  in  private  houses.    Rabbis  and  the  ^ders  of  the  '^iynagogne'sat 
on  raised  cushions  next  the  shrine,  facing  the  people,  m  th«<'*<^ief 
timt^"'  The  men  of  the  oeDgn^tioB;filied4the>^QB  flOKirnext  tiMsa, 


I 


t«l 


THB^IFET  OF:  ClIUISTt 


tlieirj»)ek6.iqithe  ineo.  Where  spaoo  allowed,  ho wevrtr,  »flbt  gttlleT>^ 
vfia  lnM$/f<irithem,  butiinany^cfrae^  they*  were  nolvimble  la  the  othei; 
Bex^;;<JIIrii!mpiGt»:f0rvpix>Glainll»g.ih^  newtnoon»  tind  for  imbliBhing 
8eiittoefil»^Qf  .«xie<lkn]nuiiicatiiC>ii,  ioiiiied  pftrt  of  thofuralture,.butvero 
kept:.ili;jtho  house, of  the  Jtiazan^r  In  itho  porch  wiw  Rj toblet -with 
prigriBm^forj'thQ  r6i^b()ir  prince,  and  anotlier  witJi,  tlio  uiinies  of  iw^^ 
wboJiod |)e^n:e;!ccoiniii»iiicated,  white  lielow  them  v^ore.boxcH  to jci 
•elve  tho  al«u»  of  theiCont^rf^gation,  m  tlii^y  cutored,.  for  the>p6or. 

The  gweateet  reveronce  was  paad  by  every  Jew  to  his  (synagogue.  It 
could;  not  be  buiU  near  a  public  bath,  or  a  wa»h*houfie,.  or  a  tonnerv, 
and  If  it  were  taken  down;  no.oue  woul^  uu.  any  ficcoui>t,cxo«B.th^ 
groirad^on  wJiich  it  had  stopd.  i/?  ,.,i,     ,  .     .  ,      .<,//i  virio' 

f  iTh6  chief  authoritiea  of  the  Synagogue  were  0  ooundliof  elders,  of 
whomoae  acted' as head^.tbpug|l  only  the  flrut  among  equals.  ,  They 
pronounced  e^comntunictitions,  .delivered  lientanues. on  o^endera  of 
various  kinds,;  managedtheoliaritiea  of  thei  congregation;  and  attendee^ 
to -tlm  wnnts  of  strangers..  They  were  a  local  cpunterpart  of  <  the 
"elders  of  tlie  people,"  who,  through  the  whole  history, of  IsraeU 
formedraiiiind  (^  nati^nAl^enate,  and^  of  ^ose  humbler  1^el(ler8''  iWho 
iDonatitnted  therrcding  bodv  over  towns  and  diatric^ta^  as  they  lormerly 
had  also  idone/over  ithe  different  tribes.  It  marks  the  nmple  and 
healtiiy  basiS'C^sochMiy in  Israel,  that  the  one  idea  of.the  fan^Iy  and 
houaehold^;  ruled  by  m  head,  tlms  lay  at  its  root^  as  is  indeed  implied 
inthd  KeryMuaaie^House.  of  Ifi»rael-^by  whioh  the  nation,  as  a. wholes 
wais  jfina^mi;-  Tl)ie  head  mler  or  older  of  the  Synagogue  was*  formal!^ 
coBflecratedbythe  laying  on;  of  hands. 
'  The  inferior ^Blces  were:  hjeld  l^y  various  oifloiaki.t  The  lIazan,;.or 
"nAiiiister,'*liadthi3  charge  oi  the  jbuilding,  of  cleaning  th6  latnps^; 
o^eumgrandcloshig  the  doom,;  anddoing  any  other  necessary  servile 
works  Eke  a  modevu' soxton,  l)csideH  acting  as  messenger  to  the  rulers. 
But  he,  fllsOr  in^  inany  ciises,  led  the  prayers  and  chants.  It  wa»  hi* 
partr<to  handiHie  rell'of.  the  r Law  to  the  Header  lor  tlie  thne<  pointing 
out  tfati  proper  lesson  of  the  day  i'  The  Reader,  afv  representative  of 
thetoongre^tion^/badto  )blow  the  trvunpet  at  the  newmoouj  and  to 
strew  a3iei  on  his  head  on  fast  days.  The  alms  of  the  congregation 
were xoUected  and  dbtributed  by  special  ofllcers,  of  whom  two  wer^ 
required  to. act  togeth^  in  the  receiving:'  three  in  the  distri|mtiont 
There  sieems  to  havs  been  no  functionary  for  reading  the  prayers, 
which  was  done  in  t^e  name  of  the  congregation,  and  by  its  authority, 
by  any  one  empowered  for  tlid  time.  Any  member  of  the  congrega- 
ti<m^;  unless  herwere  a  miuDr,'  was  qualified  to  do  lo.  ^s  a  ruley  how* 
ever,<  it  is  Hkely  ttiat  the  Hazan  generally  led  the  chanting,  land  rctad 
the  ordinary  l|^s(ma  *A  curious  feature  in  the  organization  ivasf  that 
in  eaelh^s^magbgue,  teninen^  know®  asfBatlaniia,  were  paid  tQ attend 
evei^P'ssmcd  frbsijitR  openinifjtoito:«losev  that  t^iere  might  n^ver  be 
^wnr  pi^sent  than  the  Babbis  require  to  constitute  alawfiil  sciirvioe. 


THE  LIFE  OF  OillUST. 


238 


Thcrp  seems  to  have  been  ynly  one  synagoffue  in  Nuzareth,  so  that,- 
as  airthe  JcWs  In  the  (owii  ddubtle^  attended  it,  a  hurge  propovtioa  of 
tl^e  papulation  mudthave  been  other  than  Israelites,  or  the  townitaelf 
m^stlTaVe  b^cn  i^niall,  to  iiidge  from  the  sjfze  of  oth«r  synagogiieB  of 
Gajiipe/ whose  ruins  haVfeoeen  disfcov^rfed;  The  congregatton  ^ould/' 
iu  many  r^sbedi^,  be  very  different  from  Wefitem  noitionsv  The  men 
camein  the  lon^f  flciwiii^,  and,  to  us,  feminine-looking  dress  of  the 
East;  their  heads *x;ov(^re(l  ^ith  turbahs  of  various'  co]ourd^-*6ome 
simple,  others  costly— br  with  the  '^l^in  fceffiyfeh,  ia  kerr^hief  of  cotton, 
lii\en,  or  silk,  of  various  col6m*s,  folded  to  that  thrfee  of  the  corners 
hiing  oV(^r  the'  back  and  shbiildcts;  le«ivin^  the^  flujc  exposed,  and 
looettly  held  roudd' the  head  l>y  a  cord-^as  is  still  the  Arab  ctistom<; 
their  d16thing,  only  a  lon^'wlrite  or  striped  tume,  of  linen  or  cotton, 
with  sleeves,  next  the  body — bound  at  the  loins  by  a  sash  (^  girdle,-^ 
and  a  loose  abba  or  cloak  thrown  6^et  it ;  their  'batd  ¥eet  shod  with 
sandiils.  'Ove^  the  abba  i^ome  would  Wear  alride  scarf  of  white  wool, 
tbii)  a^tl  light;  With' bars  (>f  red,  purple,  and  blue;  but  with  naitny, 
this  ^dri,  enlatj^ed  to  an  ^bba,  would  be  the  orily  outer  garmdnt.  A 
^A^  .,  ,.  .^-^  i^._i.-.  -  ...i.  ._  VrePT  o<i6  6t  silk,  adorbed  jwi«h  silver 

ah  indispensabi^  ptirt  of  ithe  ck>(!hing 

.    _    corUers  hung  four  tasi^iBli^  of  eight  threads 

arjiie^^,  bf  H^l^dnth-bliie.  of  -Wool  aloiief,  woven' and  naacte  up  with 
sutVrsHttdtfs  cat'fi;  as  a  half  reMibhs'ttt*,  &y«  Jewoiily.  '  These  wetc 
thc,Zizj[tlu  Of  fringes,  Worn  in  fulfilment  of  atteXpresi^  commandm^t 
of  ]»9^s,  that  the  sight' of  thdm  mlg^ht  make  the  Weaiw  *' rfcmeiAber 
alltli(e coinmaiidmcWis of  the  Lord,  aMd!o tl»ew:"  !  Sopacred,; indeed, 
were  they,  that  A  jnualler  Tallitb/a&  well,  duly  pi-dvided  with  them, 
wasw6m  underneath  the  clotlrihg  by  evei't  Jew,  from  his  earliest 
yearsi  dhd  lie  had  been  taught,  even  in  childhood,  never  to  put  it  on 
willibOrt  i^t>eatln^  the  pJralyer^" Blessed  art' Thoui  OLord  oui?  God, 
Ein^  of  the  Universe,  who  hast  sahCtifted  us  with  Thprcommand- 
m.^t^,  ahd  giveh'us  the  cothriiAUdmeht  of  the  fringes.*f  The  outer 
TallMj;  indeed,  'iva^  only  wbrb  because  the  fringes^  ■of  this  one  were 
c<!)V(ifOT''ufi,iihd  cbttM  hot  be  hissed,  as  the  Rabbis  r^uired,*  from 
tithe  %  tlhi^,  diiipitig  6he'  6i  the^  synagogue'  prayers.  The  right  use  of 
the  lesibnsj^f  Hh^  frloges  bJeWbelieved  equivalent  to  keeping  tlie*  whole 
Ld1^^  for  ilie  Rabbis  told  hiih  that;  as  thelettergof  the  uame^Ziaith, 
ised'aS'  $guJH6s,\hade  li^  ^le  ilumber  600^  they  and  the  five  knots  and 
^i^it'tliteads,  ai^  ^quai  to  the  whole  618  precepts  of  the  la.wi>h"'jxi: 
^he'Jewisn  mothers  a!rtd  daughters  of  Is  azftreth,'as  they  made  their 
wa^  'to  the  synagogue,  were  not  less  Oriental  and  strange.  They  .were 
always  -Veiled  in  white  at  public  worship,  and  not  unfrcquently  at 
other  times.  Their  flowing  mahtles  ehowsd  aisgreat^variet^t  of  colour 
as  fehihl^  dve^  does  now,  but  they  were  much'tlie  same  in  shape  as 
tliey  had  been  for  centuries.  Like  many  of  the  men,^  they-  iworo  tur- 
|}ku),  but  they  showed  a  contrast  to  the  dther  sex  in;4hsir  omameiitSi 
cm 'Wetefe^d&jV^henr '♦oii^ ^jjiow ' ri«i|9,  im  th^  v^ ^nip^ JtUip?!^ to 


ii«^- 


v;jA 


I». 


184 


thb:  ,ufe  of  ciiiui^'jp, 


I 


If 
m 


yreta  thero  on  the  Sabbath,  though  thcv  indulged  in  c^ngf^^  and 
netal  armlets,  and  necklacea  ami  leg  rlnjKs^  vrhich  tinkled  a0ttieir 
wearers  walked.  Their  t'oet,  like  those  of  ^e  men,  were  shod  witK 
■andals.  The  males  of  a  family  might  go  lo  the  synagogue  anv  wky 
they  chose,  but  the  women  went  only  oy  back  streets,  t6  avoid  the 
gaze  of  men.  All,  alike,  were  required  to  greet  no  one,  atid  Ip  make 
no  reverence^  whoever  passed,  nor  to  loiter  by  the  way,  ledt  it  slDOuld 
distract  their  minds  from  thinking  upon  God.  At  the  threi^hold  alt 
laid  aside  their  sandals,  for  it  was  unbecoming  to  enter  even  one's  own 
house  with  shod  feet,  far  less  the  house  of  God;  but,  for  the  same 
reason,  all  kept  their  heads  covered  during  the  whole  service.  Every 
man,  on  entering,  prepared  to  put  on  his  TcphlUin  or  phvIacteHea, 
which  must  be  worn  every  day  during  mornmg  prayer.  They  con- 
sisted of  two  small  parchment  boxes,  about  an  inch  square,  one  divided 
into  four  parchment  compartments,  the  other  left  undivided.  On  the 
two  sides  was  stamped  the  letter  jn,  as  part  of  the  word  Shaddai— one 
.Off  the  names  of  the  Almighty.  Four  Blii)s  of  parchment,  ea<;h  ab6ut 
an  inth  wide  and  eight  inches  long,  inscribed  with  the  Verses— Deut. 
vi  4— 9;  Deut.  ix.  13—81;  Exod.  xiii.  2— 10;  and  Ex:od,  xili.  ll— ^tJ, 
w^re  placed  in  the  different  compartments  of  the  one,  a  p&rchnient 
Bd  enclosing  the  whole,  with  long  leather  thongs  attached,  tp  bind  it 
on  the  forehead.  The  second  box  was  exactly  the  sam^,  except  that 
ibs  interior  was  not  divided,  and  the  verses  of  bcripture  enclosea.^yeru 
wtitten^  in  foiur  columns,  on  one  pjece  of  parchment, 
i  The  former  of  these  phvlarteries,  or  amulets,  was  bbtiiy4  Oh 'th(» 
forehead  exactly  between  the  eyes,  l}efore  morning  prayer  bejg^aii;  th« 
other  on  .the  left  arm,  opposite  the  heart,  its  thongs  being  VirOunc 
seven  tim^  round  the  arm  and  thrice  round  th^  middle  finger.  ^^t!r 
wearcnr  waa  now  ready  to  take  part  in  the  services.  As  in  tliid  case  6? 
the  Tallith,  the  Tephillin  were  put  on  with  words,  of  praybr  m  the 
prevailing  language  of  the  country.  , 

•  The  Wowhip  of  the  synagogue  was  limited  to  prayer  a^^  readlne 
the  Law  and  tlie  t^ropliets,  for  though  a  Kabbi  or  other  ^ersbn,  u 
present,  might  bo  asked  to  ^peak,  this  was  an  addition  to  tlV3  i^rc- 
scribed  forms.  The  service  began  with  silei^t  prayer  by  all  pr^ent, 
tlieeongregatioABtandihgduringthis  ^  during  ah  the  pr^ycr^,  Th^n 
the  Reader,  wearing  his  Tallitli,  having  entered  the  raised  ehblbsiupc 
in  the  middle  .of  ti^  synago^e,  recitea  a  prayer  of  a,doi^atioa.  from 
the  desk*— '^Blessed  he  Thoil  by  whose  word  the  world  wi^  treated; 
blessed  be  Thou  lor  ever  1  Blessed  be  Thou  who  hast  tnadc  all  biit  of 
nothing;  blessed  be  He  who  orders  and  confirms;  blessed  be  He  who 
has  pity  on  the  earth;  blessed  be  He  who  has  pity  on  His  creatdr(6s; 
blessed  he  He  who  richly  rewards  His  saints;  blessed  be  He  who  Uvea 
for  ever,  and  is  for  ever  the  same;  blessed  be, He,  the  Saviour  and 
KedeemerJ  Blessed  be  Thy  name!  Blessed  ftp  ThoU.  O  Eternrll 
OurGedl  King  of,  the  Universel  AilrMerciful  Go(J  and  Fatherl  *yhy 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  CnmST. 


185 


Thy  glory  and  honour.  We,  would  praise,  Thee,  Btemiil,  Lord  God, 
yflQx  the psfUms  of  Thy  servant  David;  wo  would  laud  and  inagnily 
Thee  with  tong^  of  thanksgiving  and  praise.  Wo  do  homage  to  Thy 
name,  our  King,  our  God,  the  only  One,  He  who  liveth  for  over,  0 
Lord,  whose  name  isgloriouA for  ever  and  ever!  Blessed  bo  Tliou,  0 
Eternal  t  Lord,  blessed  ^.hc  Thou  in  songs  of  proisol"  To  this,  as  to 
all  prayers,  the  conf^regatlon  answered,  Amen. 

iteaaings  from  diiterent  parts  of  the  Scripture  then  followed,  in  port 
a  collection  of  separate  verses,  in  part  connected  extracts,  ending  with 
the  last  six  Psalms,  this  introductory  portion  of  tlio  service  closing 
with  finother  short  but  exalted  prayer.  A  few  verses  more  from 
Scripture  followed,  and  then  came  the  Song  of  Moses  at  the  Passage 
of  the  Ked  Sea,*  and  another  short  prayer. 

Presently  tl^o  Header  summouod  tho  congregation  to  join  in  a  short 
responsive  utterance  of  i^raise  known  i\s  the  Kadbh.  "Praise  the 
Lord,"  said  he,,  "who  is  worthy  to  be  praised,"  and  to  this  the 
people,  bowing, VeM)onded,  "Praised  be  the  Lord,  who  is  ever  and 
eternally  worthy  oi  praise  1"  and  so,  throiiig;h  several antiphonies. .  i^'.^ 

It  w^sf  obligatory  on  every  Jew  to  repeat  certain  verses  twice  every 
day,  naorning  and  evening.,  These  yrere  now  read.  They  were 
known  bythe  namoof  S'chma,  or ,"  Hear,"  from  their  beginning 
with  the  words,  "  Hear,  0  Israel,  the  Eternal,  our  God,  is  one  JEternal 
God. "  Two  prayers  preceded  them,  the  one,  heard  with  joy  an4  yet 
with  trembling,  exaltmg  God  for  His  Majesty  in  the  heavens,  a^iidst 
the  armies  of,  the  ai^g^.  It  was  believed  to  be  listened  to  pjall 
heaven,  God  Himself  and  the  angels  responding,  at  its  closer-"  Happy 
the  people  in  such  a  case;  happy  the  people  whose  God  i^  Jehov^!" 
Tho  other  thanked  God  for  His  love  to  Israel,  and  asked  enlighten- 
ment in,  |Iis  holy  law.  Another  short  prayer  was -pow  read,;  thank- 
ing Him  for  the  mighty  works  He  had  done  for  their  fathers,  espe- 
cially in  delivering  them  from  Egypt,  and  closiiM^  with  supplication 
for  deliyery  as  a  nation  irqm  their  evil  state,  The  closing  .words 
chanted  by  the;  Reader  were  striking--" Bock  oi  Israel!  up!  to  the 
help^ol  Israel li  save,  for  Tl^y  promise  sake,  Judah  and  Israeli  Savo 
Us,i5ternal  God,  Eternal  God  of  Hosts!  whose  name  i&the  Holy  Ope 
J^^^'  .^^m^^MJFlm'  ^  Ei^erm^l^T^fh^^pipl^  dids^je^ 

Punng  all  0ese  prayers  tlie  congre^tfon  fetood,  wim  tlneir  fticcs 
towards  the  shrine  of  the  Law.  Only  the  Header  spoke:  the  cop,- 
gregatlon  simply  responded  "  Amen^"  except  at  the  Kadiah. 

Now. commenced  the  second  part  of  the  service— the  repeating  of 
the  "prayers  IvAown  as  the  eighteen  Benedictions,"  or  simply  aa 
"  The  Pi^ayer."  It  was  originally  d^rawn  up  by  the  men  of  the  Great 
Synagogue,. but'  finally  arranged  in  its  present  fonja,  with  one  or  two 


auditional  prayers,  about  the  year  100  after  Chrisjt^    The  whole  weye 
tkad^,  itna  wufV^as  pep^fn«d.9t  thi»§ytiiiiut^  «ervioe;  it  being  requhred 


tiii 


'"^'S'*'' 

'^1. 


w. 


<IS6 


TKB .  LIFE '  OP  GUm&V, 


of  every  Awaellte  thai  he  Bliould  irc{5eat'tbe4n  aVV  7or  hirqself»  thi^e 
tiftitB  ev<e!*y  clay,  Juit  as  h6  was  requited  tb  mpeat  the  ^'gtimtt  itr^e 
daily.  During  ihls  gerie«^  0f  prayers  the  whole  'confft«gation  litwlo*!, 
inimoyable,  with  thefr  faces  towards  the  shdiie,  aAd  their  feet  close 
toget'tler,  in  an  a.ttiiude  of  fixed  devotioii.  At  the  berinnfug  ^nd 
'  close  of  the  first  and  sixteenth  Benedictions  all  behttue  knee,  iind 
bowed  their  heads  to  the  earth.  As  in  the  case  of  thie  S-chma,  ilibfee 
prayers,  were  read  without  the  change  or  [Edition  of  a  word.  After 
t^e  (iongregat)oi^  h^d  recited  them  the  ^Reader,  still  standing  in  the 
raised  enclosure,  took  three  steps  backwards,  then  three  forwar^fe: 
stood  quite  still,  and  commenced^  ''Lord,  open  Thou  out  lips,  that 
our  mouth  may  show  forth  Thy  praise !"  "  I  will  call  upon  thCihame 
.  of  the  ]Loid;  ascribe  ye  gretitness  unto  our  GodI"*  The  first  Ihiee 
"prayers  pf  the  cfglitcen  contained  ascriptions  of  praise,  the  last  three 
thanksgivings,  and  the  twelve  between,  supplications  for  the  nation 
and  for  individuals.  As  the  Header  closed,  he  recited  the  words^ 
"We,  here  below,  would  hallow  Thy  name,  as  it  Is  hallowed  in 
heaven,  as  is  written  in  the  prophets — 'One  cried  tb  another, iand 
said—.'"  The  congregation  then  responded,  "Holy,  hirfy,  holy 
!s  the  Lord  of  Hosts:  the  whole  earth  isfuU  of  His  glory 1"^  Th^en 
the  Reader  began  again :  •  'They  who  stand  before  Him  say, ,'  Blessed  ;* " 
i'fln<^  the  congregation  answered,  "Blessed  be  the  glory  of  the  liord 
from  His  place."  The  Header,  onCe  moi-e,  began:  "In  Thy' holy 
Scripture  it  is  written:"  and  the ^cyngregation  answered,  '*«The  Lord 
ahair reign  for  ever,  even  Thy  God,  O  Zfon,  unto' alJ  generations. 
Halleluiahl"  "      V     v  .1    :, 

On  Holidays  and  Thursdays,  and  on  Sabbaths,  the  Ltf^iWiisno|w 
read.  For  the  Sabbaths,  the  five  Books  of  Moses  were  divided  into 
fifty  sections,  of  seven  lessons  each,  and  a  complete  section  waa 
repeated  each  Sabbath,  so  that  the  Law  was  read  through  in  a  year. 
At  the  end  of  each  lesson,  and  at  its  beginning,  a  collect  was  read, 
and  between  each,  the  Expositor— a  memner  of  the  congregation  who 
had  l)een  invited  for  the  purpose,  and  who  stood  in  the. desk  beside 
the  Header  while  the  lesson  was  being  read— delivered  a  shoH  address 
from  it.  A  priest,  if  present,  had  the  fir^t  invitation,  then  a  Levite, 
and  any  one  who  seemed  to  know  the  LaW  came  after.  The  roll  of 
the  Prophets  was  handed  to  him  by  the  Header  after  .the  closing 
collect  of  the  lesson.  At  eadi  service  there  \yas  thus  a  series  of  short 
comme  its.  One  Expositor  gave  a  general  address  on  the  Law 
embodied  in  tbe  lesson:  another  an  exhortaticn  based  on  it,^  and  a 
third  expounded  the  allegorical  mysteries  it  shadowed  forth.'  Each 
was,  however,  expected  to  illustrate  the  three  cardinal  points  of 
Jewish  piety'— the  love  of  God,  of  virtue,  and  of  one's  neighbour, 
this  last  duty  being  additionally  enforced  by  a  collection  in  the  boxes 
'at  the  door  "  for  the  lan^l  ot  Israel.'*  ,.  ,     ' 

0    YfW  fe^  vij\\eu  of  tliese  magogue  liddressos  8ttrviVe,'^.hui^'^e  are 


THB'ISIFE  OF  CHRISfF: 


^imA  ^T^^Mpi.    IBOim/ 


^etct  nftustlife ^  nwidc'^ttp^  dl; 


y  were  very  diff^itmi^ 
Att  ancient  address 


provertB;  iiatttra^  itAiigery,  abd-jparobtes,  the 

from  our/«eiwiod4$J    Oiief  exAttipU  will  sttffice.    

frdmthie'^i««  chapter  of  I«ttlfth  frofti  SvMdi  Jesus  took'  His  text 
in  the  i^ytlfil^^e  <if  NaziMPeth;  raws  thus-i-the  epcdal  words  ^©mi^ 
mehted  on  b^mg,  '^He  hfi&th'blothed  ii)le  with  <^e  garments  of /Bail*' 

''Thepci*r6  seveii  gartri  s&ye  the  ispeJiker,""wMoh  the  Holy 

One,  We&sdd  b^  Hik^  itaiil^,  has  piit  on  sirifce'  the  world  began^  or  will 
put  oAbefdr^  the  hoUr 'When  HeWillvfeit  With  His  wrath  thegodteSi 
Edom.*' '  Wlien-  Ref  created  the  world  IJ«  blothed  Himself  in  Sotiouir' 
and  glonr,  for  it  .says:  'Thou  art  clothed  with  honour  and  glorv.? 
When  Hi^  $hbWed  Himself  at  the  Ifed  Sea  He  clothed  Himself 'in 
majest^j  foi'lt  says:  *■  The  Lord  reigneth,  He  is  clothed  with  majesty.' 
AVhen  He'gftte  the  Ltfw  He  clothed  Himself  with  might,!for  it 
Bap:  *Jehbvahil8^ clothed  with  ihight,  Wherewith  He  hath  j^ii-ded 
Himself;*  As  oftfen  ii6  He  forgftve  mael  its  sins  H^  clothed  Him- 
self in  white, 'for  it  says:  'His*  gannetit  was  white  as  snor-.' 
When  lie  jyunishes  th^  nations  of  the  world  He  pbts  on  the  gar*? 
ments  of  vi^ttgeance,  fok*  it  says:  'He  put  on  the  garments 'of 
vengeaneefo^'clotliihg  ftnd  was  clad  with  2!eal  ns  acloa«.'  He  will 
put  ^n  the  sixth  robe  when  the  Messiah  is  tevefiled.  Thdnwiil  H0^ 
clothe  Hitnself  in  righteousness,  for  ft  says:  *  For  He  put  on  righteou^ 
ne^s  9B  a*  breastplate,  and  an  helmet  of  salvation;  on  His  hertd. !  Ho 
will  put  on  the  seventh  robe  when  He  punishes  Edom.  Then  wift 
He  clothe  Himself  in  Adom  (red),  for  it  says:  'Wherefore  art  ThoU 
red  iii  Thihe  ftppfttel?'  But  the  robes  ivith  which  He  will  clothe  the 
lytessiah  will  shine  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the  other,  for  it  saya: 
'Asa  bridegroom  vrhd  is  Crowned  with  Ms  turban,  like  a  priest.' 
And  tlie'  son'f  of  Israel  will  rejoice  in  His  light,  and  will  say^^ 
'  Blessed  be  the  Moiir  wheu  the  Mea^iah  Was  bom,  blessed  the  womb 
which  b01«  Hfm;  blessed  the  eyes  that  were  counted  wbrthy  to  see 
Him.  For  the  dining  of  His  lips  is  blessing  and  peace.  His  speech 
is  re&t  to  theia6ill,  the  thoughts  of  His  hefttt  confidence  and  joy,  the 
speech  of  Hi^  11^)3  pdrd6n  fand  forgiveness,  His*prayer  like  the  sweef-^ 
smelling  i^^vouf  of  a  sacrifice,  His  sVippHcations  holiness  and  piurity."; 
Oho^'olfes^ed  Is  Israel  for  whoUiBUCh  a  lot  is  reserved,  for  it  saysV 
'How  gye^t  IS  Thy  goodness  which  Thbu  hast  laid  up  for  tHem  thai 
fear  Thee.''''  \ -•■\_  ,i^-vr'''^-ii  Hii'l-j;.  '  '     '::i^■i.iJr1^■'■^■' ^m^'-jh^y^^p 

OnMon^^ajrs'ilhd  Thtteays  tJfc fli^fet  of  the  set^n  fesfeoiik'fof  th^ 
next  Sunday  Was  rt^ad,  but  it  v/as  divided  into  three  portions,  before 
each  of  which  one  of  the  congregation  was  called  up  to  the  desk. 

A  few  ptayers 'move  from  the  Reader,  and  the  service  was  endedj^* 

with  a  parting  benedlctfOU  delivered  by  a  priest  with  uplifted  hands;/ 

I  if  one  were  present,  if  not^y*  the  lieader.     The  prayers  were  rbpeated 

I  iii  the  cdMmd^  diftlect  (^f  M^tiue  asd  rule,  but  iiiOreeWtownsji^^^ 

I  ii3  C^sfttea,  th«y  wfei»e  al^i^cited  iu  Qrfeek.  -  The  HeliitfW'ot-^  Olfil^ 


\ 

i 

i 


t« 


^188 


mmuipnyowKmmm. 


lajnguagc  by  lui' iQteii>reter,  "wiio^  )^^      tbe'Sid^  of  taefBe^it ,; 

&ack  wfifi  itlie  Qiprnii^  Qerviea  In  the  af$emooQ.4ke  liopgr^UoQ 
met  oocei  morerhefird  a  8hprt§r  peitipe,  and  remai^^^rfiieqiieiDtiy, 
liatening  toft(i(^r«98ea^tUl  lai»pU^^^  in  thee^ening,  tli^,- Aiaen' 
q1  the  congr^gatiP96  i^om  UmetQ  tipoo,  ^was  the  pcjy  iiii^itupUQn 
eanotioned,  i3U(  among  Orientals  it  would  have  been  h^pe^ss  to 
eni(srcejii\tnt»,  Eyer  and  anon  a  li^airer  y^ljunteeM  «68i&t|»nce  if 
the  speaker  hesitated,  9'  corrected  a  mistake  if  .^e  ^uppove^  one 
made,  and  the  whole  congr^tipn,  at  times^  9ignined|49u4  Wir 
agreeijaent,  ^hpul^d  a  conti?wliQ.tipnt-  of  i  ioym>  P^^f^^^J^'^, !  MPf  ^^c^ 
: be  silent. -iH-isxiiYi:^  iii'jMdfi&ivrf  _ifrm,f(i»tai  ri/.^^  '^^HJiiJ  [)5.iE;.4;"' 


When  to  Hie  many  prajfera  of  thq  synagogue  jSCTyice' vc  |?d^^ 

requited  in  private  life,  the  "  vai,n  repeUtipnss'V  sgamst ,  which.  Christ 

cautioncd^His  hearers  on  the  iMount  may  be  understood. ;  Besides 

the  flVe  (daify  atepetitions  of  the  8!chmfl  and  the  Bji^ni^cMpoa,  ev^ry 

Je#  gave  thanks  befjM*  and  afjtei!  every  act  <)f  jcati^g  or  drinknig, 

i  before^  and,  o^ten,  after,  each  of  the  countleeis  ext^rn^i  i^s  ana  ex- 

nercises  required  of  him;  and  there  were^  he^idei^,  special  pr^o^ers 

for  new   moons,  new   years,  feasts,   hal£-:f easts,;  and  i9,sts,  ^^nd 

many  for  ispecial  incidents  of  privaite  or?  family jjife.    ,Pjr<ijyer^  idways 

;  prescHbed  In  exact  words,;  was  in  iact;  muUipliecl  till  it.  was4n  ganger 

^  of  becoming  too,  often  formal  and  mechanicil-ra  mere  ou^war^  *ct, 

of  superstitious  importance  in  itself  apart  from  the  spirit  in  jwl^ich  it 

fivas  offered.  ; 

i;    Bnth  a  <arcle  of  synagogue  service,  constantly  repeated, , we  must 

fc;6<> '-  cire.  the  cImJ^  Jesus  to  have  frequented  from  His. i^arlies^  years, 

day  by  day,.and  week  bj^  week.  t.  tiji  .mj/hl.; 

The  influence  of  an  institution  in   which  the    Eaw  was"  read, 
throughout,  every  year,  on  the  Sabbath,  and,  in  part,  twice  each 
week,  with  extra  readings/on  special  Ingh  days;  in  which  the  Proph- 
ets and  Psalms  were  constantly  brought  before  the  congregation,  and 
in  v.hich  multiplied  prayers,  always  tlie  same,  impressed  on  the 
J  ^pind  every  emotipn  and  thought  of  the  n^tipnal  religion,  in  lan^age 
,^oftca  grand  and  solemn  in  the  extreme-rrmust  liave  been  great.    The 
I'Cynagogue  was,  in  fact,  the-seed-'bed  of  Jt^aism:  its  inspiring. soul 
ofiaid  its  abiding  nurture.    It  was  in  it  ihatjesus  wasiirst/arawn  ipto 
love  and  sympathy,  as  a  child,  for  Uis  peopl^,  and  tbat  {^le  iiieard  the 
rights,  duties,  and  prospecls,  of  the  suffering  people  of  Gpd,  and 
i  drank  in  a  deep  ,knowle(fce  of  the  Lt^wand  the  Prophets,j  biy  which, 
as  St.  Luke  tells  us,  "He  kept  on  growing  in  wisdom.      Tbe  les- 
sons He  leoimcd  in  it  can  be  traced  through  the  whcde  Gospels. 
The  oddresses  Ho 'heard  were  no,  doubt,  for  the  most  part  lifefess 
,  Babbinical  reriiements,  with  a  Pharisaic  colouring,  which  His  pure 
otnd  sinlesasom,  filled  with  theioye  of  His  heavenly  Father,  instinc- 
j^Uyelyjjrized  |U  their  true  value.     His  words  in  after  life  often  Jjhow 
<Vtt)Afc%  Jiad  b<9![}n  ^poustomed  ^o  scq  Pharis^  and  Bcribcs  in  thc^  syu*  I 


was  Ma 

where  th 

c^duj 

-tlM!'i!^iift| 

otthbm 

'  of  fhe'ift 

would  so 

reftairf  an( 

with  ^e  ] 

hiHispu 

hew  Rftbl 

jct5ts'df  I 

had,  hod 

His  eai^fe 

the  mSi'ke 

anstverwj 

(ftr^stidtts; 

of  the  pet 

th^-ilfttftm 

except  in 

free  ^xfprie 

favouriedi 

human  na 

;:.'i^y|.  KiiW;,: 

biiti  il'lMi /'*;><:.: 

■:.l/  oo  kty-f 

Nazareth, 

no.doubl!, 

Jewish  H 

whole  tisst 

Th6  Je-v 

feabtsand 

niind,  and 

trated.    T 

that  which 

as  "^hej'e 

iirstofElt 

year  ^as  c 

dftyof  Tiai 


'f^^TfiWOF^  dHitlST. 


mr 


S|8ffee^^  ivWiAkHi!!  thiR'  moMijt  and  Thiwedayi,  6tk  whk^  fierriee 
was Md,^tt*!r dt\y»<if ttetlttgl  whopara^d A. shotv 0f  Joi^ pmyets 
o¥W  llbi*Allt!m«^  dad  fea^rly' pressed  forward  to.  the  front  seats, 
Where  they  would  be  mbst  in  honour,  and  would  he  most  likely  to  b$ 
cigScd  u^'to  apeafe-  ''  As '  He  grew  older  He  would  meet,  in  tuns; iin 
the^ili^ntt^gwi'^e^'^  shadoof  tlie  religion^  the  day »*-thestrictnB83 
of  tHViUdtoolWShammai,  and  tlie  mildness  of  that  of  Hillel;  Jewish 
1]^^ry; '  afid^  G'dHteean  f reeddtn  and  tolerance;  the  latitttdituurianism 
of  tfi^  Siidducee,  or  th^  piiritanicftl  strictness  of  the  Ssaenc;  The, 
gVeattftd(!Jtr!n^i*6f  ceremonial  purity,  of  the  righteousBissB  of  works, 
of  fhe'fkingdom  of  God,  amd  of  the'  cmnlng  redemption  of  Israel, 
would  sound  in  His  ears  Sabbath  by  Babbath^  giving  Him  much  to 
reitairf  andltill  ihoTe  to  refect.  In  the  synAgc^e  He  came  in  contact 
with  ^e  religidits  life  of  Hia  race,  in  its  manifold  aspects.  We  see, 
in  Hfe  public  life;  how  the  crowds  that  gathered  r^nd  Him,  as  the 
he^v  •RaW&i'V^fIi^i*ael,  entered  into  conversation  t»ltti  Him  on  thie  sub- 
jctitsdf  His  dfeeourss,  or  commented  on  vhem  afterwards,  and  Ho 
had,  ^o  dohbt;  dOhe  much  the' fealme  with  the  teachers  He  heard' in 
His  caiTlfef  years.  The  R^bis  whom  H6  me*  in  the  synagogues,  in 
ftie  miii'ketii;'  6t  at  iiiieak,  were  accustomed  to  e^tchango  questioD  and 
ansWef  With  all,  ftnd  must  often  have  had  to  >  reply  to  His  searcliing 
cfUestibnsj  and  defe^  IndigM  int6  Scripture.  Nor  would  the  longing 
of  the  people  at  large,  for  the  vengeance  of  God  on  the  oppressoi  s  d' 
th^^l^tnyn^iscape  His  notice.  As  a  man  in  all  things  like  otheo?  men, 
except  in  His  sinlessness — the  synagogue  with  its  services,  andi  the 
free  ^xprtealsion  of  thought,  both'  m  public  and  private,  which  it 
favburied; 'm^st  have  been  one  of  the  chief  agencies  in  develofHiig  HIb 
human  nature.  ■i^^y''-^^  iim*frbmi^\&h;^iyii}i:: 

Ai«P5*Ntt  1^^  1^  amidst  which  the  child  Jesus  grew  up  Ht 

Nazarethjthfe'iBynagogtte,  with  its  constantly  recurring  serviced,  was, 
no.doubl!,  dn%  of  the  most  important.  It  was  a  characteristic  Of 
Jewislr  Hfte, '  however,  thait  its  religion  was  interwoven  with  the 
whole  tissue  Off  daily  ereht*,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.     -    ' 

Th6  iTeWisH  ecclesiasticar  calendar,  with  its  cycle  of  feasts,  half- 
feakts  and  fastit^  must  have  had  a  great  eflfe^t  in  colouring  the  general 
mind,  and  perpetuating  the  system  and  sentiments  which  they  illus- 
trated. There  .Were  four  different  reckonings  of  the  Hfebrew  year— 
that  which  commenced  with  the  first  day  of  Nltem,  and  was  fenown 
as  "  the  year  of  kinga  and  feasts;"' a  second,  which  dated  from  the 
first  of  Elul^that  is,  from  the  full  moon  of  August— f rem  which  the 
year  Was  calculated  for  the  tithing  of  cattle;  a  third,  from  the  fii«st 
dityof  Tiiri^^that  is,  fi*om  tl:i  nowmeon  of  Septembor-^from  wtiich 


|ii:j   . 


mdh 


TM  TilFiJ  ■  01^  CHRIOTr 


ft^y^iit^  'tidtti  the  ctt^sfidii  ctf  tifrworid  VeilfVe6ko]|««lir  tMiilNi;  f^aifb/ 
ftom  the:fll^  day^ofthfe?eliBveirth  months 'S^cJjet^r^  whte);  tlio 
ag6  of  ttrees  wa^cotiiited,  for  th«  payment  of  tif)ftes>'aik!df|cxr 'looting 
the  time  wfe^n  it  becime  Jawfiil  to  eat  the 'fruit.  '^--i^i^.w-xf^iAm'^'i^-^* 

The  slif  made  to  catch  the  tir^t  glimpse  of  the  new  moon' tnwitd^ 
agveat'^votit  each  mbnth,  eveh  in  a  retired'  place  Ufee>  Naz^ietk 
Jesttd^'Woiiid 'hear,  how^  on  the  la8t  day  of  eac^  months  men  Were 
posted'  d^a  hn*' thie  hdghts  roiind  iJeruealem  to  watch!  lor^it;  ^  how 
they  hastened,  dt  the  utmost' s^^,  to  the  Temple,  with  t^e  news, 
even  if  it  wete  Babbath,  and  how  the  sacred  trumpet  ioHnded  to 
anttoun6le'  it,  and  special  sacrifices  were  toiier^d.  The  appearance  of 
thie  new  moon  had  in  all  agfes  been  a  gieat  day  in^  Israelj  as  it  also 
Was  am<Mg  tlie  Greeks  and  Romans.  The  Habbis  it^vmed  thct 
God  Himsdf  had  spoken  of  it  to  Moses,  and  told  Mmhow  to  ohseri^ 
Wih  Ail  iovtr  the  land  it  Wiw  celebrated/  monthly,  by  ftpeciftl  religious 
sol^mnitieir,  and  by  tmiversal  rejoicing;  in  some  months  mo*p  than  in 
.6thei^;  every  one  m  Jerusalem,  who  could,  repairing  to  the^Temfrfei 
dhd  all,  elsewhere,  making  it  a  point  to  attend  the  synagoj^e  on  i&at 
day.  In  the  fondly  remembered  times  of'  the  past,  the  day-of  the 
new  moon  had  been  that  oh  which,  especially,  the  people  flocked  to 
tti6  ptophets  to  receive*  instruction,  and  on  which  their  ancestors,  at 
some  periodsy  had  been  wont  to  worship^  from  their  roofs,  the  retum<- 
ing  light,  as  that  of  the  Queen  of  Heaven. t ^tv^;*:!^*;i:rA  a r/icBry''^ 

Mffiiy  things  would  impress  this  event  <jh  the  jKiEaretn  chiraiien. 
They  doubtless  noticed  how  all  the  men  of  the  villagti  waitched  f rom 
their  dbOrs,  (Bach  mcmth,  for  the  new  light,  and  they  had  often  hearci 
feeir  fathers j  ^ith  cohered  head,  repeat  the  prayer  still  Ajsed  by  every 
pious  Jew  at  first  seeing  it — **  Blessed  be  Thou,  Lord,  our  Goal  who, 
through  Thy  Word,  didst  create  the  heavens,  and  their  whole  host, 
by  the  breath  of  Thy  mouth.  He  appointed  them  a  law  and  time 
that  they  should  not  go  bact  frorti  their^  places.  Joyfully  and  gladly 
they  fulfil  the  will  of  their  Creator,  whose  working  afid  whose  work's 
are  truth.  He  spoke  to  the  moon,  and  ^<fcmmand^  her  that  she 
i^hould  renew  herself  in  glory  and  splendour,  f op  thofd^jrib^m  H©  has 


if* 


m 


carried  from  their  mother's  breast,  for  they/too»  will  fw^^nedav  re- 
newed like  her,  and  gjprify  their  Creitism'stfter  the  hi^ur  of  His 
kingdom.  Blessed  be  Thou,  O  Lord,  Wh4i  Wcwest  th0  hlocms.!  Nor 
would  the  simple  household  feast  tlmt  f oilKwd  be  usfnotjiced/  with 
its  invited  guests,  nor  the  Sabbath  rest  of  allffom  their  daily  work, 
for  it  must  have  been  a  Welcome  monthly  holiday  to  titie  school  chil- 
dren of  Nazareth. 

'  The  great  festival  of  the  Hebrew  year*-4he  Passover  and  the  feast 
of  Unleavened  Bread'-^began  on  the  15th  day  of  Nisan,  the  first 
mdnth,  and  lasted  till  tlite  22nd.  It  Was  one  of  the  three  yearly  feasts 
Which  every  Israelite,  if  Iwvcould,  attended  in  Jerusalem'  .  liike  cir- 
cumcisiion,-Whifch,indeed/was  hardly  thought  so  sacred,  its  due 
ilw^ance  wae^steemcfV*  vital  necessity,  en  tio-a<scclUB«  totbe  neg- 


THE^  MFWOW  CHmST; 


m 


l(y;ted.1iiiiBV-yeaT^  lilt  '^mas  the  tko^  Uie  ^wrbolei^^irf 

iUii  imce* '  tdie  Pa£KSK>v0r  lamb^^  w  offering. iw^ich  ftU  ^0- 

^entedi spontaaeopsly.  It  not  oah^  ocNnmemorated  a/natioiial^eUv- 
eranoe— the  "  passing  over"  of  wael  by  the  destroying  »Dgel)  biit 
was  believed  to  seeiu'e  the  same  mercy  for  themselves  heresjfter. 
Every  one  regarded  it  as  a  debt  he  owed,  and  must  by  all  means  pay> 
if  he  would  bo  counted  worthy  of  a  part  in  the  congregation  o| 
Israel.  ;It  wasi,  in  fact,  a  household  BacrUioe,  which  eaeu  family  of- 
fered on  its  own  behalf^  that«  its  transgressions  through  the  year  might 
oe  Vpassed  over-"  Even  till  , the  later  ages  of;  JewisJi.  histpry  the 
fathecof  each  household  himself  killed  the  male  lamb  or  goat  reqiured, 
and  sprinkled  the  blood  on  the  lintel  and  doorposts,  as  an  expiation 
foE  the  faffiilly  as  a  whol^  and  for  any  who  migl^t  have  ioAO^dth^m 
in  keepihg  the  feast.  \ii^k'i:i'<^n'r^^Li^j\■rniki^Un^T  hv  » 

JHous:  iiraJBil£tes  were  careful  to  accustom  their  ohildren,  from  the 
earliest  lyears,^  ito  the  requirements  of  their  religlojEii  and  hence  often 
b£Qugfat4ht»niwith  theni  to  Jerusalem. at  the  gc^t  feasts.  Indeed* 
even  the  liberal  school  of  Hillel  made  it  binding  to.doso  aa^oon  aa  a 
child  was  able,  wifch^the  help  of  its  father's  hand,  to  climb  the  flight 
of  stepiSiihto  the  Temple  courts. . 

The  Passover  itself  was  eaten  only  by  mal^,  but  the  week  of  the 
feast  was  a  time  of  universal  rejoicing  so  that  husbands  w^eife  wont^o 
take  their  wives,  as  well  as  their  solas,  with  thezKU  '[  r**e 

Jbaeph  and  Mary  went  to  Jerusalem,  every  year,  to  the  Plissc^i'i 
and  took  Jesus  wfith  them,  for  the  first  time,  when  He  was  twelY:e 
years  old;  :  Like  Hia  cousin  Johuy  He  had  grown  in  mind  and  bodyi 
and'  slt<>wed:a  aweet  religious  spirit.  The  journey  o^ust  have  been 
the  revblation  of  a  new  world  to  Him — a  world,  Jjpeyond  the  hills  ot 
Samaria;  which  I  had  hitherto  seemed  the  limit  of  thi3  earthy  as.  He 
lookediaway  to  them  from  the  hill-top  behind  Naearoth. 

Onil^  a  Jew  could  realize  the  feelings  such  a  vi^t  must  hayjejaisiQd 
even  m  a  child.  Jeinisalem,  to  the  Israelitev  was  more,;  if  possible, 
than  Mecca. is  to  Uie  Mahommedan.  The  whole  "land  of  Israel,'*  waf 
'vholy^*'  since  it,  only,  could  oft'er  to  God  the  first-fruits,  or  tiie,first« 
born,  or  the  "perpetual"  shewbread.  Its  walled  towns  were  atill 
• 'holier."  No  leper  wasi  allowed  in  them,  and  a  corpse  carried  out  to 
burial  could  not  be  brought  into  a  town  again.  But  Jerusalem,  the 
sacred  city,  the  seat  of  the  Temple,  had  a  sanctity  all  its  own.  By 
Rablnnical  laws,  which^  however,  were,  doubtless,  often  ne^lqcted, 
evfen  holy  offerings,  of  the  lower. kinds,  and  second  tithes,  migl^t  be 
eaten  in  it.  The  dead  must  be  carried  out  before  winset  of  the  day 
of  death.  No  houses  could  be  let  for  lodgings,  and  no  sepulchi'es, 
except  those  of  the  house  of  David,  and  ot  Iluldah,  the  propli- 
etess,  had  been  tolerated.  No  impurity  was  suffered,  lest  creeping 
things  should  defile  the  holy  city ;  nor  could  scaffolds  beset  upagauiat; 
the  walls/for.ft  similar  fear,  of  I  defilement  J  ..Smoke  ttOTpt  kwseholid 
firoa  v^as'ffiffbidden;  poiiltvy  w^t^  unlovfvd,  Ij^ecaufe  they.  maeMtmi 


i' 


m 


!tTB^  *irFB  OW  'eflRKit. 


i 


il^^i1ii/(^  (idlf;  and  might  defile,  paaslng  offerftt^f  tto/^te^  lM)i]id'  «^ 
^6  gates;  gardens  wiere  prohibited/ oecause  the  decay iii^  leaves  Aiia 
the  niknliire  t^duld  make  an  offensive  smell.  Superstition  had  i|i[- 
vented  the  mbi^t  amazing  fadcies,  as  i!>roofs  of  the  passing  holiness  o^ 
the  city  in  its  whole  extent,  and  these  were,  doubtless,  universally  and 
implicitly  believed.  It  was  maintained  tliat  no  serpent  or  scorpion 
ever  harmed  any  one  in  Jerusalem;  that  no  flv  was  ever  seen  in  tHe 
place  for  slaughtenng  the  sacrilices;  that  no  rain  ever  put  out  the  fir4 
of  the  altar,  and  that  no  wind  ever  blew  aside  the  pillar  of  smoke  over 
the  altar.  But  the  liospitaiity  of  the  hbly  city  was  less  open  to  queis- 
tion;  for  it  was  a  common  boa^  that  no  otie  had  ever  failed  to  nnd 
friendly  entertainment,  or  a  hearth  on  which  to'  roast  his  passoVer. 
However  churlish  to  all  besides,  the  hospitality  of,t^  citizept  to'tiicir 
own  nation  was  unbounded.  '  ' ';^  t-^fi/H?  ^   '^l'-^'*^ 

'*  But  if  the  city  were  holy,  it  was  mainly  so  becauise  of  the  far  grefaiter 
libliness  of  the  sanctuary  within  its  boundsi  The  Temple  mountidoi 
held  the  fourth  place  in  local  holiness.  The  ceremonially  unclofein 
could  not  enter  it.  Thp  space  between  the  court  of  the  heathen  and 
the  inner  Gourts*-^the  Z winger j  or  Chel— i-ranl^d  next;  none  btit 
Israelites  could  enter  it,  and  not  even  thev,  if  defiled  by  a  dead  body: 
Hie  tvoinen's  court  came  next.  Ko  unclean  person,  even  after  bath- 
ing, cptild  enter  it  till  Sunset.  The  Forecourt  of  the  Israelites  \ws  still 
holierl  No  one  coulxi  gd  into  it  who  needed  expiation  to  be  made  for 
him.  Even  the  clean  must  bathe  before  entering,  and  any  undean 
person  intruding,  through  oversight,  must  atbne  for  his  error  by  a 
trespass-offering.  The  Forecourt  of  the  Priests  waib  yet  moite  Sacred. 
Kone  but  the  priests  or  Levites  could  crosis  its  threshold,  except  on 
ifepecial  occasions,  specified  by  the  Law.  The  space  between  the  Bltar 
ahd  the  Temple  had  a  still  greater  sanctity,  for,  into  it,  no  priest  with 
any  bodily  deflect,  or  witlLhjs  hair  in  disorder,  or  with  a  torn  robe,  ot 
who  had'tasted  wine,  could  enter.  The  Temple  itself  stodd  apart,  in 
the  tenth  itnd  higl«est  degree  of  sahctity.  Before  ehteiing  it,  every 
{>riest  had  to  wash  both  handi^  and  feet.  In  this  revered  centrlB,  how- 
ever, there  was  one  spot  ihore  awful  than  all  the  rest-^the  Holy  Of 
Holies;  wliich  the  liigh  priest  alone  could  etater,  and  he  only  once  a 
year,  on  the  great  Day  of  Atonement,  in  the  performttnce  of v  the  rites 
of  the  day,  which  required  his  entering  it  four  times.  \:i^-PM^'i'\-^  ■' 
Such  a*  country  aha  city  could  no.t  fail  to  be  the  objects  of  adding 
and  passionate  sentiment.  Affection  for  their  native  land  led  to  th6 
unique  historicar  phenomenon  of  the  return  of  the  exiles  from  Baby- 
lon. Many  psalms  of  the  period  still  record  how  the  captives  wept 
by  the  rivers  of  Babylon  when  they  remembered  Zion,  and  liung  their 
harps  on  the  willows  of  their  I^anl^;  and  the  same  intense  lohging  for 
Palestine  is  illustrated  even  yet,  by  the  fond  fancy  of  the  Targum 
%heA  the  bodies  of  the  righteous  Jews  who  die  in  foreign  lands,  make 
libek  way,  ilnder  ground,  to  the  JiCount  of  Olives,  to  share  in  the-  re^ 
4Bert«Mti(ui  o£  the  jutt,  •f  wtiidi  it  irtcr  be'^  scene.- '  l^iie  waiilitfl^  of 


im&  LWR  Of  €HRlM 


I4t 


tVCB  Aiid 
hftd  i|^^ 
linessttl 
sally  abd 
scorpion 
en  in  the 
tthefitfe 
lokeover 
I  to  ques^ 
i  to  nnd 
passoVer. 
s  to  their 

ar  greaiter 
mounta&n 
^  uncliObn 
ithenAnd 
none  Ijtit 
eadbodv. 
if tfer  bath- 

!S\WlSBtiIl 

[inadefor 
y  und&Ein 
srror  by  a 
ii'e  sacred, 
except  on 
ithetiltar 
>riest  with 
•n  robe/  ot 
i'$ipart,  in 
r  it,  every 
ntriB,  how- 
e  Holy  of 
qly  once  a 
i  the  rites 

jf  abiding 
led  to  thfe 
romBaby- 
tives  wept 
Imng  their 
onging  for 
,e  Targum 
inds,  tnake 
iuthere*- 
v/Btlhiti^oJ 


llte^  Jef^9  of  Jerusalein  over  Uieir  ruinjed  Temple^  f^>  J^l^^J  l^Ah  against 
ctbe  lew  slones'of  it  which  j;et  remain,  Tshows  the  tome  feeling,  andijt 
19  shared  by  all 'the  race  so  strongly,  that  some  earth  from,  the  land  of 
their  fathers  is  sprinkled  on  the  grave  of  ovca'y  Je'wtlji,^^ 
fyom  it,  to  make  him  rest  in  peace.  ,       ^'^'^T  W    ' 'i^^f^^- ( 

Love  of  their  mother-land,  however,  was  not  especially  that  which 
linked,  the  Jew^  of  all  countries  in  Christ's  day  into  a  great  brother* 
Ixeod,  and  attracted  them  continually  to  Jerusalenj,  for  they  were 
voluntarUy-aettled,  far  and  wide,  in  foreign  lands,    l^or  was  It  tiieir 
lonffinff  for  freedom  and  independence,  for  they  were  qontehted  sub- 
•  j^cra  of  all  forms  of  government.    Their  eyes  were  everywhere  turned 
to  the  Temjple/and  they  found  in  it  the  centre  of  tjheir  national  uioliy^ 
Their  heavenly  and  earthly  fatherland  seemed  to  meet  in  its  s^cfed  eii^ 
closure.  From  all  the  earth,  wherever  a  Jew  liVed,  rose  the  same  cry  m 
thatv  of  the  exiles  at  the  sources  of  the  Jordan.    * '  ^  the  hart  panteth 
afte^the  water-buooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  Theie,  0  God.  My  soul 
thirst^thi^r  God,  for  the 'living  Goa:  when  shaU  1  con^e,  and  appear 
before  Goijt?  t  pour  out  my  soul  in  me  when  I  remember  these  things— 
hpw  1  went  with  the  pilgrim  bs^nds,  and  mitrched  up  with  theii^  to  the 
hpuseofG^d,  witlithevoice  of  joy  and  praise;  with  the  festive  crowd!'' 
To  the  Jews  of  every  land  it  was  the  crown  and  glory  of  their  rel^iotus 
system.    In  th^r  scattered  synagogues  and  houses  of  grayer  they 
Jpoked  towards  it  at  every  «er vice;    Their  gifts  and  offering  flowed 
to  it  m  a  golden  stream,  partly '  to  •  satisfy  the  requirements  of  th^e 
taw,  but  even  more  to  gratify  their  religious  devotion.  "Every  Je^ 
ovier  twenty  tlu'oughout  the  world  gave  his  didraifehma  yearly— in 
payinent  of  the  first-fruits  required  by  the  Law:— to  maintain  tlie 
Tempte  and  its  sacrifices.    Constant  voluntary  gifts,  besides,  often  p| 
great  value,  streaihed  into  the '  holy  treasury.     Titlies,  also,  we*« 
claimed  by  the  fRabbis  from  all  Jews  abroad  as  well  as  at  hpnie;  and 
were  dbid)tless  given  by  the  devn^ut.     "In  almost  every  town,*'  s^ 
Philo,  '*:'  there  is  a  cheat  for  the  sacred  money,  and  into;  this  the  aifes 
are  pUt.^  ,;4*-3^xed  times  it  is  entrusted  ito  the  foreniost  men  to  carry 
it  to  Jmi3ajein.    The  noblest  are  chosen  froni  every  town  to  take  ui> 
the  Hope  of  all  Jews,  untouched,  for  on  this  payment  of  legal  dues 
rests  the  hope  of  the  devout."    Egypt,  though  it  had  a  Temple  of  it^ 
own  at  Leontopolis,  sent  this  yearly  tribute  regularly;  it  came  con- 
Btantly  from  llome  and  all  the  We^;  from  Lesser  Asia  and  lall  Syria. 
But  iX  fi[Qwed  in  the  richest  stream  from  Babylonia -and  the  countries 
beypi^dL.theiEuphrates,  from  which  It  was  brought  up  under  the  pro- 
tection pf  thpusands,  who  volunteered  to  escort  it  to  Jerusalem,  aud 
protect,it  from  plunder  by  the  Parthians  on  the  way. 

Thus  Jerusafem  and  the  Temple  were  the  grand  religious  centre  of 
all  Israel,  to  the  remotcvst  limits  of  its  wanderings.  The  Sanctuary 
live^  in  every  heart.  To  maintain  it  inviolate  was  the  p^e  comino^ 
anxie^.  ,  Foreign  rulers  might -h^ld  sway  over  Palestiiie.'and  even* 
^vc^Ji^r^«»J[^,  ai4jJJ^4^g^^  »^Qie*Teib^^  -imtOjiiobjB^^ ilifyi 


m 


7mw  UFJA  V  o¥t  GHniflrv: 


mi^iofi  was  paM  tkem,  as  t^wiUiof  fate.- ,  II,  to^0V«r;^tUe  hatiKhU* 
pess  OF  greed  of  the  enemr  violatedi  or  ev«n,/onlv  «Uiir<Hiton«d«  tb4 
6aiictiiary,  ihero  ran  thrpugb  the  whole  Jewish  world  !A  l««li!iff  ,ol  ixk" 
dignatiop  that: ro\i$ed-  them  at  opce,  and  At  UiQcity  thAt  the  Templo 
Was  in  danger,  weapons  were  grasped  and  solemn  prayers  roite;'aud 
onedeepreso^ye  pervaded  aU—4o  shed  tlie  last  dmpio£;Ah«ir  hlaod 
on  t)ie  battle-iieid  or  at  the  AHfir,  rfor  tJerusHlem.  and  tlt^  Sancttiia^y.;  i  i 
^  It  n^usthfiVie  been  a  wonderful,  sight  to  tho  ehiid  Je»u«,to,vl&^lt  fcM 
Holy  pity  9$  the  season  >of' the  Pasaoyar. ,:  Thu  miUtHudeaiiWho 
flocked  to  the  feast  from  all  counti:ies>wero  couutleMt  *  "  Maniy  tho^r 
^£^s,"  says  Fliilo,  "from  m^ny  thoi^and  townia  Riid  cHiui)  motf&A 
pjigrimage  tp  the  Temple  at  every  .feagt;  some  hy  ktid,  othersi  by  jcot 
iXQip.  ^le  east  and  the  west,  th^  nortli  and  the  mmth,  Even  at  Pe&te- 
fcpst,  which  attracted  a  much  smaller!  number^  viujt  crowds  of  JeWs 
and  proselytes  were  present  from  every  pai't  <^  Uit)  -  lioitittit  empire, 
which  wa«  nearly  equivaleM  to  .the  then  known  world*.  JofiephlW 
reckoned  the  numbers  attending  a  single  Pasnoverat  id,l?60iOOO,  ia* 
elusive  of  the  populialion.  of^  the  city,  Every  houao  In  the  narrpw 
limits  of  Jerusalem  was  crowded  with  pilgrinii^  and.  the  wholeiland^ 
scape  round  coveied  with  tlje  teats  or^  booths,  of  smi,  and  *  wicikejf- 
work;,  and  interwoven  leaver,  extemporized  jtO:  serve  fl>  sltelter^like 
th^  flimilar  sti-uctures  of  the  Easter  pilgHms  JtHl-r-ilor  those  who 
^ould'  not  be  accommodated  \m  any  houso.  The  towUiU  il)y  widch  they 
travelled  to  the  Holy  City  from  aJl  lands  must  iiave  h^en  Uke:  those 
to  3IeGca,^t  certain  seasons,  even  now:  coiintlf?ss  vei^n^ln  Indeh  with 
living  freights  pf  pilgriips:  aU  th)3  main  lines  ol  road'throngcd  with 
huge  caravans  ;;c very  port  of  the  Kediterraneani  and  evei^'  city  and 
town  on  tMe  h%hways  leading  iotbe  great  ctiutre^ilironfjed  iUi,wUh 
t)ie passage  of  aimies.  The  vflst, 'Vdisper8loh''*--tJ«wiHh  by  bdrth, 
sentiment,' or  adoption—converged  inore.  and  moiwi  dd»»ely  on  ;the<oue 
ppini^jBrnsalem.  Farthians,  Medea,  Elamitee,  land  K^HOpotahiians, 
^l  t|ie  q^stum'e  of  the  far  East,  fwith  theh*  long  tminiiof  camels  And 
muies;  prowds  from  every  province  of  JuQfmn  Aslfti— Ottppiuiocia, 
Fpntus,  Fhrygia,  and  Pamphylia,  each  band  with  fibe.>distinotivo 
characteristics  of  its  own  distriet;  swarthy  miiltltudos,  inlcmg  eaj»- 
vaps,  or  a|oot,— after  a  sea  voyaige  to  Joppa  or  Ctesflrdiv— from  Egypt, 
the  headciuartera  of ■  the  foreign  Jews,  and  from  Libya  and  Gyrene; 
pilgrims  even  from  imperial  JRpme;  men  ft'om  til©  Hloises  of  VJ'ctaii 
Ida,  and  from  the  iar-off  cities  and  towns  of  aandy  Arabia,  met  under 
the  shadow  of  the  Temple.  The  whole  world,  in  a  gonio,  wa*  gathered 
to  one  spot,  und  this,  itself,  to  a  mind  such  ai  that  of  the  boy  Jesus, 
miust  have  been  rich  in  the  nw>st  varied  influence  and  knowledge. 
V  The  appearance  of  the  city  would  make  an  imprciwlon  never  to  be 
forteptten.  If  tbisre  were  no  gardens  in  Jerusalem,  there  Was  a  girdle 
of  tijem  reaching,  from  its  veaiy  walls,  down  the  vulleyw,  nnd  upthe 
Opposite  Jiillisides;  one  of  them  so  famous  thatitlieJipftom  it  were 
eold  for  three  or  four  aseavii  i^aoh.    Th&gtirduu,wo<ue|imd  dltohes 


tMltlRiFK  OF  ^HBIBT. 


Mi 


I  i 


ni^ttM'iovfer  all  the'  Approaches  to  the  city;  on  eacl*  side.  >Oft  $Ue  iiiUfl 
^fouttd  rose  the  ihailsiofiiA  of  the  rich  citizens,  and  at  the  .bend  ¥^her^ 
th^  VaHtljrs  <yf  Kidrott  and  Hinnom  met,  be»ido  the  Pool  of  ^ilofun, 
th^'eyd  regaled  i:self  yith  the  wide  and  rioh  Teidure;«l^|hi9 -ro^fU 

'  As  J^iseph,'  ttrid  Mary  with  her  Son,  camo  in  sight  of  the  cjity  ironCi 
tl^e  hortli,  they  woald  be  on  ground  as  high  as  Mount  Ziont  an^ 
Hsin^,  to  the  tforth-^'sst  of  the  dty,  even  a  few  feet  higlier;  while,  On 
ihcl  westi  Ziort:ro9e,»on  an  average,  about  100  f(«t  above  the  hU^ 
acrbAS'the'Valley  t^f  Hinnotn;  and,  on  tlie  eaist,  the  iMount  of  Qlivos 
dviff'rtid^pped  the  highest  part,  of  the  city  by  100  f^et.andthe  Tjemple 
Wn  br  life*  less  tAm.n'  800.  Except .  on  the  north;  ho^eiVerv  tlie  lugh 
^di|iid  wft!^  divided*  from  Jenasaleni,  by  deep  valleysi,.  which  cuuld  be 
rei4<Ai^/i*6m-vithittthe  city  only  by  steep  streets  and  roa^.  The 
plTgt*!AiVe^&ihpod  iU'  the  valleys  of  lOdron  or  Hianom.saw  tUe 
wifldlto^  and'  tGf^er^  of  Mount  Zioainore  than  500  feet  above  th^iw; 
ahd'^ibi^d  Wliose  terft«(  were  pitched  not  far  from  the  same  piace/^ 
Jot^b'*  Wfell,  #01*^6  ttearly  600  feet  below  the  houses  of  the  upper  c^y. 
'PhfeCtitttt  of 'the  Priests  looked  over  to  the  Pool  of  Siloain;  870^  ifeqt 
b^lo#;  *and>  ft>o«i  Moui!i[t;<Zi6n  it  needed  a  descent  of  204  feet  to  j:^^^ 
the  Qardfen  of  Ofethsemane:  in  the  Valley  o€  the  Kldrau.       tt  tiW^^^ 

WFei^usaierhwasi  thus,  pre-eminently,  a  mountain  city,  surrounded,  on 
all  sides  by  hills,  and  with  hills,  famous  and  sacred  beyond  all  others, 
Wits Wn' Site.  The  road  from  Nazareth  entered  the  new  lOFer 
tb#flT  W'  t^^'  D*maiicU8  gate,  and  passed  through  the  most)  stMpg 
bu^iiie^  street^ft  the  bottom  of  the  Valley  of  the  Oheesemake.vSt^or 
the  Tyropnfeoh:  a  deep  and  narrow  hollo'v  between  Mounts  Zion  and 
Mbdiih,'  tlun  Crowded  with  the  narrow  lanefe  which  serve  for  Streets 
ih  Eastern  cities.  Itf  the  neW  tcmn,  under  the  shadow  Of  thQ  t^^'^o 
hills,  IveriB  the  shops  of  tho  braziers;  the  clothes'  bai£aar»  and  the 
stJtiAre  Wllfere  the  authoritkss  received  aninouncements  of  UiCfUew  moQU, 
and  ^Avethfe  prtibliC' feasts  that  followed,!  monthly.  In  the  T^ropqaon, 
tli^  streets  ran,  ih  teiTaces,  up  the?6teep  sides  of  tlie  iiill^  side  lanes 
clitfibiilg  here  arid' there,  to  the  top/ paet  tlie  bazaar  of  the  butch,era, 
tihd  that  of  the  woOl-dealers!,  to  the  upper  street,  where  Ismael  Ben 
Cai»!thiitlfc  high  priest  at  the  time^  having  gone  out  on  the  great 
Day  of  Atonement,  to  speak  with  a  heathen^  aitleck  of  spittle  feU  on 
his  clothed,  from  the  lips  of  the  unCircumcised,  and  detil€d  him,  so 
that  lie  Could  not  perform  the  services  of  the  day,  aiud  had  tQ  get  his 
brother  to  take  his  place.       ^rf?*^' *»\'i?t  t>  t^n^.o  . 

On  the  west  of  the  Tyropoeon;  on  the  top  of  Mount  Zion,  rose  the 
old,  or  upper  city,  known  also  as  the  Gity  of  David.  I«  it  were  the 
fthops  of  the  goldsmitlis,  and  the  houses  of  the  priests  who  lived  in 
Jerusalem;  The  Wall  of  David  ran  along  its  aosth  side^openi^ig 
through'the  gate  Geaoath,  to  Afcra,  or  the  lower  toWh*  •.  -HighaboTe 
this  Wall',  ivhich  wtis  over  fifty  .feet  in  hei^,  tomi  ihp.  ithree  famous 


fvUU 


If* 


11 


14» 


TimX.IF£  OK  CUlllSTi 


Great,  and  then  frefOi  from  the  builder'*  hMids.  Of  thne,  Hippikttty 
stem  and  mmiiive,  towered  120  feet  above  the  ivall,  at  It8  jiortn*'wegt 
comer:  a  great  square  of  huge  stonett,  in  fiUcoeRsive  ^ttories,  the  upper 
one  Buimdimted  by  battlements  and  turretn.  Close  by.  and  in  a  line 
-with  it.  rose  Phasaelus,  the  splendid  niemorlul  to  Herod's  brother 
Pha8aei,/wb6  had  beateh  out  hie  brains  against  the  walls  of  his  dun^ 
geon  when  a  prisoner  of  the  Parthians.  It,  also,  was  KqiMre»  for  six^ 
feet  of  its  height  aborve  the  wall,  but  from  amidst  the  breast-work^ 
and  btilwarkBOf  this  loiter  fortress,  rose  a  second  tower  about  eeventr 
feet  higher,  with  magnificent  battlements  and  turrets.  Witbin^tli^ 
upper  tower  was  like  a  palace,  and  it  wns,  doubtless,  intended  f^  ,a 
rcnige  for  the  king^  in  case  of  necessity.  Mariamne,  the  sniellcf^  of 
the  three  castles,  was  about  thirty  feet  square,  and  about  eeventv-flTe 
in  height,:  but  its  upper  half  was  more  highly  finished  than  that  of  either 
of  the  others,  as  if  to  quiet  its  builder^  conscience  for  the  murder  of 
her^  whoie  name  it  bore.  All  three  fortresses,  towering  thus  gnaikdlt 
aloft,  above  the  high 'Wall, —which  itself  rose  iilong  theci^st  of  ahigh 
hil,-^wefre  of  white  marble:  each  stone  thirty  feet  long,  flfte^ 
in' breadth,  and  from  seven*  to  eight  in  thickness',  and  all  squared  frb 
exactlyfthat  thdr  joininigg  could  har^y  be  seen. '  '*  Each  tower  "to 
use  the  words  of  Josephus,  "  looked  like  a  great  natural  rock  which 
had  been'  cut  by  tltoworkmaai  into  shape,  like  tho  loekthewn  build- 
ing* of  Edbm.*^<'''■i^^,iiJ■>>*^)^^«*-!^i^t'•^**J^.i1K^H^'p^^^^^^  'MMJ^M  ^fV''':^*'j  <^- 

Under  the  protection  of  these  splendid  strudttircs  rose  the  "iiiew 
palace  of  Herod,  about  the  centre  of  tho  northern  half  of  Mount 
Zien^  agrcat  part  of  which  waa  enclosed  witliiu  its  park  walls,  thenv* 
fiolvos  fVsecond  lino  of  defence,  forty-five  foot  in  height^  witli  strong 
towers  ri^ng,  at  equai  distances,  from  tlioir  broad  tops.  The  palace 
i'.s^lf  was  indescribably  magnificont.  Spacious  rooms,  with  elaborately 
carved  walls  and  colliiigs,!]^ny  of  them  crusted  with  preciou^.8tone& 
displayed  Oriental  splendour  to  hundreds  of  guest«i  at  a  timei  Gold 
tand  Olivier  shouo  on  every  side.  liound  this  sumptuous  ab<)d^;  por- 
ticoes with  curious  pillars  of  costly  k;tono,t if erc'd  iihndy  retreats. 
Groves  and! gardeos- stretched  on  eveiy  side,  intermingled  with  pools 
end  artificial  rivers,  bordered  by  long,  delightful  walHs,  frequented, 
through  the  day,  by  all  who  could  onduro.  tiio  desecration  of  Jerusa- 
bm  by  the  Countless  etatues  which  adorned  them. 

Thd^  tilf^atre  built  by  Herod,  to  tho  horror  of  the  nation,  Ivas  also, 
apparently,  in  this  part  of  the  city;  and  outside,  at  a  little  distance, 
v/as  the  amphitheatre,  an  object  of  etill  greater  popular  aversion, 
from  itis  gladiatorial  shows,  in  which  nioa  condemned  to  death  fought 
^viih  Wild  beasts.  Inscriptions  in  honour  of  Augustus,  and  trophies 
of  iili^  nations  Herod  had  conquered  iu  his  wars,  adorned  the  exterior 
of  the  theatre);  and  the  games  in  the  cii'cus,  though  shunned  by  the 
Jcti%v!wcre  celebrated  with  tlie  greatest  pomp,  strangers  fropi  all  the 
neighbouring  countries- bei^  invited  to  them.  The  trophies  round 
th«  4liMlr»  esjpeohiHy  ^xeited  itldignatlou^obeing  iuppoaed  to  ^eover 


[topUnifl, 

he  upper 
in  a  line 
I  brother 
bis  dun- 
lor  sixty 
kBt-wark« 
I  eeveUtT 
tbiH^tUB 
ided  f^  ,a 
liBlkf^  of 

durder  of 
sgmi^dlt 
Of  abigh 
g,  flfte^ 
^r^d  r.b 
t)Wer,'*to 
5k  yfmth. 
vfn  build- 

the  iiew 
)f  Mount 
\\b,  theiib 
li  strong 
16  palace 
Aborately 
1^  8tone& 

&.  (^m 

idd^;  pot- 
retreats, 
itli  pools 
quented, 
'  «Ferusa- 

distance, 
aversion, 
hfou^lit 
trophies 
5  exterior 
d  by  the 
in  all  tbe 
roimd 


THE  LIFE  OF  cnRIST. 


I4t 


imai^Bj  amd  hence  boing  looked  upon  a<3  heathen  idola  fio  great,  in* 
deed,  had  the  exoitement  beoomo,  in  Herod's  lifetime,  thai,  for  poUi 
ioy,  he  bad  caused  tiie  armour  to  be  taken  from  some  of  them,  in  > 
presence  of  the  loading  men,  to  show  that  tiiere  was  nothing  buftr> 
shapeless  wood  beneath.  Yet  oven  this  did  not  calm  the  people,  andr 
no  Jew  passed  the  hated  building  without  the  bittereeA  feelings  at  iu  f 
preeenoe  In  the  holy  city.  ^^ 

Qn  Uie  eastcni  crest  of  Zion  stood  the  old  palace  of  the  Asmoncait  > 
kings,  and,  north  of  it,  an  open  space  surrounded  by  a  lofty  covered  k 
cc^o^nade,  known  as  tliei  Xystus.  A  biiidge  spanned  tho  Tyropceoii!^ 
.Valley  jtq  the  sout))- west  corner  of  the  Temple  enclosure,  and  neapj 
tl]»  Xystua  rose  a  hfdl,  known  as  the  Hall  of  the  King's  Council.:-! 
The  maM)  streets  ran  north  and  soutli—^ome  along  the  brow  of  thetti 
hijl,  others  flower  down,  but  papallol,  following  the  course  of  the  yal«vi 
ley,  vii;ith'0ideilanes  or  narrow  streets  connecting  them.  They  hecli*;. 
raised  pavements,  either  because  of  tlie  slope  of  the  ground,  or  ta>J 
allow  fpasseT34)y  to  >avQid  contact  with  Dersonsor  things  ceremonially  In 
uncleaq.  The  upper  city  was  mainly  aevoted  to  dwelling-houses  of  li 
the  better  Jpnd^  but  in  the  lower  city,  bazaars,  or  Btreet4ike  market»ii 
W£ire  thra,  AS  now,  a  pron^nent  feature,  each  devoted  to  a  special  :a 
branch  of  commerce^  y 

liQc^ng  out.at  the  Gennath  gate  on*  the  north  of  Zion.  the  Almondh jI 
pool,  near  at  hand,  refreshed,  the  eye.     Beyond  it,  across  a  little  vaV-rti 
ley,  slightly  to  tl^  north-west,  near  the  Joppa  road,  was  Psephinos^ 
anotherrof  the  castles  by  which  the  city  was  at  once  defended  and, q 
overawed.    It  rose  in  an  octagon,  high  into  the  clear  blue>  showingp'v^J 
from  its  battlements  the  whole  sweep  of  the  country,  from  the  seail)-; 
coast  to'beyond  the  Dead  Sea,  and  from  the  far  niorth,  away  towardflfcvi 
£cU)m,  on  the-^outh.    In  Christ's  day  it  stood  outside  the  citv,  bv 
itself,  but  soon  after  Hiad^^tU^iljiViis  ini^ludeit  in  the  iioeof  waUi 
bi^  by  Herod  Agrippa,  .^^^A  4vi^■i'f<¥!'•r^*/'tt•''j.K/o^<</'!?:;♦^l••>!i0^^^^^^^ 

The  nortliern  part  of  the  lower  town,  known  as  Akra,  was  mainlvs .' 
interestkig  for  the  bustle  of  restless  city  life  of  every  colour  which  i^r] 
presented.     The  wood  bazaar,  the  city  council-house,  and  publUj;) 
records  office,  were  in,  it.    Nor  was  it  destitute  of  attractions,  for  thsk  i 
double  pool  of :  Betliesda  lay  at  its  north-east  corner.    The  Tempi*:) 
and  its  courts  occupied  neany  the  whole  of  Mount  Moriah,  the  aeo-r 
ond  hMl  on  which  the  city  was  built,  the  only  other  building  on  it 
contrasting  atmngely  in  appearance  and  character.    It  was  the  grei^^ 
fortress  Autonia,  at  the  north-west  corner,  on  an  isolated  rock,  sepW^, 
arated  by  a  clef t  from  Mount  Moriah,  and  cased  with  stone  where 
exposed,  so  that  no  foe  could  scale  it.    The  castle  occupied,  with  its 
enclosures,  nearly  a  third  of  the  great  Temple  plateau,  and  was  builfei  > 
originally  by  John  Hyrcanus,  but  had  been  rebuilt  by  Herod  withf. 
great  magni^cence,  v^ith  baths,  fountains^  galleries,  piaKza,  and  greater, 
rooms,  io  fit  it  fara  iresidence  for  princely  guests.    It  served  now  a$A  v 
th|.^^ii«u:^s.<>t(t4d  ^oifu^  ^arriso%  oeiU  f  rom  Ciflegare^k  at  tli»  tinsk^oll 


!■"  i-n 


i.^' 


m 


X1*»,WFE,0E  ICHRI&T. 


the  ffrea^  feasts,  to  keep  \teaioc  in  tho  city.  In  Clirint's  <liiy  the  n^Us 
of  th^'  high  ptries^  ,ivero  kept  in.  it  1)y  tlio  RomanH,  to  prc^veot  t  t^i- 
^pu^  use  of  th^m.  (Covered  ways  led  from  thecaetle  to  the  Tcmplo 
ueo,  to  a)Ipw  the  soldiery  free  accesn  in  c^ase  of  tumult  ot  disturbance. 
Such  wa^  the  city  to  which  Jesus  now  camo  for  the  iiret  time.  As 
tie  was  led  through  iUi  cro'vtrded  8treet&»  and  eaw  its  famous  palacett, 
and  towers,  and  marts,  and  above  nil,  the  Temple,  wluit  stiimgo 
ih^ights  ipus^  have  xi^  in  the  t)ptinin^  nodnd  of  the  wondroufr  boy. 
>  The  panorama  spread  beCvro  Him  from  the  city,  at  ita  different 
points,  was  no  lesa  nllea  with  interei^t.  From  tlie  Temple  ]E|e  looked 
enatv^ard  to  Mount  Olivet,  thenk  crowned  by  two.  gn;at  cedars,  ijiiidei' 
neath  which  were  booths  lor  the  sale  of  nil  things  needed  fo^cere* 
nM>n|al  purifications,  including  the  dovcS  for  :tke  various  difiBrlngy. 
He  wo^ld  bo  doubt, hear  how,  )n:for;[ucif  time^  leiu^ou/^res  hod  b&a 
)4ndled  op  tlije  hilltop  at  eacli  new  moon,  and  Iiow  oiounti^ln  after 
mountain,, catching  tlie  sight,  spread  the  news  in  aa  hour  over  tho 
whole  land.  Some  one  woul4>  doubtless,  also,  tell  Him  that  it  was 
the  hated  Samaritans  who  Imd  brought  the  custom  to  an  end)^  by 
holding  up  lights  at  wrong  times  and  thUH  misleading  Israel,  ri  t>*f ' 
:  The  valley  of  the  Kidron,  below,  would  be  equally  interesting.  It 
was  to  it  the  pilgrims  came  down. at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  to  cut 
the  long  boi^hs  of  willow  which  they  carried  in  procession  to  the 
Temple,  and  told  bending  .over  the  aitarj  On  the  eve  of  the  fin?t  day 
9f  the  feasjt,  Jesup  would  sec  men  sent,  by  the  Temple  outlioritiesc— a 
^:e»t  .crowd  foliowingr-to  c-ut  tbe  *heAf  of  flift-fruits.  'Perliap^j  He 
sa)f  the  three  reapers,  with  basH^t  and  siclilo,  step  to  spots  pteviously 
ii^aifked  oiut,  asking,  as  they  fctood  beside  tlie  new  barley,  "Has  iho 
(om  set  yet?  Is.tbis  the  right  m-kUl  Is  this  the  right  basket?"  and, 
If  it.  were  Sabbath,  "Is  this  the  Sabbath  f'—to  be  followed  by  luiothcr 
Qjuestlqn,  thrice  repeated,:  **  fhall  I  cutV*;  which  was  answeicd  with 
what  seems,  now,  childish  formality,  but  then  thrilled  all  heartK, 
V  Cut. "  Religious  bitternes*  lay  behind  fell  this  minute  trivjality;  for 
did  not  the  hated  aristocratic  Badducees  m'aintain  that  the  firit  *sheaf 
should  be  cut  only, on  tlie  first  week-day  of  the  feast,  iWliith  WY)u]d 
l^,ve  affectedJihe  date  of .  Pentecost,  fifty  dajrs  later?  H'he  i'bild 
^oml^ftzareth  would  follow,  when  the  sheaf,  thus  teapeJd,  was  car- 
ried, atnidst  great  rejoicings,  to  the  forecourt  of  the  Temple,  and  pro- 
sented  by  the  priest  as  a  heave-offering,  then  threshed,  whmoWcd, 
iind,  cleansed,  afied  over  a  sacred  fire,  and  forthwith  gi'ouhd  into 
flouv,,the  finest  of  which  was  the  new-harvest  "  meatoffering"  be- 
lioretiod.  He  knew  that  till  this  had  been  presented  at  th^c  altar,  no 
4<f'|d  could  be  cut,  except  to  get  fodder  for  cattle,  or  for  pthvr  neces- 
sary ends.  ,  ''i'v'h.'  '  V-'t'   ■ 

Xooking  jnt^  the  Valley  of  Humom  from  the  soiifcherti  c*n4  of  the 
Temple,.w|th)ts  magnificent  Boyal  porch,  Mis  eyes  must  liave  turned 
from  .the  aighl  one  spot  in  it  offered,  the  fires;  kept  up,  idghi  ««d  day, 
t|k  il^M^^  nQ  jthe  ffumge  SAd  pffal  ol  the  tei^ple,  aud.the'.  ccfuae  of;:tM 


THB;  hlFB  OF  CaiRIflT*  ^ 

dtj-Htbe  iQrmbo)  gf  ^  unquenclKible  Ci^mes  of  ^lie  Pltw  It  wiw  ja 
thia  viUIey:  tM  oUUdrei)  Uaa  l)ee^  l^umed  alive  tp  Moloch  In  thq  ola 
idolatrQua  t^lmi^,  and  tUo  remerabraQj^o  of  thU,  with  the  gmlnessof 
the  pari  wuQr9  the  poipotual  tlr^s  now  burned,  hi\6  niado  GehenApi — 
the  naijae  <)i  the  yalley—tho  word  hsed  after warcU  i^van  by  Je^utf 
lUmself,  for  the  plat  e  of  the  lost. 

Betwe«):k  fi^innom  and  Kiriron,  whqrc  the  two  valleys^  ipct  at  thCL 
south-east  of  the  city,  IVn  eyes,  looking  down  from  the  T^en()pl(i 
Mount,  WQvld  rest  on  tho  jontras^pd  sweetness  of  the  'softtvrflowW 
waters  of  Siloam,  which  I  ubbjed  v,d  noijselessly  at  the  foot  of  the  hilL 
'and  after  fliling  a  double  pool  giid)e<|  on;tp  th^  soutji,  till  they  loti; 
themselvesi  Jin  ^l>e  king's  gardens.  . '    ',  -  , 

,  City. and  p<ipple:  the  p^t  and  the  presei?f,  muet  Ijavd  filled  tb^ 
whole, bei«^  of  the  Child  w|th  awe  and  wonder,  for  He  nqw  stood,  for 
the  first  tfiw,  ynder  tlig  shadow  Q?  His  Fatner's  Temple,  and^b^ 
murmiu:.0f  cpvmtless  languages  tl^^t  lilled  the  aU',  was^  in  very  truCJ]^ 
hoi^agp  tPth^t,t'atl)PTfriMn4Uthe,wi9rld.      , 


ii(. 


fiihi  id 
'iilT 

.li0 


'   "^'^i'^^'^'>mE  ^ASSbVER  YTtSCT'TO  JES10BALEM. 

Thb  .Taak  midtitudes  coming  to;  the  Pas^oycsr  arranged  to  rfcac^ 
Jerusalem,  sit  the  latest,  q^  .the  ;L4t;b,  of,  l^isan,  the  day  oi^  the  eyeniu^^ 
of  whichithe  ^ait*  was  celebrated.;  In  the  pity^  however,  the^e  ha^ 
been  a  ffre&t  ^tarior  s<)!me  days  alms^dy^  in,  anticipation  of  the  solem- 
nity. *  So-far.  back  as  from  the  l5th  ,pf  t|ip.  pre,Qeding  naonth,  all 
tlie  bddge)  and  roads,  far  an^  neai',  ^ad  be^n  b^gun  io  be  repaired; 
All  graved; near  theJliije*  of  travel,  pr  rouhd  Jei-v^salem,  haa  ,bceii 
citliCT  f^4ced  in,  or  tJie  h^ad-^tbnes  had  bcf^n  yhitewaslied,  that 
they  might  be  seen  from  a  distance,  and  thus  warn -off  the  pilgrims, 
whom  they  .might  otherwise  have  defiled,  and  made  unfit  for  tlie  feast. 
The  fleldSj,  throughout  the  whole .  cgfuntry,  had  been' anxiously  gone 
over,  to  see  if  they  ;were  luicl^an  by  any  plahts  growing  together  in 
them,  which  the  ;La,w  f  orbadp  being ijillowed  to  do  so,  Oh  the  Sabliafh. 
immediately  preceding  th§  l4;th— rthe  Oreat  Sabbath— sj^ecjal  services 
hud  been  held  in  all  the  synagogues  t^ncX  ii^  the  Temple  itself;  and  thb 
Kabbds  liadjdiscoui'sed  tp  the  people  pn  the  laws  and  meaning  of  the 
f  est  i  val.  The  lambs,,  or  he  ^oata,  had  been  gelected ,  jn  curlier  times, 
on  the  10th,  from  the.  vast  fiocks  driven  to  the  city  at  this  season,  to 
jsupply  the  Passover  demand.  But  this  was  impossible  now,  as  the 
pilgiima  4uriy.ed, , mostly,  after  thtft  day.  Onjy  male  lambs,  or  he 
goats,  ,Qif . a  year  old, .  and.  without  tilemish,  cpuld  be  used,  and  they 
were  selected  with,  the  most'scrupujlpus  caix;  by  the  n^ad  of  e^li  coni- 
pany  of  rcjlativesor  neighbours,  who  proposed  to  eat  tlje  feast  together. 

The  fourteenth  day,^^  which  began  at  sunj^  of  the  18th.  was  dm  the 


M  : 


•"fOTIi 


LIT 


nrrx 


OP  CHRIST. 


[r|i 


ili;^  day  pf  tljio  feast  df  "  U&ieavened  Broad,"  and  wa»  hextcib  ksKMro 
as  the  "  raeparatioD  day."  Ko  partieleof  leavea  could  be  left  In  atiy 
hoiwe.  The  heatl  of  each  fatnity,  a0  the  evening  closed,  began  lithe 
Iionsehold purlflcation  with  the  prayer — "Blessed  art  Thou/  O IjoW, 
bur  God,  King  of  the  universe,  who  hast  sanctitled  uswith  Thy  com- 
mandmonts,  and  requlrest  us  to  remove  the  leaven,"  iuid  th^i^  pxb- 
ceed^d,.  in  rigorous  silence,  to  search  every  room,  gaftheriaff  every 
crmnb  that  could  bo  found,  and  Anally  tying  all  up  tul  tlic  fallowiiig 
morning.  A  fuither  search^  which  must*  end  bef  jre  uooti,  waa  then 
inado  fox  A^y  Uquid  or  solid  product  of  fermented  grain;-;  and  for  all 
dishes  or  vos^ls  that  had  held  it.  All  were  takeQ  out  of  the  liouse, 
and  the  crmnbs  and  dough  carefully  burned,,  with;  a  repHetitioii  trf  pi^j- 
pcribed  prayers.  The  house  itself  was  then  cleaiised  in  «tery  part, 
and  no  one  could  cnt«r  the  unpwified  house  of  a  heathen,  Henceforth, 
during  the  feast,  \vitiiout  being  defiled.  Nothing  leavened  could  be 
eaten  or  permitted  in  the  house  during  the  next  seven  days^r^for 
defilement,  bringing  with  it  tm^ness  to  eat  the  Fas^vei',  would  loUow 
^  in  cither  case.    Madu'/rii'Riiiiii  t^av  dmni  mV    JjI^oj  -gm-mm  iut\j* 

This  piu'iflcatlon  of  the  house,  however,  was  by  no  means  all 
Vessels  of  any  kind,  to  be.ue^d  at  the  feast,  were  cleansed  witli  pre- 
scribed rites,  in  a  settled  mode«  Metal  dishes,  &c.,  after  being  scour- 
ed, niUHt  be  /liist  dipp^'  in  boiling  wat^^r-r-Jin  a  pot.u^d  for  no  other 
purposer-nud  then  into  cold.  Eon  vessels  ni^ist  be  made  red-hot; 
then  wa$h,cd  in  tho  same  way.  Iron  mortars,  for  ciuahiitg  ^incfor 
baking,  were  fiUod  'with  red  cpa^ls^  till  a^thread,  tied  outside;: 'Wa^i 
burned  thrpugh,  Wooden  vessels,  after  being  wetted,  were, rubbed 
witt  a  red-hot  atono.  Ko  clay  dish  could  be  used  at  all  if'  not  quite 
new,  and  it  bad  to  be  first  dipped  thrice  in  running  wattr,  and  con- 
Eccrated  by  a  special  prayer.  Personal  purity  was  as  strictly  enforced. 
13vcry  one  had  to  cut  his  hair  and  nails,  and  to  take  ahallH  >  rn    i :; 

Ti^ho  bakiQg  of  tho  unleavened  bread  was  accompanied  with;  equally 
jjltormal  caro.     On  the  evening. of  the  13th,  "before  thb  stars  ap- 
peared," tho  head  of  each  household  went  out  and  drew  woter  for  the 
purpose,  uttering  tho  >yord8  as  he  did  so,  ' '  This  is  the  water;  for  the 
unleavened  broad,"  and  covering  the  vessel  that  contained  it,  for  few 
^iCf  any  defilcmont.    In  grinding  the  flour,  the  most  a&jciousi  carei  was 
pl)$erved  to  keep  nil  Jeaven  from  coining  near  tho  woman  at  the  mill, 
and  to  take  no  grain  that  was  at  all  damp,  lest  it  might  havcfccgim  to 
ferment.    After  baking,  one  loaf,  to  be  taken  to  the  priest  At.  the 
..Temple,  was  l;vid  aalde,  with  auothcr  proscribed  prayer.:. 
I  ,  The  afternoon  of  tho  lllh  was  a  time  of  the  intenscst  bustle,  for  tlie 
ram's  horn  tiiimixits  would  presently  announce,  from  the  Temple,  the 
beginning  Of  tho  Icust.    At  the  sound,  every  one  took  his  lamb  to  ihi 
.  Tcmpl^  Ui©  court  walla  of  which  were  gaily  hung  with  many-coloured 
carpets  and  tapestries,  in  honour  of  tlie  day.    The  countless  victima 
pjust  ]bQ  first,  fxaminpd  by  ^k^  priests,  to  eo©  if  they  were  witho^t 
blemi''h,  then  alaugh^ercd  and  prepared  for  roasting,  in  the  forceourtg 


THE  LIFE  g^  qHi^pj: 


m 


kQ6  kftcji^ 
left  to  ally 
began  Htbe 
a;  O  Lo*d, 
I  Thy  com- 
i  thei^  pro- 
ring  every 

efoHowwg 
I,  was  tben 
ajid  for.  till 
tbCj^house, 
tioitrf'ppe- 
«^tery  part, 
Henceforth, 
ad  could  be 
days^r-fffor 
rouldfoUew 

means.  aU. 
3d  witii  pre- 
ying BCQui:- 
;or  no  other 
ide  red-hot; 
iig^^intfor 
>utttd0;^iwaii 
?<rere.  rubbed 

if •  not  quite 
«r,  aaid  con- 

ly  jenf creed. 

ill-'  If, '  i -•■ 

wllhf  equally 
,hb  jstars  ap- 
Evatef  for  the 
^ater  f  or  the 
(d  it,,  for  fear 
[>U8<  caret  was 
aat  tiiemill, 
avcbcgim  to 
priest  itti  the 

lustlc,  for  the 
Tcmple>  tht' 
3  lamb  to  ikfi 
any-coloured 
ittcss  victims 
^'cro.  vrithotjt 
he  forocourtg 


of  the  Temple,  by-  the  heads  of  the  different  households,  or  hr  tneOL 
^^esbb^itlKiii,  lor  by.tlM!  ilieVites  ih  attendance,  with  iudesciibal^ 
haste  a:nd  confusion;  for  there  was  more  than  woEk'enongli;f9rBfl^,7^c 
IdU^^idinDSt  Atrth&^tfte'tiise,  tigie  d5d,e001eEmbs  sometimes  lecJuSred. 
The  ixact  time  for  kilHniE^  the;  iri(!rtims  was  "  between  the^  evenirigs; "  • 
frcm^fltilhset  fat  the'14^-!titl  the  stars  appeared,  thougb  they  mighli  be 
killedln  the  three  last  hours  of  the  day.  .  r^*  r^Mf}-^  ;rrftV''V>  c  .'f/^^l 

As  sooni  a8>  the  eciarti  were  full,  tbe  gates  were  shht  on'  the  muHit&de^ 
wi(Aiin,ie&ch'holdi%lti»'linnbi  Three  blasts  ttf  trumi^ets^tfienfiin^ 
nouttced  the  bc^nnitlgiof  tiie  heavy  task.  Long  rows  of  pries<^  with 
.  gold !a!nd^^lver.bowlfl^^;iA6od  ranged  between  the  attar  ind  the  victims, 
'  to  cattch^  the  blood/  abd  pato  it  on  from  one  to  the  othei^,  till  tli^  last 
pouKBdit'  on  the^altar,  &«im  which  k  nin  off,  through  pipc6  bei^tiL 
Wheathe  Imi^  had  b^n  drained  of  blodd,  the  head  bP  tke  iam^y  to 
which  It  l^ltogied-  took  it  tb  the  hooksoki  the  widls  end  piMra  ro^loed, 
wfaew)  tt^«is  c^n^  ahd  sldnned.  Tlife  tail,  which,  in  the  isllfei^  ^^ 
Palesttnb,^^  often;  wei^s 'many  pounds^*  and  tlie  fat;  Were  haodedCt^r't^o 
uearest«rte8t(Man!dp«8sed  oil  tilLthdy  Beacbed  thealtetT;  to  be  bioNiled. 
as  an  ofEering  to  God.  The  lamb  was  killed  without  the  nsuai  jayine 
of  tlie  hflndscon  ite  head,  it  was  nbw  Tcady  to  be  catrried  itw|iy;fana 
wasr  1k)V&l6>^by  tiieif amily  h^ad  in  its  skin,  which  was  Mterwiffd6  to 
be  «^^^l;0tfhetliost4n  whose  house  the  fetist  might  be  held,  ^th'hriii 

noti^owicrithakiiteo,  but  as  many 'as  twenty,v  might  !ifi«-doMjc(t^a 
company^  Woihen^were^  allowed  to  join  their  hoi^cQioIds,  thoiighft 
was  not  T^qMved  '<^t  they  ^^hould  eat -the  Passover;'  and  IMsi  pfcm 
fonrteiavii»d!i3ven  slaves  and  foieign^d^  if  oinnlmciBied,.  satt  dowki 
witli  ths^met. '  ^Bveryljuing  wto  huirraBd,  for  the'  lambs  wef«  requited 
to  be^Mlled;  »)itst^,  ani  eaten,'  between  ihree  in  tl»e  aft^rnobn  >  and 
nine'^oirv  twehr^  at  vi|pht.<  They  were,'pfo|)erly,  to'be  edfeja  in  th^ 
courtrof  the  Tcrmpl0,:but  this,  after  a  time,  having  beiboi&elmpQSslbl^^. 
they  might  ^  eaten  «ny^rherei  within  the  Babbinii}al<  limits  odf^hei^ty^ 
Thousands'  (ifi3reSr'in^s|^edaliovetis;pl«paied 
be  roasted  only,  not  boiled,  or  cooked  except  in  this  way,  It.  was 
tmssdd'  with  spits  i  of  pdn^egTanate  Hvbod,  inserted  in  the  form  tiif  a 
cross;  and  the  whole  ereature  roasted  entire.  Kone  of  the  flesk  w!as 
ttUowedto  'remain  till  t  morning,  any  fragments  left  being  forthwith 
burned,  that  they  miffht  not  be  defiled.  >  The  very  dress  and  attitude 
of  all  Who  took  part  bad  been  originally  prescribed,  but  these  details 
were  now  oul  of  use;    i        ! 

The  £east  itself  must  have  impressed  a  child  like  Jesus  no  less  than 
the  preparations.  Not  aboneicjf  the  lamb  must  be  broken,  under  a 
penalty  6f  forty  stripes,  nor  must  any  part  of  it  touch  the  oven;  and 
if  any  fat  dropped  back  on  it,  the  part  on  which  it  dropped  w.a»  cut 
off.  Tlie  company  having  assembled,  aft^br  the  Iamp6  were  lighted* 
arranged  themselves  li&duis  order,  on  couches^  round- the  tables,  re> 
dining  on  their  left  side.  A  cup  of  Udd  wine,  mixed  with  water,  was 
mifid  for  •vorybliiQ.iti^d  drunk,  siUv  aiitdiicbliig  beiiediotion^  by  the 


i« '/  ■« 


mi 


Tpi^j-Mp'&^pm.pfRjrasp*' 


I 


;i 


Iieiid  Oionv^f  the  grou|).    A  tain  of  -water.AlKl  fttt6w<n,.^te  jQi^ 
brought  in;  tbat  oach-migbt  wasHUis:  Iiahd8,;a^U  tbcii  atlotliier^i^lef^ 

(^Liable  ivnwiith^  cacricd  into  the  opea  ^abe  between,  tlie  coticb^ir, 
and  bitti^r  bjorba^  and  ucleavencd  bready  with  a  didli-'-made  of  dates, 
ridsins,  •  aii(|  otliQi'*.  f larit^  muE^d  with  vinegar  16  t^e  ^oilsistenc^^  of 
lime,  in  commemoration  of  the  mortar  with  which  their  fathers  ><r<iiiked 
in  J&g^ft.rr'mt^  onyit>  along  wdtb  ibei  naschal  lamb.  Th.&  hea#  n;lan 
th^n-  took  sope  of  the  bitter  herbs,  dippt^d  them  in  thd  dish,  'aJtid, 
after  ^^g  thanks  toiGod  for  creating:  the  fruits,  of  tbi^  eflirtli/ ate.  ft 
small  piece,  Bnd  gave  one  tO'Cacb  of  the  company.  A  fiecOnd  cu^i  cf 
wine  and  water  Was  then  poured  out^  and  the  son  of  the  house,  or  tho 
youngest  bey  mesent^r  Asked  the  .meaning  of  theieast^,  The  que^tionu 
to  b^'psiit  haa  been  nuautely  iixed  b^  the  Rabt>^,  |ind  w^xie  as  fcr- 
ntidlv'ftnd  m^iutely  answered  in  Anointed  w6]:ds^.  t|ke..Whote  ^(frftt 
ihefaetileeraiice  from  £^pt  behig  tiiua. repeated,  ye^r  after  year,  *t 
.©reiyP^iaover  table,  in  Uie  very  same  teitna,  thro%h0}}t  all  w&eh  ; 

!  TMi^ftrsit  partof  the  great  Hallelujah--Psalma€xiu;anU'<i^i!^^ 
iiowjcdiaiited^  and  wa»  followed  by  a.  prayer, ^begimkhig,  "Bl^$sed  aVt 
^houi  0  Lard  ofur  God,  King  of  the  imivjerse,  :whD  hast .  redeeihed  tts 
fihdovir'foiefathers  fx^bmfj^^V  A  third. cnp  was  i][Qt^  poured  o^t, 
and  then  c^me  the  grac6  after  meals.  A  fonx^  ai^drladt  cfup  foQoWed,^ 
und  then  Pstdipft  exv«  cx^.y  cxvii«,.and  cxvilf.,  whidli  formed  the  t&^t 
of  ^e^AllelMja^i  and  another  pn^er,  closed  the  fteast.  Vvl  ,!,  n^'^-, 

;At  midnijiht  the  'cates>  of  .the  Temple  were  onae  t^(m  tf^iied,titid 
the  peo|^,  whoi^ldom  slept  that  ni^ht,  poured  throng  them,  in  their 
}K>lldiQf  diies%  wk^  ihankK)fierings»  m  ^obedience  to  the  command  that 
ncoie  ^ouid  Appear  before  the. Lord  empty.  .Of  .these  dltd  the 
pri^s^  took  their  rigfatfui  «hare»  and. ^ave  back,  th^  rest  to  the. 
offlceMi  wlio^  hadit  pooked  for  them  in  ^he  Cotir^  o^  iHit  Wotaen;  and 
sattlowh  ^M  sG^nd  feast  !n  the/Temple  ck)isters,  <)r  In  some  part  of 
tt^  to wni 'Within  the  limitsof  which  alone  ijt  was  lan^iil  to. eat  such 

f06d;'(:    .  ',  ■.''";,>    i      ','■,■-   r.  ,,.  "i.l    ....    ,'ii-   ,  ',:  -'  ' 

l^eiwholeiHw^eek  was  full  of  interest .  Th^  15th  i^^as  kepflike  a 
Bfibbathi  It'  wa*  one  of  the  six  day«  of  tlie  year  on  whijJh  the  Law 
prohibited  all  servile  work.  Only  what  was  necessary  for  diijylife 
might  be  done.  Itwas  a  dayfor  rest»>ai;i4  far  the  presentation  of 
freewill  offerings  in  tlie  Temple.  ::i:;-iir4  /:    ' 

It  was  on  tiie  third  day  that  the  first-fruits  of  the  harvest  were 
brought  from  the  Eidron  valley  to. the  Temple,  to  be  waved  befiire 
Odd  in  solemn  ackhowledginent  of  His  bounty  in  giving  the;  kin  ily 
fruits  of  tlie  earth.  This  Incident  jesus^  dcubtless*  saw.  He  t^^ould 
notico,  besides,  how  the  sheaf  had  no  sooner  beieh  offered  than  the 
streets  were  filled  with  sellers  of  bread  made  of  new  barley,  birched 
ears  of  the  yOung  crop,  and  early  growths  and  frUits.  qt  rfili -kinds, 
■which  had  bisen  jiept  back  till  then.  »'  1  1  :^:^;^•    i- 

v/j'FroDiithe  17th  )o  the^S^Mi  the  days  were  only  half  iioly>  and  ihany 


remaine( 


The  la 
hecessar 
jBassoveir 
ifir&tgrea 

-  Butai 
Inteteiatei 
PiMiherls: 
hahjitsof 
putt 

Th^bi 
thesei^ii 
lnth^et( 
and  of  til 
whom  ifhi 
oii^alch 
keys  of  t 
over.    B< 


sacri^'s. 
As  the 
train  hclfi 
it  were  r 
taibleont 
Temple  b 
for  the  hi 
•  charge  of 
to  jsjeep  o 
5<fere  nOi^ 
the  night 
alone;  th 
some  ecdl 
the  highe 
uextmori 
To  wain 
took  the  1 
bearers,  d 
to  see  tfctt 
3Ieanw 
wliite  rob 
mditiing, 
shed,  iwhi 
all  stood 
ber  from 
place  miu 


THE  li^E  OP  OHRI^* 


US 


df  41^  .piBopIe  lia4  i^lready  hegun  to  leave  Jerusalem.  Crowds  $tUt 
remained,  however,  to  enjoy  *»^e  gre*t  holiday  tiipe  of  the  y6ar,  and 
the^ays  aiOd  eve^^the  nights,  with  their  brieht  mobh,  went  m^rtily  hv. 

The  last  day,  ihe2i8t,  like  the  tiiist,Sva3  Kept  as  a  Sabbdth.  Only 
iiecessary;W6rk  was  permitted,  and  it  cl<3sed  with,  a  rehearsal  of  the 
ipassov^  suppel*.  for  the  sak^  of  those  who. could  not  conie  up  on  the 
fir^t  grea,t  da^  of  the  fieast       .  • 

-  But  ati^idel  all  the  sights  ^d  wonders  o;f  the  week  one  splBcirJlj  * 
in^r^isited  JesUs. ;  His  laea^t  was  already  set  supremely  ou"  lib 
JP«ither!^:ho,ilset"  th^^  T^emple.     Can  we  doiiht  tnat,  with  the  fearly 

.  vX^  b^h,in  reid%ytW  nigHt  he)foi:^.  *the  priests  jpec^uired  for 
tM  sei^vlce^.oi  the  next  day,  o^  to  watch  tlirou^  the  ni]^t,  assembled 
in  th^  JBtedlhg  in  j^hegre^t  Fire  Chamber.  The  keys  of  the  T<^plc, 
and  df  thalhn:er  forecourtfif,.  were  then  hwded.them  by  their  kfethtoh 
whom  ^hey  iselieved,  and  hiddeii  below  the  marble  ifloot.  The  LXiVites 
oh  "siralchr through  ^e  night,  or  to  serve  ue^t  day,  aliso  xeceivfed  the 
keys  iif  ike  onUtt  (oreqour4^  i^^m  t^eir  b^thren  whose  dt^ties  were 
over. ,  Be)^id69  these,  twenty-four  representatives  of  the  people,  on 
<l^^ytrri&en  d^l^S^ted  .1^  &  lu^ion  to  represent-  it,— at  the  doily 
sacri^d,  were  blsQ  j[)rQsent, 

A£i  the  tdortiiig  service  b^gan  Very  early,  everything  ^aa  ptit  in 
train  Ueloreljaod.  Ninoty-three  vessels  and  ihstrumejtits  Meeded  for 
it' were  received  froift  the  retiring  I»evitea,  and  carried  to  a  silver 
table  on  the  south  of  the:Oi>pat  Altar,  to  be  rea4y.  The  ^tost  c^  the 
Temj^b^Udihg  itself,  gnd  of  the  inner  forecourts,  werd  locked  iq> 
forthe  ni^ht,.the  key  once  inore  pu*^^  in  fts  place,  the  priest  Who  ha« 
*  charge  of  it  kissing  the  puirbie  slab  as  he  replaced  it,  and  lying  dowii 
to  sleep  over  it  through  the  night.  The  gates  of  the  outer  fop<2court3 
:«reri3  ndw  also." ^ut,, and  th^' watches  of  priests  imd  Lovitcs  set  for 
the  night.  But  the  Temple  was  too  sacred  to  bi  entrusted  to  them 
alone;  the  R^pr^ietntatiyes  slept  in  it  on  behalf  of  the  people'^ 'and 
some  ecdlesiabticftl  dignittj^ries,  deputed  by  the  authorities,  and  one  of 
the  higher  priests,  who  was.  to  preside  over  the  lots  for  daily  olBccs 
uextniorning.''''^^'' J^ -:^;;;^  •^^^''^•' X*Y^-^  ■f"^^  "  ■'{  , 

Towards  oa^,  the  ck^tatn  of  the  Watch  and  some  jDricsts  rose,  ^ 
took  tlie  ke^s,  and  passing  into  the  inner  forecourt,  preceded  by  torch-  ( 
bearers,  d[iyided  into  two  bands,  which  went  round  tho  Temple  courts, 
to  see  that  all  was  safe,  anjd  cvpry  vessel  i^  its  right  place.  ) 

Slean while,  the  other  priests  nad  risen,  bathed,  aad  put  on  their 
white  robes.  The  duties  of  each,  for  th<j  day  were  Used  by  lot  each 
mbming,  to  prevent  the.unse^mly  quarrels,  resulting  c5'cn  in  blood- 
shed, iwkich  had  formerly  risen.  Aasembling  in  a  siDcclnl  chamber, 
all  stood  In  a  circle,  and  the  lot  was  taken  by  countinf^  a  given  num- 
ber from  any  part  of  Vw  ring,  tlie  choice  rcmaiaia^^  with  Mn Avtoe 
place  nmde  up  tlxi  £gur(i.    xle^whllcrtkb  J»avited  and  H^^rescnta* 


154'= 


THB'I/IPE  OF  OHWSf^f 


%W6b  Waitjed  the  ktmmons  to  gatlier.    The  pHeste  lor  thq  day  now 
once  more  washed  their  hqnds  and  f^et  in  a  brazen  laveri  which,  itgelf^ . 
had' been  kept  an  nl^ht  in  water,  for  fear  of  it»  behig  defiled.    The 
fe^t  were  lert  bare  S^hile  the  priests  werft  on  duty. 

4&11  the  gates  were  presently  opened  by  the  LeviteR.  and  the  priests 

blelw^  thri<^e  Oti^  theli*  triimpeis  to  tmnounce  tp  tiie  whole  ii)ty  that  tlie 

^worship  of  the  day  would' soon  begin.    The  Great  Altf|r  was  forUif . 

'with  cleansed  by priests  to  whose  lot  this  duty  hadifaUen.  r  The  siiig- 

-  ers  lind  in'isiciaiiiS  bf  the  day,  and  the  priests  to' blow  the  trumpets 

at  the  morning  sacrifice,  were  set  apart;;tbc  instruments  brought; 

ith^blgTkt-watbbcrd^  dismi^ed,  and  theti  the  day'si'servioe  had  begiu^ 

/All. this  took  place  by  torchlight,  before  dawn.  ;>,  » 

Tiiie  momhig'  sacrifice  could  not  be  slain  before  the  <listiiict>  appear- 

acb6  qt  the  motniiig'  light.    A  watcbcT,  therefore,  standingj  on  the 

roiol  o|  the  Temple;  looked  out  for  the  first  glimpse  o(  Hebron^  far: 

cff,  on  ihcr  hills,  as  the  sign  of  morning  hating  come.    When  it  waa 

Tisibic,  iie  summons  was  givett— '•Priests,  to  your- mini^tiy I    Lo^ 

vitcs;  to  yonr  places  I    Israelites,  take  your  stations  I"(    The  priests 

th^n  once  more  washed  tlheic  feet  and  ;]xBiQd%an4  th^  servJc^e  i||nallifi , 

mtetl'iig'  first  the^'Teiki^c,  arid  then  the  tloly  Place,  with  lo^ty 
iCkVQrepce,  a  priest  jiow,  after  prayer,  cleansed  the  altar  of  incense, 
^dthfered  the'  ffshes  in  liis  hands,  and  went  out  slowily,  backwards. 
Another,  nieail'^hfle,  had  fcsd  Vt'Dod  on  the.  Great  Attar,  and  a  third 
brought  a  year-old  Jamb,  selected  four  days  befc^e,  from^  the  pen  in 
the  Temi)lo,  to  tho  north  cide  O^f  the  cltarii  The  llepresentatiTes  hav- 
ing laid  their  hands  on  Its  head,  it  was  slaughtered  rvyith  •  ilii»>  head  to 
(he  west  feide  cf  the  Temple,  alnd  tUe  Wood  cayght  an  a  bowl,  and 
stirred  continually  to 'prevent  its  curdling  and'  becoming  uufili  sfor 
gprinkllng.  ■  • ' ■  ^"■^'.    '■■    ■•!.•     •        i    ..:     ;!;_.;    w       ■.•'...'■  . 

The  intense  offering  v/asi  riof\V  liindlcd*'  At  ;jno  tankUnf^of  a  beU, 
the  jpcoplo  in  the  inner  forecourt  began  to  pray, 'and  thopiests  whose 
lot  it  was  entered  the  Holy  Plade.  ^  The  first  brow;ht  oui  the  censer 
l:ict  Tiscd,  praying  and  v/alking  bftdcwai'd  as  he  retired.  The  blood 
cf  the  kmb  was  sprinkled  on  the  four-  sides  ojf'tha  Orqat  g&ltar,  as 
soon  as  he  reappeared.  ,    ;j_    yj^  U}>Hiiri'^i^^^p'*^<- 

A  eccond  priest  baring  now  extinguished  five  of  tie  Boveu  lamps  of 
t!ie  jgbldeft  candlcsticiiL  in  the  Holy  Place,  a  third  took  in  a,  glowing 
ccnstr  a^d  laid  it  en  the  altar;  prayed,- and  retired  backwards.  A 
fourth  now  went  in,  handed  t!i6  censer  to  an  assistant  who  followed, 
fj-iook  incense  on  tlic  coals,  prayed,  and  retired.'  The  two  remaining 
li^ts  Were  then  cstinguinhed,  and  the  oliering  vndcd. 

The  sliin  was  now  stripped  from  the  elain  larab,  the  bowels  taken 
out  and  vrashcd,  the  body  ctit  in  pieces^  laid  on  a  marble. tabled  and 
salted.  The  food  cr  deat-offering  cf  meal,  mixed  with  oil,  and 
strewed  v/ith  incenrc,  v/iis  then  proparod,  and  a  Hxcd  measure:  of  .wine 
^UTcd  into  a  costly  cup  for  the  drlBlL-offeriug,    I^  vro^  now  sunrisi^. 


4*'the* 
prints;  ai 
suiiied— 't 
The  meat 
flifd  thi^A  I 
to  thb  pri< 
the^highl 
detail  "hac 
win0of*l] 
which' it  t 
.  The  m( 
sounded  t] 
raised  pliit 
da¥  to  th< 
pnesttybie 
mte  Hii 

lift^upHis 

Whttt 

l>m\U  pi 

the  aftemc 

tlief/iii^ht. 

prayer  6#^ 

left  ^to  btiri 
and  made  1 

TMaf  dai 
now,  fort! 
mii^fetjpdtio 

At  toy 

in  Anton^a 

OiiVes.'    T 

the  Slttiribe 

had  annotii 

fined  In  th< 

risier.    I^he 

to  the  Coil 

the  Xy^tus 

the  Market 

countless  s 

the  Greek" 

other  hatio 

With  the 

prayer,  wh 

who  has  pi 

stops,  ana 

forehead  ai 
he  is;  hk  th 


THB IIFB  OP  cDBnusn? 


iWfe 


>:■ 


ji^  the  frtkif  ^s^;  the  nine  pieces  of  <&o  cacti0oe  's^de  lifted  1^  niae 
piiedts,  and  eftiti<»l'  to  %h^  Great  Altjj^,  in'  ordorf^lald  cni  U  oaa  oon- 
suriied— the  'either  piieste  and  the  peopla  ropeatin^f  EiQraisg  prayer. 
The  meat-offering  wa»tlieii laid on'^ealtar/fiolt^^  lacenpe  ftdclc'4^ 
n^'th^A  a  ha(i](df ul  of  it  ^«9  thrown  on  the  «ltar  fire,  the  lost  faUiza^ 
to  thfe  priest  as  hitf  perquiblto.    Tiifelve  cakes,  the  br^ad-offering  oi 
the  high  ^Hest,  -T^ert  next  burned^  after  (being'  strewn  with  salt  BverjF,, ,. 
detail  iiad  occupied  a  separate  priest,  and  nowaziothcr  poured  th^F^ 
win0'  of  ^Ue  diinKH^eriug  into  a^  silT«r  iunnc^  in»  the  altqXj»  through 
whi<jh'it;ttini<itb'ii  fcottduit underneath.- ;y!J9(7,-  '}fi*^'B-.k.i-i.v  /li^^^tnm.lixi. ;;  ' 

The  morning  sacrifice  was  now  over.'  Forthi^th  >  twe  priests. 
'  sounded  their  trumpets  nine  times,  and  twdlveLevite^,  standing  oa  a 
rai^^  pli&tfoihii  it  ttie  Court  of  the  Priests,  recited  the  psalms  of  the 
daV  to  the  music  of  their  instmnKents;  and  then  came  the  ancAiont 
priestly  biett^iCtidtt^-**Tlio  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep  thee:  the  Lord 
mtikk  Hi^f«iceshihe! upon  thee,  and*  be  gracious 'untotheo:  the  Lord 
lif t^  up  Hii3  eoiuntemn^ce  upon  thee,  and  grant  Uiee;  |)eace;  '* 

"Ywtfhtftiy  offering^,  and  those  reqmred  on  special  groundsi  occun  ^ 
pied  th^  pnests,  for  a  time,  lifter)  thomoroing  fioerifice. '.  At  three  ia 
the  af temooii  the  evening  sacrifico  and  incense  offering  presented  the 
sath^  details;  th*i  Vibtiitt  beins?  left  dm  the  altar  to  burn  -away  through 
tlie'M^t.  At!  sunset  the  Schmawas  read  again^  and  the evenii^ 
prft^eir  dnfered;  the  seveft  lamps  in  the.  Holy  Place  a;!^iu  kindled  anqi 
left  ^to  btirtitlll.  ti^drhiug/'and  aUthe  ^re^Js  clea^ied  by  the  Levites^fA 
and  made *6ady' for  Aext  dftyii--''"iiK)lrfij;%-bfti3-v>v*:tn3i^:S.'Md-Tfi?j-^  /■  ■ 

ThStf  daily  service i was  no  ddtibtiwalclied  by  thediild,»n^tiSj  who 
nowv'f^  the  first  tiftie,  saw  the  priests  in  His  Father's  house  at  theii? ; 
mii^lsthrtidtis.    But  the  city  itself  would  be  sure  to  arrest  Mis  notice*** 

At  e^l^  dxLWn  He  would  hear  the  tinimpots  of  the  Bcnnaii  fairisbui 
in  Antonja,  and  see  the  booths  open  shortly  after,  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives.'  Three  trutnpeit  blastsfrom  the. Temple  had  already  waited 
the  ^Itinibering  citizens  .and  pilgrim^,  and  the  first  beams  of  the  sun 
lifid  ahnotihced  the  hotii*  of  momfaig  praj^or.  Thestrjoets  had  ali?eady 
lined  in  the  twilight,  for  the  Oriental,  in  aUi  ages,  has  been  an  early 
riser,  ^heep  and  Seattle  dealei's,  and  money-changers,  were  fimiying 
to  the  Court  of  tjie  Heathen.  Worshippers  were  thronging  across 
the  Xy^tu§^  bridge' from  the  Upper  City  to  the  Temple,  and.  through 
the  MHi-ket  gate;  from  the  Lower  Town,  along  aU  the  streets.  The 
countless  syrittgogues  were  open  for  morning  servioe.  Megn  wearing 
the  Gteek  dress,  and  speaking  Greek,  had  gathered  in  some,  ^nd 
other hationalities in othersi  '  <    t.  h.-V)  i'  Mq-w  jiu<ttn}i%t' /Mn  kyui 

With  the  first  sight  of  the  risett  suii  ^very*  one  bowed  his  heaclin 
prayer,  wherever  at  the  moment  he  might  be.  Yonder  a  Pharisee, 
who  h«A  purposely  let  the  hour  overtake  him,  in  the  street,  suddenly 
stops,  ana  ties  his  Tephillin,  broader  and  lai^er  than  common,  on  liia 
forehead  and  arm.  The  olive-gatherer,  with  his  basket,  pmys  wk«:« 
he  is/ite  thetree.'    Pilgrims  and  citizens  are  olMce  boat  in  pcM>yer<     j 


t;  ■'  ', 


if 


m 


W^^^fh:^  c^^^Wt. 


Jatia  Md  been  baiiished  two  yeifirti.  before,  tiiHl  ibe  lii^iefaL  voce  of  ^o 
Edomit^i^no  lon^r  leij^edi^'the  ^lace  on  Zion,  but,  the  bop^3 
tiiilt  on  the  chan^  to  dk'ect  goveirnmeut  by  9  Bojnian  Procumtor  liL^d 
cot  bc^n  fnlflllcd.  Judca  was  now  only  a  t)art  of  a  Koriaan  province, 
.  ct-d  the' first  act  of  thd  direct  impcfHal  rulehad  been  to oialc^  toenails 
of  the  whoie  country  for  heathen  taxes.  Galilee  and  Judfea;  alike, 
Imd  been  in  t.-ild  insurrection,  which  hod  been  quenched  In  blo(^l. 
>  Ash  cjpdke  T#  ith  bated  breath;  but  wcro  itt  one  in  dead!y  hatred  -c '" 
i lie  foreigner,  and  in  the  yearnings  hope  tliat  the  Me»^ah  m^ghtsban 
i:][ii'eaf  t(ydi?ive  him  oili 

t  ihe  gieat  bazaat  in iha Lower  New  Town  was  enrly  full  of  btistlc. 
It  \k'a^i  long  street,  CTOwdedwith^talis^  booths!  and  js4^^  Pino 
Ureadof  the  Wheat  of  E|ihrainL  was  sold  after' the  secoqct  efey  of  the 
least.  Cakes  of  figii  and  raisins ;  *  Hak  of  dlff er^t  Kinds  f totu  the 
fclort  Of  Tiberiae^;  wood^work  of  all  kinds,  filled  the  cliien  stalls^'  Dibs 
— the  syrup  of  grapiesr-had  miany  s^tors,  »nd  there  Were  bqdthe*  for 
^  E*^ptiftn  lentiles,  and  even  ior  emnamon  and  pepper.  Medtanicsli^lit'd 
tiieir  trddes  in  the' streets,  too  busy  to  rise  «v^n  when  a  great  Kabbi 
passed.  '  In  the  side  streets  trades  of  every  kind  filled*  the  roadway. 
Potters'  Were  busy  in  their  sheds ;  fruiterers  oifered  ch0iee;'iierus^lem 
iigttfrom  gardens  made  rich  with  the  blood  of  the  sacrifioes^  li^- 
Mvters^^undcd  their'Hax  ih  th6  stireets;  The  nunibersoif  piissfUg 
priests  showed  that  Jerusf^m  i^as  the  Holy  €!ity.  Ley4te8,wfih 
their  peculiar  head-dress,  and  an  outside  pocket  «ontainiDg  a  M&all 
foil  of  the  Law;  PhiHsdes,  mth  bro&dt)hylaetorie8 and  gr^ai fringes; 
Esseiiies  in  white,  with  thfe  air  of  Old  prophets;  gorgeous  'officials  of 
the  goternOf "s  couf t,  at  present  in  the  city*— pilgrims  in  tho  cQstuuie 
€tf '  everr  l^dv  and  spcakhs^n  babel  of  languages-^passed  ^d  re- 
^j^ssed  In  endless  variety.  ^^    •'-  ' 

The  people  of  Jerusalem  might  well  value  the  feasts,  foi^tShey  Jived 
't^  the  vast  numbem  of  pilqriBis.    Th^  tUoney  speht  by  individuals, 
though  little  compared  to-^tlw  wealth  which  flowed  yearly  into  the 
TetoplO  treasury,  from  the  whole  Bis!p€irsicta,>wa»  great  in  the  aggre- 
gate.   Their  gifts  in  money  to' thf  Teinplemi^t  in, pa^-t' remain 
there;  but  they  needed  doves,  laml^,  and  cixen  for  sacrifices,  wood 
for  the  altar;  add  Hked  to  carry  home  memorials  of  Jerusalem-    The 
countless  priests  and  Levites,  and  Officials  coUnt'^ted  with  th^Temple, 
caused  a  great  drduletion  of  money,  and  the  building  itself ,  and  the 
I'equipementg  of  its  woSrshlp,  involved  constant  expenditure.  /  We 
need  not,  therefore,  wonder  that  Jenisalem  was  wildly  fanatical  in 
its  zeal  for  the  Holy  Place.   'It  was  bound  to  itt  not:  Je^  by  self- 
interest  than  by  religious  liigotry.  '       '  ^    -^  Aj  ^^^^ '     ^ 
'  Jerusalem,  though  byiioi  means  large,  was  the  headqnaHers  of  the 
great  religious  institutions,  aS '  the  capital  of  tlie  theocraqy .     Count- 
less scribes^  rulers,  presbjiieys^  scholars,  readers,  and  servaiita  wew 
:£onnMted  with  its  schools  and  syn^igoguea    It  wad  Hi^iiei^  of  ail 


*HB  *jFB  OF  icmmBt: 


m 


iM-fimw^k^i^l^  6i  th^  tAW,  t^ie  fpcuaof  conttovcrsyj  th6  ufni- 
Tietoiftjr  to^iibf  wie|lfibbisr  the  battle-grpund  of  religious  pnttfes,-^ 
fbs  capital  .of  tUe  Jewish  vatidti,  import,  in  a  measure  onlypos^fbio 
fi^onl  Its  havitig  in  its  midst  tile  one  Temple  of  tlie  race.  It  was  the 
Delplii  apd^OIympia  of,  Israel,  and  iiow  much  morel  Sucii  a  cHy,  at 
siich  ici  time,^muN  have  made  Wting  impressions  pn  the  boy  Jesus.. 
But  I|is  heart  was  set  supremely  6n  higlier  thinj^  than  the  mere^ 
outWkrd  and  earthly.  From  His  carliei^t  years  His  mother's  faith  ii!! 
the  mysterious'  wor4s  spoken  by /saihtB  acid  angels  ref^pecting  Him, 
even  «eJoreHif  birth,  must  have  shpwn  itself  ip  a  thousatia  ways 
in  her  intercourse  with  Him,  anid  have  kindled  mystexioub  thoughts 
in  Hifr  bpyidh  mind.  We '  cannot  cpnoeive  the  relations  of  ills 
diJffne  n^Ujiore  to  thehuman,  but  it  must  be«afe  to  follow  the.  Gospels 
ih  theh' pietmi^  of  Him  as  maturing  year  by  Titas',  frcm  the  simpl^cit^ 
of  the  cnild  to  the  wifsdom  abd  strength  of  rlpevy 

'fi^ysical  and  intellecti^al  npestiess  come  early  in  the  East:.  i)avi^, 
HerQd^.Hyrcaiki^is,  and  Joaephus  showed,  even  id  boyhood,  traits 
i^hicfa  in  more  backward  climates  mark  much  latei'  ^rears.  Josephns 
teU8|Us  that  numbers  of  Jewish^  bpvs  put  to  torture  in  f^pt,  under 
Vespi^an;  tt^lbet  the .  fal!(.  of  Hasada,  bore  unflinchi^^^ly  the  utmost 
il^at  could  b^  iniAictedofi  them>  rather  than  own  Cfi^^ar  as  their  lord, 
and  even  ip  Oiir  own  day  childi^en'  in  Palestine  are  so  early  matured 
that  marriageia  of  boys  of  thirteen  andgirls.of  eleven  are  not  unknown. 
tPhilo,  in  Oirist'9  day^  notes ;  ditTerent  ages  straagelyenough  to  our 
ideflis.r  •"  At 6even,"  he  say»,  "a  mim  is  a. logician  and  gnimmarian; 
at  fourteen  mature,  beqi^use  j^ble^  to  be  the  father  of  a  bemg  like  him- 
self ^  while,  at  twentv-one*  g^wth  tod  bloom  are  over."  '■  A  son  of 
^ye  yeara-Z^'^ayd  ^Jiida  B^n  Tema^  *'is  to  read  the  Scriptures  alotui 
(th^t  i6,  m  schoolVone  pf  ten  to.  ^ve  himself  to  the  Mis^ma,  of  thir- 
teen to  the  Commandments,  of  fifteen  to  ,U)§'-^ai^v((}»pf,rci|^t«€n 
to. marriage^'  *iWf.H* ivff'^jyt^ '^^^^'•iT-^V^d'^'t!^- ffM*4i^'!'>Ti''i^  H\r<H-\rf  '<^ff'^''' * 

f  Th^  Habbi^,  perhaps  n*om  the  tradition  "that;  Mpses  lef t  hl^  father^ 
hotiae  when.  twelvQ  yCars  old,  that  Samuel  hod  begun  to  prophesy 
when  he  had  l^i^hed  his  twelfth  year,  and  that  Solomon  had  delivered 
somes  ;of'hia  fampijis  Judgmentis^hen  as  young,  bad  already  in  Christ's 
day  fixed  th^t  ag^  as  the  close  of  boyhood  and  the  opening  of !  ^ 
manliier  life.  ^*  After  the  completion  of  the  twelfth  year,"  says  the 
Talmud,  "a  boy  is  to;  be  coi^fiidered  a  you.th.  and  is  to  keep  thq  fast 
on  thjB  il^yor  4too«ment.  T^^^^  he  is  thirteep  his  religious  duties 
are  to  be  performed  for  him  by,hi&fath<?r,  bpt  on  his  thirteenth  birth" 
day  tlie  pweut ,  is  no  longer  answerable  for  his  son's  sins. " 

Jesi^,  tvho  had  ended  His  twelfth  year  whea  taken  up  ta  the  Pass- 
over, Was  thus  alreaidy  a  '♦Son  of  the  Law,"  and,  as  s\ich,  required 
to  perfptm  all  religious  duties.  The  Tephillin  or  phylacteries  had/ 
douotJesSi  as  was  usual,  been  put  on  Him .  publicly  in  the  synagogue 
of  Nazaretibi,  to  mark  the 'trai^sitfon  from  boyhood^  to  remind  HitA 
that^  was  hencef ^rtii  to  weaf  them,  tb  keep  the  fasts,  to  |olk;^wi}^ 


.  f< 


fi 


,?, 


m 


*¥i^rkW^i  Pli^jHRifil^ 


i'(f'''''i 


laws  of , the  Ri^W^im^^^mk  wrwif\y  ot  %  (tttUTf  <»l)lngj|i  ]ff^,. 
He  w<w|d  ^  ^luc^fr^c^r./Iwrrfoy^l^  gPiFiWO  Bo, UMi  without 
fmjervi8ipR,Jn«i  i^  boy  of  ^he  same  age  jwUn  u*.  0^4  lMJnce.,fiM 
Jemwlejn,  w|ft^  i|j^ jtly>usafid  wPfl4e?f,  W JfifTOiWw»»JP,  <#W,# 

Tbeweekof%f^aft,ep^e4,^ftl!Bpih  w4  «wy  tMwed,  lWr  f^^ 
'towards  houa^.  XlW.qonfu&v?p  m>d  bH8tl(9,aromia  mus^.Jiave  bjaDqln- 
depcTibablfs.  Any  w^wUojUfip  «iBeft,%  flE^otley, ,crpw(d/|,,0(f  Ens^r 
pygriinj9;F^WJaiAg  frop  l|k|f  te#P  »<»  tfeo  pwflopt,  iMny  mjw  Mv*!  iqmp 
faint  idea  of  t^e  sc?ne.. ,  [IV4wt  ift,ft\wMy«  iK^ppi  Ht  Dlg^t.,  )t^  ,eiK5«i)e 
tbe  gr^at  ]^at.ol  ^h^  <la^«  andi9j;h6  darl^9ep8,.li£bt«a  piuy  pylov^^es, 
it  ^eeds  caw  nol  to  Ije ^tfafiapled  )u^r  C<vH*  Afr iflftiypw  or  diflcujt 
parto  of  the  j-oad.the  noji0e.and;€9Piuwp».avfl  b«>vAJacipgmif4)m«^^ 
WXQX  o)f  beipg  iljan\pled  down  by  a ;  loag  fll^  pf  i  piMBaU,  ^Uod^tm  »k 


hi^d  another;  par^t^.<;allinffi)^0F  lost.jp^droa:  irl^ndl  ibQUtjUif)  fp^ 

tiiewliol©#^e4geAiQ^am«y4ng,ma8p^,alViiUJt^#;iciJ^  t  h 
^  As  tlie  dietanoe  frqni,  Jsrufwl^n^  iwjp^a^d, ,  cmd  dHaOTfint  | 
]l)j!aiichea  oft  tp  different  foads,  danger  jvwld  €!#«W)iMi€i!i(l 
jtjwoi^e  momittCtittresQuev  . VjeMiWWien  ^nd  vi^neflftWi  mi^^WiouU 
paw,  pifluntea  Q|i;<?ampis,  mv4ieB^  prxip^j|i<\p«j  JipWfllj  NO\m$eifi  mn 
!walking  alongside,  s^a^  in ,  ht^d ;;  childireii )  pl«y i»g  <  at t  W9/ii4«  iof  i m 
patba$tl^e(;ayalcad$;slo(w)^  advanced;  a94  w^  Jouj^noyoyor  mid  a^pn 
b«gul|ed  with  ta1)r^|  an^d  pipe.  Qfi}^  wh^Q  the  pilgrll»»,|ilid  th\Mi,gQt 
away^rpijiJhP  firs^i  qrpwd, f.wou|4 7t  ba  ppjjwblelpr  ^tt«ji  gipupi^ 
k»ow  if  fUi it» iftemberaiwere  safp.^,      ■       ,,,  .  ,   ,  ,  ..  ../j    ^ 

.^  Among  many  othecf,,  sojnp  f^  pf /wMs©  iftijaUy,  liad  t  for;  iw  Hm 
feeep;  ^pamw  €ro^  tfeem  in  4^e  gonfusioft,  iw^a*©  JpwpU  a|i^r>lMyi 
Qi^  reav^)4og  thj^ii^  fiirst  iMgbt;aie^ampi9«j)tL  they  4l9CPyor(|4  W^  w^ 
te^y  te>:%<VM  np^Jn  tiie  carayaiia.  •  He  had,  Ukwy  w^Oimlwed  eai?UeE» 
hut  lie  ml(;nt  be  ivith  friends  in  some  other  part  of  the,  (HMTi^vafif 
After:  seckir^g  diligfyDtl^lftr  Hiipi  Jip^PV^r*  .V'itihpiiJ/iHCMpi  they  were 
greatjiy  aiarmiBdv, .  A*^*'^^*  *'^b^^^-'"^^w^  llei  lfl|gli^,Pje liji^tt^ 
|hen>  for  ^iYCJ'H;;:!   i.i'*  J  ;.u-    .lu.tK.'i:'  .'.;;      .:i;    ii.  .    ,  v^   t.  j.n  •  ■  ■• 

;  oNothipg  was  l<ftftibut.fto  retufiPitOf^rusftlem,  iWUleU  <\\wy  Rei^^red 
on  the  evcninff  pf  ^Qsepo^d  dfty. ,  Bh|.  th«y  cpujdk'ttr?i  nothing  of 
Hiha  tijl  the  day;afJ^»  wbcn,  £^tias|,;lJb^y  fownd  ^ov  ia.pn^pf  ^jtbe 
jchoosls  of  tho  K^l^ifit  l^eld  in  thP  Tp»p)e  court!,   )     •  ,,  . 

;:.  These  scliools  wf r^i  a  oliaraQteristic  pf  t\\^  timq#,,,  llwy  wqrpjOpep, 
and  any  one  cntpring  miglAt  ansvfer  off  piopose  a  qiioitipti.  T^  Hahbi 
sat  on  a  hi^h  seat;  his  Scholars  on  th^,  grpimd,  at  M^itimU  i^  ibalf- 
<^les:  their  one  stud^  the  Law,,  i^it^  its  RabWolcal  ^omme^iflv 
;i,;ln  the  schpol  in  whwh  Jesus  j^a^.fqund,  a  nuailier  of  Bahuis  were 
prosenti  perhaps  because  Jitr  jwai^  ^tlie  iPasepvor  seaion,  ?THp  gentle 
IliUci— thej^oosefr-fivasper^^l^s  stijl  ^UvP,  ftttd  imy  powlbly,  liav^ 
Imn  among  ilwm.    1  he  hs^r^Uia^d  strict,  ^ni»paaiT-tb«,B(^d(Brt-hl8 


^  ,^  jjyal,  J^4  a^pn,,layj5.>i<»%  JBUlfA-t  .ftW».  ii^bl^^  p^t^spj^^M 


4::. 


THB'^Einr  OF  OHRISfE 


tm 


may  have  been  of  tfa6  number,  thcmgb  Oftmaliel  'would,  tben,  like 
JesuSr  b^  otaljr  a. boy.    Haoiin,  or  Annas,  son  of  Be(h«  had  been  Juet 
appobited  high  priest,  biit  did  not  likely  see  Him,  as  a  bd^;^,  wbom  be 
was  afterwards  to  cnicify.    Apart  from  the  bitter  bostility  between 
the  priests  and -the  BHbbis,  He  would' be  too  busy  xfixh  bis  monopoly 
of  dovek  ft*  the  Temple,  to  care  for  the  discussions  of  the  sohools» 
fOi'  he  owned  the  shops  for  doves  On  Mount  Olivet,  and  sold  them  for 
(i  piece  of  ^oM,  thotlgb  thd  Law  had  chosen  them  a»  offerings  suited 
for  the  poorest  fronv  their  commonn^iil  and  <:bjeapa6S8.- 
Among  the:  famous  men,  then,  apparently,,  Uvingin  Jerusalem,  was 
'  Rabbi  Jo6hanan  Beii  Zacehai,  afterwards  reputed  a^  prophet,  from  his 
once' crying  oUt-*-when  the  Temple  gate  opened  ot  itself — '^Temple, 
Tcmpk,  why  do  y6u  frightotf  us?    We  know  that  thou  wilt  shortly 
be  destroyed,  for  •!*  stfys-**  Open,  Lebanon,  thy  gates,  andlet  fire  de- 
vour Ihy^edard."*.  Jonathan' Ben  Uzziel,  the  Targumist,  revered  bjr 
his  nation;  Rabbi  Ben  Biita,  who;  though  of  Shammai*&  school/ was 
almost  as- ihild  as  Hfllel,  and,  like  him;  had  a  great  reputation  for 
IWi>inical' Mtactity;  now  blind  these  many  yjears,  for  Herod  had 
put  out  his  eyes;  Dosithaiof  Jethma,  «  zealous  < opponent  of  Herod; 
Zadok,  who  had  taken  part  in  thd  rising  of  Jude^  the  Qaulpnite; 
Boethu»,  fat^r'of  Otae  of  Hei^d's  wives-^the  second  THariaiime— once 
h^  priesi,  and  new  the  head  of  the  courtly  Heeodian  and  Roman 
{^art^T  'Meodemus,  who  afterwards  oame  to  Jesus  by  night,  and  the 
rich  Joseph '  of  Arimathea,  --^n  a^  grave  |^en '  by '  whom ;  Jesua  was 
afterwards  to  he,  were  all  apparently,  then  aliv^^    But  we  oan  only 
cOtijecfttre  in  whose  presenoe  Jesus  sat,  for  dates  are  sadly  wanting. 
One  picture  alOne  survives  in  Scripture,  of  flebrew  boyhood  in  its 
noblestbeaUty^--4hat  of' Davidy  with  his '  lustrous  eyes,  auburn  hair, 
and  lovely  features.  „  It  is  no  great  stretch  of  fancy  to  believe  that 
•HewhO  was  at  once- David's  heir  and  his  lord-^the  Son  of  David  hi 
a  sente' higher  Uian/man  had  dreamed-^realized  the  name  not  less  in 
Hii^personali  beauty  than  in  other  respects./  fTho  passion  of  His  soul 
—to"  learn  more  of  His  Father's,  business— had  led  Him  naturally  to 
the  famed  sdliools'in  His  FatherV  house,  where  the  wisest  and  most 
learned  )of  His  niMion  made  tho  hqly  boohs,  in  which  tbat  Fath^r^s 
will  wa»  revealed;  thcsr  M<^n|^  £4.udy.    fThe  mystery  of  His  o\*ii 
nature  and  of  jE^s  relatiions^tOiHis  Father  in;  lletiy^  wj^s  damming  on 
Him  more  and  more.    His  mother's  words,  from  timeto  Ume,  had 
daily  a  deeper  and  inore  wondrous  significance,  and  His  sinless  Spirit 
lived  more  and  more  in  communion  with  unseen  and  eternal  realities. 
He  had  naturally,  therefore,  sought  those  who  could  open  for  Him 
tlie.  fountains  o^  Heavenly  wisdom  for  which  His  whole  being  panted, 
and  Was  the  keenest  listener,  and  the  most  eager  in  His  questions,  of 
all  the  group  seattfsl  at  their  feet.    The  days  would  come  when  no 
further  growth  was  possible,  and  then  He  would  sit  in  the  courts  of 
'the  saiii&  Temple,  as  a  teacher  wlio  needed  no  human  Ue^.    il^s  ye^ 


i^l^' 


iU 


TRE  LIFE  OF  0HRI6T. 


h<|weveT,  He  couid  not  honour  His  Ffttbor  more  thtm  by  teeking.M 
cliald,  to  know  His  holy  Wbrd  from  iti  Moredltod  expotrndem.  Sn- 
tbusiafim  so  pur«  and  lofty  intone  w  youngs  lighting  up  the  beauty  of 
Atxch  eyes  add  features,  may  Well'Mve  titled  the  heart  of  the  gravest 
Kitebi  with  wonder  and  deii#htJ     \'4ii. 

Id  this^  school  of  the  Rabbis  !&fary  and  Joieph  found  Him,  sitting 

en  the  groiind,  with  otheirs,  at  the'  feet  of  the  half -circle  o^  "dbci^^/' 

Hi9  whole  soul  so  ab^rbed  in  the  Law  and  the  Prophets  that  H€  had 

forgotten  all  other  thoughts;  His  fahitly  cif61e-r>the  night  of  tinte.    It 

was  no  wonder  iq  flnd  Hini  in  ^ch  ^  place,  for  as  **  a  l^^  qf  the  Law" 

it  ivsA  tmiy  wbat  a  Jew  expected,  but  it  might  well  attiaze  them  that 

He  had  been  so  engrossed  with  such  toiatters  as  to  be  still  there,  'altdr 

the  fe^t  was  over,  and  not  only  Mary  and  Josepb.  btU  the  great  throng 

of  nilgriins,  had  left  for  home.    As  befttted  h^r  htgher  retationship, 

aha  with' the  greater  zeal  natural  to  a  ftiother'a  lo«re  in  sirch  m  case, 

ihe,  ztCK  Jot!cpb,  spoke.    "Son,*'  said  she,  "why  hast  Thdu  thus 

dciilt'witb  U87    Behold,  Thy  father  and  I  hiiVe  sought  Thee  iorroN^^- 

biig. "    1^,  seemed  sostrange  thiit  one  so  gentlb,  do'cilo,  tthd  'loriug^  who 

had  n^yer  ^ven  thm  an  anxious  tho%ht  by  any  tihlldiiih  frowJEu^- 

ness,  should  <^ause  theiil  such ,  paiii  andT  nlarm.    The  answer/ -getine 

aind  lofty)  ipnst  hav^  fallen  oxilifat^'s  heart  as  a>  loft  t^btriDe,  thbugh 

she  conld  not  %der6tahd  its  fulness  of  riieanlng:  ''  Ho^  is  it  tha«  ye 

^ngh^  met,  Theve  w|i8'iio  plae^  whore  I  cotild  so  surely  be  ai^inihy 

'^iither*8  house-^there  were  ho  miitters  Ivhich  could  so  fighifuHy  ill! 

^iniy  thcugbts  as,  C(is?^^   Her  son  wa9  outgifowinjE^  His  chlldhoi6a  t  the 

light  (^  It  higher  world  was;  breaking  in  on  His  soul ;  the  clidms  of  the 

hprnedflifaEair^b  facing  l)efbrci  others  inflnttely  greater  and  holier. 

A  smless  childhood  h^  made  th^  j^ast  a  Ifit^  urcfttn  of  ptoee^tuid 

fbye  in  t^^e  home  at  Kt^ssa^thi  and  this  only  deepened  t^dthe  sinitil^i% 

>f  early  years  pasi^ed  ii;»to  the  rijpenes^  9^  a  perfect  matihopd.    Thdu^ 

He  must  have  felt  thegr^wiibg  dist^nf^e  bklveebHimielf  And  Joseph-, 

^  ar  even  Mary :  their  w>^alcness  and  His  own  strength ;  th^i^  siMlicitjraM 

^Iffi^own  wisdom;  t^ieir  trail  htimafilty,  tt&uch#^  "bf  dallj^  stn,  and  His 

'ibwu  pure  and  emlese  nafure,  He  remained,  ii^b|^t  to  thsm.  as^  if  only 

Jike  otbeiB.  "  If  eVer  th^  wa^  a  son  wlib  might' 'h^va  b^eh  is^ct^d 

<|o  claitp  independjence-it'  was  He,  aild  ,yW,  to  stotlfi  and  enforce 

filial  lobedience  for  ever,  He  lived  on,  Und<8r  theft  Humbre  hjof,  eiem- 


his  petrents. 


4  itlX  '^X 


tonxkm 

deep  oliscui 

thie  shephei 

world  at  la 

VAlIeyaftdJ 

.  manhood-ri 

There  was  : 

hesa.     Like 

growtn  was 

4re/  doubtlei 

child,  and  1 

themseli^  c 

they  «r&  unp 

running  aku 

briglit  q^i^B 

as  shelf  fort 

her;  jsoihe  In 

sweet  herbs, 

eotertog  by^ 

brought,  at  E 

dish,:  round ' 

supply  the  r J 

maybethati 

of  Ihef^ousei 

some  variati 

ranged  down 

or  twQ  coluu 

whiciiaresti 

WerelMilt  of 

the  V(]>lc4nic 

limestonl^  hi 

wails,  luid  ea 

broad,  vfifit, 

though  some 
In  the  she 
streets  otlSU 
crossways  be 
the  town,  be 
road— from  ' 
water  for  th 
An  Ut  gieWi 


r.'t~rt  }v  f  ■ 


^nV 


rfr*.' 


VT" 


"OV. 


EAllLY  YEARS. 


|V>R  nearlgc  eighteen  years  iif  ter  the  Passover  visit  to  Jerusalem,  a 
deep  obflcuriiy  rests  over  tUo  lif^  of  Jesus.  Lilcc  His  cousin  John,  or 
the  shepherd  Moses,  or  the  youthful.  David,  He  came  before  thb 
world  at  last,  only  After  a  long  ami  humble;  seclusion.  Tho  (j[uict 
valley  aad  hills  of .N^reth  saw  Htm  gradually  ripen  into  youtli  and 
manhood-T-as  •  son,  bro!tIier,  citiXfiii,  ucighl)Qur,  friend—like  pthers. 
Theresas  no  sudden  Or  imi'oculous. disclosure pf  His  Divine  great- 
ness. ..LUie  the  grahi  in  the  fields  l)encath  His  early  home.  His 
growta  was  imperceptiMc.  the  white.  Hat-roofed  houses,  of  to-da/ 
i^re/  doubtless,  much  the  same  oS  tlioso  amidst  which  He  played  as  a 
child,  and  Uve4  as  a  man*  vines  shading  the wail^;  doves  sunoiiig 
themselv«s  on  tM  flat. roofs;  the  arrangements,  within,  as  simple,  as 
they  «r&.  uaprotendiqll,  without.  A  few  mats  on  the  floor,  a  built  seat 
running  alpng  the  wsJl,  spread  with  sodne  mpdest  cushions,  and  the 
blight  qiiUts  qju  which  the  inmates  sleep  at  night,  oud  serving  by  day 
as  shelf  lor  the  few  dijsh^s  in  cfommoh  use;  a  painted  chest  in  the  co^ 
ner;  sortie  large  clay  water;  jars,  their  mouths  tilled,, perhaps,  with 
sweet  herbs,  to  keep  the  contents  cool  iind  fresh;  the  only  light  that 
entering,  by^  the  <>pea'  door;  ft  low,  round,  painted,  ivoodcn  stool, 
brought^  at  meaJB,  into  tlie  iniddlc  of  the  toom,  to  hold  tlie  tray  and 
dish,-  round  virhich  the  housenold  sit,  with  crossed  loiees,  on  mats-^^ 
supply  the  •plcturb|Ol  a  house  at  Nazareth  of  the  humbler  type.'  It 
may  be  that  dl^ereiices  in  detailsrwerc  found  in  early  times,  for  m^ny 
of  ihef  houses  of  apcient  Chontzin  are  yet  tolerably  perfect,  and  ishow 
some  variations  friom  present  dwelling&.  Generally  square,  th^y 
tanged  do wnM^ords  iu  size^  from  about  w  feet  each  way,  and  had  one 
or  two  columns  in  the  centre,  to  support  the  flat  roof.  The  Wal|fi, 
which  are  still,  In^some  coJses,  six  fleet  high,  a,ttd  about  two  feet  thick, 
weretyuilt  of  m^iiry  or  of  loo3e  blocks  of  basalt,  Chorassin  being  on 
the  volcanic  edj^  Of  the  Sea  of  GaKlec,  and  not,  like  Nazareth,  on 
limestone  hills.  A  low  doorway  opened  in '  the  centre  of  ?  one  of  the 
waM  jmd  each  house  had  windows  a  foot  high  and  about  six  inches 
brodd^  ^  Bti(,*Iike  the"  hoiises  of '  tOHiay,  most  liad  only  one  chamber^ 
though  some  were  divided  into  lour. 

In  the  shelter  of  some  such  home,  in  one  of  the  narrow,  stony 
streets  of  Nazareth,  Jesus  grew  up.  Qn  the  hill'sides,  in  the  little 
crossways  between  the  bouses,  in  tne  rude  gardens,  iu  tho  flelds  below 
the  town,  beside  the  bounteous  fountain  on  the  hill-side,  near  the 
road— from  which  the  village  mothers  and  daughters  still  bear  the 
water  for  their  householdsr-He  was  a  child  amon^  other  children. 
As  Ha  gceW]  year  by  jhox^Wa  giMt  tyes  would  shmo  with  a  spirilr 


162 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHWST. 


ual  brightnosB,  and  His  mind  would  be  fllled  with  strange  loneliness 
tliat  would  separate  Him  from  most.  He  must,  inevitably,  have,  early, 
seemed  as  if  raised  al)ovc  every  thing  earthly,  and  no  in|&pure  word  or 
thought  would  appear  bej^ttlng  In  Hu  praMmce.  M  a  growing  jad, 
He  would  already  feel  the  iaola^ion  whlcjli,  in  His  later  years,  leeauic 
so  extreme,  for  how  could  sinlossueas  1x3  at  home  with  nifx  and  wculc- 
ness?  Ho  wo\ild  seek  the  society  of  the  eldera  nAher  than;  of rthc 
young,  oQd,  while  devoted  to  Joseph,  woula  be  altogethier  so  to.His 
mother.  The  liabits  of  His  later  life  let  us  imagine  that,  even  in  His 
youth,  Ho  often  withdrew  to  the  loneliest  retreats  in  the  mountains 
and  valleys  round,  and  we  inay  f&ncy  that  Mary,  knowing  I^is  ways, 
would  oeiwe,  after  a  time,  to  wonder  where  He  was.  .One  height,  we 
may  lie  sure,  was  often  visited:  the  mountain-top  abovi^  the  village, 
from  which  His  eye  could  wander  over  the twondrous  laI^}^a]pe,., 

The  Passover,  though  the  greatest  religious  fiolemoity  of  rtho  year, 
was  only  one  in  a  continually  recurring  series.  Four  times  <!aoh  year, 
in  July,  Octol)cr,  «Januaiy,  and  March,  different  eyants  in  thc^^onal 
history  would  be  more  or  l(iS8  strictly  observed  in  the  Jewisti  coinmu- 
nity  at  Nazareth.  Special  fasta  were,  raoreovPr,  ordered,  iro^ ,  tfano 
to  time,  in  seasons  of  public  danger  or  distress*  /  These  days,  jBet,9dnirt 
for  repentance  and  prayer,  «zciied  a  general  and  deep  relig(oi|il^Jcel- 
ing.  At  all  times  striking,  they  sonkeumes,  in  oxcoptional  1'aseBp.yero 
singularly  impressive.  On  sp^ml  public  humiliations  all  the  neoplo 
covered  themselves  with  sackcloth,  and  strewed  adics  en  their  mkom, 
fUD  they  stood  l>bforo  the  Header's  desk,  brought  from'  the  sy^aagoguc 
into  some  open  place,  and  similarly  draped  in  mourning.  '  Jesus  ^ust 
have  socU'  tlus,  and  how  ashes  were  put  on  the  heads  olt|)|e^  local 
judges  and  rulers  of  the  synagogue,  on  such  a  day,  and  He  miist  nave 
listened  to  the  Habbi  calling  on  al)  present  to  repent^ 'and  to  the  l^iray- 
crs  and  penitential  psah  is  which  followed,  and  to  the  trumpeta, wail- 
ing vX  the.close  of  clich.  Ue  may  have  gone  with  Joseph  and^n  the 
congregation,  when  the  service  ended,  tp;,tl^  j|)urlal^S|ls^ce^i6f  If^o  vil- 
Jagc^to  Linicht.  .  ,  .  i '*,;/' j^'.v--i,fi."" i"^uw 

But  such  sadness  was-  by  no  means  the  cliaracteristic'of  the  nat^nal 
religion.  Fifty  days  aft^'r  the  Passover,  multitudes  were  iOnep  more 
in  motion  tow(u*<ls  Jerusalem,  to  attend  tiie  Feast  of  Week^,  or  F!irst- 
Fruits.  The  vast  ni)mber^  present  at  it  are. recorded  in  the  second 
chapter  of  the  Acts.  It  was  one  of  the  three  great  festivities  of  the 
year,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  tliat  in  His  !Nazaretk»lifi6  Jcsm  nud 
the  household  of  Joseph,  as  a  whole,  took  pail  in  so  gr^  a)^^,  uul- 
yersal  a-rejoicing.^;?s^qi^aviii_.^^¥^^  .-i,.,»v^^v  ^i.-^ 

- '  The  intending  pSgiimS  in^^az^eth  and  JM.  dlstriici  rdiw  joet  in 
tho  towvr  as  a -convenient -cc&.txe,  ^loiurraDga.&irvthoj^ott^ey^  ^  As 
before  thoi  Passover,  however,  no <oiie  slept  in  any  houscupunejaiately 
before  starting,  all  going  out  into  the  open  country  and  Bleeping  some* 
j^ro  in  the  opfLU  air,  lest  a  death  might  hapjien  wlierc  they  &^ud, 
<«tt^dilfao  t^em,~B6il^  tiiejro<nild^^^  t^ 


ili 


J35f.,I^5^jP»8l6'P. 


■ 

SI  In  Jernsalem  before  tl\e  6th  of  Shyan  (June),  on  which  and  the  7th 
le  feast  wap  lielo,  and«  therefore,  setoff  somd  days bcfor^.  Thedarly 
harvest  was  mostly  pyor,  so  that  many  could  gp.  Wives,  unmarried 
sisters,  and  diildren,  accommuied  not  a  few.  Flocks  ojf  sheep  and 
oxen,  fpr  sacrlDce  and  feasting,'  wero  driven  gentlv  nbng  with  tlic 
hands  of  pitgrlms,  and  strings  of  asses  npd  camels,  ladin  with  provi> 
slons  and  simple  necessaries,  or  with  free-will  gifts  to  the  Temple,  or 
bearinff  the  old  or  feeble,  lengthened  the  tndn.  Bvcry  one  wore  f oa- 
tal  clothei^,  and  not  a  few  carried  garlands  and  wreaths  of  flowers. 
The  cool  banlps  ()f  streams,  or  some  well,  oficrcd  resting- pUces  bv  tho 
way,  and  the  pure  water,  with  melons,  dates,  or  cucumfiers,  suiiiced 
for  their  simple  food.  DijQfercnt  liands  united  as  they  passed  frosh 
l^wns  and  villages.  AU  were  routed,  each  morning,  with  the  cry, 
"  liiset  lot  us  go  up  to  Zion,  to  tho  Eternal,  our  God!"  The  offerings 
of  •flr$t?fruits— the  choicest  of  the  year — in  baskets  of  willows,  or  oven 
of  gold  or  silver;  doves  for  burnt  offerinj^,  with  their  wings  bound, 
amf'tht^  OEX,  intend^  for  a  peace-offjering, — its  horns  gilded,  and 
hounct  with  WipBaths?  of  oliye, — went  first.  Flutes  forthwith  struck 
up,  and  the  C4tvalMde  moved  on,  to  •tho  chant,  "  I  was  irlad  when 
they  saia  to  me„.We  sh^ll  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Similar 
hymns  cheered  them  ever  and  ai^on  on  each  day's  march.  When 
witiiin  sight  of  Jerusalem,  tUI  Was  enthusiasm.  Many  threw  themselves 
on  their  Rnecs  in  devotion,  lifting  their  hands  to  heaven.  Presently 
a]|  l^ur^t  into  the  grand  o<de,  ''Beautiful  for  situation,  the  joy  of  the 
wiioie  eairtiti  is  Mount  Zippi,  pn  the  sides  of  the  Noi*th,  the  city  bf  the 
eveatrKing"-— tiie excitem^  culminating  in  the  climax — "For  this 
uod  i^  omrOod  for  ever  and  over;  He  will  l^  our  guide  even  unto 
4eath."  ^,halt  w^s  now  made  to. get  everything  in  order.  AH  ar- 
rayc^d  themselves  to  the  best  advantage.  The  wheatshcaves  were 
wreathed  with  lilies  and  the  tir.st-fruUs  bedded  \n  flowers,  and  set  out 
$sej|Iectiv£ly  as  possible.  Each  company  unrolled  its  banner,  bearing 
^b^  Eianie  of  the  town  or  village  from  which  it  came.  When  near  the 
ity,  priests  in  their  white  robes  came  but  to  meet  them,  accompanied 
by  a  thrpp^  of  citi^ns  in  h(^liday  dress;  and  as  they  entered  the  gates 
Uieysang  aloud  to  t,he  accompaniment  of  flutes,  the  Psalm:  "I  was 
^ad  wl^on.Uiey  said,  io  me,  Uit  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord. 
Our  feet  smill  stand  within  thy ;  gates.  O  Jerusalem. "  The  workmen 
at  their  triiqes  fn  the  streets,  or  at  their  doors,  rose  in  honour  of  the 
procj^ip^  as  it  passed,  with  the  greeting,  '•  Men  of  Ni^areth  (or  else- 
w&^re),  wficome!"  a  gfeat  crowd  as  they  advanced,  fiUing  the  air 
with  riadness.  At  the  Temple  Irill,  every  one,  rich  and  poor— for  all 
..shared  in^ these  proce^)ns-*-took  14s  basket  on  his  shoiilder  ^nd  as- 
"^d^: 'tp  ihf^  Gmwt  of  tlic/^on,- whi^re -itheLevites  naet 'th<an,  and 
fefr  Into  the  .'proceBaon,  nthnna-  to  the  sound  of  theiy  instruments, 
the  Psalm,  bcffiiining;  "-Hauehijahf  -P^lse  Qbdi  in  Ilis  sarietuary; 


pra^  Ilim  in  the  firmament  of  His  power. "    "I  thank  Thee,  O  Lordj 


I  m 


',1 1 


164 


THB'^  I-IFE  OF  "tJHRIBT: 


'  '"^ 


j». 


5;# 


mc"  The  doves  hig^ffUig  frojirithcMsfcets^w-erc  irbtrhnEdod-totlie 
priests  fov  burnt  onfrings,  imii  the  first-fruits  auil  j^fts  deliteredj 
■with  the  wonls  ^outiripm  ijytMoses^  **l  pitjfessithis  diivurtdjl^^ : 
Lord  T&J^  God  that  I  nft  odme  into  tjie  countrv  wBicli  the  Lerd  «w»re 
to  our  fatbets  to  fflretis.  •  And  now,  behold,  Ibave  btou^ht thefirst^- 
fniits  of  the  land, i^Wch  Thou,  aLord,  hast  given  me.'*    Thepil- . 
grims:  then  left  the  Tcmploi  followed  br  a  great'  thfongj  some  to  lodge 
with  relations  and  friends,  others  with  som^^ pf  tk^  nunny  hosts'  Wh a 
viting 'thorn.'  '    ■       -■     ■■■'■'    "•.     ••■.•?■.•.;;,..  -^.•r*''  <  ^r,;-..,;.,?;- ^.^ii^," .» 

There  can  be  little  doilbt  thAt  Jesus  was  nfore  than  ohcea  spectator 
of  such  rejoicings,  and  oft^n  in  His  earlier  years  Saw  tike  rast^encainp- 
ments  of  pilffrims  from  every  part,  round  the*  city :  the  tents  spread 'OB 
each  house*iop  to  lodge  the  overflowing  visitors;  the  tvindows<  and 
doors  decked  wlUi  bt^chos  of  trees,  and  ga!riands  tand  festoons  of 
flowers,  the  streets  fluttering  with  banners  Wreathed  with  tOseSi  and 
lilies,  and  filled  with  gay  throngs. 

In  the  month  oi  August  another  festivity  drew  many  fron»  !Nafc»- 
reth  to  Jerusaleih.  In  the  middle  of  that  hionth  the  wood  for  the 
Temple,  which  all  Jews  hod  fo  contribute,  was  taken  toithci^kpifal 
with  great  reiolctags.  The  1st  of  October,  which  was.'celeWated  aaV 
New  Year's  day,  or  the  Feast  of  Trumpets,  Was  the  next  event  in  the* 
religious  calenaitr  of  the  months.  As  the  day  of  the  first  new-ipooii 
of  the  year,  it  was  ushered  in,  over  the  land,  by  a  blast  of  trunmots, 
and  speefol  saeriiloes  were  cff ered  in  Jeruealcipi  Ko  work  was*  dohe. 
It  was  the  day,  In  the  eyes  of  the  Jew,  on  which  an  atiticount  Iras 
taken  by  God  of  the  octs  of  the  past  year;  the  day  of  judgment,  Oa 
which  the  destiny  of  every  one  for  the  comihg  year  was  wthteniii 
the  Heavenly  books.  It  whs  a  f aet,  therefore,  rather  than  a  festival. 
The  synagogues  were  visited  earlier  than  usual  for  a  weefcbefcire  it; 
special  prayers  were  offered,  and  no  one  ate  till  mid-day  or  ev^n  till 
sunset.  Tn  the  synagogue  of  Nazareth,  as  elsewhere,  its;  eve  was 
like  that  of  a  Sabfiath.  It  musthnvobeen  a' ereat  event  in  ii  hoiise- 
hoMHke  that  of  Josephs    ■  ■'»     •  -  ■o--^i=^Ai'>Jt>f*iV^)t:{^#*''-;?*)lbHmt«fjjr 

The  ten  days  that  followed  were  the  .Tifwish-  Leht;  in'|fffeparaticiin 
for  the  Day  of  Atonement,  a  time  so  solemn'  and  sacred  that  it  .was 
known  as  Tim  day.  It  was  a  Sabbath  of  Sabbaths:  a  day  of  entii« 
rest.  The  entire  people  fasted  during ;  the  twenty -four  hours. 
Worldly  and  household  affairs  were  negiected;  no  one  even  bathed. 
.The  whole  day  was  spent  in  the  synagogue;  where  each  stopd  wrapped 
in  the  white  shroud,  and  vt'earing  the  white  cap  in  wmdi  be  vfeas 
hereafter  to  be  burled.  As  was  bentting,  all  disputes  between  Mends 
and  QieighboiiM  were  required  tobe  settled  before  it  began.*  ^ach 
made  a  formal  (ionfesston  of  his  siiis  before  ©od;  in  wwosidulj^  pre* 
scribed.  •  It  was  the m^st  soleranday  of  the  Jewish  year.'  rtr.?    .if 

In  the  Temple  the  high  priest  nlone  ofiSciated.  Jesus  itbuid  eariy 
hear  how,  for  seven  days  before,  Jie  had  gone  through  daily  reheflarsals 


1*  ' 


^^ 


THE-  laUB  'W  dEBisrr 


m 


iMdbeeii.cleMipsd  by  sprinkliiigs  of  iM^y^wa^i; :  ,^^mov(IA  im^  h^w 
thAt^hi  betotejMigte$l4aky  moa  e^p&ktm  tOhbAm(jahttff' 

\ngf>lumxet^9loxidi^kQep^^^  los  he  m^t  inpt.^l^p  jt^l 

after  next  sUttaet,  '  .How  iniuBt  He  h»ve  fdab.t)ie  pMcrUity  of  ARaU^^^ism 
whAQ^He  Ieai9ie4^1i'ait:th£ $ai|H*eme  poptt(Efi|  thoimtiQnJifidj|o.cha^^ 
hit  4ressC  on -tbe  great  day^  six  time^^  ^  iwsuahi  hi9  .b^ 
eigli^diiles^  and  :to.  bathe  n^a^.^^  )if^^  fiTe.,tirae8y.Jb|etweett  4Mrii 
ai^  sua^!{  ;||?he  liigh  priest  entered  ft|iecHoly.of<  Hniies  four  tun^s, 
to  offer  incense,  to  pray,  to  spnnkle  the  blood  of  a  goat  towards  th^ 
jmtssy  «eat ;;iai^dHat>4^e  .ch»ie,;  to?  Ixiag rout*  fl|e censer.  >  Jesns*  iniist 
oltett'faajr^  seen  hiniy xiad  in  white,  his  /eplden  robesi  laid  B^de,.with 
bare  ieet  and  covered  head,  dmwing.  aside  tbeveil,  andpsfising  alpne 
iuta^e.  awlnl  darkness  which  no  oaio  l)ut)  he  isver  ipTaaed^.andihe 
(i9|ir<<m  this  onedaybf  tbei  yjo&v.  Bites  sa  countless  and  intricate  that 
eteii  the  historian  of.  Ju(hd8n&  will  not  attempt  to  cecoui^t|heQi:ithe 
services  of  hundreds  of  priests,  the  whole  culimnating  an.aitibLreefQld 
confession  of  »n  for^the:  ii^ion:  the  uUerancc  ten  times  of  th^mys- 
terioua  hame  of  God,. and  the  fornaal  absolution  of  I&cael  with.^ 
sprinkling  of  :hlood:ithe  vast  congregatibn  of  wcirf^Lppers  pBOstraling 
tlieinselves  on  the  earth,  three  times^  with  the  cry;  *.' i$l^ssed:  he  His 
glorious;  nfime  for.  ever^*'  at  -each  utterance  of  the  awful  iiame,  the 
higlL  piriest  responding  aftec  each  shout,  -'Ye:  are  cletuir^.Wieiie^ 
seen  and  watched,  a^am  and  again,  by  tlie  future  Saviour, ,   .  . 

Tiiese  h^h  Aoleiiimties  over,  the  day  endedt in  a  reaction  natuxjalto 
the  £ast  ■  Ko  sooner  had  the  exhausted  hig||h  piiest  left  the  lOempIe, 
accoinpanled  ]i)y  throngs,  to.  oongratuhUe  him  on  Jiis  safety,,  than  .a 
religious  fwst  began  at  Jerusalem,  and,  we  may  be  sure,  over/aU  t^ 
bmd.;  l^e  gardens  below  >Iount  Zion,  and  round  the  walH  were 
<;ay  with  tlie  ihaidena  of  >  the  city,  dressed  in  white»  gone  to  meet  the 
youths,  who  were  tot  choose  their  future  wives,  tJaat  evening,  ifrom 
amongthem.  ;        ,     v  /  ;     , 

Five  day«  later  camo  the.  closing  groat  feast  of  the,  yeac-^that  of 
Tabei'nacles,  with  its  rejoicings— one  of  tlic  thriec>  great  annual  festi- 
vals^ at;  whi^h  every'  Israelite  was>  {required,  if  possible, ,, to  imake  n 
journey  to  JerusaleuL  It  celebrated  the  Forty  leaj?s'.  Wandering  in 
tents,,  but  it  was  also  the  great  harvest  thanksgiviug  for  the  Iruits  of 
thCi  .year,  now  fully  gathered.  Like  othei-Sy  Jesus,  doubtless,  often 
Uvea  for  the  week,  at  least  by  day,  in  boothaof  living  twigs,  which 
rose  in  every  court,  on  every  roof^  and  in  the  streets  and  open  iplaees 
of  Jerusalem,^— ^and  watch<ul  the  -crowdk  bearing.ofiEerings.of  the  best 
oftiiieir  fiiiit  tothe  ^Temple:  each  carrying  a  palm  or  citron  branch 
as  assign  of  joy.,  Tike  merry  feasting  in  every  house;  thflL.iUuminated 
cityj;^  ^e  universal  joy,  wene  ifamiliar  to  Him.  ,   ./  ;, 

The  25th  of  Chislew-'— our  December^r-ncommemorated  the  re*opei|- 
iag.of  the  TcmpJio  by  Judas  Haccxkba^us,  after  its  profanation  by  the 
S)Tians.  . .  It  brought  i  anothei'  week  o|  ,  uuiyeii^sal  »ejoiciiigs.  >  ^4^ 


i#8 


fHEtSFlE  X)!"  OHHISTt 


::;|: 


tnrai»eKi$s  "of  ^Im  -imd  bthei*  treeii'  ill -their  hands, '  tord  •  hdd  ^Simt 
eePvid^;  ^o  fast  tfr  inoutning:  cbtijd  carnmenpe  cktrini^  the  f'eiwt J  knd 
a^Mzeof  iampb,  hintenis,  «na  tejrdhes  niiiminated^feveTyhoute**w4th- 
inaiiA'ir/Hftdu^  i^<^  etidnliig.  Is  Jerasfifem  the  fettple itudf  f^iw 
thu»  M^htM  upt  The  ydupgx>f  ev&n^  household  He(i«l  the  strttiiife 
deeds  of  the  Maccabees,  to  i-ouse^cah'  to  nol)le;Mnul»tioii,  aad  with 
tt^eise  "fmre  Hhfced' the  story^bf  the4»6rolcr  Judith -and'  the' As^Han 
*rol«ifehic».    Thfere  waa  ho^cihiid  id  Nazareth  that  did  -ntdtihow 

•them.'-'.    ■ '■  ■■'     ' '•  ■     ■''.:■"'-'   •  •.,..:  _;-.]>-^v.. --...v  ..• 

■  :*T!%e  Feast  of  PitHirti  briig;htenled  thier  intervid  hetween  thatof  Taber- 
nuciesimd  the  Passdver.  •  Itvwaa  held  on  the  't4th  and  15^  Adar-*^ 
part  ol*  our  February  «^d  March4-to  tanbody  the  national'  Jny  ait  the 
deliverapcej  by  Esther,  of  their  forefatherainPeiR^hi,  from  thedi^riMis 
of  Haman.  The  whole  bbok  of  Esther  Was'rtiad  "at  the  syha^ii^fe 
service  tif  the  evening  before;  to  beep  the  ihefiory  of  the  great.ereiit 
alive;  the  children  raising^ their  loudest  and  angriest  cries  at  every 
mention  of  the  name  of  Han]din;  the  conn-^gation  stamping  oh  the 
l^ttor,  with  Eastern  demon^trativeness;  and  imprecating,  frcto  eteSTy 
yoicto,  the  curse,  *«Ldthis  nameT)e  blott^  out^  The  :iiame  of  t|(i6 
wkked' shali  rot. "  Year  by  year,  iil  tlie  iNaiareth  syrrago^ei  Jesiis 
.mu^t-  have  «een  and  heard  tiih  this,  and  how  the  lleaaer  'tried  to 
teadin- one  breath,  the  verses  in  which  Haman  and fai^sbnsar^  jointly 
mentioned,  to  show  that  they  were  hanged  together.  f  •' •*  •> 

V  Bu<*  was '  the  Jewish  religious  year,  with  its  .fifty-niise^  fteast  diys 
and  it»  backgroimd  of  ^tiags,  as  it  passed  before  the  eyes  of  Jesns. 
£)albh  incident  had  its  special  religious  colouri?igi  s\nd  flie '  aggregate 
infltience,  constantly  recurring,  impressed  itself  in  a  thonsahd  ways 
on  the  national  language,  thoughts,  and  life.  Religion  and  politics, 
moreover,  are  identical  in  a  theocracy,  and  thus  the  two  pnnciples 
which  most  powerfully  move  mankind  constantly  agitfeted  every 
breast.  In  such  an  atmosphere  Christ  spent  His  whole  earthly  life; 
But  neither  jhe  synagogue  SOT^ices,  nor  the  feasts  at  Jerusalem, 
Whict.  the  Galilseans  delighted  to  attend,  were  the  supreme  iniiufcnces, 
huihanly  si^eakrng,  in  the  growth  of  Jesus  in  **  wisdom."  Like  the 
teaching  of  the  Kabbis,  they  were  ofdy  so  many  aids  to  the  under- 
fitafidiil^of  that  sacred  booK,  in  which  His  heavenly  Father  had  re- 
vealed-Himself  to  Israel.  The  Gospels  show,  in  every' page,  that, 
like  Titoothy>  Jesus,  from  a  child,  knew  •*  the  Holy  Scnptufes."  In 
such  a  household  as  that  of  Joseph^we  may  be*  sui'e  that  they  were 
in  daily  use,  for  there,  if  anywhere,  the  Kabhinical  rule  Would  be 
strictly  observed j  that  "three  who  eat  together  without  talking 
of  th*  LaW;^are  as  if.they  Werie  eating  (heathen)  sacriftces."  The 
directness,  joy,  and  naturamess  of  Ghriat's  religion  speak  of  the  un- 
e6nstr)9titied  ted  holy  influences  around  Him  in  early  y^ears.  -  A  wise 
and  temler  guidance  in  the  things  of  God,  leading  tlie  way  to  heaven, 
as  well  as  pointing  it  ouN  must  have  marked  both  Mary  and  Joseph. 
The  fend  plduntjy  of  heme  and  chUdhood  ^  in  ^the  €kMpel«,'  spieak  of 


TTBM'WFM  OP'CHRIKF. 


let 


paneiiuA  tecolleetio!i&  Tlnei  itlhisioii&  ta  the^hmooaBt  pli^iii^ .of 
c^l^n;  tQ(  the^  )mng  nearest  tile -Kingdom  of  H^ven;  the  picture 
of  a  father  bcwerless  against  his  child's/entreaiy;M8nditfaBl;  touduioff 
(EMiitburstrat'Iiis  own^iionieteisuiess,  robmpariBd'  eveti  with^ie  InrdK  and 
t^.foxes^tfibowhowr.Ohcied^s  mind  weztt;bi^/ tiiroiu^ilifepito  itlM 
pure  and hap^memoiies  ol  Nazareth,  v  rtx;  i rr  Aiffv.  C  dM)  hi  ;^mol 
utMnr^u9>nd  doeeph,  we  can  scsarcely  doubt,  were,  themsefvesvr  the 
FOirtie!^  teacheors  w  Jesus.' ;  At  their  kaees  He  must  have  first  leaomed 
to  read  the  Scriptures.  Pious  Jewish  parents  toolc  e^iecial  care  to 
ha«e  %a^  manusortpt  of  Uie  Law,  in  tl^  iold  Hebrew^  chairacters;  as 
thfix  especial )  domestic  treasuoe.  Even  so  earfy  as  tiie  Asmdnean 
kings,  ssicb  jollft  werciso  eommoB  in  private  houses,  thist  tiie  fary  of 
the  Sjn'ian  Mng,  who  wished  to  introduce  the  Greeks 'customs  and 
ration,  .was  esfieciaUy! (Erected  agamst  them.  In  Joseph's  day,  the 
supreme  influence  of  UieiBabbis  and  Pliarisees  must  ha^re  deepened 
into  a  p^Euwioutlie  4  desire  to  possess  such  a  symbol  of  loyi^y  to  the 
faith  of ;  Isrttel.  i  Richer  families  would  have  a  complete  CQf)y  of  Hie 
Old  'Testam^9i^:0B>  parchment,  or  ou  Egyptian  papyrus;  humbte# 
homes  would  i>6ast  a.sopy  of  the  Law^  or;  a  Psaltep,  andafl,  idike; 
gloflied  ui;  the  verses  on  their  door-posts  and  in  their  pitaylaoteriMK 
Obildren :  had  small  rolls,  eontaining  the  S'chma^  <  or '  th»  'Hailol,  or 
the  history  of  OreiEttion  to  the  flood,  or  the  first  rei^^chaptem^  of 
Leviticus.  J 

From  the  modesii  but  pricjiesa  instructions  of  home,  Jesm  wotdd, 
doubtless,  pass  to  the  school  in  the  6yna^)gue,  where  Esc  would  leani 
me^  o|>,  itbe  Laiw^:  jukI  be  taught  to  wrife,  or  rather;  to  printt  for  His 
writing  would ;  be  in  the  lOld  >  HdDrew  charaeters— ^the  only  esses  then 
iU'Usev  ;■  w—   <  .   ■■■'■,;  -       ■'     v<-      '■     ;,,■  ■        ■■    -■.  ,':  >' ■^ 

vHis  deep  knowledge  of  the  Scnptures  shows  itself  throughout  the 
Gospels.  I  He  has  a  quotation  ready  to  meet  every  hostile  questicttii 
It  was  so  profound  tiiat  it  forced  even  ffia  enemies  to  recognize  Him 
a^aKafobL  His  frequent  retort  on  the  Rabbis^^thems^ves^'^Have 
ye  not^iiead?!'  imd  the  deep  insight  dnto  the  spirit  of  Sciiptwe^  jwhich 
opposes  to  rubrics  and  forms  the  quicketiing  power  of  la  higher  Ufe, 
prove  how  intensely  He  must  have  stnidied  the  sacred  books,  and  that 
the  zeal  ^that  drew  Him,  in  His  boyhood/  to  tho  Temple  school  at 
J^msalem,  to  hear  them  explained,  was  the  sacred  passhm  of  His  life: 
lu  the  Gospels  we  find  two  quotations  from  Genesis,  two  fixMn  Eift^- 
duB,  one  from  Numbers,  two  from  Deuteronomy,  seven  fiom  the 
Psalms^  five  from  Isanhy  X)ne  f rom  Hosca,  one  from  Jonali^r  two  from 
Malachi,  two  from  Daniel,  one  from  Micah,  and  one  frOm  Zcchariah, 
respectively.  The  whole  of  tiie  Old  Testament  was  as  familUr  to 
Him  as  the  Magnificat  shows  it  to  have  bessi  to  His  mother,  Mary. 
It  was  from  the  clear  fountain  of  the  artcient  oracles  His  childhood 
drank  in  the  wisdom  tha^  cometh  from  alwve.  They  had  been  His 
only  6(^hool-book,  and  they  were  the  unwearying  ioy  of  His  wh(Ho 
lif r.    FtQm  dtiem  He.  tavght  the  higker-^inritual  wo»U|)  irhic^i^poii' 


UM 


■■  > 


'  m 


m 


TBffi^fclM  OF  CflRItK 


appieided  Wh^luo  'rejected  wbdt  ^^r  wortiile^  and  trifli0|![  fa  ^i^ 
ijfeidusteafchiiagofSHJd^y.  'v     ^     -  :    :^  ;    r       ^  ^f 

h  The  hjfagyeatsof  retiredand  huj«bl<e  Hf^tt  Najfcor©^|i',wcriB  passed 
iniio  ignol^leidten^s  and  dfepewdfeucie.  Tlfe  p^J5le<)f  the  to(wii  fenev 
Jesus  as,  like  Joseph,  a  carpeiitei',  lat»iinttg"f<^ir  His  daily  bread  at  t^e 
ocfetipatknifi  ii^hich  offerM  *het0selv«8  in  His  eaHing.  Studjr  and 
handiwdrir'were'fiftmiliarly  associated  1h  the  Jewish  mind^,  and  dar- 
ried^ith  thent  no  such,  iaea^  of  Ificompatllbility  a^  withus* '  "liove 
handiwork"  said  Sche^aift,  a  tea<;i^r'pf  Hilled Kfld tt  WAs  ajiro- 
verbial  saying  in  the  family  of  Oiimail^l,  that  tb  tinjte  f  he  study  of  the 
Lawwitiia  tr?de  kept  away  sia,  whereat'  study  aldne  "wfis  d^ng^ro'us 
and  disappointing.  Rabbis  who  gave  k  third  df  th^  da^  to  s^uray.  a 
third  tb  prayer,  and  a  third  to  labotit^  ai^e  mefttiotiied  with  spili^ial 
honour. '  Stories  were  foiidly  told  of  ffimou&'  teach^ts  cidiTying  their 
wbrk-stoote  to  theh-  schools,  and  how  R$ft)bi  PhinchiAs  Was  Wcrfjsihg-  as 
a  m^son  when  chosen  as  high'  priest.  Of  the  Ratibis' in  honour  in 
Christ's^  day  or  later,  ionje  were  mill^,  othei«  carpetftet^i,  cbbbl^w, 
tailors,  bakers,  surgeOns;  builders,  su5fv6yoirt&rnioney'Chanjgei*s,  scribes, 
cai^ners;  snnths,  ind  even  seittons.  In  ft  nation  where  no  teiicjjiir 
could  recteive*  payment  fOV  his  instrttctlott  th^  horiestindustfj'  whic^ 
gained  self -sftpport  1)tpughttio  fali^shahi^v 

The  years  at  Nazareth  must  have  been  diligently  used  in  the  obsisr- 
Vatjon  of  the  great  bbok  of  iiattli-e;  and  of  inah,  as  well  bs  of  Wiltten 
revelal4on.  The^OsbelR  Show,  thit)Ugl^  that  notliing ^seaiied  the 
eye  of  Jesdtt,  The  liKes  and  the  gi-ass  of  the  Afield,  as  Ije  paints  them 
in  the  Sermon  Orithe  IMLount;  the  hen,  as  it  gathers  its  yoUng,  in  its 
mother's  love,  under  its  widespread  wings;  the  birds  of  tlie  air,  as  they 
cat  and  drink,  without  car^,  from' the  bouiity  around  them ;  the  lainl>s 
which  run  to  follow  the  shepherd,  but  sometiincs  go  astray  and  are 
lost  in  the  wilderness i  the  dogs  so  fainiliar  in  Jlaslerii  cities;  the  foxes 
(hot!  ttiake  their  holes  in  the  thickets;  the  !fllent  plants  and fiowers, 
the  humble  life*  of  the  crcattires  of  the  iv^oods,  the  air ,  the  fold,  ahd 
tho«trei!?t,  wcr6  all,  Alike,  noticed  In  these  eatly  years  Of  preparation. 
Ndftwras  man  neglected  Tlie  spOrts  of  chiTdhoqd;  the  rejoicings  of 
riper  life;  the  bndeand  the  bria^gi'ooH»;  the  mourner  a^d'  the  dead ; 
the  cBstksand  palaces  of  pHnccs.  and  the  silken  rob^sof  tliegi^eat; 
tlfericfa  owners  of  li<^ld  and  vineyard;  the  steward,  th^  tmvelling 
merchant,  the  beggar,  the  debtor;  the  toil  of  the  sower  lind  of  the 
Inbotirer  in  the  vineyard,  or  of  the  fisher  on  the  lake;  the  sW6dt  of 
the  worker ;  the  ?«ighff  Of  those  hi  Chaiiis,  Or  in  the  dUfigeMi,  wete  seen, 
and'tteaTd^-anrdnpemcrabetcd,  Nor  did  He  rest  merely  in  supeiflHal 
obncllratioh.  •  The-j^ossessions:  jt>ys,  ahd  stifl^ritigs  Of  Inen,  thbir  Words 
and  acts,  their  customs,  their  pride  or  li\liTiilttY.  pretence  or  sincerity, 
failings  or  merits,  were  treasured  as  mal(?rial8  from  which,  one  day,  to 
paint  them  to  themselves.  He  had.  moreover,  tlie  same  keen  eye  toiw)te 
she  good  in  tboso  roi  nd  Him  a«  their  unworthy  striving  and  Xjlan- 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST* 


1(K^ 


nin^,  /heir  gvaricc,  ambit ion^  passion,  or  sclfisliness.    It  1.%  indfied,  the 
n6l3^  chgjiictviistic  in  this  couBtiint  kccn-sightcdnoss,  that  ajpidst 
all  ther  imperfections  and  faults  prcyaillhg.  He  never  faili;d  toevolbd 
the  hidden  good  which  I|^  o|teQ,^9KJ^veDHn  Uie  most  IkQpeless. 
Publicsins  and  sinners  were  not  ijeject^d.    Even  in  them  Hp  di»-;- 


co^ered  a  better  self.   "Ih  2^ccheii8  H^  dees  a  son  of  Ahrnhani;  ia 
"-lary  Miagd^len^Hp^nins » iv^epiing  penitent, aiad  in  Uw dyixigjM)b- 

er  lie  wjeipom^s  feaqk  a  Toturning  p^^         Nor  w^s  it  more  intel- 
jctUAl  llenetraJ^oQ  that  thus  Jdid  bare  the  secrets  of.  every  heart.  .His 
search  of  the  bosom  1$  pervaded  throughout  vTith.  the,  breath  of  th3 
wamie^  joyje. .  As  tl)$  brother  aod  friend  of  aU,  who. lias  conie,  to  r 
seek  and  to  saV^  that  which  tjras  lost,  Hje  U^)^  at  meJfk.WjtjU ,(8y^  pf  r 
injiijte  pity,  w:hatett0i^their;  race. ,i^^,rt,iAli^  :m'  '■'^Hif^t^-^H^fh'^^f^^'^. 

The  life  of  Nazareth,  in  its  quiet  ana  obscurity,  is  passed  dVer  in  a 
fcWl[ines  by  ^he  Eva^^ell^ts;  but  in  the  counsels  of  God  it  luid  its 
full  and.  ali">^lse  purppse/ froon  first  to  last,  as  a  preparation  for.  the 
great;Wpri5  of  the  cto^ng  years  of  our  Lord's  life.  We  cannot  con- 
ceive qf  if  im  otherwise  than  as  iumi^hcd  from  His,  first  appearanGe 
in  thf  world  wHh  all  ^hat  was  needful  in  its  Sayiour:  as  the  ineama^ 
tion  of  wie  divine  Word,  though  for  a  time  siient;  the  Light  which 
should  ^inp  in  darkness^  though  BtiU,  for  a  time,  concealed.  He  must 
have  h^n  tti^rked  out  fr(»n  all  around  Him  by  His  higher  spiritual 
nature,,and  separated  by  it  from  all  fellowship  with  evil.  Yet,  in  His 
human  nature^,  there  mu8t  havfe  been  the  sanie  gradii>al  development, 
as  in  other  men ;  such  a  development  as,  by  its  even  and  steadfast  ad- 
vance, npLftde  Hisiife  appi^rently  in  nothing  different  from  that  of  HI» 
fellow  townsmen^  else  they  would  not  have  felt  tlie  wonder  at  Hiai 
which  they  afterwards  evinced.  The  laws  and  processes  of  ordinary 
human  tife  must  have  been  left  to  mould  and  form  His  manhoodrr— 
the  same  habits  of  inquiry ;  the  sattie  need  o?  the  collis'on  of  mind 
with  njind;  of  mticpcodiH-inglongeXpectaUon;  of, recc^nciliatipn  to 
home  duUes  auQ  daily  self-denials;  of  calm  strength  that  icans  only 
upon  God.  Hfe  must  have  looked  out  on  the  worid  of  men  from  the  . 
calm  retreat  of  those  years  as  Ht^,  dQubtless,  often  did  on  the  match- 
less lajidsQai>e  from  the  hill  above  the  vilkge.  The  strength  and 
weakness  of  the  ^ys^wns  of  the  day ;  the  ligb^  and  shadows  of  the 
huijian  wofJd,^  would  be  watched  and  noted  with  never-tiring  survey, 

s  were  the  hills  and  valleys,  the  clouds  and  sunshine  of  the  8cene»ij„ 
aroupd.    Tear  aft(?r  yoar  passed,  and  still  found  Him  at  J^Iis  daily    ^ 
toil,  bectiu^  His  hour  was  npt  yet  come.    In  gentle  patience,  in  trans-    i 
parent  blatuelf^Bsuess  of  life;  in  natu^l  and  ever-ac£ive  goodnesa;  in 
tender l0ve .and  ready  favour  to  all  around;  loved,  honouredr  but  half 
veiled  in  the  mysterious  light  of  perfect ,  manhood  and  kiadUng  ^. 
divinity,  thirty  years  parsed  quietly  away. 


'tfTM? 


Hi^: 


'  ffl 


n 


m 


,r0^'' 


'ffsi^ji^iry^^  (y.  %  -i^: JJ  ^kitl^ 


yi 


,1- 


^kUv 


■  wi.'H^  ',r;'    . a(iji^.^i^r CHAPTER -Itni;  ■■■-'.. 

-^iBEiiDBS  the. hiHubler  schools  of  the  towns  and  yilla^,  there  wer<^  I 
jDthera  in  JerusaletQ/andin  some  of  the  larger  ceiitrei^  of  population. 
in  tho  itoya  of  Cbriatt  In  whidi  a  higlier  cduoatiioii  was'gvvcnby  the 
Babbi»^tho^  learned' class  of  thenaition.  There  was  nothing,  how- 
cSvert  to  attract  Jesu»  to  such  soltoola,  though  He  had  been  m  eager  in 
His'  attottdanee  during'  His  ftrst  birief  visit  to  Jerusaicni,  It.  i^ay  bo 
that  even  so  short  a  trial  was  enough  io  show  H^  ho;vv  IHtW  could  be 
gained  from  them.  ,, 

t^^i  Tho  wonderful  revival  of  Judaism  under  £^ra  and  his  asspciates 
had  had  tho  most  lasting  effect  6a  the  nation.  An.  order  knbwn,  in- 
differently, as  "Scribes/'  "Teachers  of  the  Law,"  or  ••paWjis." 
gradually  rose,  who  devoted  themselves  to  the  study  of  <^He  Lavir  ex- 
olusivcly,  |md  became  the  recognized  authorities  in  all  matters  {Cou- 
mbcted  with  iti-  It  had  been  a;comniand  of  the  Oreat  Bvns^jOgue  (that 
those  who  were  learned  in  the  Law  should  zealoushr  tea<^  it  toyoiiQger 
men,:and,>thus,  sehools  rose,  erelong,  in  which  nimous  Habmis  gath- 
ered large  numbers  of  atudents.  The  sufH-eme  distinction  accorded 
to  the  I^bbi  in  society  at  Ittsge,  in  which  ho  was.  by  far  the  foremost 
personage:  the  exaggerated  revei'ence  claimed  for  iii'^  office  by  his 
<orderit^}f{  and  sanctioned' by  the  superstitious  homage  of  the  people; 
rthc'constant^ecessitv  for  reference  to  its  members,  >under  a  religiou 
which  prescribed'  rules  for  every  detail  of  social  or  private  life,  and, 
not  least,  the  fact  that  the  dignity  of  a  Kabbi  was  open  to  the  humblest 
who  acquired  the  necessary  learning,  made  the  schoola  very  popular. 
As  the  sonof  a  peasant,  in  the  middle  ages^  if  he  entered  the  Church, 
might  rise-above  the  haughtiest  noble,  the  son  of  a  Jewish  villager 
might  vise  above  even  the  nigh  juriest,  by  becoming  a  Rabbi.  It  wus, 
doubtlesSj  remembered,  in  Ohrist't}  da}r,  4hat  some  sixty  years  before, 
when  tjie  high  priest  had  been  retumingfrom  the  Temple  after  the 
service  of  the  Day  of  Atonement,,  attended,  according  to  mistom,  by 
a  crowd,  to  congratulate  him  on  his  having  come  safely  from  the  tei- 
fors  of  tho  Awful  Presence,  and  to  escort  him  to  his  duelling— twi 
Rabbis  having  chanced  to  pass  by>  the  people-  left  the  high  priest, 
greatly  to  his  ixidignation,  and  p^d  reverence,  instead,  to  the  Teachei? 
of  ttioLaw,  'Themost  abject  prostration  of  i«ft6llect  and  sold  befoi% 
tm  m^esthood  never  surpassed  that  of  tli«.Je)v^.bi^6i^.tiie  lliibbi. 
^i»  Ji^n  thak  sebolaw  the  Xlabbis  demifidedtb'e  .invest  brolotuid  tbvQt- 
ence.  ' ' 'Iho  honour, '^  sfiys  thei  Talmua,'"duo  to  a  J^her  :bOi'ders 
on  that  due  to  God. "  if  a  choice  wera  necessary  between  one's  father 
and  a  Kabbi,  the  llabbi  must  have  the  prefereuce.  A  father  has  only 
'   l^nvM  ^N  w^ld^  but  the  liubhii  ^  Je!t$)#M^  ^^^' 


•y 


ii^ 


Tfflffi  LIFE  OP  CHRIST: 


m 


brings  him  to  the  life  hereafter.    If  one's  father  and  a  Rabbi  be  car- 
rying burdens,  the  burden  of  tlie  Rabbi  must  be  carried  for  him,  and 
not  that  of  the  father.  ^^Jf  one's  father  and  a  Rabbi  be  both  in  prison, 
the  Rabbi  must  first  b9  itsdeenlcd;  and  only  then,  the  father.    The 
common  discour&e  of  a-Rabbi  was  to  be  reverenced  as  much  as4ho^ 
Law.    To  dispute  with  one,  or  murmur  against  him,  was  a  crime  as* 
^aifm  t6  do'tlte  siiiiite  tdwai^s  the  Almighty.'  'Their  words  must  l^c 
received  as  Words  of  thfe  liting  €k)d.    As  in  the  blind  passive  obed  i  • 
encd  T^^^^^'^*"^  ^^^  Jesilits,  a  scAiokii*  of  the*  Rabbis  was  required 
to  abcept  ivhat'I^  master  t^uj^fht,  if  he  said  lihat  the  left  handwiks  tlie 
rij^ht.v  A  S^Olar  who;  £dno«rite  up  before  his  Rabbi  could  not  hope 
.  tb  five  Ipiig;  fyecaU^  ""^fae  feardth  not  befd#e  Ood.*^    It  was  a  principle 
universally  accepted  that  '*fhe  sayingaof  the  Scribes  were  weightier 
than  those  of  the  Law.".''-  '•''  :->-.;aj*'i '  ••'?  ir-:])\n^HHnih>^ry'i:^vmf^~i> 
'-  Thfe  tftmsiWsslonbf  th(*1tey*^titi1v^  Rabbis 

A^f6trtAnsnn  ev^-gi^Wittg  mass  of  tradition-^wastho -special aim  of 
^i^  RabbS  of  each  igb.  '  In  the  couiiBe  of  centuries  many  of  the  Mosaic. 
i*  'v6  had  become  itiAppli<tebie  <tb  the  islter^  state  of  things^  and  as 
^hei^  literal*  obs^attfee  •  had  become  iinpossible,  new.  prescriptions 
It^eJ^ii'td 'be  Itivfented,  aftet  the  Rettam,  to;  perpetuate  their  spirit. 
Mari^^ivere  vlrtUMiyobs^te:  others-  required  careful  exposition  by 
th<? mbbis.  The  eomihents  thus  delivered  formed,  as^  time  rolkxl  on, 
aJ^grt^fbody  (if  im Written  la^wi  which  claimed  equal  authority- with 
the  law  of  Hoses,  and  was  necessarily  known  in  any  full  degree  only 
by  the  prof dssionai  Rabbis,  Who  devoted  thteir  lives*  to  its  study^  It 
mfgHt  be1n<i*^^sed,  biit  could  never  be  altered  or  superseded  ihany 
panijiulai'.  Ohcfe  titt€lred,  a  Rabbi's  words  remained  lav,  for  ever, 
thbttgh  they  ■  miS?ht  be  e;xplained  away  and  virtually  f  ignored,  while 
•  afttetcdt6  be  followed;^ '^^'^"^^  ^^  u'^v^u/  ini,^^$^  sv^i^i.mi^u^i.mi^^ii:,  ,, 
Bnifbrmity  of  belief  ttM  ritual  practice  wrts  the  one 'grand  design 
<)£ '  thp  founders  of  Judaism ;  the  moulding  the  whole  religioiiis  Uf e  of 
iU^  nirtiOii  tcl  such  a  niachihe-lilse  dii^ipline  as  Would  mtfkc  any  ^ria- 
ti<m  f rclm  the  cust<!)tns  Of  the^ast*WeUi-nighim]po8siWe.  A  universal, 
dfeat^-lpie  feob^ervAtishi,' perttfittin^*  no  change  in  feuccessivo  ages,  was 
estdblisff»ied,  as  the  ^hd' security  for  a  separate  national  exiatenoe,  by 
its;i^(ating  the  Jew  froHiaUottier  races,'  and  keei^ng  him  for  ever 
apiirt.^  For  this  end,  not  biily  was  that  part'of  the  mw  whiolrcdn- 
ceriied  tiic  Comtnon  life  of  the  peopte— thdr  Babbaths,  feast  days, 
jtibClees,  offerings,  sacrifices,  tithes,  the  Temi^e  and  Synagogue 'Wor- 
iShip,  civil  iind  crimirialifew,"  marriage.and  the  like^-«xplained,  <;om- 
ihehtted  o>r;  arid'miriuteF^qrdert'dby  the  Rabbis^but  also-that  portiop 

of  it whldh  rel«rted «dnty  tothe pri'^^c^^^^^^      of- inditiduafe ©their 
tteSrityffliuslifiB.  Th^rf^MwJ,  theirdottoesi  their|ou*B«^s,4,he4r occu- 

:ptWns^:'ra(Jeedv'feVfety  fi^<^1^^^eir  1*^^.  and  almost  their  every  thought, 

Were  brt)u^ht  under  Rabbinical  rules.     To  perpetuate  tlie  Law,  a 

"hedge"  Or  outlying  commands  was  set  round  it,  which,  in  Christ's 

'lii^M4iiki^iM^^#  god  stiilV<iii3  v^Mifden^?^  ilM^ti»:««i  m 


17f 


TBE'dJfE  OF  €HIU9IV 


■  !$ 

i 


TATmiid  detimitices'lt  as  a  vexatious  oppression.    .1^  7MLl>g(l  ihiQ.^q- 

cuihulatioKi  of  precepts  become,  by  noondloW'^orios  of  roftOttU,  ticrluc 

.  tic^ntf  fh>«n  tl)e  t^ciiptiirciB^Myften  connooteii  ivitli  iUom  Ottiy  by  n  yet 

tltlh  tbi^d  At  b^st^tbht  tbc  Rabbis  tbeiiMiflv«ii  baye  cof^parpd  jtbd 

Jai^  6n  ttft  proper  keeping  olllie&ftbbfttti  W  «|iM>UUi(iMAi1^)|UcU  J|i^D{ 

In  tb<^  Inter  Orcdih  age^  when  beatbeti  cultuvQWui  p4tronlzc4  % 
th€'8adthkr(!fftn  higii  pvieste,  and  foreign!  eiu»(oin9  werf  i^  ln^rvM})(l 
faVoiiri^'ith  the  people,  ^he  KabUs,  iirbo  wen^  (he  W\ot|  0)|f,puHttwj,| 
of  Jiudai(«m;  MHight  to  stem  i  the  flood  olcorrupiion,  py  Enforcing,  i^- 
ci«a^  strictness  in  the  observkuiee  ol  the  muli^iludlnou«  preceptB  t|iejr 
bflid  aircKidy  established.'  From  that  timo/  uooou4itional.9]iH?diefic;9 
was  required  to  every  Habbinical  law.  .  ^ 

A  system  which  admitted  no  change:  in  whlcb  (he  lontt  prjigini^Uliy 
of  thought  Wfis  heresy:  which  required  tli«  mecliAniQai  Jajbourof  a 
lifetime  tio  master  its  details,  andwbie^  o0pupi«a|l^  tenchera  wit|i 
■tM  m«>st  trifling  casuistry,  could  have  only  one  rt^sult^.to,  4j^g^^f^& 
to  a'great  extent,  into  puerilities  and  outward, lorms. .  »i'„>'J  fi'ui  >Vrri 

It  would  he  wearisome  'and  umnteresting  to,  quote,  at  any  ^eu 
lebgth,  ilHustrations  of  the  working  of  such  a  schomo  pf  ^qcleslustic^l 
tyrafiflV,  in  daily  life,  but  an  example  or  tW4>  will  idiQW  tli^  system  io 
wHich  J^uB  opposed  the  freedom  of  a  spiritual  vejigioo.  It  is  ^i^cuU 
to  realist  the  condition  of  a^p^ople.whabad  tiulmitt^d  to  si^cb  tnemat 
and' bodily  bondage.  ■ 

Oik  of  the  greatquestione  discufisediby  thoRtbUs  was  ccremqnial 
pffHt^  tmd  denlement,  a  subject  so  wide  that  it  g^vo  riso  to  countless 
rfiM '  tJneleanness  could  be<{ontracteid  in  many  ways;  wmopgoip^x^, 
by  the  Vei»self^  usedan  eating,  and  hence  it  was  a  vital  intitter  to  know 
what  might  be  used,  and  what  must  be  avoided.  In  holjow  dishes  of 
clay'oripottery,  the  inside  and  bottqmr eont meted  and  C'aut4i*d  unclean- 
uess;btit  not  the  outside,  and  they  could  only  be  ok'anscd  by  breaking. 
The  pieces,  howiever,  might  still  defile,  and  U^n^  it  was,  keenly  dis- 
cussed how  small  the  fragments  must  bo  to  ensure  satety.  Iff  dish 
oFvessei  had  contained  a  log  of  lolili  a<  fragment  oould  smU  defile  tli^it 
held  as  much  oil  as  would  anoint  the  great  to^;  11  it  had  ^eld  Irbmi  a 
10.^  t6  a  seah,  tiie  fragment,  to  be  dangesrous^.  muit  bol4  tlie  fourth  of 
a  i^j^;  if  it  had  held  from  two  or  three  seahSitp  fiye,/a  pkc^  of  it  could 
defile  if  it  held  a  Idg.  As,  however,  l^oUow  eartuen  yessc^k  contracted 
uncleamiess  only  on  the  inside,  jnot  on  the  ouit,  some  coulclniot  befcome. 
unclean—as,  for  instance,  a  fiat  plate  without  ^  rim,  an  openco^ 
shovel  a  perforated  roaster  for  wheat  okr  grain,  briok-moulds,  and.^ 
on.  Qnth«otber  hand,  ^piatewkh  a  rim«  a  covered  oof^slioy^,  a  dish 
lyUh  raised  dhrfoions  inside,  oa^tarthen  spbe-box,  or  an  inkshipdwith 
liny  divisions,  may  become  unclean.  Flat  di^es  pf  wippd,  jcaihet 
bone,  or  glass,  do  not  contract  uncleannetNi,  bnt  hollow  onc»  might  do 
soi  not  only  like  earthen  ones,  inside^  but  also.outsid^J.  If  tMy  ^re 
Miti^Jttte3Ntt«<4[Mn>  but  tka^tori^en  pwt  i«iUl^|^%^,^  J^|||,|jt^^ 


im-. 


i' 


TH^-i/1^  OF  €Hin9CL 


m 


torpid  a  pomegranate.    If  a  eb<e8t;  or  oimboaid,tifiaBftt'a  lool^ritli 
cliQati,  whatever  its  siae,  anda  tlivee-footea  table;  :vr«iliiig.  av4ii>  two 
fe<9t,  i9  clean,  but  it  may  be  made  undean  if  wsnting  the  ^Whol^*  three  ' 
fe^t,  ami  tbQ  flat  top  be  ufied  as  a  dishi    Ahenohlwhioh  wantsinve  of 
the-  sid^  boardsi  ^  ev^en  the  two>  is  dean,  .M  i£^  a.  piece  remaiHi  a 
handbreadth  wide,  it  may  defile.    If  the  bands  are  clean,  and  it^ie  7 
outside  of  a  goblet  unclean,  the -hands  are  not  defiled. liy  thaoutpidQ, 
if  the.  goblet  be  held  by  the  proper  {jart.    Bverytliihg  of  nmetal,  that » 
has  a  Special  name,  may  denies  «xcept  a  door,  a  <dnor  bolt«  aloek,  a 
hiiige,  era  door  knbeker.    Straight  Wwing  horais  are' clean:;  olliers 
may  defile.    B  themouthpieoeisof  metal,  it  may  defile«   )Ita  wopdi^a 
jiGy  have  metal  teethi  it  may  defile^  but  if  the  ke^ibe  olimeta)  aiKi^^o  , 
teeth  of  wood,  it  is  clean.  •;«{..'.*!!,,►/.,,  ^   ,.,•,. 

.'The  remoyal  of  uncieann^ss  was  no  less  oomirilcatod^    Kyen  the 
kind:  of ,  water  to  be  used  for  the  different  kimis  of  cleansiug^  Iqp 
sprinkling  the  hands,  for  dipping  vessels  into,  and  for  purifying  hft|h0 
for  the  person,  caused  ho  littjle  drispiite>,    SIk  kihds-of  water  wece  (lis-  ■ 
tinguished;  each  of  higher  worth  than  the  other;  nFlmtr-^A  pofili  "or  r 
the  water  in  a  pit,  cii^rn,  or  ditoh,  and  hill  water  tltat  no  ioiMEQr 
flpl^S*  'ftQ^^  collected  water,  of  not  lejte  quantity  than  idrty  8eahel^;'^Jt 
has  not  been.defil^,  is  Suitable  for  preparing  the  !heaverO0ering  cd! 
dotigh,  or  for  the  legal  wasbing  of '  the  hands^    Becood-^Watt^  th^ 
still  flows  may  be  used  for  the  heave-offering  (Teruma),  and  if  or  wa$h- 
ing  the  hands.    Third— Collected  water,  to  the  amount  of  forty:  seaha*  , 
may  be  ui^ed  for  a  bath  for  puriflcationt  aiid  for Mdipfnng  veds^ls  into. 
Fourth — A  spring  with  little  water,  to  which  water  >Uial.  has  be^n 
drawn  is  added,  is  fit  for  a  bath,  though  it  4o  not  fik)W>;aDd  is  the 
s^me  as  pure  spring  water,  in  so  far  tliat  vessels  may  be  cloanAed  m  it»  v 
though  there  be  only  a  little  water.    Fifth— Flowing  water  which' is  r 
warm,  or  impregnated  with  minomls,  cleanses  by  its  flowing;  a^i^; 
Itwtly,  sixth — Piire  sprinj^  water  may  be  used  as  a  bath  by  those  who  r 
have  sores,  or  for  sprinkling  a  leper,  and  may  be  miJted  wiUi  th<&  aatM^-^^v 
of  purification.  ..  ■  /ji  -hniJiir^irM  ;\  ;  .^vi^tl  hr»i>4f.^j 

These  general  piificiptes  formed' the  baeis  lof  an  eadlejw  dietail  of , 
casuistry.    Thus,  the  Mischna  discourses,  at  weamsome  length,  under - 
what  circumst«ices  and  conditions  "coilected  water" — that  is,^  rain,  f 
spring,  or  flowing  water,  that  is  not  drawn,  but  is  led  kudo  areaervoir ., 
dii'ectly,  by  pipes  or  eliauucls — may  be  used  for  bathing*  and  for  the  | 
ibimersion  of  vessels:  aod  the  great  point  is  decided  to  be  that  no 
drawn  water  shall  have  mixpii  with  it.    A  fourth  of  a  log, of  drawn 
Water  Jtt  the  reservoir,  beforehand,  nsakes  the  water,  thati  afterwards 
falls  pi"  rqhS  into  it  unfit  for  a  bath,  but  it  recfuiresrtiiree  16|j:0f.^wja , 
^r^tar  to  do  this,  If  there  were  water  already  in  thcifsa»rvoi*.    If  any 
>X'SselR  ard  put  under  the  pipe  emptying  itself  into  the  bath,  it  becomes 
drawn  wat^ir.  and  is  unfit  for  a  batii.    Bbammai's  achool  made  it  the 
simp-whather  the  vessel  were  set*iown  on  pumose,  orjonlyf^rgpUen; 
bat  Wii^  katopF^eeided '^mn  UU^^UsdlmShriJmfgpm^y^ 


: 


t^' 


474 


TH»  XIPir  or  CHBIBT. 


migbt  etiU  be  used  for  a  l]»th.  If  dnkWn  water  imd  rain  Wrtt«f^<1i«fe 
mi^«d,  in  the  4ioiirt^y«rd,  or  in  a  hollo  w;  or  on  tho  Btcmi  of  the  Imth- 
zoom,  the  bath  mar  be  itted,  if  most  of  the  Tvoter  bo  fining,  but  not 
if  the  proportioh  DO  revofsedr  This,  however,  lonly  talcef)  effect  if 
they  have'  mi^ed  before  entering  the  bath.  If  both  How  into  Uie  iMitb, 
the  bath  may  be  talcen,  if  it  be  linown  certainlv  that  fortv  seahsof 
|>foper  water,  ran  in  beifore  three  Idg  of  uniultHble  water,  but  other- 
wise it  must  not  be  talcen.  There  wafl  undleM  difl^mmion,  also, 
whether  snow,  hall,  boarftofit,  ico,  and  the  like,  could  be  uted  to  till 
up  a  bath.  So  simple  an  act  as  the  waflbing  of  otie'it  hands  before 
eating  entailed  the  utmost  care  not  to  transffi'eiw  some  Rabbinical  rule. 
The  water  could  only  be  poured  from  certain  kinds  of  vessels,  it  must 
bo  water  of  a  special  kind,  only  certain  persons,  in  certain  legal  con- 
ditions, could  pour  it,  and  it  was  a  momentous  point  that  the  water 
should  be  poured  neither  too  far  up  the  arpi  nor  too  low  towards  the 
hand.  i  ,in;»T'hr,i;:  MPiriJinJi'MtUc. 

TlUs  ceremonial  slavery  owed  its  rise  to 'ttie  ^reaotlon  ftom  the 
Syrian  attempts  to  overthrow  the  national  faith.  The  Rabbis  of  the 
austere  but  noble  puritan  party,  which  had  delivered  their  country, 
sought  to  widen  the  gulf^  for  the  future,  between  Judaism  and  all 
other  croeds,  by  laying  a  f resli  stress  on  legal  purity  and  the  reverse, 
and  their  scholars  strove  to  keep  their  rules  as  strictly  as  possible. 
The  dread  of  touching  any  tiling  unclean^  and  the  consequent  self- 
withdrawal  from  tiie  mass  of  the  people,  and  from  the  ordinary  inter- 
course of  life,  soonahowed  itself  in  the  name^-Parusch,  or  Pharisee— 
for  those  thus  ''separated^"  In  the  hands  of  tliis  party,  cleanness 
and  uncleanness  steadily  grew  to  a  system  of  e/.dless  refinements; 
.M  Ceremonial  purity  had,  at  first,  been  strictly  observed  only  by  the 
priests,  for  the  people  at  large  were  hardW  in  a  position  to  attend  to 
the  many  d^ails  required*  After  the  Maccaboian  revival,  however, 
greater  carefulness  was  demanded.  A  priest,  or  Levite,  lost  the  privi- 
feges  of  his  caste  if  h&he^itated  to  fulfil  any  of  the  ritual  obligations 
it  entailed,  and  a  proselyte  was  rejected  who  would  nut  undertake  all 
that  was  requored  from  an  Israelite.  For  Israelites  thcmselve8,iBttM 
ceremonial  ruies' were  greatly  extended,  and  any  neglect  of  them  was 
noted  unfavourably.  The  tithes,  &g.,  were  strict! v  demanded  from 
all  produce,  and  were  either  entirely  forbidden  to  be  eaten,  or  could 
be  so  only  imder  fixed  conditions,  while  a  wide  sweep  of  iniunctions 
and  rules  was  introduced  as  to  the  use  of  different  kinds  of  food^  and 
even  in  every  detail  of  family  life. 

Those,  including,  of  course,  the  Rabbis,  who  undertook  to  observe 
all  these  rules,  henceforth  formed  a  kind  of  union  of  ^'  Comrades,"  or 
"  Haberim,"  which  any  one  might  enter-^^U  who  did  not  join  them 
being  stigmatized  as  ignorant  Am'ha^aretss,  or  l)oorish  rabble. 

It  was  to  this  league  that  the  amazing  development  of  le^ism  was 
iattcrly  due.  -  Careful  inquiry  wiis  everywhere  instituted  to.ascertain 
if  alt  diMS.foi'{qf|ests^  Levitff% or  the  poor  wer^'  roguiaiiy,  j^a^dn;  An. 


m 


THE  •  UFB  OF  eJTOIST. 


1176 


)«4eflnttc  due  (Teramn)  for  the  priests,  and  a  titho  for  them  apd  the 
Levites,  were  required  each  year  from  every  kind  of  farm  or  garden 
produce^  even  the  smallest,  and  from  all  live  8to«k,  and  property  of 
any  kind,  and  a  second  tenth  eaeh  third  year  for  the  poor.  Not  were 
these  demands  oonfined  to  Israelites  living  in  the  stnetly  Jewish  ter; 
ritory;  they  were,  after  a  time,  extended  over  those  neighoqunng 
countries  in  which  Jews  had  settled.  These  matci:lal  results  were  only 
a  subordinate  advantage  of  thlM  widely  extended  claim;  it  cstablJ|sI\oa 
an  organised  system  of  all-pervading  influence  in  social  intercourse, 
and  on  tlie  private  life  of  every  household.  Part  of  the  dues  was 
Jt^lp,  and  to  'Use  anything  holy  was  a  mortal  sih.  Every  pui'cbake^ 
had,  therefore,  to  noikjB  certain  beforehand  whether  thc^  naa  bcci| 
paid. from  what  he  proposed  to  buy,  though  many  thmgs  it|  thp 
markets  camq  from  abroad,  or  hixd  been  grown  or  made  by  others 
than  Jew^,^  or  wei'e  under  gi^er  complications  as  regarded  tbeir  liaj 
bilitytotitheandgift.  ;;,.)  .  ^^  ^  ^,  ^vi  (uJ-^J  li^jS^ 
■■' To  save  heavy  loss  it. was  conceded  that  the  TerUttia  wiouw  be 
strictly  separated,  but  the  various  tithes  were  apparently  left  to  hie 
paid  by  the  buyer^  though  the  assurance^  of  an  owner  that  everything 
had  been)  tithed  could' only  be  taken  if  the  seller  could  pj'oye  h^ 
trustworthiness.  Failing  this^'all  produce,  and  whatever  was  inf^le 
from  it»  was  regarded  as  doubtful,  And  the  Teruma,  or  holy  p^rtioiij 
was  to  be  taken  from  it  before  it  could-  be  used.  The  second  tith^ 
might  be  turned  into  money,  that  it  might  be  the  more  eqtdly  coU; 
sum^d;  in  Jerusalem.  It  was^  not  obligatory,  however,  to  separate  tliQ 
iirst  tithe,  or  that  for  the  poor,  since  a  doubt  hung  ou  the  ma^tcr^aj^d 
so  the  Levite  or  the  'poor  must  prove  their  claim.  These  Iiai^assing 
regulations  shut  off.  strict  Jews  from  either  buying  or  accepting  Jios- 
pitality.  &om  any  but  their  own  nation,  and  made  it  imperative  on 
Qvery  fruit  or  food  seller  to  estabiish  his  trustworthiness,  by  joining 
the  union  of  the  "Comrades,"  or  "  Separated"— that  is,  the  'iPKarP 
seesi''  It  .required  .for  this,  only  a  declaration  before  three  pf  the 
Rabbis^  and  afterwards  before  tlH*ee  *  -  trustworthy"  persons,  that  bn^ 
would  henceforth  abstain  from  all  that  had  not  iJecn  tithecl.'  Hence- 
lorthyinot  only  was  personal  trustworthiness  establisfhed,  but  that  of 
all  the  members  o:C  his  family,  and  even  of  his  descendants,  so  lon^ 
a^uno  ground.  of^'SUspickioii  was  raised  ajgainst  his  wife,  childreh,  or 
daves.  .;:i|*i'''-  .itt.tt!':>;>w,ii-.vjiy/M/<  <i, 5)>-*44'i'.' ,,<';: ;. it- •       ■  .  f' 

TJie  nation  was  •  tiius  gradually  divided  into  Haberim  and  Am-ha- 
aretz — strict  followers  of  the  Rabbis  and  despisqd  rabble,^— and  inter- 
course and  hospitality  bt*tween  the  two  classes  becam^  steadily  more 
circumscribed,  till  it  well-nigh  ceased,  as  the  laws  of  the  Rabbis  grew 
more;  exacting.  It  was  difficult,  for  instance,  when  from  home,  to 
ascertain  the  conscientiousness  of  a  host,  companion,  or  tradesman ; 
scrup^s  iTc^e  wliether  produce  that  might  be  foreign  was  liable  to 
(hies  ;.how»  far  purchases  not,  intended  for  eating  might  be  used;^|th- 
(Mittitbiog^  and  iK)^  on,^  till  aU- social  freedom  was  utterly  hadipeiiod. 


I 


J'KI 


-.1     ! 


II 


'      i. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


UiM2A     1 2.5 
■U  iU    |2.2 

w  u^  ■■■ 

lio    12.0 


lU 

Itt 

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I 

Hi 

m 


1.25   1  ..4    |i6 

• 

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6"     

► 

^^ 


0> 


% 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WeST  MAIN  STtifT 

WnSTIR.N.Y.  14SM 

(716)  •72-4503 


0 


m 


iMtt^t^mi  <sji*^ 


l^i^ev^iiinldilff'tfijeiik,  adbof^iiig  to  libb  gr«a1ler  or  leBssmbtiieffi'lii 
nifefiinifiifisd^rfibo^  ^t^ify^lfMiig;  in^tiircAdM^  oetombnial  '^dMi}^il6iil»>.'or 

,  jbcre Ii6e|i'8^eaite«d;  )6pf^t the  (^e  kslflf » (»'1%e jpHe8t!»']pc(rtii>^t«he 

iteMi^^rau^  l9e  Washckl;  -B  piiEts  fff'sacrifi^xS  oroffArlnffiB, 

a  ^bhtii  hbd  :Uy  b^^iaken,  ai^d  ^plunge  batli  waiB  ii^eliiiired  bcrfdre-  <tlie 

ilipi|^ia|i%j!!H^- vralie^  of:|iuH^^ti;  «t«b  if  onlv  tb^iti«ilteiwdre 

''u&bl^B."   Btit  uc  who  batli^  in  otder  to  pai^akie  of  what  ivia^cis 

tliitttia^i  M^Ot  t^i»i1ill^«^  tftfae;t'li8fwlMJt«^ok 

Ifiiottr  1^]^^ J6(mM lOita^^:^  ^UlcT^ot  eftlliviiat  wtu!» Ailjr/MllHd 

iii^^^gndl^^  Q&^e  0t)^|^^  th&  ]««» IMlBr:  '>  "Brntm 

^/irliilthi^  1^  M  o^dtti^  to'idierwho  cttdUi«at 

;>jiillefif  ft^MMe  :i»f  ia^  csifi^t  of  tS^  m  tso^  vkten^^otbttaiit^rtM  Mr, 
'  ""ttv  tor  dtoe^'stho  ^J%^  f he  i^pcinfeiiig  of ^thstf  waiter  ^f^^ludfici^ 
•^^^Bfiitte:gafh0d  dtfej^de^-^d^  anot^ 
l^iiliitiaiiaxr,  ti^iili%^iind  «iiiife  ^f  *  tBiiI  Wfi8^t^iih<!6dif(fli  «aoh 
frovti'  tlArty^  d^'ldi^  thfe  loWcfM;'  to  tW<eIV^  'caOhthA^foirothe 

0f!t«a  llK^Hiatid  Ralfl^te^  tutes^f  <  cl«t«MotttM  «^ 
«p  ob^ervAUicI^  ^f :  th«m  fra^  %e(nif«d',  not >  tewb)^i^igi6«s 

blib^rty;  at  evei^yi  stOTK  irbm  the  cradle  to  the  grave,  had  beett  idowty 
•Idimat^'by  tUfi  it^^  -ftU  cAh6»^  naldims. 

(Hte  y^  wotds '  ftnid  flii^htsf  wdte  prasoribed; "  he ' wA*  iess- a-^nan 
jiN^ftii  ftrm^h^ii^)  bfiian^^  Any'^deriBtioii  in  wonl  or  deed,  or 
^Y<»it  ill 4noq|;^t.iif0ih  Hdittiiyf c4t  law;  wteii^garded  ta  itetpiwrn^ 
<};;  fh<e06mt&eB  have  enfoi^d  in'  all ^gei  a ^ fliinllar  isolation  on'  their 
f  ••dheij^^rtfl.'  "  I^e  *Jirig8  of  Egypt,'' i»y8DleddTii8,*r*coiild  not  act 
ails  W^  WirtUdif  Ei?eml|ihg  Wd»  rtited  by  flaws,  not  only  ilii  itheir 
:|i[ti]l)lit,b^t(|V^tothetrindatptiVateUf#.  TheliOutB'Oitltedayaiid 
lOplit^^WliM^s^idciai  dii^  muitrbe  <{ttrfohaad,;!ileerev««ML|i^  kw. 


tbaseic 
meals,  f( 
rw'ssno  1 
wjiat  iaa 
the  J!aq^( 
^hole  m 
moniesi 
hqmjbei 
luuip^bati 
theiriirl^ 

iniliiridua 
pfepttiu^t 
iiiancyj  in 
bi^iiBtc 

dled^Ciuaii 

■■•^'^AaJadd 

Sdbbath,. 

naalof  t&e 

whielher  ai 

ftfe/aacpcfil 

q^4lietik 

"wntekibegti 

On  thiarOu 

WeyeiDQei] 

bath,  ands 

-  Oiiiihj»jpej 

dispqse^tia 

^f  Afaon^iti 

beeiiilaidu 

Binee  the  ei 

tiiefeifore  <^ 

thottgjiit-w 

OB^tfe&std 

lanlysaered 

getbet;  beoa 

the.seqood  1 

fulfoodfroi 

eaten,  hat  n 

into;ithet«f< 
tok^a^  itjail 


:tnmmv&  rnxmB^m 


''^ 


ieuiiiii;t>r 


gytaigbwt 

lat  ii^M^(*« 
Itiibiflteii. 

'■  '/rs>;  ;fi5i-ui 
ii  bottiptete 

b<tV0i^  itct 

ffliraeedvpr 

lid  vot  act 

tyiilt^ieiT 

dayaiid 

'     tew 


^Skte^  iim^^,riGP  ihing^  for  bulbing,  for  ;8«orifl9e,  lor  BCfdinCyior 
meals,  for  walking,  aadimqch  >/68ide,  weiW/iiifl«]iHslj  fHWorib 
^88  no  Ictsa  rigPy  stitled  ribHt  theywfiTe.  to  eat  ali^ach  menI/aDid 
:  Tv^tiamoufitioi^  wine  ^ejf  hereto  drink.' ^  .Ther  BrahHuii'  is  under 
the  4s>ftQ^e) rigid  iind  )>^lti»iiiji)racfaig  tgrmBJA;>of /t^ligiwaa  feirail^^^.Hiaf 
^boliB  Ufe;i4  o(»ver$djWitl^  tto.mepb^ol  a  Tusfi  Qetof  (ritui;  aofliiBeve- 
Qicmie«^  >^^  Hiw  i,Ql^ManU  t)i^Bcrib^>  hqiw  im  is:4Q  isat,  aQ4  'Wb^t, 
Jif^vlie  il^lOi^tlwvliiniieUi^d^^  Ii^ileet,  out  bi?  >nfiElB  mi() 

bait ,^  ba^brv^alid  perj^om^^i^ven  tbe  \  moat  >prit4rtiB  f unctidn^  It, ^^t 
tlielri|r\iEUija6d  di|tie$^p£:eacb  caste  aqcI  subdvnaion.ctfoasite,  tj^  mi^ 
iura,  :atejiMfwirdiiEi^  tbd  llttlerB  of  tbs  8(»l,.4|iQk^*  ^ipel^systeiuiaaoiiiiliite 
iRiiii4dualit|rHand:rediice  Tidiole.pQpul<itioBa40<a)  singtotf^pei  w|)^ 
^.pttui^tiss  itself  tntj&aniunclianmg  (Und  fdmoiEit  Siide8trtietiib|«  «te- 
liisne^j  iiwgftttizig/jbeBldeii^  a«  fanatiow.  wbHeht  At  •  anyr  vnomoBt.  may 
biqrsfri&Bto  flMfnM,ie4)>^eia%-wbeii  ddeiiti^(|,-9a  io  tb0  ease  lOli^be 
Ji^ws^jwttHbintriotiamii  JJae  under  tbe  Jewii^ilaw  bad  alrefiikrv^kiii' 
dl«d»tbiii8pirit  Qf  sct^oely'  veiled  rsiroMoA  }0O|^  before  rHurXoRd's 

:birt!ht  i'Wi  T  ]v':ajb>';>::^    >..;.;.•,*} J   1. 111/ i'.-.Aiu'-i   v-.iVv    it,-  ...Ki.    .    .ui,  ,,  ;^:.^,']'  ..- 

•^  .^laddltumtt  aii^tratitm^ol  ithe  woi^iin^  oi^^bbiid,ciit  iitt|0i|& 
lei«^j||b)dailj^'llle  is  iiffbrd^d  hv  those  for  the  proper  jiitenranoe  #  the 
Sflbbatb;.  In  iixodu^ xvt tS, iU  is  coBftman^ ithat  food  for. ii»My 
bi^  be  preftared  ion  tjlui  sixth  dayv  oovdoubt  witb  tho  dfaignv^lliAl^he 
DQ^ of  M  Gor^ant  sboidd  be  bsfsaoMctas  that'Of  hmva»0efi^ot^m»- 
ieessc  i  T&d  Rabbis; ipondcnng  Uifift  odinmandt  >i!fti8ed^^the<!qu0StioQ, 
whie^bef  aoeggiwhiicliA'hen<bad  t^id^oxk^o-Sal^Mtb  could  be  ealen^en 
tUefascreddayvIboddeoideidit  by  auitrictbegtitivc^ifiiitbad  bpei^latd 
bgf!4  hen  kept jto  layers;  b^ns^;  in  that  ^sase^  iitriva»<tb0'reMl1»/of 
woNliLi  beffUnvVR^  at  we^Miay^  and  Inroug^  to.  an  i^nd  ^Q^^^  Siibbat}i. 
On  this.  uieiQabbiA  mpm  uaanimousii  > >,  Buti  ho^iv;  yroiildi Itfydlt^m  Ussk 
«eiejQiieintendedjMijt  to  layjeggb,  cbliVfor«^iQgi«Q4  howidt4J|9^ 
bath,  and  a  feast  day,  observeoas  a  Sabbath,  should  come  to§^^u9ff 
0»  ^»  noiat  ^Uif  nmiaH  one  bf  ttbe  two*  ^at  Babbis  <si  <tb»  day^^  waa 
.  dlspqsedtatae  libetAl,:abd  deeidedithAtiit.Wfi»>lawfulitorca^itlie^  ogs 
oiiihmi  it$M  destined  tQf'beeateii^iOn  whicheT^dayithq: >^^^bad' 
beenilaidu  /But-iUUel,  4b&MO|lke«(gKeat'  Babbi;  argue4taiioll(nwst<-~ 
Binjce  the  egg  hns  obmetoniiatiirjity  on  j^8abbathiorif€riM»t4ary,  aQd4a 
tberefore<»'unlawfidorigini!itisBOt  alletwe4  tamake  ^seoi.itf  ^d  * 
thougb  itwouldbeikiwlttlto4Bkake^ii3e  Qf  the  egg  of  such  «  h«n«  laid 
oiii4tfetist  day  or  Sabbath,  not  foltoynsd i^r  treo^ded  by fmotlKDH'-dmi- 
lariiy  Saered  CMy,  .yet  it^  must  n(»t  b^  eftten  if  two  sueh  dj|ySf:co!^  < to 
gel^etv  beoause,  other^riie,  there  would  be  a  tomptittion  to  ^  use  it  on 
the.seqoud  holty  dfty^ ;  Andsinceit  is  forbiddca«VGa  to  can^ 'unlaw- 
ful food  from  one  tlbiee^  to  anoil)^,  such  an  e.i|^  mii^Jt  nc(t  oniy4%<>t  bo 
eaten,  but  must  hot  be  touched,  to  put  it  awa^^  The  conseiefiM^ua 
mlfn^itherefo'reiris  not  to^put  alingei?  on  it,  fpr  ^^^  might  loH^l  4q  bis 
tuking  it-ailtQgcthsV'  idtp  hU  hami»  and  is  net  even  tO'lQpl|«ft«iU  for 
tib^|]yglit<pos«bly  m»lt«  hifu  wv^  he  Qpn»ld  «»t  it  J|iM'ii.:opiifoa 


m:- 


't&^it^B^  <^f^  Ol^ldl^y  7 ' 


heahr««i^»  8i3riiiiff-*'^he  M^oiidB  ()f  b0^  Ihcf  words  of  the  liViofg  Obd, 
buHhtftufe^i)! ttie school 0f  W)el  is  tob^  folidiredl'"   •  < 

l%tei|0vWo|^leMi|^edIitie^in^le  iii^^l^^  the  tatitflfitic  «r- 

ag^rim6ii)9<tH'which  lna^/l«&^^  Rubble  dchghted.  What  ab^  we 
eAyrWflesmed hrd^mmqhhaswetufateiA ii|t%at  great  npieliioify of 
its  BftijttM  f^iid  act%  the  Irahmid,  suc^Uyiia'ip^  htVenti^^  1r^ 
tbal\£<0aiiiy  ii('Mi^<(i>eaied^  was  aic  to^  thai  ys  toi^  reaclfea  b<Ntvi^)iif 
and'so^rHfied  tht;  angels  by  hi»  gigeintic  Mze,  tbat  ttieg^  a2I;ft»pe|ilSe<i 
to  tbe  m^f^:  be^^tisv  to- ^^A,-  and-  Mii<^r ^^^Lord  of^ne  wond^  im6 
fovii^tire4nike9K^  o^  tbist'  O^d  put  Hfs  bi^d'^on  ilu 

beadt^^iMlat|i(4iiid'i«diiM^  oalir  a  itioitflbd  etibif(r>-- 

ortftfiimtilkm^tMfe^h  jWer  are  told  tbatmcs^  if&ti  sikt^'tbot^ 
sandJ^E«wii»vin  tbe^mouQllalns  of^  Judea,  each  wiib  Bixty  tbousaiid^  M- 
babititots;2lhAt  tUere  Is  a  bh^  s^  lai^  tbai'  wben  it  fli^  It  ixit«r^|Hs 
tbet'liB^  Of  tke  san;^  that' T^'^to^  oo}n<i8,'4ret|i^m  wiji 

bave)leilitboaiBai)d  peaces  a^  tb^  sanio'tiiMiitier^rf  'td\iby^  ibki  tlii^e 
will  be  S;  hundred  aji4  ei^i^  thousand  shops  of  vendors  of  perfitiibe^ 
albi^^Hi^^Aidaii^^bad  two  faces  andlinftitj  ibat  frcia  one  ibofilii^r 
to  the  other  Solomon  moasured  not  less  ttian  sixiy  eu^ts;  and  that 
atj^^blow*  of  aivaijEe  Daridkilied^^wp'Inindred  mtet^v  <  M^   .  ^^     ^     • 

'|^£b(!a;«f  teaebii^  in  tlie;soliools-o  was^^y]qiieE^i(<>id 

andffMnsWer/  '^e' Jeaelier  propounded  questiiODs  of  legale  castii^l^'td 
the^rycbi^arSi  ai3^]et  them  give  thetFr,opiiH<^    adding  his  ^%n  it  he 
thoiigb$/f)|<-  /  Th9fseholQ)?s  f|lso  could' pcbposequesiioQ^  in  th«irT^ 
Tbe^ffllt^  4liri<i^cl$901ii|Deji;Oti  the  ground,  the^teavhet^^oi  ft  f^^ 
seal^'  Imdj^ii  aS'«b(B  ^al^^  of  Koses^    AS- aH  the  Iqpowledjfc^ «of  the'  taw 
waiSf^lvic^lyflliif^iQiial  it^  and-eeholar  alike  bad!  ti^^de- 

pegcteiitii'^yryeainetlio^  one  laeuky  ol  supreme  'imptMifkSU 
hotik,pt<k^aHs^-hi^Wi^^  »  |Cab^'  miASt-  liftyi  the  Tij>iu;laif6)a  df 
kn0WH»grtbe>wb^eiiiipeol9^^^^  tradition  dpwi  .lo  Ms  day,' 1^ 

heai-ty  so  aS'  to  be  able  to^lte  a^itborkle^^foftny  )>o$&ibfe'^ne^^^ 
Orki^ijty  twas;'$up«rstiti6usly  4r6^^d,',atid:  notbmg  nrore<  ^bri^- 
ing^:{bT|G!ideid^t4s^q  th^  gi^ng  tmy  opinion 'unsupported  by  ibat  6f^ 
sooa^fdnnei^  Ikbbi.    To  for^  n  sii^ld  w^ord  be  had  beard  from  bis 
teabbf^i  l^a^  im-iQ«xpiablfi  (ciiine  on;the  parted  a  sobolar. ,;    ,^vr    ; 

tlie  feats  of  saemory  prpchieed  by  su^n-  a  ^stem  wea.'s^  i^  'ainiAiiiin'g, 
tbi^  we  niaiy  really  credit  the  tradi^n  of  the.  whole  Taln^ud  bfiv* 
ingbeeft  ioarnM  by  heart, -in  sections^ by  be disefples  of  a  l^^rsiah 
Rabbi)  who  feared  that  all  the  copiesrpf  it  would  ^  i^treycd,  in  a 
looalpecsecutioq,  in;  the  sevenths  century^  Hie  mass  of  the  KitMjiis^ 
to  u6e  a  Jewish  phrase,  must  bate  been  merie  bopU-baskets;  grown 
chl^(Msn»  full  of  the  ofi^ions  of^  others;  buti^oualy  free  froin  any  of 
their  own^'-^the  ideal  of  pedantSi  ^        .  \ 

I'h^rllabbis  were  both  jurists  and  preachers^  Th%  ekplainM,  de^ 
finedL  and  tiUight  the  Law  in  their  sclibols;  gave  judicial  opinions 
aiMtwiisiotti^iMi  it  in  theiT'Oikial  meetings,  and'  deliveieddcilEj^itions 


of  BiHptbi 

Thclf  ]By«tt 

sa 

and'ljffferli 


thefcf^^^^ 

In.t^oflrst 

the  Jim^  10^ 

exchon^fc 

Iiadh«3d'i 
exbl^tl^d4( 

mm 

number  310,  i 
Goa'wllt,|fvc 


that  ft  pccurs 
wrltinasi  In 
veiledfirom  C6 
I  for  its  being  » 
pher  for  the 
imagined  that 
Abraham  in  t 
Greek .  letters, 
letter  t,  whitih 


THfiRe»r(jrdifiii#fj 


X 


vm 


Thetis  isystiems  6¥  1htetbM$tttnbn>  mte'  ffieaim  >  $bc  pmfedbntti 
statement*  of  Rabbi)ii(jai  law,'. oa  one  point  or  other,  occupied 'ttuinAi' 
chi*;  fpjf'&J^lrjf'l^  ridt  only  by 

pre6eaeiitflL  but%  Mthe  »tfmiid6  U^t«s6'^H^       kW'  llM*thi0  olftm 


_  ,,  __  ifekflpb  0*  Biririfetu^^^  

v\m'ml6Km^  pt  cBotdsb^V  #b«t'^^  >cin^ttiel)it^ 

cendemat  jdattersi  troni  the  mi»t  khtorobafole  Botiroes.^  IM^'^ilin^ 

In  l^o'first  ka^  Tid'^Mi'^l  iMUM^'il^  'fimmWif,  ^Aist^in^ 
oc^s '^  tiiite|s/KnA  ai^  & 
the  jW -u^d  iottels  m  ^mm-^W  m^hmm^ 

expt^9  4  a  nlirei'tff^e|6h>  Whldl^'Ud'4i^  «vfhod^;ttii^^P  Thl^ 

letBraS t® M^I^'Ctpim*'  W^,^*m%m(fiAitt^^^ 

ihewMMidh*?}few6^^^'6^^^ 

number  810.  its  Valite  int.  figures;  and'th^  9dct(iil^^ab<^  «N)lB'k  tiU^ 
God  wH j!ve  "d^d  wotlds  to  every  just  rtian  as  his  inheiitance!  -  »^  -^l 
this  stipingio  sydtem  was  ^o  much  in  vogue  in  the  days  of  our  librd 
that  ft  occurs  ev6n  in  thb  New  Testament,  and  in  early  Christian^ 
writings.  In  t^o  boofc  of  Revelation  the  name  of  **  the  Beast"  is 
veiled  ftom  C6mmjt>h  eyeii  by  the  mystical  niimbfer  666,  but  th6  reason 
for  its  being  sp  b^ome^  vory  apparent  when  we  find  that  it  is  a  cy- 
pher for  the  letters  of  the  name*  of  Nero.  The  early  Christians 
imagined  that  Qod  had  already  revealed  the  doctrine  of  the  Cross  to 
Abraham  in  thejiumber  of  iii&  servants— 318:  for  18  is  written  in 
Greek  .letters,  /ia^— the  symltol  Of  the  word  Jesus,  and  800  is  thi» 
letter  t^  whitih  ihcons  the  Cross  t    With  ihe  saniiie  liking  forx^si^v 


lap 


THS  IiIFE  OP  CffillBTv 


801  was  used  as  the  symbol  for  Clirist,  because  the  Greek  word  for 
dove  {Teepidrspd)  makes  that  cypl^r,  aod  so  do  the  letters  Alph^and 
Omqsa^ 

This  love  ol  the  mistical  prSiriifleaJ  3ii  all  Babbinic^  teaching. 

Thus  ^^"^  '>'»>'•—•>*  'v^  «u»  tf^i_»««l^«  ^^A  v_»i.:^i*^    .;«^:^~  ^^  41.^  ftn. J^i 


I  the  account, of  (he  pr^^n  wdJ:^(^(jera^^Mon  of  the  Wheel 

were  made  tbSwWBMOt  tit  ihe  wildest ' £ancle&    ''  Ten  things."  we 

rm  lMr'f^i«ef»iOi«flM  ii^tfae  twilifllit4ifillie)flisi'€4bl^^^ 

.fibjmMm^  e«K4hj(wKan^'»iid;  hU  com|iai|y)^  tti^^nrai:^  k)f 

t  ;|he  spring  <of JUirianiv  wliich  gave  the  tribee^ater  mt^^nd^e^); 

^  jUlMB  til9efliMI;'0l  JB«laalii'«»;9l>e  lus;  tl^,.miii|sifrwv  tln^  ttf^fl^iA  -  ib  the 

ia{ii$ijp«IMeis^  olAKoseft;  th^  fiOhi^nlr /<a  w^i)$:^^^^^  ct^l^a 

rocks);  4iiphabetical  characters;  tl^  characters!  o£itl£^>^tllilii  <|f  the 

.  IMWfti Mli^ iT§JU0i>9l  Atone  then^ vea^i '  $<ixn0 Bi^Hifi^  w  ttt  &ese 

;  rrr«m  mirU«i^ltbe^«ia»ii|ea  9l«  ]klpsei9^t#nj^i  t^.^Tfia^ik&i<mi$,  Mgl^'^ii 

r  ,Ai9|i0h  w^  Alif  taaohi^s  of  ibl[ii|tab|»%  ^  li  Jc^ho)^'  tbd^^e^  tn 

.j^htm^iff^^cf^Mi^ iirorejiot  w«i|tiiig  fii()eclM!df  v!iP«lt(rot^,!^1l'^^ 

^9tiM  ;f6e%iv^jth«()Tai|niul.  Jioer  nun^s  heve^aii^ilien^  l<)r,4i  Mbiei^ht, 

gave  a  h^man  int^st  to  these  teacbinfis,  or  tcuchccl  ,t))^  m^i^ft  %y 

tF^vi^  simple  fe^hag:    But,  as  a  rule,  f lie;  *  ^L4v;^  16  tbift<#udy 

i^Wildiorii^sa  «l  .w<^fa^  tatiffiog;  o^Th^sp^rof  ^  dge^^ii^  bn 
:i^il»|lid*  ftiiA  ¥9^lldilh«m  in  iateltoJit*^ 

@M9liJA:^M^!PbU4%¥4raiid^/^^  <fSildU^!((%  tile 

.^iny(^!Fisdaii».tia|idi as  tibAQaerpuisiiiiim^ni^ly p]<e$|«tHg^^4^^ 
rl^  Uer^mn  WhpUr  above  jtham^  and  iw;|t]»  hnnae^  on^^ 
lopoe^Qf  iiiMk  a^i)ed  thflm<j«t  Oieiii:;!!^  |i?orth3eMtte«i^  l^i^i^  ^o 
;i»i|e.0^H»^r^ii;|t  in/the  J^ 

jff  jtl^  «IMIPll  jMiifiWi  ffeti^us.  Iread^        It  JipB  been  sb^fetilmes  tti^ii- 
rmMiM.m<Kttim\y  (£9Uf»wMitbb;i«acbexAcfHHis^Ba!ti6^ 
dMbMtti^  HiM^l^oc:  toi4b^  l^h^risees  as  A i<!las8 :  *  but  eni^agh  Im^  bd6b 
«fi^  to  jshow  Utat stfa&  hitier> mat  Hiiei liepregei^Uves^f  M'^^t  Be 
slllQSli  li^lerljiiC^poied;  iiUMl  ;tbe  jdisit^nop^bet 
b^iQeiimf«^#i4ihAir!i9e8ppctive  i^^        of  iiiesancfit^  pf-me  utar- 


'<• 


•f'f.l'BW.d® 
*#iJ#all 

5g/be)»ni 

nawns,  aii< 
*«P^it:l«K 
mow  atiYHi 

•^#fe>nftaafj 

W^uNiseartt 

fQ^wJ5«ir;br ; 
^^4;bmHaiii. 

^ss^gethrod 

Nebtfchadiiee 
lejijjih  the  h 
y^dmg  it  to  ( 
Amos  and  Jo< 
tiJemastbe  W 
desolate  wUdei 

di;enof  Judah 
For  three  I 

cried  Amos,  " 
hedidpufB^jQ 

I  and  his  anger 

ll»utIwiU«end 


ord  f or 


ing. 

B  Wlieel 

^  iki  the 
Itbibese 

'tW^^dy 

^0 


It  < 


'm 


.^2'jiiiO^ 


.  .t^'Jip-vr 


<Tt«a'4eiitlir«(^H«K)d  MHvot^d  the  sif6r>g  Haiid  th<rt  itH^'  -.^ 

Ai^nmtm  ^^  rpprvmaia  Alike  tJiettatrttaslttid  Ijli^'likA %t 'me 
ai9tM>».! I  FttQiititAAm  baa ImMtir^  Wb<|^'^t 

Jn  t))d  tm»«iH&  il^thea*<lh!lpie,  i)Ust  before  Ite'dfedr^i^ivi^l^  W^ 


«»ng^beffn 


,r»i 


iiiii  «dign  taBct  tetvbd  th&  pttrtnsci^  in  prM(kii^Tc/i^Miif^ 
nations,  nnd  made  its  dissolution  easi^f  in  tlie  end;  and,  ^k'tl^  dtli^ 

mam  ttltHigty;  andlliqd  tKYtttiUftrcJr  teing  r^ifts  fortt  aiMmig"^ 
na^fmA^aa: ill » muse  Ili6«iit  tiitlM  eai'tli  abd^aisctlie^fotfe^tiff^ei^^ 

hr/I^itejcld^ig^of'tli^tnAtiob/it^^ 

qtmmvA.  m  Wllttoi  HdUato  &  m^ingtto 

Pf>i]|4>seari36ly  hfi)f6 raii^ Mjefbiiadi^inilnti^; 6tt^^1S6^ 

^f  oA;iiriJhaiiii>frtia  -Jtewiih  tiidltioiii  doibMred  th&  «tdi;f  ^  $ieii^ 
]^*'<iiddlftg  liiiti  ht^  Ifliili^^S^ 

p«ssf)ge  tliT0Ug)tU»,teirritor3^  ai^d  iuuientaiiedfofh^  i(  i^#  tftiks^mi^ 

imp^  #  lis  HMIfldiig^:   DaW  1^  OQifi|iievM7i9bkA/i$d  ll^^  l^^ 

ymtMip,  tiitiy  bad  fio^  iw>  dtiacai^'&ti4  nKNMTvi^^  , 

^Tlf^^a)l\lofn«id  the-  qiuiM^to^  itiUi^  fifid  c^n«mei^'<^^^^ 
NebvtehadneEtor,  and  liad  rejoiced  bimt  tb'(»  4liedbti<}tion  #f  ilei^i^^ 
lem^ih  llie  hcipe  of  gfitlitiff  possession  of  its  riclier  teiritoty,  an(^ 
adding  it  to  their.  ow"n  wild  mountain  knd,  Tlie  prppiietfe,  froirr 
Amos  and  Joel,  iii  th©  nltith  century  before  Christ,  had  denounced 
them  as  the  Wtterest  enemies  of  tho  theocracy.  "  Edotn  shall  be  ft 
desolate  wildei^ness,"  cried  Joel,  "for  their  violence  against  th6  chil- 
dren of  Judah,  becauad  they  have  slied  inbocent  bloOd  in  the  land." 
"For  three  tranaurressions  of  Edom,  c*  for  four/saith  Jehovah/^ 
cried  Amos,  "I  Will  not  turn  away  the  punishment  tfierebf,  becaiisa' 
he  did  purstie  his  brother  ^Vlth  tl^e  sword,  and  did  cast  off  all  pity, , 
and  his  anger  did  tear  perpetually,  and  he  kept  his  wrath  forever. 
9at  I  will«end  a  Are  upon  T^mazi,  wiuch  shall  devour  the  palaces  of 


m 


THE  UFB  OF  CHRIST. 


UfB^ 


v^.  , 


Ikysifilll.  Otiii/^EUdi,  a^r  the  destraqtion  of  Jerusalem  bj  Nebw^iad. 
Dc^a^,  tftMuated  tUem  ^itU  havinflr  beeii  among  the  enei^ea  of  miel, 
Ui.  ^he  day  when  atrangeM  cmriea  ivrAy  captive  the  force  of  the  land, 


and  ioreigners  enttored  i^  f»^9  ffo^  cttrtrh^s  pn  J^rosatem,  and  with 
hiiying  refoiced  bVer  the  ^hildi^n  qt  Jiidah  ip  the  day  6f  their  dc- 
fliruction.     JAMiifih  liiia'^l^is^klfetl^Vd^iikMc^  God 

t^e  %y^t9^  ms^Mi  c^g^.pmM 

ircumclsion.     The  deadly  r  hwm  ^^«ei^- 

. ,     ^W^  h  m-TWkmA  call  P>P|ig?  ^^^;^.a  :tjw 
01  ^  iiwihe  to  w0O[,.^ai4  '^hcn  hofna  ep^i^  f|roD|^  ita  jMaa-ukie 

^esinaKd  peace  ^ijth  lambs,  that  they  shsifl.  not  d^dur-liftJii 

*    '     '    to|rh[6^t,aBd 

ihe  ioiko^^d 

.  ^  ^  ^   .  ^>'Wtttt  .Hiee;,*tid%hWi  Uhe 

5l^y?4eAQ^,^,>^^  !^j?m^  P  )j,  :^  ^f.; fay 

fed;  9^^  'Wwl    h!9  death  was  ^  re^j^alfpf  ipi  nationftl 

]^|}^p^  bP%be3^nd^^w^         The  h^:<4M)^ 

,,MjB  ab^^  ppovie  tli^  last  of  ||it<v>«!e  qA 

'^j^&f^  '^)t^E^ j'4  i^  st^  waa.e^  tb 


•Si 

9% 
wvfi 


|(atpir;  ^l^iif  ^tedjliis  broi^rs  as  rivals,  had  caused  He^oCjbo  chaDgc 


J  id  jji^t^n  ipiid  ]t(i'ihe  ri^^  family  but  the  breaking  up 

of 'it)j^.|^ng(^f|^  wjtiu)a  i£M  eife^te.-  His 


M^^^^^T^^^J^^^^V"^  ^e Jordan  iK^re  left  jto  !Hiaip>  the  smi 
01  rafcqp^trqi,  4fW¥^eii  of  J^yii^je^  T^hwn  H<?TOd  had  mamed'f'Or 
1.*.-  '^'viiM^"  Galilee,  Wfh'  Pci-ea,  iie  Icit  to  his  soq  iUitinasv'  and 


m^ 


i,  and  Samaria, 


H<^rod  had  mamed'  for  { 
>  his  soQ  itnt^vas^'  and 
the  title  of  klpg,  to  ijic^elau^ 


i^i 


^8 


fi 


% 


succe^siQ^^on 


eland, 
1  with 
lelr  de- 
t)f  God 

^'Vfoi  do 
;<)ltf}^^d 

r.   ,j.^.v '■•;■•' 

t)Te  w&i^  <^ 

k!»<B«eoiSL 

^  <>f  Anti- 
'jbo  ipltangQ 

•e^.    His 

ip.  the  soa 

STied'for 

ijK^elaui^ ' 


THE  UF£  OF  CBBIS^^ 


'  jf 


Mi 


M 


m 


redtj 


•Sgiif^ 


ie. 


m 


mi: 

a 


dre4?fj^lM.0W  WTO  ird|®5l^  #^  Vim^ 

^jt^tf^'^  ^       -■  -    -  —        -  -      -- 

bmv^iy.    Five^nuharcd  slavQs  and  freedmcjtt,  ,9tj,^;,C9|in  0^ 


id:  scarcely,  hcjid;  J^§  co^E^sg  r^acned  toe .  w9t 


'1 


T^^hW^   ,)F'CHRI8T. 

for  fillgll^niqgpf  t)iQtAxes»,an<}  otUQrs  ior  the  Uberatioii  of  tlioup  li 
ptma  on  i^cou^Vof  tbelate  religioma  iiimirr^ctlo«.  All  tii/i  hq  roiidlly 
piomiseil^.  ftnd  r^l^fa^  to  the  pal«0Q.  TownHit^  iovei^lnir.  .jpiowaVfar, 
qrbwds  g^Btfikdr^^t  the  mtes,  and  bcigan  lam«niidgi  the  iMibplrapil  Ihe 
youii|^iiien,>ittotleatA  Ijy  He^od  for  ousting  do!«Y^  tho  iolden  «ii|Io 
om ttie^'lJ^nqpile,, %t|ie  late ^umuH«  and  deiQamdiiig  thatlbo  ofllollh 
wlib  had  eieoiited  Herod's  commaiids  should  be  punish^ ;:;ip1aTnouv< 

"htm  ^.4m^^^^  Joww,  of  tij«  iM>tig«i  otBowkofj, 

wnpm  iiOTOd,J^potapljr^^  Into  the  f4knlly,  hncl 

hpjMittVBd  ^iW  l?^#*^  W  plaoo<  olHftttatWftii^  a  frteod  Of  the  m- 
tionai  cause.  M6iQ  dangerous  still/ they  aemanded  that  t^rclt^v^ 
ithpuj^.fit  once  jfia^  jafO&Q^tt^i  J^nw*,  apd  djjlye  them  out  iof  I!;-) 
country.     Ji^  utj(n(>|t .  !^port$  to  ap^pease  tl^  ^iwjro  vr.ln.  ,  3EacU 

, ^^»   .        .         .AoWHtittH 

,,.,,,,  _,rto,$n4tJ?i3i»e^^^W^^^^  Irtlwftf  cpxiitcUcrl, 

lij^toutiy,  to.^se,  ,  4  hlpody  street  t)^tj»e,  foUowcdi,'  la  VUl^'i 

ete  Slam,  and  the  Passover  guests iwere  dmt  out  tu.  the  oHv, 

i^d^i^,^ li^^wjthgut h^^  klM^ toikj3Cp  tjjei leasts.  Tl.o 

-fi9ge&t,lu']iis 
QthOr  wewt  trs 

T-^^.  r      .    ^^.^  ^,  -  ^ ^    -  ..^r«.— •'J*i'''^lalwflLbUtln 

,  _^  ,[>/opiK)fe  )i!i9,^orthe  lamihf  hftted  Wiu  m  tt©  son  Of  a  Samarl. 

ii,.i^,,l&y^^'m<Hr^^  Berod,.  4AtiF)»s.  a)i^,  siaWed  for 

le. .  1^  pl#a  fliis  0^  plaimsr  to  ^10  |tiugdo»y  ou  the  :ltret<j}«h^of  a 

ie^pil.(iud,.as  ilie?il49r,  T^as  se^tfy  $upportea  iti  hie  (ehtenDriso, 

toed  t^fBBCbery,  qv^h  by  tboso  who  eiscorted  A)X;helau&'/  1  -;  . 
ieiaimljf!  wouldf  have.  Imed  wa  oligMchy.  iu.  'Which  all  could 
e|i^  ton^aiiy  l^iugj  buf  pfpfprred  a  ^E^au  goy«)fhor  to  eitbcr 
_  _,efaus bf  Autlj#;  but  if  onp  of  the$e  tT^omustba  cbowin,  thoy 
,  i^liji^  M^j^s  m^  ^brother,  TSFJioiu  they  all  hated.,  At 

KCfi^e  ^^b^  twd  dajiioants  oaiiya^sed/Cfitgerly  among  the  .^oato^s,  in 
l^yoU^fpf-MrJ^y*!  callage,  a^  unfeemly  dla- 

p^&  $t^U^Me„a  dOTitiltatf^p^n.of #ftyjJ<ewB A)?jiyed  Irpm  ^Jerusalem 
tdpr^Jtcst^^iiijIfiit.i^J^cMau^^  to  ask.  the  Iticor- 

^^E^tioin  of  4^u(i«i^  witb^^yri^  as  fart  of  fiR<m$ii  prpylb^^/under  a 
Kovi«n.goyernor,  iuth)^  iq^a.t^^ 

submissioK  /^nd  tHb\i%.  aftd  jqaye' tlm .ng,tloh  inaepcttdeni  i^'its  re- 
ligious affairs,    7^be  embass^  ^rth  great  entJ^Tisiasm 


fey[t)tie  Jew^  of  Rb^i^,  ei|iijt  ibpusaud  of  :?^^^  tbemito  the 

Te>ijpj€  of  Atooiio,  Jwfere- Augustus  gaye^h^  audleUce;  A}\  possible 
rMVg^d^tuasjtHerod^  though  noVu^ad^iiv^re  detail  at  IJE^gtht-liis 
iviiblemiB  pVoscriptlphs  ^.nd  oonfiscadoUSj  bis  adorning  fpTtiiin  cities, 
|i^d,pi^g1ieictipig  Ibose  bfhis  own  kiugdbiu;  bis  excessiye  taxation;  and 
^U<$  iRQre,;  th(?  p0titionors  lidding  i  that  l^ey  h^d  bbped  for  .milder 
j(ref^|iiiQnt  fr(]!£i^:.^<^belaus.  but  bad  b$^d  to  lament  9,000  of  tb^cbun- 


rencllly 
wttVbr, 

nflii|lo 

lamouv- 

thonr- 
t  Of  iv-^ 

mtiutd. 
fiitcUcr\ 

Al.  but  in 
aBamnrl- 
;dWed  for 
tigWot  a 

ftll  could 
ftoei^cr 
>Mn»  thpy 
at«d«,  At 
oatic^s,  In 
eemlydiij- 
lefQBalcm 
the  iucor- 
>./Uuder  a 
fe  their 

iu'  its  re- 
Qt^Tifiiaeni 
emito  the 
}\  poisiblo 
ingthv-Ws 
)i^  cities, 

ation;  and 
]6r  iniWcr 

Itocoun* 


'VlW  tIPB  or  CHW8T.  'itW 

tnrmen  «l»iii  hj  him  'kt  th«  Tomcftci,  at  hiA  very'totmoce  oji  pdykr. 
The  pdottte.  (hey  Mid;  wilted  otiiy  one  thliik  delt^MtUie  mhi  the 
Heroda,  And  anuexattoii  to  Syil*.  .  The  t<rlibl«  ^^  of  tM9  tiuffltoc3 
1^01,  enld^k  widely  mportad  iii  Jud0a,  and  Mtmkbed'  imUtt  Hi^vl^on 
the  naiianaT  memory,  MMctaHV  the  lact  thit 'AM;lieliiuri:Mddlhg  tbo 
laet  tou^  (0  the  tatrntllatlon  id  which  tioUi  hr^mg^  l&d  itboped. 
threw  himeelf  flit  CeMi^i  fbet  tdlmpl0t«htetiiy(]lar:  mdfJm^Ouir, 
Jteue^heeded  to  ua^  no  oftmea,  hi  Hto  riaf^le  o^  t^  Jwtu^^ 
Whom  H^  tti^ahV  when  He  apoke  of  a  Ittiif,  ^ythandt  ii^m  hie  p^plo 
claihot^  tef 6re  A  fok«lga  thirope-^"  We  wufiiot'  haire  OdaMiit^to 


6,000,  healdes  leNJirela  olgtild  ahd  silver  ahdvetv  dcAtiiy.ita^ents, 
t6  J^m,  hia  wif(»;ig«Baiiria|aed^the  aU^ptthht  froM^hUte^  aud  ap- 
pditttod  him  ethiiai«h  <^  the  po^  of  the  kingdom  left  hihil»y  »^6d; 
tfromifeihr  to  make  hiih  hl&  hei^Mtey,  if^e  weni'lbuud  Worthy. 
Idum;^/ Jud^  and  San^aria^  wi(h  the'  t^tat  cMedJ^rxisattck,  .Sauia- 
ria,  CflB^area,  and  Joppi,  Werd  alelllned  lilib|  but  jGNii^;Q 
Hlppba.  4I»  Q^k  clttSi^  Were  tttediiS^^ 

Hia  revenue  #a6  the  kurgeat,  tor  It  hiii6UjQted:i;6  6p0  Ments,  ,of ^i|^t 
£lAO,00a  Antiuaa  had  only-  a  «hlrd  part  as  muet|;  &nd  Phmp  dnl^  a 
aixth.  Tbd  In^monfe  auih  of.  tdc^}  mt  hiiu  by  H^Vod,  Caesai^  re- 
taHoAd  to  the'  aotti,  r^rving  6niy  si  few  codtly  tree^l^/as  mementoiBat. 
1/f  bile  theeei  strauge'  a^no^  were  eh^t|6g  at  ^om^»  thlbgs '  Were. . 
«)i{vgon*t^ry  badly  in  Paleafine.  Aas^n^^  Al^beiaiisb^a^iaUeil 
.  the  whole  nation  wtti  ih  Up;roalr.  The'  mUsaacbi  at  hid  accc^iSibii  had 
been  like  a. spark  in  lexptoslve  hir^  aifd  tho  flame  of  revble  burst  out 
aitoncb.  '  The  moment^  aoi)m'6d  h'lispicioUs  for  the^t^-bi^tKiln  of  t!!ie 
theoorapy,  with  God  for  tlie  only  king,  as  in  6iiriy  da^  Tlie'rlcli, 
tod  aU^  Ua  had  m)  higher  Wi^  tlmU  the  niateriol  advax^a^il  pf 
trade  aUdcQmntoroe,  which  i^  \VoUld  bring,  desired  gdy^ruiuqnt  bv  a 
Roihan  procurator.  Thoy  r^ga^rdeid  reliiioui  gote^meut.  la#,  and 
c6nstltUtion,wlth-  <}qual  Ihdll^rdUde,  setting  their  per^na!  casb  tfliid 
gain  before  aUyihlng  dsb.  But  for  generatioils,  tli^rebad  been  a 
grbwlukjiarty  in  the  land,  whose  ideas  and  aims  Wete  very  di£tcre||t. 
Fi'dni  &a'8  time,  the  dre&m  of  a  rbMored  theoeracy  had  be6U  cher- 


of  -the  rights  Of  Jehovah,  against  whom  ^atnUel,  tho  gtcat  prbplidt, 
had,  in  m$  name,  protested.  The  heathen  c^outd  no  more  be.  tolei^tod 
noW  <;han  the  Canaimltos  of  o]d,wliom  Qod  had  coniinhniled  th6!r 
fathora  'to  dHve  out.  Tl\e  lAhcl  Avak  to  be  sacred  to  JeTibvM  and  His 
people,  unoev  a  hiffli  priesthbod  oi\ly,  to  tho  exoliisidn  of  all  f6re& 
brkinglf  i'ultif. '  Tno  imposslbiirty  (tf  rtstoriiigMcli  a'efafooH^^ 


i 


m 


_  tow* 


many  ceBturies,  may  have  been  felt,  but  waa 

"-^^i^biiito^^ded;  1<i  the^Ubiy  9ookf.  and  that 

I|ad'1mui1ki«ii'^  m^  l^eritail  dbnitiia- 

tHiBj^mmi  i/iq|ude'tlie  sal^ty  of  thdlr 
[  Gif0^  sttplraiacy;iii'  fu  tttm;  tM»atto 

thcbc^Kiy;  Tht^r  cdtttwu«id  iKithfw^tb^ 

pdt^  f^tty/ita  Ibpff  as  it  mai^tilolsd  mb  mii  pHesthobd  <»  ttur 
'  hTp^d^ty  drt&eltdto;  bat  ihVy  Md  t£k^  upiAtia  odiy  to  defcmd 
■the  faitb 


(  OT  f|''pbltitcal  poAvci'tdiilifctt^ey  at^6h«d'|tti^y^ 

'^^-^  had  been'  \fclttt!jKji  ddsert^d.  aud  cftad'tothor  ttflty 

folWdri^  fliid  mi  Urbth^/M6^eti<k^eed^  AhA,  liad 

iai«thn|^tit  bt  thctr  ad]ici^h!t9;  fo  tb'6  JTOklitt  iaid  ^d  beds 

"of  thb  Ayilefe  of  GUead.    TKo'lprirtf  t>6acl6  'vplfiebr  pT«- 

1 0f  Jphti  ^yWsbntis/aftoi'iia  tv|&«  weft  0idbd^  wis 

labftla  ^Q  thQ  CTeafcibh  9ftW  fbttious  •'ltedgiB"^ro 

itdi  V^^i^  fbr^  ev<ir  tliei  itetil^oiiat  tfpost^  m^  d^o«^y  which 


Wdttew,  jtliicy  stctod.  tis  mueti  as  't)6$teibl6,  doof!  '^q  Jew  i»  demo 
ci^iitlc  by  tidttire,  and  feebte  c^ttatity,  't?!iethet«  tinder  a  fbr^igli  oirkativo 
gqrvcifnificni  '*'  Thcj  lioly  Acitidtir' *^  Itfe  kiiijAm'  of  {jrilwter''  r^cog- 
nitbd  nd  ot^idr  d!^tlxi(itlon  thtlii  tliat' of  ^^cmr piety  und  ^todwliedgo 
cH  tritj  LaW;  %hlbli  are  biily  p^i'son'al  vlrtucis,  and  cannot  bo  tranlsxpittea. 
the  .^Lsmonipari  family,  pncq  on  the  thronei,  Idrifiaiuch  of  thie  popular 
ieytetJathy,  aniti  the  .j^rfbstly  *aTi3^ocratty  whicb  formed 'the  court  ..be- 
Catt;^^ 0l3jGct^  of  avctsibii;-  FrOitt  the msf  ycsstrs of  Johcn  Hyrcani^  to 
the  death  of  Jarinapuls;  the  KabbfiS/ living  hi  t^tirenient/fittrac^^^  to 
tlicih»61V(ds  inore  hiid  irioi'O  the  titaV  fyrcq  of  the  nation; Mind  during 
t!i6  ninei  mir^iy  years  of  royal  patronage,  utidcr  Alexandra,  instead  or 
tusying  themselves  inhoapihg  up  Wealth' and  incteaahig.  their  power^ 


usmhof  th 
Iiaa.iteffowi 
kiiep  soUi 
uolbiiurtoi 
spr^iiBimw 
AiistQlmiig^ 
l>odi9sIbbh 
the  Aye  Mm 
meaniwgofi 

scopdentiillst 
Bmiev/esifl 
wiMAnul^ 
stiffimessa^ 
aiiid  there  api 
outside,  men 
similar  the? 
edge  neJUier  ] 
ready»hijMie4 
tetotedly,  and 
tried  to  cruista 
came^  t»  .^onc 
mow,*^ttioii 
oioii%,/  In  thi 
priweij  hai^i 
nO)po|i(ica1,a4 
themselvea  to 
Augustan  age 
kindle  jthe  zea 
toOiOlfeGitivc^ 
oT^p^somehft 
Itis  iUsmiMtioi 
OQd.H)/riifi  so 
been  father  pi 
but  noble  inti 
Th«  foremost  1 
wliom/Htajpd, 
His  sefB  J^uda^l 
of  uationalJil 
Qumtilius ' 
in  Uermaujf- 
aeconatiof  t| 
some  executio, 
Antioch,  leavi| 
legionj;  insteaf 
been  thought 


THB  USB  OF^OHBIST.- 


t87 


• 

tki^Uibouftd  to  fouiyd  •  lojgal  aysten^  wbicU  sl^ould  a^ure  ^o  tri- 
uomk  pi  tlieiri  ideas.'  Di«mt«r««tedne(|8  is  aliyisya  aittmcUvc,  cucl  U 
baa ;  lt»  ffeward  Jo  Qrea^iiig,> .  j^atumd,  ii^voitop,  to  ^e  tiabbb,  wliich 
kiiew  ttoiMta  'rLoy^-^r^Af^PJ^PW^  jEroiv  poUtkfl^iuid  bciva 
nolbiiuri ^ do  w^tli ot^cfw  1  4mi«  the ^nfupmol;  ^hepioiAh,,  t^io succccr 
sortoft  ^inieoii  Be^i  ^cbe^cb. ,  .T^e  A^Kfi^  J^tweot|  Hmanjui  acd 
Ari8tQliiUg#bmi  no^i^jte^^VW  t^lVriaeea. '  ,^  ^jj^alipiia*  tfrhlch  en;- 
bodies  Babbioiful  fe€4iog(  .ip^yer  in^ptioijs.eveA,  -jQie  names  Ot  fmy  of 
the  five. Maocab^qsrrnot  mn,  t^  of  JijidiMi>,-riu;i4  tbb  spelling  luid 
ineaning  of  tlif  VfPl4  Maooa^o  ivf  rp.MBli|^  ucki^o.wn  U>  Its  idc^mpllera., 
TiH)  Ikifltoryf  of  tb^  nystipn  was  utt;ef ly,  igii^)i^  by  tbeso  qf:emy  tnui^ , 
sceAdei)tailw%  ii^o  rpeoffoisbc^  no  caHU^.poS»^ 
iiBim,ey/eA  aiPiontf  the  Habbis,  uid  UVji  QuncU^  ll9fiP%,  ^^^^ 

WAS  »n  ultn  pairili¥  of  ^Ifrecon^liipJp^r ,  |;?]o»  |fiofli;8V  oyeu  jRkbmnic^ 
sUmmsss  Mid' M<;t)!Ml^  wof^  npt,,st(erm)  a^4  /J^ji^^cpouffli  ifor  some, 
aiid  there  appenredi  at  times  witoin{  M^^  9^c1ib  of  giq  ^bbM.,a|  others, 
outside,  nen^pf  eiUremovicm  >vna;^quldi  tplcrate  no  comprom^es 
siM^  as  the  Fbarisees  w&tm  ;^imafL  to  <^^ept. .  They  wquU  acknowl- 

tentojly,  and  tluiir  vpl^  ro^  kniiScvc  ja^e^^Ts^^  7^^       ^bo 


siM^  as  the  Pharisees  wwm  ;^ma£L  to  <^^ept. .  They  would  acknowl- 
edge neiUiorpiunQe  uor,]unffrf«^rjes^aoy!io|:mgn]^p^  At^ 
ready^  Ui  iUie  day9  of  Jobn  Hjyrca?^»%;  ^h^^  |vipia  be^i^x  t^j  ton,tter  dis^oa- 


tried  to  cwsk^itheai  hy  the  fler^e^t  .perseci^tlbn.|  But,  iil{en  "Pompey 
camek)  oe  >oonqneror».  and  >  arbiter  j^C ,  the  n^onal  >  aestlny.  'they  once 
moie,  by;. their; .ea^naest  pfotest^,  iib9wed  t^at  theif  pf^rty  was  still  vig- 
oKoim^i  Itt.  the  oivM  ww».  ^^ny, of  them  fp)igbt  lor,  the  Aj^|n9heftn 
pri«eeSf}  but^nndier^Herodithey '\if,9J:e<6Q  mercMjosslyheid  down,  t^at 
nojpolitieal.aotiqn  on^ir  parjt..ii^a%po^ibie,  i^  to  devote 

tbi^selves!  t04:the<eagertstudy  of.  the  L^w,  which  jmofi  jhis  rdgn  the 
Angnstaii  age  of  BiibpinJbim^ .  B^i  ip  their,  8pijiq9l&  they  90uld  at,  l^^t 
kindle  jthe  sseal  of  the  rising  youth,,  and  this  some  of .  them  did  only 
too, 00eGjtiyei|y;  i ,  £«en ,.  in  ,thie  sternest .  tos  p|  Herpd,**  reign,  moro- 
oT»p« some  hciid not  heei^  waptiag.  jto  main^alA  n  ^irce  protest, ag^hs^ 
lits  ittsmtMtioiir  of  tliB  th^o^,  ,^iyn]|C 

(kA.vftt»  axH»lled,robbeni  onislpiieq.  by,I^m<at  ^rhel^  seem  to  pave 
been  fathei^  patriotic  bands,,  wrongs  it  may  ,bie,  in  the  means  pursued^ 
but  noble  inlheij:  aimSk  who  sojught  ipicarry  put^tbe  theocratic  dream. 
The  £oremoBt:4eader  0f  >these  terce  ^^lots  ^ad  bfiein' thiat  Hezekiah 
wbou  Hf»ix>d.  with  iipMich  difflcnlty.,  bad , pecuved  and  <put  to  de^. 
IjUs  scttk  Jiuda9.j  jthe.QaUV^an,  was.  now„,in.^i^  ^jiWf^f.tp  i^lae  the  standt^rd 
of  tiational  Jibibrty  and  institutions    ,  ;  ,^*/)fuVf'bi  ,     . 

Qutntilius  'VJiruSk  the  .future  victim,  with  hi^  legions,  pf  Arminiua, 
in  Gennan5!-*:now  governor  of  Sjnria-rhad  come  tp  'Jorusalcm,  on 
accounti  of  the  distuTbanoes  at  the  accession  oif  Archptai^^^  After 


tit  TOB^MPB^oF*^B^tI»ri 

6  hfe  own  use.    BtmaeJ"  1WI«^ill¥>efeo 


^Wch  h«  at  Qtic0  topi%Tljitctt  to  1 

•wm^^j^^^m^  i!)fi'c%.  PM^g  tiiiitt^s 

4(>wi(:ii  atdSM  gi  missiles  on  tMie  lldziliH]r  «t^ld4eiH^  i^tifti  C^>d%^ 

j)ld  thiii  16BVe»ed  fM0itt:We^^ 
the  li^ti^liiiitK  '^  'Wdm&  tMiiii^lvei  'bt  pttttdeH^  4ta  ^^lAems, 

•w^jw  m  t)ui]f^^';^^ft;^ilat  kit  m' vtmp^  empt^t\]^'\kLm^mm^i' 

__„ ^      ^      V       «  ,         S.WOt)! 

theih  kot  i»get|ret  'in  'MiJinea;  jiba' fiitigfifc  Wdtiflir'^lndt^  «ie  li^w 

tl^em;  mtSLmtetai^  iii  the  Idrtfyssea/WhiM  tWy  IfeM^he  bpi^tf  atm- 
try.  ^Acrd^  ^e  Jdrdair,  M  Fgitei;  ^rife  girtto^,  -wM  h«tf ^t)«|feii  ft^afve 

^        ■ "   ^"    ■  ^""  ^-thi^"'   ~  -^ "'     ■  " 


terod,  piit  hitois^lf  Iftt  th*  li«aa  6fu  mmhhm,^'m(^^Mib>w\mgt:d 
1rM  as  king,  arid  dbiAtl^  hoped,  ^  ftfe  ^ei^H&,'lo  di^iv^  «feelt  ecWto- 
try,  and  restore  its  religlfttts  frsedbjiii '  B^&Miat  thetoSeiveS  l<)>  the 
4^1e  between  Jenifeal^  afid  Jert^Jio,  they  bufsfed'  Bfef od's  pftltoe  at 
;the  litttef  dity^  and  ckrried  flame  and  6Wd«l'^lo  th<^  homeis  M  Allhvho 
did  not  r^vovu*  theni.    A  c6fps  of  /Ratodti  jtoldieffr,  sent  dtit  ftgairist 


Bimpa,  soon,  how-ev^t,  Bettered  ft&^fdioweHj'Atid  lii^^hii^seif  w^ 

\    Fnyther  noil|h.  Att»it)itge»,  ai  ^ilphei^  dl  tl^  #i1d  piistiireA  beyoAd 
ttie  ^6rdaii;  put  biiiisdlf  Atilielicad^yf  ffi^^  poi^tflar  ^i|[ciK»i^«eftt.    He 


f^eree'gueri 
-ABd  waaab 
<feepe<^I^. 

iBut^.tihe  , 


Judas,  bi«>s 


to^.bajdb< 

jwdil?  Ufggi 
Mm  mgvefki 

|>iP99an(||,  fi] 
fnfiowJoni^.. 

'»(W«-iO(ii  no- 

«e(mi?ed  of>l 
f «rwtua^.  that 

Vouaed  at  i?$c 
gWM»gr  diilsk 

IliVQukJliaYf 
^0  liated  Je' 
^^^us  pitehh 
auxlikiae»fi( 

soldlets^bad 
found  deaert 
«uIt^'4£biU;  j 
ne^glibpurl 
4MpesB«d|i. 

simulfttionv 
Iroubtegou 


TW&^tFM  OW  pfiWfBff, 


^m 


rih»'9k  mak^  of  ffce$lt  B\f^  imd  stcBAG^h^  aad  mi%h  four  brotlfert,  all, 
:||ll#ii4m^  €^  Ii(»lt^'«t4tiire»  fitroNpe  ^lis-bwa  iplld  vrtty  to  av«tige  bis 
^mo^.  ^n^tifsg  ft^  vast  multitude  4>t^  followers,  h»  lUffik  lip  t, 
r^^ee  guerilla* wtlrp^l^^ifi8t' the; ttoeiM  to  inil  1^  do^, 

•aiid  was  abU  Xo^keep  the  field  for  yeaioit  so  ^well  wae  hi^  iEraqp^xNrted  l^y 
j^.people.  ■,:'.',•''■  <  -•  v-f.'.vf,.  ^X  *'-^"'-» '' 

:•}  3ut7 , t^  no9tr atoraUAg  i^siirfoo^n  biroke  out  4&  CMUlee,  fbe  old 
]iead<|i|art6iyB  pfi^hB^aealots,  under  ,fie2emali|itt4&&  Usli  l^Beratloii. 
JiUdas,  hisfsoni  Inom^pR  the  otbisr  side  ot  t^  J(»rdatt,>I^Ut  fetiowh  as 
s&mQaiii\mm\  luidgravni  to manbood  fmi pi  iShe  ^trit oC his failier. 
'  ^11(9  va»liie^le#ty;  ideals  O^i^estoriBg  therlaadr  ta  CtodC^I^ 
]||ii^,vb{|d  bei^iii^Uiedceaiai  <>f  h^  tife^  S^'liit^  seemed  to  intvoiu: 
^ iHsiivg  foir«i.',Gk)dniBd  ^be  hsm^ '^  esrhis  fa^ier^iaad  theHeroes of  life 
natiOQ,  Mi^  do^  lii.tlie  (xnit/  thelMRs^^e >trae4[i;B«rted<^ 
wm^j^  to.%l|it,at  ftbs  cry  that  the  Law  was  In  daiw^^  raliyd  rouiid 
Mm  aiv  gpealiijiuniberSf  lantd  lait,  tjbek  head'he^^utuvra  oii^sin<entei|>^ 
rWbMi'ia#wlum^t|ie  here  of  the  ^ay^  in  ereiyiowu.aiicl;  village  of 
^landt  <^^plierisv  a  wallad  hill^y,  over  the  hiU>  f ixnn  1$faKaieth, 
^was^^  Qa|)M  of  ^^Oiidilee^  a^^  thia 

t|dc^!e^^  aittipglike  a  %kA,  aa  Its  aamo  hsBiSf  oti  lis  height  Judas 
^|0^%'f8lior||||»)aIlditB,eap^l^ie  his  haii4a  aima  «!  ^Ui  kinds' for 

Iheoeaudi,  and  alat^BumHofjinetwy*,  f  ^r  ;  1 
fifllpWlenjg^ -be  was  ahletoi  beep  the  field-la  net  l^own.  Th6i Bo- 
Diittaioiil  no  litae  in  taking  atepa  to  caxish  him  iwdi  tl^  l»^)ier;i^ 
fWan]|s^>aMd^K>i4he«alety  of  the  legion  h^  iiad  leftin  jreciiss^^^Hi^ 
^^[^eejiiithwafd  irom  A^^och  wi^ .  two  <nore  ligioips,  aiid  lour  regi- 
'0mUf  <xl  cav!ali^>.'in'ad(Utioa  tot  the  ausUiai^'loccea  4su];^ed(  ois  was 
fletmired  (^>J;fiein,'^.  the  local  j^acesiroundc  Aslte^pa«^  t^roi^h 
rJ^^y^us^N that  city  added  its  q!Upta^<^  1^6Q(^,ineat  and  Arotas^'  kingof 
ilia^ia^Pet]9eaj  sent- 1^  ar larger  oontingenttof  Jnegu^^^a  ^e  sl^pe 
:^Vlwild;pkrsb^u>iciiem0Bi^^  soldiers..   The  whele  f ^i^ce  rendos}* 

iKousied atFlQlemaie,. and.^roK this  |K>lQt  Yarusvsent^is son,  "Vi^^^  a 
stiieng  div^^n^in^o  Galilee^  while  he  hipnselff  marched,  by  wa^  of 
J^sdca^lon,  and  Samaria*  1^  JeruiHilenij.,  BaniarCa  hm  been Jbyal.  for 
jtiiV^puid  have  been  ther last  tidngita  citizens would^ have  dotie  to  join 
^e>  hated  «Few9 ,  in  a  war  for  their  l^w,. ,  and  waa  )ef t  untouched, 
^arus  pitehljag  bis  cainp  ata  yil]aga^call6dArii|s»  which,  the  Arab 
auxUia^ies  set  oa^  ^  as  they  left,  put  of  liatred  to  Herod.  As  they 
apiuipa^ed  «ferusalein,  liimnaus/iat  whi^^^^^  of  K^man 

•soldiers  had  been  attacked;  and  partly  massacred  by  Athronges,  was 
found  deserted^  and  was  bumod  to  the  ground,  in  revenge  for  the  in- 
sult'^hat  baid  been'  offeiied  to  the  arm;^  of  Eomc.  Beachbig  the 
neighbourhood  G^the  capital,  the  be^egiiig  force  of  the  Jews  at  once 
dispersedia&d  Varus  nMUKdied  ^  without  a  blow.  With  keen  disk 
simula^oni  Uie  Jmidalem  Jews  forthwith  laid  all  the  blame  of  the 
troubliQS.  on  the  Baseovep  ci?PWda,4Wscrting  that  they  had  been  as  much 
^etfiefled  a^lMmoikr^  Jileal^^l4)%-^^  ^  ceuniiry  ibr 


(W  THE  1 WF®  OJ  CHmST. 

fugitives,  1^,000  of  whom  i¥cref  erncUied .  olopg-  tlie  roadside*  near  Jch 

and'  Uie  JevoH  ir^ Jiidea  wa»;forlbe :  momeoA :  8uppi?ewed^,  ;@(^CH^ 
of  the  i0|i«ta9tm  of  Seitxlr  who;  >liad4  taken  parl^inrlherifiiig,  fQ4  bad 
beea dseiit  prisoiiei^Jito  Bionie,  .wei»^  f^  htftt, :y|Qtim« ifon the-tiioe^'  it j , , 

The  force  iihder  the  son  of  ¥arua  had  meaxkwmle^heeQ  huf^M^^ 
norths  '  Be^horis  was  roitaibaBiti'iLti^  iobahitqniid  rsokl  liSfiBia^'eii,^;  and  ihe 
toKt^  itself  burned  ito  :tbe^^igtuad,  'l»«kli  Judasi««p»pedifor  ihe  pree^ti 
Jo  b^n  a sUil  rnose  terrlbieiasiiiTeoticm  a^  ^    :;iu 

^(  FleacQ  wiA  tbusr  at  leixgtb^iicMQred^  laiid!  tbe.y.^i»4:giP«li3oes<eQtefed 
on  their  ixthevitittCesi  thBiikl3,>once  niore^  .to  Jioi&i^y  £iiklitbi^^]kmdr|Mjijd 
been  desolated:  tbetbrasft^ttt  of  >  ji^ ^youiib  Juid^  diedi oik ribie:  bn^tie^^ld: 
eities  a&d<;Til]»gesd^ii8iiKHitldQcittg'^/m  tiieir)iasbeft  f :  Samiaia  <al«¥ie 
profited  byithe  fttfiempted  levoliiMion^i  f or  not  oidy  di^  il  fiuJffer  D0br 
mgi  a  tbii^  6f  ats  ta^s  >wera';jcenuAtedi4mdibiiibonf  Jj^arr^afQ^w 
gKAxB^ioti  bailed  loivavda  ^thfi^ ' tiadlislk  [people"  iC^  f£befhe«>.:  rv  rr;  n 

The  senj^ual,  Jawless»  cruet  nature  of  A^^lai^Si  ,iV«itb^  |itS(  Tmttt;  igi 

wisest  iomntelklirs  iig«»iist(  jib^tlieiv!^  \li[littjl0  dd^^ 
bis^rei^it;  i*/flieAgenerai«Btimateiof' hdoK^wttS/IUat  b6^AS  mos^iii^^ 
father  of  aH  ^^bnttheteuii  iEle  jieturAodiiGrom  .I£ot»^  d!^i^»4ed<>i»/  ^ 
own  eyes  by  havhig  had  to  beg  hiAfl^iegdQiiii^n/bis.kiief^,^.!^ 
people; r^and't^l  Ms; jrfdat|<^a,iie^cept'jl^  |iistjaad}  boJMUisal^^F^biliPi 
haviiq^  >^ied  tdpifeyeijt  blssuoeese  witilli>4^Ugustua.  ^^id^  onif  l^^li^ 
was  rovengei!.  Mam  though  andoftui when; A;rd»QlaiH|tbeg«nib%jr^igii> 
must  haTe'oftcn<(beiard  JUL'  laterryear&iof  bi»ypmmy'it9}»m'i^u9S^'M* 

said,  Hie  ipalnta  >t^<  story^ utumistakably  in  the r.prabtei.oi  tk»\&^ 
man^^ho  went  Into  a  far  countny^  to  recei^OfajIiipgdoin;  vWboseitiiti- 
zens^liiikted  him^  ,aa^  sjEiEBiti^Qf tor  Jum,  /protesting,  tb^i  J  tbf^f jw<»ild  tiK)( 
have  hinL  to  reigu  ovjBT  Jiiiem.  Ibe  ^ci«esreK.e«gB(Of=>Archellirt»  cmM 
not  fuii^ta  rii$Q  in  tke^iiiiadstaf^ose  wb<»ibeardr  iikit^tparablet.bow 
iilie  loi^if  On  bi$:j»twT5^jcoowijuidediiis  .setya^^^  tOfb^^t^Ued,  and,r<^ 
w)urdodtho>faitMi^xJ9h)Q4'but(j»tli|^GgiitJie  doubtM  i^f  ^mfiryMmSh 
fmd  pufc(to)deathi1^oae''wiioiiad,plot|eid:a33W»al<J»ifn,!(i  .01  U.'  a  h: 
:Airehoiau3(»be^  bis  roignb^  aaeh  a  recb:dningn>yi!Ui  Usr  seryanlt^ 
and  onemicis.  TVYbea  bo<)(tooJK  p>asG&mnjQi  m^  jBma9^W,umw 
Josephus,  bC'  uskcd,  i  nloi'  tibe  Jews  ool^f,  but  the  Baii»aritan^,i ;  barbai^ 
Qusly.  In  JPer«^aJfim.i(be  deposed  <tiio  high  .priest -ofi  their Bofithqp 
family,  on  the  charge  of  babying. conspired  «gftinatibim,u  But  <thougU 
this mi^  liave  pleased  itlieiPbarisees  «nditiie;/people»  who  fcounte^ 
the  BoUtlios  high  priest  unclean^  ho  only  roused  their.  indigna^U  by 
fining  tiio  clrtcc  tvith  two  ot  biA  own  evebtures  iniisueeeseion.  Hip 
trcotoent  cf  liiB  p&oplo  gcnesa^iAvas l&ibai$ib^  tbaMewaji^ndBamarr 
itans  forgot  thdr  mutual  hatred  in -cifDrts  to  getibim  detbyonedin  His 
crowning  effojacpv  howeyer^i  was  imartyiag]!  ^apbyra,  ^  widow  of 

Us  bfAi'fcfO*Jb<fei'  A  lftyA«flww  .fci^  iwiihirtrw  «iIw»,1m>H  hftma-^ihJA/iiiPii^  ifiheiiMd 

\  :C:I    -X'l  :'J.C  ^/ ■  ■'''■.a,':!?Jir^)AriJV -C'.i:  /.''xiyj  ,■■!..  ,    ....   v.'....     /  cr!..U-;.;    .. 


«*ft!JE'6f  her 
Ti^  ^h&t  6ni 
with  her/iiiiiai 
J^hjtmma  mi 
b^  baughitiiK 
i*6i>od?fl  fiimii 
band's  deaUi^< 
ttisuiiers, 'had 
riW^ei  tfOW,  iu 
h««^.  lUDtis 

,  «*e  retttirti  to^t 

^m  mmet 

inmarryltfg^ 

ed,  andiuafe 

'^ILi^efiWrt  '^h 

fet»{ui*adeT$ta 
b#w*^wlgBoi 
l»e^onWsco 
tAe^prfaOe  Jbur 

ifly*^!afeeri^hibi| 
^fee'plilnf  groove 
of^is  telgtii^ 
^«featid-^ii 

'^The  hatred', 
hdditftri^«tii»i 

wit!*' time.    Tl 
fbrniueyearsi 
addth^rlicftjc 
tfito^eame  «o| 
sion  had,  for  1 
S^ftse,  lo  aecug 
i*rt|)erial  mtvfes 
Ai^helaus  Wsi»'i 
hedreaimedrtLy^ 
ealeni  by  Oxen, 
oneSlmoni  to 
andmferked  ^ 
easy.    Theei. 
littQt,  and  orde 
flame,  to  sift*!  at 
ftt  Rome.     Fiv( 
aodwlouudni 
sammoni  brpol 


■ramii; 


'-10  ivnsi  aiiT 


m- 


^([mcrb^ktdi'hev  Iblil^.i 'the  fii^tHl^r 'Herod  ahdA^  a^ic^  thc^ 
d«AtK'6f  hef 'seeond'hilsbMidt Kii^ Jtilm, of  Lib^ when ArchcKtus 
n^  iu»  6nh\s^9.fbtiiok  ft^tt  ItSme,tod  faHifig  viokatlyin  love 
with  h«r/4iia#ri«diher  rtftcrr  di>roi^ingW  wilcL'^^  ^Her former  ofkreerlQ' 
3MihmHmL  might  hk^imide  him  'h^t^te'lo  bridg  her  back  again,  for 
h#^  Iiaughtities^  k^n 'X>ngue^j^ahd  i^e^tied'eent«ifipt^fo(^  IBfUome/and 
Kdtbd'd  ^mily  ^nevally;  had  h^ieii  bvb  gteaM^ baiis^'of  k^t  first  hus^ 
band's  deaf^;*  white  h4&f  training  )herehi]^n,aii»  she  did,iln  h^then 
thanh^rs^'hadmadeherhatisfwto  thiBt>ecit}l£i.'  > 'He^  iniceBtuoua  m^^- 
ri«i^^,  mw,  itttolved  both  ^^r  and  Archelau6  iii  th«3  bittevcM'Uhpopu^ 
Mj^.  '  But  ^h  did  not  live  (lc^  to  trouble  any  6n^.  It  eeemed  as  il 
.  file  retnvn  tatlie  mxm  of  h^  early  manage  4ifs  had: wli^d  only  too 
-\4^d  rcii&dlleetie^  df:  li»^^  she 

darned  tl^h«  eame  t€»  hc^^'axitd  aemised  herol  her  ihfidblltf  to  him 
in  masrylti^  l^tdhelttua,  tod the'dneam  eo^affeetedherthM^ tl^^i^  . 
ed/iind  in^a  fevr  days  died.        >  M^^.^'■Kf/:•§^^j*•.i-;>.  vN..i-i-: .?.,., i^.,v.v^.iiw hi 

"^ILi^eiaits  had  n)>t  -the '  4B.ta&  i  taster  for '  heatheii  ar^hitbcfine  and 

giblie.^ameilEisi  his  father,  and,  pearhaps'tb  fats' own  hurt;  was  umbh 
s-anadep  at  public  flattery  ol*  tbe  Emperor  and  hisukinisteris,  aild 
he^  Was^  wise  ^  timid  entmgh  t(»  pifl'  hd  >heaitiiefi  tnr  objectiottat>!e  im» 
l^ss  bn  Ms  coins.'  Ait  J^ndtio  heir^tmil^  '^Hth  great  tnagnifloence) 
1Ae^tk^a«ie  humed  down  by  Bimon,  and  hefoiu&ded  at6wnon^^e 
iii%M;@tn  Mn-sl6pe8  of  the  Jdrdan  valley^  in  Samaria^  calling  it  ibdie^ 
lail^  aft^^hiihself^  and  ^fmbelHsIiing  i«  with  Me^  ciMiduitSi  to  water 
tlte^m*gt«ive8in:hi»  gardens,  fotit  beyond'  this  he  left  nomonumenta 
of^his  re^'.^  H^  tlnt«' and  heart  ^eiie  tbo  much  engrossed  with 
vi^e  atid  drnnft^nttess  to  leave  much  tinterest  for  anything  dae.  ' 
'^The  hatred '6f  the  people  and  of  Itoehr  leadets,  the  Phaicisees,  which 
hdd  l^riteb  liO'prei^nt  his  getting  the  thi-one  at  first;  grew  oofy  fiercer 
#lth>  time.  The  struggle  eonttoued,  with  true -Jewidi' pertinacity, 
fbr^  nine  years^  fanned  motie  dr  less  openly  by  the  ethnardrsrelationsi 
atidthMr  felons  at  court:  ^A«>  last/ in  the  beginning  of  the  yettr  6; 
t£^^  dame  td  aerisis.  Judea  and  Samada,  whomeommon'oppre^ 
sionhad,  for  the'  motnent;  made  friendly,  sent  a 'j<^int  embassy  to 
Rdme,  «o'a'ecU8e:the<tyratit«  before  hi»master,6fhavlng«ff routed  the 
iutperial  mt\^sty,  b^  not  observiug  the  moderation  commanded  him. 
Arehelaus  ws^»'thoroughly  alarmed.  Supeitititious,  litce  his  dead  wife, 
he  dreamed 'tbat  he  sawtt^  ears  <^f  wheat;  perfectly  ripe,  presently 
eateu  by  6xen,  and  at  once  taking  the  dream  as  an  oinen,  was  told  by 
one  Simonia.n  Essene,' that  the  ten  heads  ef  wheat  were  ten  years, 
and  marked  l^e  length  ^  of  his  reign.  Such  a  forecast'  was  only  too 
easy.  The  enabas^  to  Rome  had  done  its  work.  O^sar  was  indig- 
liant,  and  orderedfthe  agent  d'ArcAieHaus  at  Romei,  a  man  of  the  same 
name,  to  Siall  at  once  for  Palestine/ and  summon  hfe  master  to  appear 
at  Rome.  Five  daysAf  ter  the  dream  the  messenger  reached  Jerusalem, 
oed-loundA^TChelaitti'fdastiiig  with' his  friends.'  The  iiUperative 
summpni brpoked  uc^ dekiyv'and  the-vaBsalinstontly  ^  eut*f or  Italy, 


7  If  1 ' 


ilii 


I 


i 


tm 


imi^mmffmimmwm 


^*. 


brought  face  IQ  iaoe^'AQd  iAi«Mi»iui  Wfift  fle9teii«ed  4q^,perp9ti|i4! 

the  piacd^of  bis^aile  w«8rfiSBdi«l  ¥i<»i|pa^  i»  Q4mi  ^ji^wm  ofi  t))e 
I^ne^.  ailiUlebfiouth'OfUie  |ii€i4e]»iiiC^^9^[in  wbAV  loii^  i|{tenv^ar(^ 
boeaiM  the  /p]!i(x¥is6«afMX)af^ini9»  j;  mieo  he-li^^m  o^ioqiiTity  tUI 

happier  nuai  th^Q  in  th^  evM  ij^fi9m  ca  M9  gf^inf^iy  iim  mgn  WM 
thehe^iniiiiig  q£  tUe;6i)dioi  HeFOfl'^flu^^       hiS: 4QjP^ipi»9)  h^l^ii 
foi^with  iiu:Qi^aii9ted:  wltlii!%ri«,  a«$Nirt^(^c  tlititf  IU>m«&  fMroylneewi 
The  wis^  >pf  thei  Jews  WMatiik^t^  ctatified,  but  thegrtW^re  Boe^rlQr 
feel  haw  bit:teilj  tjliey- bad  dfeeiveiil  themselves  i^  sijtppomngittbiM; 
iocorporation  jwiti^  Bqiqe  meant  T)8)igio«;u9  tndepend^D^e.  1  Tb^  <m^i^ 
atJevipbOi  /md  itbe  palm '^oves  andl)uUcUiigfii0f  Ai!cheltf9,  i¥{erj»4b9^ 
oalgn  flae^oi;ui^0f  the  «tbiai:(di,  <)3%epi(^;tlie;bilterq$!«9i?ivi|tMlljpil  f^WWc 
heart ^y  his  cruelties  and  oppreSsionSi!     ''i:i/):nti^<^^)--h^my^-.'^i):i^iiiiyi}6fi. 
^^nii^  mantel.  iii}«pe^blyrgreaitor  119  vtx.  Mb  Ut^UeBioecO]^  te; 

na^on-rrHillei^  the  gentler  ^  ttie^godlyy  the;  Bobolar^  of  1  iEzraf^a^^^^iHil^r 
l^vie  passed  a«w^8yb%'thea9lac^Q^        of  escHenieftt/  at(^et:aiej;4t 49; 
said,  -of  180.  ■■ .  B/QVMimaon^i  itbe  DifpegreioB,  ia.  Baby l0Qirbe  /had  ^om^^ 
tQ^>> jeiTW^koia^  Ji(ffig^ yi^VA  ^)e£wnejito  attend  thet  dm@iit»  jK^oJsfii^^ 
AbtaUou  and  Sehivi^i^h,  whi^h. Herod's  prY>scriptioq()pi|roul4rbAye 
wQllfpig^  ei^»l^  ^!}»^  ma.n^  di^tf^j^mg  ;Babbi»i«mi  wilii* ,  Om^P, 
butifor,u(h0:  gieiuu^^^ ^bQ  ba4  been, trained  isii  i^ew  m^tiH' { iUready  11, 
Bian*ijed  ^ai)^> he  |i«4  ino/ ijacome  but  ib»  df^ly r  pittaiiiBj^^oli half, %. 
denarius  eai^iediW'Arligbjb  porterior  d|iy$]abQurer^  though/ rblih^n^j 
brother. was  agileal^lUbbbifliidipi^id^^    .of  t^  iCiQboj»^at<I^yioi(i' 
and  his  ot&er  was  growiug  to  beja  wealthy  mau  in  Jerusaleoi,,)  .Qut 
the  rich  oise  did  iiicMk  trouble  himfielf  abeutmiri»  jOcd  a^eted  to  de- 
spise him«  .and  ,tbe>  other,  tfaoxjigh^endnent,  was,,  y^ry  jikely, , himself 
poor*    Unable^  one  da^  to  ^pay  the  tirifltng  lee  loar.  entaance^.tp  the] 
doorkeeper  of  theeichom,  Hilleliwas  yet  deteiwined  tpi^^he  IfinowlT; 
edge  for  whic^. his  soul  Ibirated;  1  M  waavft  Sabbath  eve  >  Mi  winter 
axtd  the  classes  met*  on  the  Friday  ei^niDg^i  f^aiinuing  ;tbrQUg)i  ,tbe 
night,,  till ,  !the  Sabbath  ■mbmlng.)  ;  To<  catch ;  the  instruiQtioii .  ivtim 
whicli  he  was  shttt^oat^  HiUeliolimbedtintova  window  outefidOvandi^t 
thevfi  in  the  ccddi  foar  iit'ijKas  bitter  wea(ldier,:an!d«noW'Wa^  falling 
bea^y.     In^  the iinoniiiia^  jagmolhe   tradatioD^^lieiiii^lih  i^aid  to; 
Alitfoi^HL:  i*  Bitotfaer  AbtuioD^'  il  iajiau&Uy  Jight  in  •  opt  :tph<^Mby 
day;  It  must  be  cloudy  this  nioniing  to  be  so  dark."    As  he  spoke  he, 
lQoked..up,^aBd  sasrafoEincinf  the  window  ©utaide^-  it  WASnlttllcl, 
biuied  in  the  snow  aAd\almosttdead.i<  Canryiiig  Mm  in^;  bathing  and 
nibbing  him  with  oU^  and  setting  him' near  the  hearth;  ho^gradually^ 
revlYed.    'fit  waanght.eTen  to  piofone  the  8abbathLfor  ^ucb  an  one, '; 
said  the  teachers  and  students.        c.  V    <  r 

Five  oFsix  yeara  ^^tee  theibegiiBiniigifrf  iHerod^iTPJgii.  HUl('l  ro^i 
to  beihqiicad  of  theibibbiiiijup{«<£  4imimiamii^iiiitJf»y  UiiUk^iiiJ^x 


TWiUErB  iOF  ^CBBIST. 


tm 


fotfttd  KAiOi  flMi^  iatodied  >under  Abtiilloii.  and  SchemaiAh.    After  4i 
time  «  rival  ischool  roM  under  <8^aii|ittai4<>HUIel,  tboosii  a.  strict 
Jew,  had  itill  ?  a  leaidat  k>  ehitritalile  and  libena  ideas  Ib  some  diiecr 
ti&o^;  BctMHiimai  nifo  tno  ombodlmeni  of  ^  the  riiavvowiiiltra-Phaitisaic 
splidti  iKidi,  as^suoh,  >RiiiK!hmm«iiaiiierously  followed  tliaa  lus  nuldjeri 
nVai-  'UtiM^a  Wealmaesi  as  wc41  as  «tieQguiv.]a9r^in  bialoye  of  peacoj 
fd)rho'to6  often]  gaiva  up  firinoiple  to  mlkitafn  quiet,  i  .Many  of  kia 
sfVfingsAArd  prafterved,  but  most  of  «b»i|.  aire  inferior  to  those  left  b.^i 
I^l^teletus  on  deneca:    His  summary  of'  Ihe)  Law,  to  a  heathen,  is  fthis 
bettt'lthdilm,^''^  Wliat yoU' would  youeeelf  di^ikei  aeiv^rdoito  j^nt 
n(!figlib2mr'^that  is  tlie<who1e  ijaWi  ^ali  «l8e  is  only  its  application  J* 
,  Buti 'like  all  ttie  Robbis,  his  religious  system  was  ra^caliyiunsouad. 
Its  central  pninciple  was  the  belief  iu'  strict  >  retaliation  or  recom^ 
p^6et-for  every  act.  •<LtiM>'fov  like  was  the  sum  of<l»s  moralify^ 
S^ing  a'humtin  skull  floating  on  a  stream^  IlillelncHedout,  '^Becauafii 
thou  hast  drowned  (some  one),  thou  thyself  art  drowned,  and  Ue  wlwi 
hui* drowned  thee*  wiU  himself  [some  day  ahK* >  be  drowned.'? :  The 
siiiAtf  W«|yi  '^9  belie ved^<  wtti^dd  it  Ijn^kt  the  flnat  judginienl  ^  i*^' He  who 
failB  jaiited  '(the  knowledge  of):  the^  Law/'  said  he^"Ji^  also  gained 
th#  Jifei^tdtoei^e.''    Servtee  and  payment,  his  fundamental  motive  fo? 
r%ht  iae^oU,  inevitably  led  to  >formaliam  and  seti^sh  oalcukition,  fatali 
td4ill^realmerlt.  ;■ ''i'V;  '  "w  !,.;(■/.?  ■  j  . .    .    .t- :;.  s.  ,;^r^     >-,...i.:    '-^A 
thift'  baUiKhmentof  Archelaua  found  Jesus  a  growing  boy  of  abdut 
t4i]:^dr^lwelvei<  Jiving  quietly  In  the  GalHwan^azarsth,^  among  ithe 
hilli'^f^Itwas  9f  momeutoua  ^vent  in^  the  decliniaig  fortunes  cirtlio 
uilk)iii  for  it6vesult8ii>reeei|tly  filled  tiie  laud  with  Seizor,  andpc/v^cd 
the  wiiy  lortlvd'  final  ovislSy  sixty #etfrs  later^  whicl^  destroyed  Jslrad 
a^a^natiomi'U';!!*! .;  jt,ict,  i'^tiurt#uv»7y/ 4i?9rir..(^i,)i^t4w<^iri*^^^  -  u-e 

:4!lKdtMiubt8»of  Hbvodfs  tfanei,  aiid  thib  (^toms  0I  tthd  IMib^ 
eMoitifed  «( very  general  desire,  at  lus/deatb,  foridirect- govemmdnt  % 
ItiOiih^;  uUddr  tlia  pvooonsul  of  %ria.  1>hedeputatJoa  sent  to  Augu£>- 
tus;  when  Archelaus  was  seeking  the  thiiiMie,,lKui  pnkyed  for  cuoh  an 
art^Ml^einent',  thiakin^if  they  woidd  beleftiunddrjtiieirihighipricsta,  t^ 
ii^hi)^  tlieilr  national  aflairS'^t^r  thdr  own  customs,  :&3  tlicFhcjii- 
ciilh'eitie»  were  allowed  <  to  do^nder  their  Archons,  und  that  Home 
wotild  only  iinterfere  in  taxation  and  mllitaxy  matters^  Their  wish^ 
hott^ver^  was  the  onlv  ground' of  >  feheii*  ^Epeotation,.  for  Home  ncve(^ 
Ml  large  communities  like  the>  Jewish  nation  thus  virtually  indo* 
pendent,  though  they  might  indulge  towns  :or  cities  withrbuch  a  privi- 

^hin^ Andiielaud,  at  the '«ltv«aty>iif  Ihe  ja^ple,  l&ad  ten  basiiahocl, 
th^  ho|tai<revived  of  tiM,rMH»Tatiioa  pf  the  too^^  t^o  M^h 

pHests  and*  liie  {Babble,  with  a,  nomi^l  supssemaey  oh  the  port  el 
Home.  The  exileof  the-t^3^^thevefoi7ev  was  goseted  with  universal 
jov;  but  the  news  that  a  procurator,  or  lieutenant-govemor,  as  he 
might  be  baUad^  «kad  bMU  appointed^  iuihia  Btea%  and  that  Judca  was 

immit0k^m  Miifimi^Bmm'ij^  tiMi|uaiduo!»'bi%!E^  pso* 


,'1* 


1 


m 


Wb^^SiS^"69"''GRW9T. 


80on  di^pcHI^  ihcir'diieftms of  thlebomtf<i ItbcANy    t-iitV'^-iU  Hnmauw 

The  torocoiwtt!,  or  gbtHthbtpsmmV ttf  Byriii, - «t HkJ'  1itt0, %««!  Pttb- 
Kua  Siil^tra^QirltfBiliMf,  ft'  Wrtnrg'^JcH^n  and*  fitful  <*^  of  the 
B^peityi^r'^iMsbme#^^W  Ctd^im  to 

inc^r^oirttfe^dtti  #i*h  his  j>ro14ti<^ 

feelihgi^  iii'ttotiig'  so  cjttttfewlhis  mifidl  IVom  c»(ftrrpatMi¥e'oi>mirtiy 
lie  M  H^  through  mllltal^fttid'  diplomaitifc  swvl^e;  lill  Atigii«\is 
had  hinji  ii\kS€c6tMl.:  HjbtkM  iriadte'ft;  eii^t^ssfftl  icalfiji^gtv  itf^y^sia 
jJIinor;  M»irii3t  'sbiht  Mhes^  6f  ^sttvagd  ttidtitttaftfefciiB;  ifhiott  fife  Btic- 
cefeded  Ir^tibdliltik '  bt  blofefclidioff  thcP'  moiidlflitf  ta^^k*,^  i*fld>'l>lier 

tMch6rbiislj  wdiiiiM  %'  AttA^nl*,'  li6'Md  Ifflfeagcd  'afiiiiWiftJi^  him 
«b  kudi tcv the  M^fisectioii  <^f  t\\^  Erajpfetttr,-  that  hd  kofilbftfiHjvl^ce 
bf  Sym  as  a  t^Wftra,  WHh  iU  Ibis,  hid  liforo  a'  bad-  (llBYAcfreti-^lth 
thbie:Why  kiJeW  hitfi,  6i^%e«f  afey  Wa^  hnd^'  hftii{  »i  tidt  «iily  ma- 
fiteiaht  attd'^i^W^^  tiut  teeatt m4.  te^mg^tkfi  '  A§W  f§mfm mi  it 
W^'iht3tk6i6ea;*  Wat  Ife'  k^a  M^  ovis*  'his 

life's' head,  fOriwen#yearsafter1iehad  divorce  lie^'*i<.^i.(nt^'f 

iJtiiiM^  i'^'idJj^bMi^^^^^  <Mkfi^t*tt  '*xit»^ppfrciii  this 

imtfe/',  HIT  Md  %MiMb  'ibadfe  thfeir'  etp«€«r«fifc(B  fitf  JcflfUfealetrt  3to- 
get1fe^-ia!^&6dtf  ai^Ai^l^lMis  hM  '^^  tW  tfrke  jJcfi^seifiion 

of  his  c!!i6biS  f6f  'Mgiifilfcuii;  they  Ibdgeid  Ift^^  tho^  l^irtdte  Of 'Iferod, 
•which,  heticeforth,  Was  called  the  Ptsetorium,  and  becam^ilhe'tesi- 
denee  of  the  pBetitators^hfetf  m^  i^^  m  if^rtiisalenil  kVihe  tiWi6  of 
the'  feai^s;:  for/ '6^^^  ^ "Tho*  Horod 

fainiiy  had  to  cdiltcmt  tH^inMVc!#  witftj  tfe  old  ietistto  of  ttMe  Ma^a- 

iuiA^j^  ^oWett  W^tMs'dl-WH^ot^d  'lheocrficy^^4»rer  eooh  dfej^llfed. 
Hardly  had  the  inventory  of  th^pqgsessfteM  the 'cro»1irtfb*efl' fin- 
ished, thaii^ttMffitBr'MtfbnlibcB^  a 
ccnsiis  of  the  porfe  an^  a  retiirti^df ':tlfelf  ptqpfHy  iand  Inches,  as 
the  basis  for  ifltrodueiiag  thte  Roiiiarf '  tfekftlJiba  ^tonibh  to  all  mhj^ct 
protinccs  of  the  ttnpire.  -  ^hei'ife  c^ld  fee  no  ekare*  pi'oof  (hatitihe 
ntttfon^had  deceived  itself.  \Rii[ihand''pobr  alike' reietf^d  a  itteafeure 
which  annouiiccd  slavery  instead  of  freedom,  and  ruinous  extortion 
liistfeaif  t)f  prosgetHV;^  % 
l|sctiltyst6m.  S;mh''mi^ 

dfcn^ecs  with  M(b  MiliomxBl&m;  im  n^Wand:  ^i^tri^d  Msd^DB^^nd 
the  general  disturbiiiice'bfth^  order  of  thin^' w]||ich  <mi8t(^  has  made 
familiar,  {^always  unpopular.  BMt  in  thi&  cascf  patriotic  and  religious 
feeling  hitetisified  the  aislikei    It  was  at' otioe= the  direct  and  formal 


^W^:JS[SZ>  0iP:QHBJ8T/ 


.N 


$m 


Uim  witb.Tfblch  regions  ;id6f»  were  blenilecl^lip^Wfanciccl  piofa- 
nMion of  thewoid pt  Jchcfir^liiihd of  His pF0^^t3,'thatIs]?&cl would 
1^3  as  Iho  ttiod  fiia  the  seftHm)^;  mkh  Mrkw^Us  mmt^ed-  ;it  was  re- 
eaHed  «0'i4iDd;iii9lM0T«f^,'tliat»^^lHMia  th^  yimtk  itf  God  turacd  acjsdi^t 
Israel,-  He  n^ved  Dartd  <t0;'#r«i  ^l«i  eomniai^dr-  '*Go  number  Israel 
and  Judah^^"* ;  It'raQ  nteo  li^  nnouth  to^ooiihtW  old  inropUeciGs 
foretold  that^  IhjNriu^iberl&g  of  ^  pedicle  would  bo.tjMJ»sigaol  tlicir 
ap{>reacHfib^^faU<asL  a.iiatlon.  -  To  ^  li^atleis^taof  rh^  Jew,  th<)  coilsus 
wafi  a^iiatter'of 'fne  attd' death; 'to  Qtiirinius,  ;w^  coi^ld  not  compre- 
hend silicnr  a  state  of  ^Mln^i  H  i^,  the  shnplcst  nmttcr  in  the  worKl;^ 
Theyory  mat  step  la  the  ^maa  gbVen^ment  of  ^lidoa  brought  It  into 
oon^ct  with  t^e  people.  .  V  > 

*  The  systematic  «m  direct  taxation  of  the  cotintiyby  T^eme  was^ 
from  this  time,  an  Snextlnjdrii^shable  si^^ect  oi  iiati'ed  and  strifd  be- 
tween the  ralerS  and  the  nued.  The  Boman&tSmile^tit  tiie  politloEj 
economy  of , the  RaDihis,  who  gravely  levied  ataxdf  half  AsheliQl  a 
beadi  to  the  Temple,  to  avert  a  nS^ional  pestilence,  tend  proposed 
that  a  census*  of  the  jpeople/  caloula^  by  tlie  nijtmi^er  of  <^  mrnba 
slane^tered  in  Jerusalem  at  tUQ  last  uassoverv  shcmld  be  the  ba^pf 
theimpe^al  flabal  registration.  Bui  II  this  w&s  jkUculous  t^  tlfti)  J^-* 
tnan^  it  ^^fas  a  matted  so  sacved  to  the  Jew.  thbtitled  to.  ever-tresh 
revolts,  after  th<>usahds  of  patnots  biid  died  to  hinaintain  it.  The 
Jewish. lai^  recoi^isodtaxos  and  free  gifts  o^ly  for  retijB^ous  object?, 
andk  aeocf^itt^  to  th^  liabbH  the  very  holip/ess  of  the  land  rested  on 
every.  0e|d  and  tree  contributing  its  ti^e,  <)r  gift •  of  wioodv  to  <h^ 
Temple;  QoW;  it  was  as'^ed,  eouH  tliis  saerednesS  be  inainttdned,  if 
a  hjesthen  cmiperor  received  taxes  f^om  the  sources  c6n.secrated  by 
those  tithes  and  gifts  to  Jehoval^f  Hence  the  question  tose,  ' '  whether 
it  was  lawful  to  pay  tribute  to  Offisar  or  not?'  '—a  Question  to  be  (M*ed 
only  by  the  swora,  but  rising  ever  again,  after  each  Aew  despairing 
at^mpt  at  resistance.  5y«nr '  *  i^eoeipt  of  custom"  at  the  gate  of=  a 
town,  or  at  the  end  of  a  bridge,  was  a  roek-  against  which  the  Jew 
iTho  honoured  the  Law  felt,  J^s  jConsci<^];ice  t\^]^e<l,  or^^  battle-field 
marked  bv  a  deadly  StrKo.    yU/ ■    '  ■'     ;;' 'S.r-.'p^/.fr:-^;   r  .;^    ..., 

This  sullen  antipathy  to  imperial  taxation  was,  moreover,  intensified 
by  tiie  Svils  of  tho.Koman  system,  The  chief  imposts  demanded 
were  twor-a  poll  and  a  land  t^x,  the'former  an  income  tax  on  all  net 
embraced  l?y  the  Jattor.'  The*  Income  tax  was  fixed  by  a  special  cen- 
sus, and  was  rated,  in  Syria  andL  Cillcfai,  at  one  per  oenti  All  landed 
property  of  prlvatp  iijaivldvials  was  subject  Ijo  the  ground  taxvwhilef 
the  Jawish  groui^d  jios^essions  w^r^  confisoat^rcntiTOly  tty  the  Im^ 
pet^iftl;  ei:$h^ner.    Th0  t^amoiiinted  tc^  atehth^f 'all  g^  a 

^fth  part  of  wine  ^n^  ftnit,  arid  was  thus  Vttwpppresslv©*  Bolliim- 
posts  wore  la  the  hnuds  of  **pvihU«ah$,"  whobduglif.  ^e  rigl&t  of  cbl- 
lectin^f  the  taxes  for  tive  years;  from  the  censors  at  Rome.  Tlieso 
publican i  f armeii  tJie  revenue  from  the  Btate>.^vlng  s^cmity  for-the 

..pi»ym9ttil:qf-.»:fi»>^!«M^ 


mm 


7mrm^nm.:mj^mn 


'■.# 


gave  a44itip|iftl>P9in  for  M&if^f^^^  , 

tracta  for  provinces,  BulWpt  them,  oy  districts,  j(Q^6,^)(c|]ff»{ 
agjc^  ha^^^-conty^t^r?  tpfmaU^r,^  aRialler.^i^i]^^. ,  ,^. 
rcHiltwiKB  ii^yiublfi,w^resel;-ipkrcjat  w^  (JG  de/9p|y;inyp)iye 
f aip^r  ^n4  8iil?-farm^  of  >be ,  FQvemi^,  ]:e(}]aiim  9  ,p;;<p(Qi^  W-^icli . 
heHil^.PK0Ti1iM;iliaJ» J>ft4  ip  tWi e^d,  jtopay. ,  TJiiei M[io,imt ^s^i^, , ^ 


larger  contiw^i^^iiJft^w^'lj^o^iR?^^^^^ ^^  '^j' 


tlm^cap^a3fet#  ?|,  ^5ej_^^^ 


tised  Iw  th«  .QpliwtqT^,w,ei» Jn^^^ 


aav^iM5€;;m()pcys^|J^.uiiaI?j^^  tp  pay^^ij^d^^a^dffi 


Ccesapr  has  left  us  aviyid  picture  of  t|je  fiite  Oft  »  yiw»iiiQ^.PFAiaJ?w 

Syria  w »;0.i8, Mtejls us^that hemade  large  ;i:eQuipmoiw.P^  J^ney 
on  th^ t©wo«i  a4!i;e^cted: from ithp  farm^pf  t^  taxefii,the ,ai?io\^^^ . 
of  two  years'  payroeut,  tiien  due  to  the^  Romaic  treasury,  aDa[  a^  dis- 
mattdad  w  a  loaa.tjiiejsuioa  whicl^  wouid  he  due  for  the  iiext  y^arl  AU 
thiROxtortioit^  w^iiay  l»Jwre.  ,^o^ld  Jiayp  to  l?e.  more,  tji^a^  inadelijf> 

hy4hfi  uJilprtvniitct  OTM»9J^%  ..Ba,v^^ 

gjimuBBw  Q«ie  of^he^l^teitms  (^,%  .pr^p^uw^  of  Asia,  he  ou^^ed 
them  lot  the  winter  in  t^e  «chjes^  c*tie^,  and  quieted  th^ii;  difiibpntent 
by  j?reat  Iwmw^es.  m^  by  ffl^W  UBrthe  townia  to  theni  t(> jpl]an4e|\^^ , 
The  naoney  teftuisitjoiifleyiea  bv«|iiiii.  oh  the  province  J^ere^f  ficted 


I  •  ■■  ' 


with  (!be  uiiBOcli  ^verity^  a^d 


(devices  were  invented  td^s^ti^fy 


T#il^  iWE  X>T  tMiili*!? 


m 


j^  fMdb(B fought  of  asl^  j»mdpHr  f^f  a  ii^ifftT^m^  t|f^ 


rowen, 

— i 

wiis  due  fot  the  taxes,  as  gain  for  tbeimseives.  ^  In  ^a^tldtfTOrirff  thfs; 
eiibrnibiM  interest  was  asked,  as  Is 'usual  ib  flme  of  Wai",  f^^  &il  wh(^ 
had  tp  IkJirrow;  "whicfritiany  iieeded  tb4o.M  the  taxes  were  leti6do<i 
.al^.  Nor  did  these  exactions  ^dive  the  Rbttian  citizens  of  thd  ^ruviBC^e^ 
fdr  iE^ditional  ^xed  s^mis  w^re  levied  Qii:;thc!  a^chtl  ^mtnin^,  andv^ 
o$  the.  sepiUrate  towns,    Cicero,  on  his  entry  on  the  tiroconsMat^  Jdf  ^ ' 

citipia^  t6S<ifciiw8^(it&tty  md  ift 

Rd^niiIl&%fel^s^Vfefe;M^u^^l^  ImMie^  llfiB*miseiy#t^^ 
#vi^eiid^i£%r  iirb(^itiS^^^ 

>6d 


i^i^suncr  Dv  tne^ns(^i  trtJtttession  b!  W  RbfiS^  and' 8f  ^filNxid'tt*^ 

Ofthemostf ♦ -ii.,.:^~.  j~  rti;wl^i»^  .«^--^  -  .-----• 


iWl 


sM i^M^'hiMmm^ and  all  that  h^  &, to?' htm  ix&  h^ 
A^^irvWa^'^M^yM  firk  tieckmiUM of  KiTe.  are  largely dtfhfl«jd^ 


anca  01  me.  are  largely  ciaimea'^ 
by  the  ritiliMh'fe  si^ard;  *  Bi^^ 
%trt  of  inediis,  ■  ^l^^erchttftt  liil^ 


a  ahiglB  BeMMHGg  l^»tlBa^ijr'  hide;  \  Mim*» 


i 


m 


r^gi:al» fromUie  market, and 

mimimm  the         ' 

r     •  ^  ■  ■  '^^ " 

Ijliis  state  Qi  fiUWgi 
i^atBB^^  wome  iiuroiigh  t^e 
agre^Jlna^cial  crisfs,  t)irou|^J 


t:'u 


.  ^..    v.  ,-.   Wic  o 


^  .  W  th^>©08P#l,.a»d  It  grow 
-  ei^ipife,  a  few  ye^  utei^  the 


,ri-^.r,. 


%^:-^ 
\ 


THE  ROMAN'  HlOCtf»ATOlUl.^'*'?itd  hi!) 

nMi|M^d  4h^  prev^iiff  exditenient^  ^i;id  me  band^  of .  ^rq^  lP4iKio^- 
is^ .  wnich  lurked  in'  the;  liiU^oiintnr  cQ^sistaQuy  £ciceive|cl  4i^m^Q|i^ 
gogi^t&ose  Tlrh^ira  th^  evil;  lifers  ha^  J^^gaj-edl    Tb».  pppjiilqofjjwlp 


raf  kc^  in 


standaM  had  been  shown  in  JeniftBlfim..  nr  *      ■     Zr?!.  '^•■fTT?. 


«t  Mf)^|r;  a  ii^iKtary  standi, J^^  bee)^  sftpw^i  &  4eru«Uc;n)iiW'  a 
fc^tto,^>le>  JbK>ij|ht  into  ttife;TemDle,  QJr  %Ypm^  i&hH  ft^ti^^^Qn 
Mount  Zibn; prafieti^i^en  8ciilgtureWb^eA|>i?coveredpj[>  sopjj^JQ^W 


jjia  bi^ldii^.  ;Beal  or  iL_ 
3(W^^%aS  lizard,  with  lidrfot" 

pr:  a  heaUjt^n;;  14^  passed  into,  the  fp'itidd^h  of  the,  Xemm  M 

miet  trwig  rvijoi^rspr  ihcid^s  becatixe^raVe  trb^n  the  naklon^fl^ 
Mkiit<fel»rf fii^Jp^  ttiouarnas  bFflv^s  lost'S^^ the;! 


3  qphfi  «?«itenient  caused  try  tl^e  jn^tii^itorM  c;^n«i^  9*  IWPiftiAi^ 
S«dpe|:5ty;  by  Quirifilus  1^  int^ni^:  Herod  and  Ar^laiW  fhad  .beeifi, 
^  Qai»fiij1fc*avoM  dii^et  wM^rity  to  tJ^el^fipii^^^ 
tion^  Ikp^^iJ^ssft^  it  was^  beQausethe  revent^l^  hf)d  to  ^<^^meiQ(|%  any. 
dr<;uitons  ^ira^;  to  prei^nt  cbllision^itli  t^e  popular  ,prejudi||89ii  ,that) 
theimpdisiis  medepHn^s  hai^levie^tolls,  j^oti^p.  ta^,  e^^qj^^ar^^i 
taic,  head  ta^  salt  tax,  crdwn  tax,  End  ^st^ni 'aues,,T-i>i^  p^^ 


teiitji;:  Bttt  Quiri^iu^  had  no  jBuch^ 

fi^ceat  re&leiaiLce.  ,  Th^  wimble  ipjlon  bsLvv  ih  jhe  tithe  bh  grM^,7a4d 

tiibtwo  tenlhiibn  Wine  and &uit,:an  encrbi^nnent  pn'the  rkht9!,bf 


-, » ■! 


3l>W 

ftwy 

ft 


Pf  the 
{ring  a 


OF  OttmHT* 


t«» 


B0h|ia DJroKe&  t9ie,li^ou^M9<^er94orCiM^,b/  no 

dbiibt  Aat  fo  0^4  k^jBtt <>r^er, .^  jpit^.^f  reiaft«meft  wwwglftW 
Jehi78,_ A)|^brao)^  loy0  o!^  moi\eXk ap4  J)»nUa^.  t^  wcro  (be  .only 

■I  ]. 


The  high*i>riiMt»  Jpazer, 
hi      * 


At  vm  it  teettMia  ab  If  he  Would  «ucceed. 
aiHerodiaQ  of  the  houso  of  Boj9th.Q9t  openly  took  His  side,  and  per 
suaded  the  people  in  Jfriisalero  to  let  the  censiM  and  registmtion  go 
on  quietly.  The  Rabbin  teipi^>of)9(e4>  w^:  6een|«d  inclined  to  take  the 
saf^  aid^.  But  this  did  not  content  the  yrmk  body.  Tlte  more 
determined  were  weary  of  the  endless  discusRiSna  and  trifling  of  the 
Synatfoarae.  w;id  broko^ivyrru^  frp^  th^h:  ,hrfithi:en,.t«,rfouiia.iiv»ew 
flishdol^that  6f  the  "  MQ%'T~whl(£i^9(^Mrth^^^^  ito  hand 
the  fj^^lot  tpe  ^Htioti.  Th^  fanaticn  q|  audalsm^-^thtfir  PQ9)8leepleiu 
thoii^l^  wMwarp^iU^|i0)iqie.  il^ie^  were  the  coii^terpadjrtaand  ntprd- 


f(featiiM{refl»;^f'^l^^ni  pu^^^  the  ^accabfim  times,  and;  took 


tltVi^b^it #letjy  to  tfje gpyertmient,  w^re  an^weij«4  i». theteords  of 
the ejjWy  Mtri^^s^  taken  on,, hini fthe yok©  ,p^i^ehimi» 

nb'lbngpr  un'deif  th^t  of  mmi  butji^.whp  caftfi  of  tl^l^iw-^Jha^num^B 
j^Hlffld  oh  Him*  y^h  $^^'foisb|od|wE  thatthia  nuwJ)erln»olth6 

l)e6:i^e;lto#taf^I^^  ^ 

ac(^iiii^i«tied^  J)^e  neroe  mn  biroke  focU^frpm  C^iP^  i3i»otli«  B^ 
of  Qchnesarei^.  a;a}$tnict In^h^cjj  tfte cenfi§,iKw,i¥«fe  to;ba  Mfta; 

-  jSiki^4,6f  ;:t?>^ 

oMi^  lixtagmlEitiOn:  an  enthusiast,  raised  above  all  caloiil^tii»ii8iQf 
pmdenco,  or  DossiblUjy,  biut jw  m^d^.in-v^i*  eiM!iiPfia«n»,;th«4  isOiIIe 
to  laitea^ttiefly  to  aim,  hi^ jv?ire  t^,^uijaphedi»tlMr 

Irrecofffcflrf^l^s  of  fiii^  nattw,. ^pd^^m Jwa  wit^rtiy*  Wf»!«  1*e  ficaree 
nt(f  pttiteii  fa|nMlQ«  ^pde  ytplf i]|ce  led,  two  generations. )al«r,'*tck$he 
fH|htftil>k()^9  of  thdgr^t revolt,, aiidtpth^  pm  f>f  th^imtloau 
The  cry  w^m  dr(^V  rouiid  Ut^  the  yputli  pf ,  the  coiiatry,  htd^been, 

PQbie,i.«oul8»  tb0Jigh> 
hamj:!Sipudkled.h 

tt.wjw.lS^iatrylQ  pay  hQipaoe . t^ jQ^^  to  pftgcj 

dues  to  a  heath^^  i^pvernp^ept ;.  ^t  Was  depl^nen^  of  yvlmk  yrm  pure^o 
to  givj^  titW  Qr  pusfpm  frpm  ,it,to  die  ^[ftctefl^,  anjihe  ^hflitoftiided 

tue^wftt  tj^  e?iS^^    ^^W nM^hw&^^^ 


u^t<if  vt 


(pme^-anc 


ni 


ill' 

■I':  r 


elr  bretlrezt  'WfliivC'to. 


»& 


t.f* 


tWrlltra  OF*' 


the  J&oitpim  ^fiMOery,  X^i 


liLaJ-J 


Mm 


vi^w,  lUitbiittbi^iiMlyef  fuidtlielr  flUpi)oH6r».  -  ^vi^rM  a  Jjkdl()u4  Qbd, 
Tvlto  ^^oijl|i  suffer  no  jbtber  Iprdil  lit  l)tl»  InlieHt&heei,  and  pis  'will'  vf;f  s 
a  war  of  exteroiinattpn  on  %f»  heathen  invader?,  like'  that  ,ot  Jbi^ua 
flgainit  1^  Canaanite^       '  •!«*•' 

\^^;thf  2((i^th  hiUk  Jfe3?ji|,  as  i, 
sinoKiBorbuni^  viuiig)^^  af  '      * — 
the^land,  eyery  l^rt  heal  th* 
of/4f^r  fresh  tloiy  bf  bip 


dihcr^^     h&ti«  lUipafiJi^  J^      or  by  theit  4ii^'  bc^d/  to  p^^eb't 
their  h^ing  ta^a;  aliisfeli     \Vr^ea  au ;  Judea  had  J^een ,  }pd  ,put  t^e 


To^fof  MMada,'it  tms  a  gji^ndAtniot  Ju^  wi^^  ^aip  In  ^tion^o^ty^  of 
th§t  hM(^«iti4«l  of  bis  race,,  and  tx)iV9t|^  to  hfs  Qc^Qli^ades  that  aii^MB 
fam0v  ¥g9ie  the  firsli  "y^ho  vq^  agii??iet  ibe.  l)featteinV«»rthe3^/i^'iere  the 
last w^_ooIlf|t^led  M^  flsjht.agaiAfjt ,  th<^,  f^nja  n iikiiM,jff\\^^y^VL 
vS^-io^^liilBAp^^  their  owti  cons^*i*.  We  Wp  mfc|Q*|io 

were  shi^t^v^hrhitb,  <^  s^^^^^  Jjx  fla^e«,  piajt  ^ome 

miglht  ^nd  nolwi^g  over  wblpb  to^  ;trfnmp1i  bM  akh^  and  )j«3a>?|^a- 
Tlii^^mrand  sel^iiQiniQl^  Juda^  hiet^^  adteatbleiia  e^^})^^ 

ke|A  Borne  uncanr  f pr  seventy  yei^rs;  ijor  is' Jo^^b^  §f6ng  ;n/8ay- 
In^t)^  though  ue  In^OTi^ct^  )fifSjt^]M^')%'tiyp  ;inoii|b9,'it^ii|clted 
a  mii^,i#bl<^  r^dtie^  IPal^s^e'  t^.  aidesert,  d^!ro^^l  %e  Tetii  ' 
and aoatterf^  Israel' oVerlJif^earth.  GiMilee  suict  J!u<|e^;neyer|h9wed 
.  th^r  lofty  ide^lkm  more  «ix{]|ing]|y ,  iban  in  prodi^cing  siicti  i^^ej^i, 
or  ki  ^poniinuiM  to  bblieve  in*  tbfim  alter  ibeiriSKsfistrousen^^^^      *  ■  " 

poll  And  ground  taxes  wei^  imposed 
of  the  year.  .  iltit  nothing  wa4  done 


of.  which  the 

EiSt,  the  esli 
vaTue  of  j||]  t] 
dertT«|.|rft««: 

The  ^^ 
suppressed  w 
TlldlSbWsrt 
heiitiien  ebipei 
to^the  dl^a^ 
•purity  of  the] 
WN'.thefi 
thai  wj»ii^  bfi 

«»W.%y,  -ffi 
tion  constantly 

Jt.sOi 

bqiin^s.     As  \ 

aifppi^ 

Ui(?ir  ijF^ney  S6i< 
^^'^^>%.t<^acc< 
(Iqmiindiftd  spebi 
ponn'ect  ibeniSG 

{Pffitty^i^fey  to 


leMDtessJn'ibfeac 
aaailvtKjcaP"^^ 


n/eay- 


4ers, 


Tiu$;  jbiF$  pjp  ciuoar. 


«>l 


of.  whi^  tbe  t^MUe  itii4  nuur^t  ^X<9«,  especially,  wero  baleful  to.  the  , 
VCp^f  ^llid  flaetd  remih,  howfrver,  ifts  far  below  Homan  expecta- 
tidns.    AffhougftHerod bad bfBeii^ ngarded iw tlie rk^ 
Ef^  pie  estlntate  forwarded  Uf  Ouirltdiia  to  ^be  Bmperpr,  of  the 
vafne  of  tfi  tbe  ta^,  amqiiDtbato  ft^Mtban  atwelftbpmof  thesw^^ 
dedToiif  frum'Ekypt   T^e  (^mpiUf  tHui  was  aeiit  for  each  ta^.  thai  '^vtr :{ 
fr\i«iuh  voMd  potion  ^|  atid  tet  H  be  put  .pp  for  aole  to  tbe  pab|ican|. 
THo  opppfit|on  to  luis  .beatb^n  t^atkui,  t^^oiigb  ^ua  outwardQv 
suppr^Mcd.  yn^,  dnfj  wxrm^  tne  more  cloeely  bi  tbe  ^etiftB  of  all. 


Tlie  KabbUstin  taiidit  tliAt  tt|e  land  waa^  defiled  bV  du^s  Mid  to  a 
he^ti^en  ebperpr,  ami  Ati^butMdvery  real  orlu^cieanatbm  calamity  ^ 
to  the  o^itpiletMnirQ  of  tbib  Al¥D%lity  |br  the^r  being  so.     "  Bincer  tbe 
•piirityof  tbe  kind  was  desCroyc J,   said  tbey,  **  et«n  the  flkvonrand 
smolj  of  .the  fruit  aro  gone.**    The  Roman  tithe  toon  tpfd  Sf^titl^  on 
thiii  wbii^  bfd  bitbcTto  be^n  paid  to  the  Temple,  liiid  this  ^  Xba>bi^ 
C8becial)3f  i^ibitfkl.    **  Sinde  the  titliea  aro  iio  lomrer  regulafly  poicl,'^  \'l 
satd  tibjpy,  ';th$  yield  of  tbefiel^.has  grown  ies^.^    Ifenoe  tlie  qaeaf-'l 
tion  constantly  poqaed  Ironi  mouth  to  mouth,  not)  Vlietl^  tbe  Koman  ' 
ta^idioHklJbe  pi^ld^  bi|t  wlie^erit  t^as  hiw/id  ati  all  to  p^  iu    ' 

T|^ci  b^tifei^  a^d  c^^  thjeir  conntrymto  who, '.'2 

uijl'det,  siMsj^  .^itctttilsk^  service  under  the  fissocuitiona  of.^ 

|)iib)|c^i^|  f aimiijig  tbi^  bdi^ttia  ie(ke9,tt9  colleptyrs,  tnay  be  imb|^nedi  ^^ 


such  ak'  *^^t^^r^Ui^^  ''tiuc^t^erers  a^^eathen,' 


Th^^httxis^  ist^pddiisido  witb'  p|yous  bp^or;  to  avoid:  bir^ditbing  tb^  '^ 
ftii^ppi^iie^  l^m  ilie  ^i^th  of  the  lost  aoii  of  the  Houtie  bf^brac;!,  ^' 
wmbiid\ip^d  )]^elf  to  a,caM%.80  i^^os.  tbp  .testimony  bf  et !: 
pu1^|(^n' vb"!^  ,|iot  tfikpn  in  aJcwiBp  rdtirt.  It  was  forbraaeh  to -^ 
s>t  kt  t^lo . wlttv  liimi  br  lip'  4at  his  br^.  The  gains  ci  the  class  w^io' ' 
the^idh^f^ldf  "^liiplea^  were  csp^iaDy  shunne^t  eveiy^Iece  of. 

Uif^ir'it^oney  stt^ng^  to  itiarX  a  teti^oiis  offence.   To  change  coin  for  ^; 
th(;tji^(k.tb  accept, ali^  them,  di^^led  a  whole  bbuseW>l<I;  and '' 

(Ic^tm^d  spcbial  pmrmcatitnif?.    6uly  the  dreg^  of  the  pieople Woukt ., 
ponnWt  ijienns^lves  witba  calling  so  bated.     Cast  out  %f  the  pom'^ '' 
m^tntty,  ^!^  '^  often  ji^ifiefl  tbe  M^  repute  of  ^it  x>rder,iwd  , 
livojl  pi  rpi^je^s'dissi^^       aju|  profljfgapy.    'Il6  xei#igb  ibemseKcef 
for  tbe  kUrm  Aown  fliom.  ^bt"  on&  tbdughtj^  D^d^,  ym  |o 


mi^|^M\^i|cb>|ft  t%»^^  tlJiSr  Q^P6. ;   '^be  icbost  «hbmbleaEi 

imp(»it{^n[at  tbQ»-  'Vre^^ipt^  qf  ct^toia/*  and  tHe  most  hfiidenod  reck^ 


lessi^ess  m  il^b  cblleo^icni  of  etc^^iveor  :^udulent  eha; 
adai^r xiq^gi^li^  ^  They;  t»»»|4  the  iWur  ^^  "    "  -*^ 


Wi 


iLLVl^-Ui;^ 


I 


m 


flp^MPB  OF  rCHlttST. 


rf '^Amidst  such  a  state  of  feeliae  between  rulers  and  niled,  JeAis 
grew:  up  to  maqihood  and  sr)eQt  His  life.  The  sleepy  Ea^t  could  iK>t 
endure  the  systematic  anij  meatless  ways  o1^' the  West,  now  forced 
upon  it,  and,  still,  les8»  the  regula^  visit  of  the  taxsgatheirer,  especially 
•  under  such  a  vicioiis  system  as  that  of  Ron^e^  War,  ts  far , us  pos- 
slMe,  bceame  the  chronic  state  of  things,  if  not  in  the  open  field,  yet 
in  never-ending,  ever-bcgitining  resistance,  all  over  the  land.  Even 
the  mild  school  of  Jlillel  justmed  the  use  of  any  m  sans  of  escape 
from  the  robbery  of  the  "  jpoiblicans,'^  and  the  Babbis  a  large  made 
the  subject  a  standing  topic  in  their  schools.  Controversies  sprang 
up  in  connection  with  \t.  The  Irreponcilabjes,  as  I  may  edl  the 
Zealots,  could  not  brook  even  the  slightconjcessions  to  Home  of  the 
hitherto*  popular  Pharisees.  It  was  ma^ie  a  matter  of  reproach  to 
them  that 'Wey  put  the  name  of  the  Emperor  along  witih  that  of 
Moses  in 'letters  of  divorce,  and  the  dispute  was  ended  only  by  Hil- 
.lei*6  party  reminding  its  opponents  that  this  was  already  sanc|;ioned 
bV'.Scripture  itself,  which  allowed  the  name  of  Pharoah  to  stand  be- 
«ae  that  of  Jeliovah.  :        vi/Yk, /;    ^  t' ^  r  /•      ,        v  4 

Before  Quiriniu»  left  Jerusaleini'fie'ibtftlie  one  oonce'ssioA  l<>,  tne 
people,  by  sacrificing  tp' their  hi»tred  the  instrumlent  of  his  tyranny— 
the  High  Priest,  Joazar.    After  helping  to  get  the  census  carried  out, 
;  and  thus  losing  all  popular  ri^spect,  tlie  time-serving  priest  was  strip- 
jpedof  hi»  dfgnity  by  the  master  who  bad  despised  even  wftfle  he 
I  made  use  of  him,  and  it  was  given  to  Annas;  the  son  of  Beth;  in 
whose  fanaily  it  was  held,  at  intervals,  for  over  fifty  years.    But 
^though  his  house  was  thus  permanently  ennobled,  its  taking  office 
under  the  Romans,  no  less  than  its  belonging  to  the  party  of  the  Sad- 
ducees,  made  it,  henceforth,  of  no  weight  in  the  destiny  of  the  na- 
tion.'   The  Zealots  were  steadily  rising  to  be  a  great  party  in  the 
land.    The  noblest  spirits  flocked  to  their  banner  ngiost  readily,  as  we 
may  judge  when  we  remember  that  one  of  the  Apostles  had  been  a 
..Zealot)  and  that  the  young  Saul  also,  joined  them.    The  ypung  men, 
especially,  swelled  their  numbers.     *<  Our  youth,"  laments  Josephus, 
^•' brought  the  S^e  to  ruin,  by  their  fanatical  devotion  to  the  fero- 
^ clous  creed  this  party  adopted. "    Its  prinpiples  were,  indeed,  destinic- 
tive  of  all  government,  as  things  were.     "He  who  was  under  the 
Law,"  it  was  held,  "was  free  from  all  other  authority."    Its  mem- 
bers were  pledged  to  honour  Jehovah  alone  as  King  of  Tsrael,  aul 
neither  to  shrink  from  death  for  themselves  nor  from  the  murder  of 
their  nearest  kin,  if  it  promised  to  serve  the  cause  of  liberty,  as  they 
understood  it.    The  ftu^ily  of  the  fallen  Juda9  remained  at  the  bead 
.pfiheso  fierce  patriots.  -Wo  of  hi&  sons  we|e  afterwaitis  crucified 
^  for'raisfng  an  insurrection,  and  while  his  third  son,  Menahem/  by  the 
taking  of  Masada,  was  the  first  to  begin  the  final  war  against  Floras, 
his  grandson,  Eleazar,  was  the  last  who  fought  against  the  Romans, 
bur>4ng^  hims^r  aa-has' 1)0011  told,  and  the  wreck  of  the  Zealots, 
.  iMweath  the  ruins  of,  t^e  fDjitre^  rat|ier  iiiMk^mr^^pi^ii  -X|^iiMl^ 


^LIFE  O^F" 


!»: 


trortli^,  iJ4o*B6tCT;  tll4t  f  1*0111  the  dttW  «»f'  the  ftehgit!?;  W  ptftt  df  Pal- 
feMne  "wrds  IIbss  SMe  thJin  that  Which  wfes  dlt^tly  tinder  ^  RbiAAn 
atithorftj^.  If'thii '  tfav^Jler  betW0e4i  J€*ichb-  Hfltt  JetusaJtyrti  fell 
M^Tig^  robh)6re;  Whftt  must  fiaire  b^h  the  danger  iii  «ho  lonely  and 
ajsjolntfe  Valleys  beyond  Rebrori  ?  ^  ,  ;  m   ,  ,1 

^  TAe'ftVst'seVfen  y^ars  after  the!  annexation  ^v^te,  riotM^lthfetandlniT, 
c6rtipafatiV6ly  hrtpt)y/timies  for  the  JeWs;  Atifii^ti&  made  it  liiu 
itiaxinv  to'  spre  rather  than^estroy  the  tJroVindes,  so  fa¥' hS  he  cfmilcl 
(Sa'feiy  doso;  'tod  he  flirthered  thi^  ifW)licy  by  freqtt^ht  ehange  of  the 
p*6ciirati6i'tf.  Ai3  to  thcf  buriling  rMigibiis  ttuestlbns  rdsed  bythfe  de- 
cay of  heathe'nism,  And  the  spreiad  of  Eastern  religiohs?  iti  th6  etnpite, 
he  took,  by  iidviee  Of  Mceceiilfts,  a  riiiddlfc  contse.  He '  stipportea  the 
T^omah  rcll^oh,  but,  at  tlie  same  time,  protected  the  special  faith  of 
cacli  coruiif tv.  Hehccf,  tflthbuTgli  he  personally  despised  f orelgii  roKg- 
i^§,  ahd  bff ered'  no  feacriflcds  when  in  Jerusalem,  even  while  askihg 
With  iiitCrest  abfout  the  ^fewi^h  Obd,  and  thoti^^Vlie  {wais^d  hisgrand- 
i^ii,1h(i  yovhg  Chilis  Gtt^ar,  for  ^ssitig  through  Jeri»4ttl6m  likfe  a 
Roman,  without  making  an  offering,  yet,  like  Caesar  and  Cicero,  else- 


tidhcd  tjiii  reiiilttrtn(*e  of  the  T^m^hj  money  ■  frohi  all  parts;  Besides 
this,  He  acted  with'  the  greatest'  corisiderafioh  towardj^  the  JeWs'  in 
SoSie';  for  since  '  the  campaigns  of  Pompey'  and  Oabinius,  they  had 
bkn  so  i!itim^r6us  In  the  capital  that  they^formcd  a  giieftt  "  (][ii«rter" 
bil  the  farther  side  of  the  hvdr.  Treating  them  ats  cTlcnts  of  Ose^r, 
h^'rfcted  With  marked  thoughtfulniess  in  all  conneclted  with  their  re- 
llgibtf,  tlieii*  morals,  or  tlieir  prosperity.  He  formally  sanctioned  the 
tyeWish  J  Council  in'  Alidxpiidritt,  and,  After  th?  aiin^XafiOn  of  Judea, 
lie  ordered  a  perthaherit  daily  sacrifice  o^  an  Oxand  tWb  lahibs'tobo 
o'^ered  at  his  expense,  a^d,  in  coiljuhdtiort  with  the  Emptess  Eivia, 
aiid  bth'CV  members  of  ■  his  hpuse;  sent  gifts  of  precious  Jars  and>es- 
iiots  for  the  use  bf  the  dririk-offeringl  .    w:j  ikh^  /j  ht  i?ftT^v>ti;s^ft xi^ 

This'policy  wad  fiot'Withoiit  its  eiBfeet/' !^^ 
rtbm6  of  beitfg  the  piatrbh  of  the  Jews,  and  in '  the  provinces,  cvdn 
i^mbn^  the  JeWs  tlicmseIves,^of  being  the  in%na?iimOus  protector  of 
their  religion. '  His  tolerance,  moreover,  served  an  etid  WJiich  he  did 
not  cbhteiAplate.  It  secured  the  SlbW  but  certain  conquest  of  the 
West,  flr^  by  Jiidaisth,  the  pioneer  of  a  new  and  higher  faith;  and 
then  by  Christiahity^the  faith  for  which  it  had  prepared  the  w^ay. 

•Btiti  in  spite  of  every  desire  on  thef  part^>f  Augusttrt  to  hwmotir 
their 'pectHlftrKieWth^3«W8wetefeti!l' in  a  etatd^^of  ch^bhic  eK(At<i' 
uiettt  Tlie  Sttniarttahsseeiiig  their  opporliitiityj  raised  their  heads 
morebbldT^.'  They  Were  ho  longer  dependent  on  Jerusalem,  since 
\he  tiauishment  of  Arphelaus.  Their  elders  rejoiced  in  political 
conSequetice  long  denied  them.     But' the  light  and  giddy  peopla 


:IE 


f,    4E 


.1 


i:;i  -,' 


warn 


T^at  liHCE  0P  CBRISIV^ 


tbe^flrst  pfocurator  after  Arohelcuis  was  deposedr  it  was  disconretf^k 
tbflft  tliey  liad  defiled  the  Tcmpte  at  Jeruaalom  on  the  ni^Ut  beforci  Uie  . 
Fadaover.  The  Temple  doors;  a»  was  the  cuistoni,  Jiaa  beeoL  opejied 
ai  midniffht,  before  the  feast,  and  Aome  Samantahs,  knowing  ibis; 
and  having  previously  smuggled  theinseiyes  into  JetUBaJen^,  bad 
crept  up  td^  the  Tem]^  m  thedarkness,  and  strewed  inunan  bones  in 
tb^  courts,  so  that  thchigh  priest  Hannas  liad  to  turn  away^  from  the 
pdljuted  sanctuary  the  Worsbippaps  whovi  tlie  morning  thronged  tba 
f^atcs.  Nothing  remained  foribe  vast  naultitudes  but  to  go  backiem" 
bitteriiKi '  to  ^ehr  homes,  leaving  the  Temple  to  b^  purifiea,  bntnotb. 
ing  i»  snSil  of  any  punishment  of  tlie  ^maritans.  The  procurator 
secnis  cn)^:  to  liave  told  the  Jews  that  they  should  bav^  kept  a,be|ier 
watch.'  «t*5^Vp;^^''^^'^^-^  ■   ■  •■  ''b'^^7i^  ■^i'Mi^<x,(jfkxauviVJ 

I/ittle  -id  kii{>Wii  of  tiie  twa  proourators^MArciM  AiAbiViUgaiid 
Ahnius  Ru$uS|  who  followed  CQ|>omu8-^xcept  that  Judea,  exhausted' 
b^  its  but^BS,  implored  their  diminution,  and  that,  under  the  first, 
Saldnie,  Herod's  sister,  died,  vfhile  Augustus,  himself,  died  under  the 
seCMidv.''-  ■•  .-•  .  ■  •■  ,..l : 

The'  new  emperor^  Tiberius,  on  bis  accession,  sent .  a  fi^h  mtici^r 
ratot,  Ylileiius  Gratne^  whom,  with  his  dislike  of  change,  be  retained' 
in  ofilee  for  ^ven  years.  Under  him  things  went  from  bad  :to  worse. 
During  his  period  of  office  be  changed  the  bigh  priests  five  times, 
deposmg  Bani^as,  and  iHving  the  office  I  alternately  to  tsne  M  bis 
fi^mihy'ai^  to  a  rival  bouse  ol  the  small  band  ( f  Sadducean  Temple 
nObijHy:  '  Large  sums  no  doubt  filled  bis  coifers  at  each ,  transaction, 
but  such  a  degradation  of  th^ir  highest  dignitaries  must  >bavenexas* 
perated'  the  Jews  to  the  quick.  After  the  crafty  Hannps  dame>  as  his 
successor^  one  I^mael,  but  his  reign  wa&  only  one  yeai'  long.  Hannas! 
soif,'}[!leazer,  next  won  the  pouufical  mitre  for  a  year,  then  came 
Simon,  bpt  he^  toa,  bad  to  mftkeway  for  a  succesaor,^  Caiaphas,  son- 
in^aw  of  Hannas,  afterwards  the  judge  of  Jesus.  Simon  >  is  famous 
in  }&^bbinlcal  annals  for  a  misfortune- that  befell  him  in  tbei night, 
before  the  Day  of  Atonement.  To  while  away  the  long  bouind^  dur- 
itfg  which  ^e^was  not  permitted  to  sleep,  be  amused  himself  by  con- 
versation with  an  Arab  sheikh,  but,  to>  bis  dismay,  the  heathen,  ifi  his 
liasiy  utt<;»«nce^  let  a  speck  od^  spittle  f«ll  on  the  priestly  robe,  and 
Itius  made  its' wearer  unclean,  so  that  his  brother  had  to  take  his 
place  in  the  rite»of  the  approaching  day.  Changes  so  violent  and 
cmrupt  bad  at  last  degraded  the  high  priesthood  so  much,  ia  the  eyes 
of  all,  that  the  deposed  Hannas,  rather  than  his  successors,  was  still 
regarded  as  the  true  high  priest.  -  . 

iMes^while,  the  load  of*the|niblic  taxes  became  so  unendurable  that 
a'de|mtation  wa^  eent  to  Rome  tin  the  year  17,  to  entreat  sope  allevia- 
tion of  the  naieeiT.  Syria  as  a  whole,  mdeed,  seemed  on  the  brink  of 
an  in^rrection,  from  the  oppression  of  the  publicans.  Germaniciis, 
the  &Beror'«  nephew,  one  of  the  noblest  meh  of  bis  day,  was.  sent  to 
tb^iMtd-^Uj^^itfiiui^Qfi;  4mt>^mfol1ttBatol^»iiMU».^««^4<l^ 


as  Oorembi 
soon  involve 
between  the] 
hatef ttlness  € 
bittinproloi 
was  wont  to 
a  short  time, 
render  it,  the 
he«*jatti/Nlf,  I 

will  grow  w« 

hfl9JexroKt«d 

cj«mpalgns,'^J 

•Wounded  sOlc 

irig  llesh;  /  A 

thinking  liin] 

begged  him  w 

flies' away  yoi 

full,  and  do  i 

hungry?  ones  fi 

fromme.''V»i  ' 

far«ttough  fre 

up  the  wound 

liated  Jews  * 

ues9^  and  his  i 
her«lrov«  the  J 
with*  this  supe 
arniSi  weoe^i 

ber;  hordes.  ■  I 

rest  were  nequ 
ctrstonFiflifoy  a 

pelled^hem  « 
boasts  thatf  th( 
to  bre^dagth 
In  judeii^  tl 
hatedffa^roiirit 
Klarm  that  the 
jamia  was .  at 
recalledy^nd 
was  wowthy  0 
lugiittiiWoedv 
cision  at  critic; 
in  Judeai    He 
paople.of'Jerai 
left  nh»  ornanu 
Ciesarea,  siae^ 
by  the  j^reseni 
whioii:;lh«3E£  ia 


THE  UFE  OF  )CHRI91!C 


^^^.1 


came 


as  OoTenibr-€teneittl  (rf  Ssrriar  Cneiu«rPl6CH  his  defily-cliMM^».  wlu^ 
sooB involved  himm  personal  disputes  tliatwelUniglii  escite9.i^vAr 
between  them.    Tiberius^  able  and  eautions,  and  mi  yet  f aifen  ta  the 
hatefUlocss  of  his  later  yeers,  saw  bo  remedy  lor  the  stftte  of  thiogA 
bii^  in  prolonging  the  reign  ol  the  piocwatorst^    *'£!very  ptficc^'^  u.^^- 
was  wont  ta  sayi,  ' '  incUiced  greed,  and  if  the  holder  enjoy  tt  <mly^  tos  ^ 
a  ^ort  time,  without  knowing  at  wiiiat  sioment  he  mifty  iiave  to  su^i^ ; 
rend^  it,ilie>wUl  jiaturaily  piwider  his  snbiects  to  the  utmost,  wjbilS;^ 
hei <;aiii  )>)If,  en'  the  oth^  hand,  he  hold  it  for  a  lengthened  term,  he 
w^l  grow  wearv  of  oppression,  and  become  moderate  as  soon  as*h<^ 
hasiexfxutted  for  hi  m;^lfrwi>at' he  thinks  eoougfai"    '^On  CMoeof  my 
cnaifpaigns,"vhe  would  add, i>yi way  of  illustration,  ''I  came  upon  a 
•wounded  soldier,  lying  on  the  roaa,  with  swarms  of  flies  in  liis  bleeds 
idgllesh;/  A  comratMi' pitying  him,  w^  about  tO'  drive  them  o^, 
thinking  him  too  weak  to^  do- it  himself;    Bitt  the  wounded  mi^ii 
begged  him  rather  tolfet  them  alone,  vfor,'  said  lie,  'if^you  drive  thes^f 
fites' away  you -Will  dome  harm  instead  of  :gOod.  -They  are  akeadyi 
full,  and  do  not  bite  me  as  Irbey  did,  but  if  you  frighten  theofi  olf v^ 
hungry? otaes  wUl  come  in  their' stead,  and -sueK  the- lo^  drepaf : blooil 
fuom  me/^ri  Thehearttess  fcynicito  the  purjifile  had;  no  pitv^  ^nd  vj^aji; 
far  enough  fvomathought'Of  Playing  itteGood  B^maritfim,  oy^binding 
upthewoim^  of'anyfof  the  races  under  him,  far  less  those  of  tUi?; 
hated  Jews  *  In  Rome  itself  he  treated  ihem  with  the,  bitterest  harsh?- 
uessr  and  'his  example  reacted' on  those  Iv  Palestine^ /jEn  the  year  19 
hedrove  the  JdwB  out  of  Rome/  '  ^*  Four  thousand  Ireedmen  infeoted 
withthis  superstition'^  (Judaism), 'says  Taeitas,  "being  dt)le  to  carry, 
hvtOB,  weve  ohipped  (^  to  the  island  of  Sardlwia  to  put  down,  the  rob«  r 
ber  hordes.   >  If  they  peidshed  from  the  climate  it  was  little  loss,    'thfi 
rest  were  required  to  leave  Italy,  if  they  did  nt»t  forswear  their  unho^j^. 
ciistdmsby  a  certain  day."    Buetonius  says  that  Tiberius  even  comrJ 
nelied  4hem  to  bum  their  saored  robes  and  utensili^,  but  JosSphuji , 
no^ts  tbatf  those  (&'af t^d  into  the  legions  prefeiri^ed-dying  as  aaartyrsi^i 

to-bre^diigthe'Law.  /  ■  -  ",  '^r:,-  •:  V       '^•   %';•■.  ■-  :t: ; .'-  v;. '-0 

In  judei»,  these  measures  were  attributed  to  the  ififluen^e  of  tho 
hated^airoarite  of  Tiberius;  Sejanus.  It  wasj  ddubtless,  with  hO  little 
Hlarm  that  the  hews  cAme  iti  the  year  26,  when  tlie  influenc<e  of  Bef>i 
janus  was  at  its  hei^t,  tliat  Valerius  GrTatus  had  at  length  bepn 
recalledy  iftnd  Pontiua  Pilate  appointed  in  his  stead.  The  cliept 
was  worthy  Of  the  patron.  Venal,  eovetouSjCrueiV even  to  delight^', 
liigiiniiMobdv  without  principle  or  remorse,  and  yet  wanting  de* 
cision  at  critical  moments,  his  name  soon  became  s|>eciaily  infamous 
in  Judeai  He  bore"  himself  in  the  most  offensive  way  towards  tho 
p3ople;of  Jerusalem.  Tlse  garrison  of  Antonia  had  hitherto  always 
left  the  ornaments  of  their  military  standards  at  the  headqi^arters  m 
Cjesarea,  sineie  the  Jews  wowM  hot  suffer  the  Holy  Gity  to  be  profaned 
by  the  i^resence  of :  the  eagles  ilud  the:  b^tets  of  the  emperors,  of 
wtuflh -'th«3Ci  toaJady^  ©QOJWitedy   „ J^u/I  N  P^^ 


$6§ 


rr\ 


if') 


or  CHRIST. 


ifj\»nf^Qi /Hia  outMoWi iQwIiWed  the  new  re^m^ts  tci  eDter  fhfi'dtj 
^  i^^t  wUli  JU19  ofiEenfdye;  omblettw  oa  tUmp  iStiaadArdA,  and  Jerusa- 
^1^  avfolm  ta  s«e,  idolatro.uA  9y]nlH>Ia  planted  wgitkitii  sight  ol  thet  Tom- 
l^e.  Uijivei'Ml  excitemQntr6p0*e(id4&ough  tlie  -©ity,,  $nd  Ihe  Bal^l^s 
and  pQ<)t>le  tQQl(,mutDal  QQwa^V  (how  the  oatvage  could  sb^r^rnQvecl. 
I^e  cJQjintry  soqw  begwi  |q poiiF  ift  its mukitwka  TJU&vioknt^parit^ 
'^pun£^ll0d.xacqe»  ^ut,>the  i«ore,9cnail?l9  prevailed  as  yv.t,  and  amuKi- 
Ju(^  <)f,;tU^  citizens  hiuriteidi  oft  to  Pilateiat  C«e9are«,  to  entreat  bim  t* 
.t#;e  away  tbfi,Qa\)^e  of  jsuch  l)it<«r  offence,  ^gut  Pilate  would  n^it  U^ 
Uji,  and  tr^at^d  the  xequest  aa  an  affront  to  tk/e  iE^mporor.  Btill  the 
crowds  continued  their  appeal.  For  liye  daj^s  and  fii^e  nights  they 
)^eset  the  palace  of  Hei^q^  iui  which  Pilat«  resided*  raising  Qoi^tinually 
ijie  sanj/9  ory,  tiiat  th§  standardsmight  be  re«a,oved.  Determined  to 
cpd  th9.ina|;ter,,he  at  last  summoned  t^em  to  imeet  hlo)  on  the  seventh 
;^y  19;  the  circus.  J)l§an while,  he  ha^*  ^U^d  the ,  spaces  round  the 
.f^ri^na  with  soldi^  and  when  the,  J^jws  hegan  to  rais^e:  their  Mutinous 
'(^riesagam»  jqa J^is  refu^ipg  toyieldrke  ordered  the  4^oops  to  enter 
withdrawn  sword9-  .But  he  had  miscounted  thejir  fanatical  earnestne^. 
Paring  th^ir  throats,  and  kn^Ung^as  if  toi  meet  thei  sword,,  ithei  multi* 
gide  jcriedauj  that. they  would  rather  part  with^ their  life  Ithan  their  law. 
Pii^,  ^reajiipg.^;  anger,  of  the  Jimperor  if  he  commanded  ^  whole- 
'  '  p^apsacx^,  h^  vtQ  yield>  ^^i  tii^e  ei^dards  were  withdrawn  Jrom 

,  „  ,,  J  PQwer  pi  Pilate  oyer  the pec^Je  was  hencefprtli  broken.  .The^ 
£»d;Q04qu^ed  his  wili  bjy  stronger  wills  ot  ftheir  ^w».  < ,  From  thts 
time  Uiey  knew  how  to  e:;^tprt  concessions,  frpm  him.  MPersi^tent 
clamour*  jtbeA  wopld  iftke  no  refui^al,  wa^^  henoefor  vv^  their  most 
trusted  jqlianQ^)  aa  we  see  only  tpo  ^triking^y  m ,|he ; last  rhours. of 
|esiw,,  IJut  Pilate ,  coM  not  IcArn  ^y-  any  iecison,  howj^er  ..  seyere. 
|*i^ipus  a$  ids .  defcatj,  he  repolyed.  to ,  lude;  .ijt  hy  a  fresh  innovation, 
WJiteh  he  fancied  he^  *conld  cany  out.  ,  The^  iBabhii  had  contended 
ij^a*  their  Jftw  did  notaUjOWtbesettlngiUp^  ha:Migt'«(.thutthovee^med 
nothing  to  preyent  votiye  tablets  being  set  up  in  Jer^aWn^  Uke  those 
dedicated  tp  the  Emperor  by  other  omcials.  ,  He,  therel^ii  huns^ 
golden  shields  of  this  kina  on  the  palaoe  on  Mount  2ioQ,%here 
he  liyed,  inscribed  simply  with  his  own  name  and  thtt  of  Tiberius. 
A  terrible  commption  was  the  result.    At  the  next  feast,  the  Jews, 

i  f/ith  the  four  sons  of  Heirod,  Philip,  Antipas,  Herod  Boethbs,  and 
1  hasael,  at  their  head,  declared  that  such  symbols,  which  wwc  equiv- 

'  clent  to  altars,  were  less  endurable  than  the  emblems  on  the  iftdndards. 
''Cease,"  cried  they,  as  he  fiercely  dismissed  them,  "to  stir  up  war 
aa^  commption.  The  Emperor  is  not  honoured  by  insults  offered  to 
tlie  Law.  It  is  the  will  of  Tiberius  that  our  laws  shall  be  refipected,  but 
if  not,  shpw  us  the  edict,  cr  new  rescript,  which  says  ptherwise,  that  we 
may  sendan  qnibassy  respecting  it  tp  him."  Pilate  trembl^  when  he 
heard  pf  a  complaint  tp  Tiberius,  fpr  he  wag  afraid,  as  Philo  tells  us, 
|hat  a  depu^atipu  to  liome  would  reveal  aU. his. vrime£« if  tJieyenaUty 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


907 


J&ms&r 
moved. 

IBftUHl- 

HiUIhe 
ite  they 
tinu^Uy 
Lined  to 
eeveiith 
vind  the 
mtioous 
to  entot 

le'iauUi* 
leir  law. 
a  whole- 
j9n  Irom 

Fom  this 

'ersistent 
eur  m>Bi 
houfStof 
r  seyere. 
tOBiatioii, 
mteadcd 
e<«^med 
iketboso 

i»,%liero 
Tiberius. 
he  Jews, 
tlxos,  and 
re  equiv' 
;&ndards. 
r  up  war 
)ffered  to 
scted,  but 
5,  that  we 
when  he 
)  tells  us, 
5  vettality 


of  hi?  aentencos,  his  rapacity,  his  having  ruined  whole  families,  and 
aU  the  shameless  d^dn  he  had  dohe,  the  numetotist  executions  heliad 
ordered,  of  persons  who  had  not  been  condemned  by  anv  tribunal, 
and  the  excess  of  cnieltlej^ -of  ev^ify- Jrfad  coinmitted  by  him."  He 
had  gone  too  far,  howeve^  f6  m;Veat,"ahd  had  to  leave  matters  to  the 
deciSon  oftWd'BWjfeWif,  btttHts  Herod  AJitipas;  had  ishc  ear  of  Tiberius, 
aiid  fwHllngly  sldea  with  thejpeople,  the  procuratoi*  was  defeated,  on^e 
tarn.  The  ddmrtiand  of  Ttbenus  was  dNctly  $ffaitist  ii^m,  aiid  Jie 
Wf  g  orderea  to  takri  away  l!he  shields,  ahd  haUj^  thenili^p  In  the  tenjple 
of  4ugust«ja,  a;t '  OftJaarea.    The  Jews  dortJioI^  Ufeihfelvtf^  ij^t  ttile 


:gmv  w  was  Jttivel5r  offended  at  Pllat6*6  ftylTf !   H€jhcef6i%,1h« 
"  itoou"  of  tMnjiUltitUde  iieaiMy  always'  sttcpee'dfed.  '     ^ 

Before  loog;  he  fouhd  WmseM  iavolTe'd.in  ^bij^^'c^iiffict  -^Htli  the 

indd  tHe 


city  and  the  Temple  Tirtth  wkfe^,  had  gnfwn  ^tfi'itt  /flrom  4^,  iiild 
Blftte  uudortoolc  io  btiUd  a  glrand  nek  aqifeduct,"  t^V6tit\*-tlvi6  mil#  Ih 
length,  which  ahoiiiab'rtnga^WU  Md'jmfe  mmytUtmt  TBnri>lpiid 
th Aitiiena  A^-  th>  '^^pfer  was  to  be.>enfefited,  •  h^ti^iil]¥th^ 

the'pioQe 

of  hisfw ^ . , .,  _       ^ 

the  Tempje  was  to  be  jpluodered,  ancjl  thoi^^d^  Btreamfe'i  fe:^TO^ 
palace,  lore^at'the  tactics  qtt  Oee^arei,  Butf  jt^fe  pteUratbi'  n^ 
li!fette?^^aredhi1xi3eH, beforehand:  ',]^e  had  ^ttefe^  hiimlj^t^  0f  ;M.3 
sotiBeriidresied  as(^ews,J  hmongilhe  crowds,  and"  iio  sooner  h^d  t^e 
tntttufloip^s'  icHes  bB2)^n,  than  these' asMesd  those  rouh^th^^^^ 
clubsi  m0'8j)e^^Uy  droMre  then^''6ff  in  wild  tetrori  leai^ihg  'nia|iy  M 
theh*  num|i>?t,  s^vbrely  "wotmdfed,  bihind.'  PferfifaMiVVa^bout  pis 
time^  w'hen  tM  wop)ks  had  bdeu  pushed  "^^"^'  *-  A^^^ttiui  yi.>cmi:ui± 
thatthetow^,  there,  fell  and  killed'  eii 
ilted  by  Che  mbhla  to  the  Wftith  btim 

Teinple  tr^Afiti^;.   PUateV  at^ed^qt  i^ered' h^b/more  hitidi^^' |i 
.  pqjiipiet  oa.    ;  -^  '  vV'iMj,itt.3*"i^/ibfVihiriw*»)fii 

■  ■■:■'      ,  •    -  ■■  '■       :  _■:  ^miiti:i^. 


■'•ffi^^ 


i-i  '.ttr,'. 


:  'Mi^'T.'  kiJ-''  i-^^fAniv  4iiV  'ilt!  ih'jH--: - 


I'  ' 


i 
i   . 


1^— ■ajBgBBggB' 


VOft 


.mnm  10  mu  mvv 


^JT! 


,rf   >.?.«.. Tf/.  -r- 


-,'.,  ,,f 


') .. 


I 


/!>,. 


BBBOD  AKTIPAfl  JCNt>  OB(tt99T*8  OWM  CGWtVHt,  7/  'hU 


r^lpN- ike  deftth  of  t^s  fether  Ilerpd,  G^litee  i6i\i6tUW6llict&d 
;  Axiittpas,  "virhQ  ru}^  over  it  during  hearlv  all  tHe  lifetiiiie  of  pur  ^oritf, 
^ and lof  six  yem, jftfter  fiis  death,  H,is  mbttier ^as  th.e  Sattiaritari, 
^Jfialtli^^^,  90  iliat^e  "^aa  a  iiai  brother  of  ^i'cttelaus,  who  Was  dbout 

a  yeaf .  older.  H6  J|iad  bpeii  seat  to  iconic,  for  hib  edui^attdii,  TOi 
.^rcUdaiii^  ,4Uid  jiiB,  hftli-t>r6ther,  phUi^,  when  i^  liby  of  kbout  thirteen, 
^^and^he  three  ha^ been efitrupted  ther6  io  the 'caVe  6t a  jbtiratte guar- 
j-dlan, ,  t  ;rhe  .i^vil  geniu^  ol  ihelr.  liojude,  their  halM6^(i^hCT  Antimt^V, 

'lijirho  :^f^  intich  their  kerdor,;  w^s  al?^6ddy' living  iii  the  ,iioperiii'c!ty. 
J;iad  alw^y?  ttateil  Arpi^plaus  ai^d  !ndlip,  ad  rival?'  m  hik  hopeai  cyf 


n 


,„  ip  tfi^rpne,  and,  ^Ow  ^opk' every  oppo^uni^  to  elarider  t^6m  to  tb?^ 
t|^tPie;f,  siOjth^ft,  perhfip^'  in  cpodeqUbo^p  of  this,  thby^^reiptal^editb 
j'Judea  i^  to  j^^^^   b.C»  $/  But  t][ii9  <imyinMe^-^^^  tl^6  iri6ro 

^aeadly  in  Jw^tnatred,  and  te  succ^ed^d  ih^O  poi^ning  theit*  father's 
:  jft^iod  ag%9t  thena,  that  theif  altiw^st'  dreMed  sharmg  the  !fa^  of  thb 
.  l\i^6  90ia^  pf  Mariajnne,  #hp  had  f allj^n  'thr6i|^  thd  sa-itie  fatai■ili^il- 
;  j^Cie.^' .^^tipiij^,  Who  Jiad, escaped  Antipa^Wswiles^^  li^ethefd  likjely  to 


'pro!Qt  iacist  by  the  iij|iiprt;uiite.  for,^i;c^Jtik,Beppi4d  tv^in,  niad^ifter  the 
"execution,  bjf  A^ttpai^r,  Hierod,  'uiiabliB  to  cl^^jjf  iii3inm(f  of  the  pi'ejil- 

dice  a^mst  theiii,  had  j^issed  over  both  ^tch^latia  and  ?hii!ipV  4iifi 
^iiaifned  Ahtipas,,  the  youagest,  as  his  iWdciesspr^    .Kindliei*  thbumt^, 

hdwever,  returi»ed  j|)efpf ^  he  abtulilly  dik^,  and, 'a  third  Will  was'tnade, 


ihUp^s  had  i^ecdtecj  hi^  name  IChcinbtir  df  hi^    

gMndfatyr,'  cis  Anitipater,'  l^is  halfbi'other,  j^'ad'  ffecei#d  tLii '  bf  hfs 
gra^i^Mhejp.  In  Ilfioriie.  by  ^  ktr^h^)^  fbhuhe,'>e^'had' fdi^i  cpmW- 
Toft  ana  fellow-schblar,  bile  Whois6  after-life'  w«ts  v^iy  dijfferetit  froln 
hia  own — a  lad  named  Menahem,  who  afterwards  bec^ihe  ai  Ot^stiau 
teacher  in  Antioch.  Antipas  staid  at  school,  in  Rome,  after  Ai'che- 
laus  and  Philip  had  been  recalled  to  Judea,  his  quiet,  peace-loving 
ruispositioi^  having  protected  him,  in  some  measure,  from  the  slanders 
of  Antipater,  and  from  the  distrust  of  his  father.  He  was,  however, 
by  no  means  wanting  in  ability,  else  so  shrewd  a  man  as  Herod  would 
never  have  thought  of  making  him  his  sole  successor;  nor  could  he, 
otherwise,  have  been  supported,  as  he  was,  before  Augustus,  by 
Salome  and  the  family,  and  by  the  leading  men  of  Herod's  govern 
ment,  in  his  suit  for  the  crown,  in  preference  to  Archdlaus.  That 
prince,  hated  by  nearly  every  one,  found  himself  vigorously  opposed 
by  Antipas,  and  gained  his  cause  only  with  mortifying  abasements. 
Salome  and  Herod's  counsellors  may  haV-e  put  Antipas  forward  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


aoo 


MUfJtJrt 

■    -.'■  Wi  ■ 

!tfegti$ir- 

to  tb?]^  > 
baljeditb 
lie  trioTG 
%tlher's 
ie  of  thJ3 

liPytp 
aiftertlib 


hou^t^. 
as' made, 

ll'fefeat. 
at'bt  y.g 
fc'piirf)a4- 
etit  itoti 

er  ^-I'cte- 
kce-loving 
5  slanders 
however, 
od  ■would 
could  he, 
ustus,  by 
'3  govern^ 
IS.  That 
f  opposed 
asements. 
)rward  to 


senre  their  own  ends^  but  he  had,  himself,  shown  in  the  management 
of  his  claim,  that,  if  quiet,  he  was  none  the  less  ambitious  in  a  peace- 
ful way. 

When  he  entered  on  hig.j[oirenkment,.in  the  year  b.c;  4,  he  wtis 
about  seventeen  years  old:  fits  provinces  were  wide  apart,  f or  Gali^ 
Ice  was  in  the  north- westv  and  Pereamthe  8oiilh-eastr<^jthe  country, 
the  territory  of  the  free  towns,  known  as  Decapolds,  separating  tbrai 
sompletely.  Tliey  were  b6th,  however,  so  rich^  especially  mlilee, 
that  they  ranked  as  second  in  the  paternal  inheritance.  '  ,  / 

/Voder  the  wise  guidance  of  liis  father's  couus^ots,  Irenasus  and 
I^oteihy,  the  care  of  Antipas  was  first  ttimed  to  the  repair  of  his 
Icingddm,  Which  had  been  sadly  injured  by  the  Romans  imd  Ah^bs  in 
the  wars,  and  to  the  neceiftsary  security  of  his  throne.  In  tlie  south 
of  Oalileelie  rebuilt  and  strongly  fortified  the  town  of  Sepphoris,-^ 
li^hlch  lay  ojl'an  isolated  hill,  only  two  hours  hotth  of  Nazareth,— and 
inade  it  his  ^apltal^  ami  at  otice  the  ornament  of  his  kingdom,  and  its 
protection  against  8yro*Phieiiiclan,  or  even  Roman  attadsv  It  hod 
beeh  taken  and  burned  to  the  ground  by  the  soh  of  the  proconsul 
Yahis,  who  had  'marched  against  it  from  the,  neighl)ouring  garrison 
tovi^n,  Ptolenlai^  ih  the  summeii  of  the  year  i?.  a  4,  on  occasion  of  the 
indUcrection  of  Judas,  the  ^n  6f  that  Hezekiah  whom  Hcro&  had  tnit 
td^  death  wheh  hti  routed  his  batid  id  thercaverns  of  the  800  feet  high 
cliffs  of  Arbela,  oh  itk  Sea  of  Oennesareth.  Yatus  had  sold  the'in- 
Uabitauts  as  slaves^  but  Antipas  brought  others  and  rex)eopiod  it.  ' 
Jesus,  in  His  early  childhood,  must  ha v^  seen  the  town  building,  for 
it  lay,  lull  in  view,  at  a  aliort  distance  from  the  hill-tot^  behind' Naza- 
reth, ta  which  He  often  wandered.  i  ;'  ■    ' 

Having  thusi  secured  his  northeni  frontier,  he  turned  tptfae  oppo- 
site, outlying,  extremity,  ^vhem  Ferea  bordered  the  Nabfliteankingaoin 
and' was  exposed  to  the  Arabs,  -about  half-way  down  the  eastern  edge 
of  t!ie  Bead  Sea.  Aiifong  the  t^reGi|>ltous  voleanic  cliffs  and  peaks  'of 
that  re^on,r  lie  Strengthened  the  fortress  of  Miachaerus  l^  M^  walls 
and  towers,  addtn|:  a  residence  for  hitnself  within  its  circi^t.  The 
defences,  built  af  first  by  Alexander  Jannseus,  but  destrdyM  bythe 
Romans  in  the  old  Asmonean  wars,  were  ilaw  made  almost  impreg- 
nable; and  Antipas  Cbuld  boast  of  havihg^  secured  his  kingdom^at 
another  of  its  weakest  points.  He  little  thought  that  he  himself  wng  ^ 
to  earn  his  darkest  stain  by  the  execution  of  a  lonely  prisoner  within 
its  walls.  But  he  did  not  tfust  to  strong  walls  alone.  He  dreaded 
the- neighbouring  Arah  prince  Aretas  as  his  most  probable  enemy,  and 
allied  himself  with  him  by  marrying  his  dauffhter.  To  flatter  tbi 
enipross-mother,  Livia,  whom  Salome,  at  her  death,  A.D.  aboiit  10-  • 
13,  had  made  her  heir,  aad  his  neighbour,  he  built  a  town  which  lie 
called  Livias,  oil  the  site  of  the  old  Beth  Harum,  at  the  upper  end  of 
Vie  Dead  fica.  From  Saloine  Livia  had  obtained,  besides,  the  town 
of  Jatnnia  and  its  district,  in  the  Philistine  plain,  and  Phasaelia  and 
ArchelaYa  in  thoyailey  of  tlie  Jordan,  dose  to.  his  own  borddrs,  so 


'If 


lis] 


r 

1 


I  Ir 


i   1 


Ji*l-LJJJMIU 


9m 


THE.  liEFir  OF:  CHRIST." 


that;  he  wished  to  ht  on  goodi  tormB  with  her.  ( .Bteides,-  Julf  a  was  ol 
the; time  in  &ivoui!  with  the  lewa^  ioi^  .having!  given  g0ldw  Jars  and 
diflhieSt  and  other  costly  oiFcrings  to  the  Temple. 

iin  the  .first,  port  of  his  re%Q,  under  Augustus,  from  ihc  ydait  a«Di  4 
to  14  Antipaa  maintained'a  pnadentrMjatraiiit,  forito  had  bad  no  sue* 
cess  fai(thesin^»iktteliq>ti  he  ventured  towards  a  mor«  intimate  rela*' 
tJoB  .math  .ther-£m|ieBor.  <  Ou  the  (baaisluneiit  •  of  Archel||U8i  he* iiad 
sought  .^^  beooidM  his  heir,  and  >!«  get;  his^father's  dbniinions^as  a 
whole,  as  had  been  ioitendod  io'the  secdnd wiU>  and  sikemiagl^ had 
made  himself  ,olue£  acoueor  of  t  his  Mien  broth^r&Ddof<  ills  govern- 
ment: Silt  4ihe  answer  ofLAugnstus  was  tiid.aunexktiou  df ;  JiideA*  to 
^ria^Tleating  AnSipas,  las  hi4  bne^conaolation,  the  Uiought  that  as  he 
-w^asinowtbeionljrlierod^ he  might  assume4;he  uamo,<as'he  seeKis  1^ 
hisicbins Ip have  done^  from thiadatoj 'Uma  LOm''>'ili^ ^jl  'vri^'j^f' i^^p'h^- 

.iHis  lelf^ions  With/iTibeiiua'  were  anoroiimterhig.  BjH  eo^4le^ 
proofs  o|  dependence  and  obedient  Udelity^  shown^aoubUesSy  in  part^ 
aailater,  in  leports'snd  espionage-  on  the  pyoooiisulsi  <sucb»  as  the  sus- 

gioioBSLand  despotic  emperor  tfeved^<  he  succeeded  at  h^st^  afteir  a  pro^ 
stion<o£a.goodtnahy  3rears;  mgainiuggre«^  iavourwitU  ihim^  ■  T9 
showihift gratitude, ,  Antipas,  whot  had  grown  tinedt  <^  Bepjihdi'ia  for 
hia4;apital^  fan  off  ainong  the  hills  ofi>^liiee>  on '  thei  bordei^  of  Msi 
tetia^hy;  and  afiiong;»proud  and  independent  people^  determined  to 
buildanewoneionthd/Bea4>f  Gennesareth^  near  the>  hot  «|»rh)gis  <d!f 
Emmans.  It  waathe  finest/pairt  oif  his  territory,  alike  for  riohness^of 
soil,  mbA  ibeaiity  of  iandseapci  Tiie  'dty  was^  UDf  *  course^  'plaiined  In 
theiBomaiiistyle,  jatidi  as;  under  the  fotmer  emperor;  every*  iti^rd  town 
was  called  Ctesarea  or  Sebaste,  the  Greek  equivi^entbf  Augiifitus,4he 
new^mettoo^ifis  was  to  be  Called  Tiberias;  The  site>  chosen  wiis  obe 
ol  theiiBlast/lMasxtifid  on  thalahe^iDa  a  southerly  bend  of "tlie  sboref,^ 
wsahed  onits  eastern  sidaby  the  waves.  Yet  itw^inot^  f^  the  time, 
a  fortunate  one;  for  the  reedy  etrandf  made  it'  unhealthy,  ftbd;  stCl 
werse^xtracea;  o£  an  icddi  bm^iaHslace  w^re  f  ovmd  as  the  >  streets  mem 
being  laid  ;oti-H«  diaebvery  whim  ikt  once  brought  fot^ward  the  i^b- 
biiliwithtentreatiest&at  the  spot  'might;bii^'abaindone'd^  as  thusat^mce 
unclean;:  and  unholy;.;;  Bute  Herod  ipaid  no  attention  to  the: clamour, 
and»  as  soon  aaloone)  streets  were  teadyi  {filled  the  liouaes  With  what- 
ever Btrangera  were  willing  to  tialce  ^em.  Ereloig,  li6we;vter,  hj&  had 
to  iuae  force  :to  get  inliabitants,  for  no  strict  Jew  would  settle  of  his 
own  accord  in  aiplaee  known  to  be  polluted^  <  He  was  even  driven  to 
give  .8lav€B  and  beggars  buiding  and  garden  ground,  and  to  raise 
houses  for  them,  and^ranttlifem  special  privileges,  before  lie  got  his 
capital  peopled.  But  a  prejudice  clung  to  it,  wblqh^  even  in  after 
ycars»  made  all  un^leain  for  seven  days  after  visiting  it,  and  required 
rites  of  purification  before  tho  defilement  could  be  removed!  Tiberias 
is  only  once  mentioned  in  tht  Gospel^  and  there  is  no  trace  of  Jesus 
havii^  ever  ei^tered  it.  But,  in  spite  of  all  opposition;  IlerOd  trans- 
ferred Ihia  iBsidencato  it £romi£lei^horis,;.siad  lavishly  de^oratted  his 


THilljIFB  OF  lOHRIBT. 


ttl 


pftloeie*  to  flw  giiet.pt  th^  people^,  ivitliliflatiieii  ornan^onto.  .(Dm 
iMade»v;»vhich  vaa  ift^carved  by  Bculp^iires  o^  anhnnU,  wm  espeoitilly 
offensive  to  ihe  Babbis.  Thd  Interior  was  f  i»nish«d  wkb  Almost  iin- 
p^rial «p)cKulour, '  u^d  it'iiraa  loiw.iepQcted  kow>  tii»^IiQ«:».wQre 
glld(4»  9>ndf  wMt  V/cmcterfal  jsanoelabni)  and^lfimUure  «# -pcGcioui 
metal  dfwzied  the  ey^A..  wlii^JlieB  the  palace  mndsPiMtltivefeatoniied  by 
the.  people,  ,ati  thO|putfoi»ak  of  iUe  i:fi  lal  war,  Jiiatimk'^l»  CodntliiAa 
bra|»^  jpljendigLtalmt^  and  whote  tablfi'dervtoes;  ol  soUd;  sttv^,  w^re 
ca^rie^  oft  AS  pltmd^.  doai^  to  •this,  ^aatiotpiilaae,  tathe  i^itional 
\iojxor  i^t  tlie  Jews,  be  buiitsa  amphitheati^v  «tiUt  to  be^tiMKttdi  spar 
clous  enough  for  the  gceatvst  ,i»8emb)ie8,v  The  >oi^  was  ttdoiAed,  be^ 
sid^s„;iyjUb  Chrwiaa  colonaades  And  maadile  jstatues^  and,  ^ire^^.at  tliia 
d^,  ,rMins.  o|  fine  ubuildingS'  atmw  the  bcaQh^rrgrini^  oolutniDs^  juid 
^blbcks  c^  costly  marble  pcfrphyry,.  and:  syenite^,  tthe  ^irr^li^'  ot  Hkt 
spiesujiid Tmi|&  o^^tbe  ;g)reat  omea  ot  ^t^rqaiard^ji^  i^heu^oiQi'bettlihto 
lipi4pnrba4b9eQ.')«([|U}tiQg*!.  /i  ■"..  ■  _  >;i.'f;/.4T  '■  '.v-'^i-jj}  i..-.}j.t/.f^r''«-',H:->  •■ 
^^I^-^ithrall  ,t|H«  |ioHwn.9iagnific^ic^^th«  Jows(wc»«^  .quite^ 
foy^ttjen,,  ^A.  ^y^fieoflao  large  enpugi^loi  l%9  greatest  ,$«ogr4gati€NB^ 
T^a^  buil!;>»9pare^tly.  1)^  fief)D(^.ln.<tl|e.  ^pasions  jiali  off  fi^Jiicb^ two 
g^e^^tionfiiii^t'  tbo/Sirild  ray^i^utionacy^gatlKsri^  i:^  Ihe  Qaiilssans 
^^jemixeldt  atmng  thr  gi:^ W^> w^  J^ei&e.,.  .The  BKObiyes  oi^the 
pcovj^i^e.wpreti^^i^e^rHiRib^  the  4Qat ,  of .  g^Tfi^ainieiiti^tOrTibGidaa^ 
a^  ^ qi^tle  iii vWh<^  Ai^n^la'Sri^  Jbc^QjiOOP^m^ii,  was 

btiilt  ifor  the  giairison;.  For  the  next  iAIty  years,  Tiberias  was  th«iiii* 
cU$pu,t(;(},Qamt«j;iLOf  CJalpise,  fuid^ jQiesair^^exaep^  Ib0  ihuMt^^ciiy  of 
PJ»le)p^jQte4.t^bu^4iQg  ;^  gnpai  them^  o^)ocail«Qrlp8ityana>ia« 

t(^gM« in  rt^j  AOKto..  for  th&;>ll^e.  years  aftor  JetsMS  had  xenc^lied  His 
mjijpriiy,  lor ijfciwaa  begun  betweei^^ a^b^  ild  luid  lOj  and  vaa  ready 
fqc  ^li^ltailits,,  ajl;.lat0fl^:  by  thf  year  .&St^  find  it  lay  only-fi^teea»  ot 
ei^^bilt^p,  miles  froon  Kazirethf  Sepphoris  wasJhance£orth^  tijklJ^esolS' 
d^^  only  tbeaieoond  town  otithe province^  I  .  * u  ^  x  .j  iv  ,>j<,ai.u/vv 

j^ain^  .|if^  It  mtrpas^ing  interest  as  ths-spedai^  scene  of  ti^  mlnistij 
of  ^0s^  ajod  thi^  district  in  which  JBb^spentiieafrly  jaU  Jiisilile.  It 
wjE^.tbrPi9gb.it^.cJ;ties  and  Tillages  that  fieis-ceoon^edtohave^passodj 
on$^,a^d^^P«  t«]»ching  and  pceachijQg,  and  itwas  inGa^iieeithat  He 
haj^jpQp^^ popular  support..^  Totkaow  something  o£  a  land  whose  aiv 
I(e,  ^\v» ,  pi^eathed  so  long,  amongst  whose;  ipeople  He  was  wont  to 
ini^gfe,  toidbyii/^^bpaebestcliar^teristicsfienuisthavQ  beenftffeo|ed»' 
alia^oet  uncQnBciouMy,!is  esdc^tial  tor  a  vivid  realization  olilisiilSi  u  ![^ 

The' proviitce  h\^  wbolly  inland,  with l^henicia  aaiits  western^  and' 
partly  its  northern  neighbour,  the  smali  state  ef  UlaUia^  reaching, 
from  f'vvt^Qre  PhCinicia  ,ended,  .to.tha  Sea  o|  Merom»  on  t^i north- 
eastern border*.  ,  The  Jordan  .marked  its  east^m  limit;  and  Decapolis, 
^Itb  the  territory,  of  Samaria,  defined  its  southern  bordta*^    Its  whole 
extent  w,asi|tconsiderable,for'it  raoasuredlittle  more  than  seven-and-^ 
twenty  miles  ;frpiu,. east  to  we8t»  and  fiyetamd-twentyfrom-  north  toi: 
soutti;.its  ,7);2iii9W...|i^eaibeiiig>nearJx^  -jas^:^at^^ei  Bedfori^ 


ifi^ 


11' 

'Jii 


iti 


■'.  I 


iii 


III       -'M'i  I  >f 


t!lm¥iai'    'ifrLUVJl'ljl!! 


M2 


^fttS  tal^  of  CHRIST. 


varied*  indeed,  at  different  times,  but,  at  t]^  JaTgegt,  ijt  WM,i«tlior 
likd  ft  iiiod«i«te^  m«mif ' Hi^  a  ofovific^.  Tne  T^nd  toofudcn 
Ccnfe*  Plitf  Pl^;  tWeTr^  aiida  half  ihlles;^^]^^)^  ^^  Bea  otmevom, 
is  it,  which  ymM'  bridi;  it  f n  h  Ihie  wm  Y)i^  ptocipitbiu  ipoiintain 
bed'Of  tiie  swift  liMkifm;  ^Wbeiti  th^  |tv«r  tun^s  w«itwj&rd,  at  a  rlgiit 
aiigla»  to  it«  feritaer  cotiTte;  and  t^h^  cttrftighkfb  tne  opa<im  jfn 
€hristVd«3r,  howe«r«r,  Ctt^rett  PhUnipi  iribeiofl  fo  lu^v«  l^lopffpc!  to 
the  dMntaiiouvdf*  PMHI),  vatliei^  thanHtciae  bf  Mtimui,  ainq  thTii  wuh 
tlie  oaln{  «l80,  wf th  (Wi^jptkniMiigafiiilbi  df  ^If^  .ihoudii  )|bth! 
form  tlsB  aammt  h^ndary  of  thef Cfalilseanf^gioti.:  ,1  jl  L  .'.yj  f ;, 
'  Uadei^fhiM  at«ti}mort!ieir^  alopce eitfeh^ i W*^!^ Ipnhy  'mi^wn 
with  tall  <r^Mda^ntf«wam|^^raia6,  ahd'teft  uhiiiluibitel  fronriti  p^ti- 
leatial  air.'  South  of  this  tl^  Watehi  gath^  to  form  X^  3^^il»,  or 
«tfiiileh;>o^crrgi*o)v^n^^iidtl!i^  tliicit  re^,  tlitotigh  whi^ji  tM  ^o^d^n 
slowlr  makes  its  war.  The  people  of  Oalifeb  ^uiit'  to  tw$  a||i)^rict 
at  aM,  only  ttyh^h?  the  #iirtx%^^^^m  wfilch  roomed 

through  th«  reed  hied^  ttt  ti*o^f^/  It'wu  fil^pned  on  apcoupt,^^ 
Tohbers  sad  fugftii^es'  wlMr*w^i«^w6n^  to  him  i^ta0^xmi»^CQm^o 
morateea;  flMd  rdod^flotelslts;  PotHihiNiloti  f«c6lii^ei)ceao^]y  %)l^n  ikU 
region  isiMUMd,  in^reasiA^  as  f»opdh)t  U  ri^chie^  w)i6]:e  tltepRit^van 
road  between  Damascus  and  Acre  cfossiDs  th^' Jor^tan.  near  i^h^  spot 
now  t&nsd'^tttdm  t^Hd^;  i^Q  ibfctohes'  ioufhwafd'  towards ; Tl- 

V^TherSeaof  Tiberil«^;oii  wWch  tliat  dly'  eitbodl.wi^i  tightly  qillod 
thdEy«'dfaaIil«W/ 'Irithedtf^sof  t^isit,  oven  ffiore  Wxl  xm'^  all 
thespleadiMipof  lislUK'^'iBo^hbfn  laudl  Wj^s^poUr^oiiit^  mm^^ 
CuftUr^  whiK^h  left  hb'  stlot^pi^ii^ive,  i^hci^led  th?  y^yi<^  y^^^x%^ 

frhjge  «sm*.  ^  iT»d^W«stto  *«l#fe  is'  still  brf^t'^itti'  up^y^jpjowecl 
vegetation,  while;  on  the  e^.  the  st^'h^)^  tfai^t  sink  tb^  tpo  "^ater'a 
edgearobAreiltkd  gfoc^ttiV  ^olciaiHc  fdcks,  The  ricH^st  sptit-ontljo 
lalie  iA'  tb<J  pMtf 'Of  oMnes^iliMih,  Wbferb;  in  buy  li^rd's  day,  all  tba 
fruits  of  P«testih#Aboi^d^.' '  Everi  tlie  hills  "ivere  tWn  coyere^  wftli 
treesi'  €ypreflies^  Oli^sriaMOcfds,  firs,  ^g$,  cedars,  citrons,  0"V08, 
myrtles,  pahn#«  *«»d  bttlsaw^^  idre  cnni^erated  'by  a  ppntemporary  of 
J^uB  as  adotfnfing  1fi€(  v^^  ot  hill^.  '  Tlib  ,n6w^l:)ar^  landscapi)  wa» 
then asptendid  |pij^de;ri.' '  (Weatidei' b^uft^es,  With flow^a  of  the  Jovc- 
.liest  colours,'  fifi^,' vtebsi^rtdh-flelda,  aiid  soft'nicadows  frJyjgccl,  tlio 
banl»,  and,  while  friift-Sti-ees  and  oKfes  coVeire^  th^^^ilj^^  tJi^q  ft^pm 
wdredotted  with  waving' palftis.  ■  ■  !v'r ''/r'' ".:V '''!..<■■) /*)j'5 

The  lake  is  ettiaped  almost  lilce  a  pear,  the  broaa  end  toward?  the 
nortli./  Its  in!«atedt' width  \A  slxand  tnn^e-qtiarter  milef,  iapdltscx- 


been'I«s»populos»,*ufeev^nit  had  towfas  nt  every  opcnln^of  thedark 


THBMPK  OFOHRIST. 


irs 


uden 

ntain 
right 

V    in 

5pdto 

l|p)^rtct 


mostly 


MKty  of 

IhB  love 
^ged.tbo 
[o  ftixpTt's 

Id  it«  ex- 
irn  filioro 

J  always. 
Fthcdark 


.  bftsaUlo  hilU.  tUo  OM^workn  ol  Iho  QaUlonitiah  rani^,  which  prem 
close  to  tji^c.  wator'^  tia^u*  '  ^^ 

^loaiof  mo^  ^pi'fki),  and  hal^vaj,  down,  the  wBteniudeof  tb*  LaMe. 
ii^  btrip.  Off  Uplimd  plutewi,  about  ipuv  niilfis  in  widtiiy  ^^  ^birteen 
long;  Tii^iiis  ib(UUde(l  in  ,OaUlo0,  ,b^tit,l(raa  ci  UUIq  value.  8o«itl^w«st 
of  tne  tfd^Bf  between  tlie  noi;lh^  uplaodsaail  4he  range  of  CTarmel, 
l^lretttiod  out  tl^  p^ai^  of  £^rM)ojD»  the  maiiket  of  Qalfloe.  Beyond 
b^her^n,s  of  we  province.,  twe  igraa^  piain  was  .crowded  wMi  life, 
atid  covered  wlUi,  frjUitful  oelaa,  vlneyanla,  andorohards,  in  the  days 
ofpva'lML  '.^JAvfrnii  wnter^are  never  tired  oif  praieipgiOalilee  as  a 
iviiole.  Ita  «limato,  they  said,  was  a  well^nii^  perpetoal  springs  tts 
soil  the  mo£f^  fertile  ip  Palestioe,  it» inula  ron^wned  for  thei^  sv^eet- 
Hea^  Jfbr  M^teen  iuDqb  rojuud  Sepphoria,  aod^  therefore,  round 
*  Kaiiareik  iia  ne^  neigUbov^,  the  land,  it  was  boasted,  aowed  i«rith 
Hulk  ^d  ^otioy.  T|ie  whole  provioce,  in  f^t,  viras,  «nd  is,  «ven  «tiU, 
Yutl  of  verdure,  and  Hch  In  iihade  and  pleasantneBs.  (he  true^obuntry 
of  the  d^ng,  of  Song9.  aod  of  the  lava  of  the  wellTbelOYed^  It  Was  In 
a  f^^tt'  Where  Hoh  w'ooda  crowned  the  higher  hiUs  and  nobntaihi; 
wU^re  the.  uplmds,  gentle  slopee,  and  broader  valleye,:  were  rkih  In 
n^ytiu^^,  (H^lnvated  nelds,  yln«6yiurdi»  ,olive.groives^and!(»€harda,'and 
tii^  pA\m  mves  qt^  whose  warmer  pfiort^  w«re  praised  evea  ^y  foreign- 
6t8;rthtUf^Jeaia8SjMntHi».llfe,^,.,,    .,..,■    !,>...,.,.,(.•,:.      vr.i  !„■.■.• 

Thje' mi^in  pi'odiicts  of  thW  delightful  provineerinthedaya  of  Christ, 
Wore-tiiid  flkh  of  deunefiaTeth,  and  the  wheat,  wine,  and  olive' dil,  . 
which  the  whole  lapd  yielded  so.richlyi    Gasqhala*  attown  in  lu^rtborn 
Galileat  6wed  Its  i^an^o  io  the. '*  fivt  aoU"  ol  its^districVftnd  tbe  plain 
of  E£d^l6n,,b^  par^of  whlc|i  Kaxaareth  lookcd^ownj  waa  f amoera 
for i%k h^vy ' crp^iA ,bf  wheat.    J!eau9«  indeed,  Uved^ in thecentre of  a 
part  famc^us  lor  ,it^,  grain  and  qHm  Farmers^  and'grape,>and  aliv« 
|rQvi^rs  formed  1^6,  rlpl^erclaBsea:  around  ,Him^  andiiHe  was 'luniiiar 
wiiHjioisy  morket-cmys,  ;^J^Qn  buyers  came  |r«ni all  parfea'tO'tiu>towiiil 
arid  villiijgep^  to  t^iiilo,  iPor  the  teeming  rural  wealtbi  i  Magdala,  on  the 
LAke  of  u«^hnesarotli,  dro,YO  a  flourimdng  tradeiin  doves^  for  the«ac^ 
riflcesi  nd  ferwor  ,t^uuli  three!  hundred;  shops^  it  is  i^aidt  bciYAg  devoted 
to  thdjr  sale,    'tlibr^  wure  indigo  planters  also  in. its  ueighbourhoed; 
then;-  Hs  ^111.    'Woollen , clothniukiUg  and  dyeing  throve  iu; it^  for' it  ^ 
liudelg^ity  clbthmakers,  and  a  part  of  the  town  was  known  as  that  o0  ' 
tlie  dyers.    Arbela,  nbi  f ar  on,  beside,  the  hill  caves,  was  bo  lestr 
noted  for  its  clbtlmiajking.    Flat  was  grown  widely,  and^  woven  bj^ 
women  Iqto  the  finbst  Idnaa  of  linen,    kef r  HananiahM-tlie  village  'of 
Hahaiiiah— in  the  centre  of  Galilee,  was  the  pottery  district  of  the' 
province,  and  was  famous  for  it3  earthenware,  and  especially  for  its 
jars  f6|r  olive  oil,  'whiph  >yero  nccestiarilx  in  great  demand  in  so  Hcb$ 
an  oil  country.*  • ,  '    '       ',  '.      '  ..^^^^.^j.  ^^^^^^f-i^ii^iv^'i^i^v^ 

Shut  jni  from  tl^e  sea-coast^  a«  the  Jewisn  tetntbty  baa  b^B  in  mf 
affos,  tixe  OaliloD^n  Iboikcd  dowti  from  Ua  l^Ia,.  towards  tbe  aea^  on  th# 
<  liotue  of  another  and  d  very  different  race.    The  glittering  whaie  aand^ 


I    1 


i     *y 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIlSt. 


,  o^  the  flhoro,  «Dd  the  imokJiig  ohlmnevit  bf  the  ffjass  manufactories 
rUiqg  from  many  points;  the  aingy  bi^ldiuffs  of  Tj 
tltt.wMte  WaUeof  hU^owAxIkountam  hone,  km  iieir 
trie«i,iJie;W«^n«,  dyeing,  JttdmU^h  eite  w 
c^aMlese  traffic^  hoth  lit  sefi  and  Jantf,  to  and  f  i*Om  tnM  j^hsstr  d^nmbf 
cpBwni9rce»  reminddd  him'  that'tUe  ilebi^w  wOrtd  ^ndcdr  wlm  his-nilH 
mi,  tJtot  on  the  sen-coatt  plain  beneath  them  thai!  Of  thi^  Oritt&riiaitil 
cinii  mOe  b^gan^  Yet;  there  were  manV  citite;  dnd  inari<df  toifhs,  and 
yU^agea,  i^  hie  own  hills  and  Talleys-^iscluila'dn  the  libHhciii'yibpCH 
oftUe  4000  i^t  high  IDJiebol  D>rmak,  oHd  Ritni^  on  M'mi^ktii\ 
fiepi»M0i;i8  Ocowiiting  it«  hill  of  900  feet;  the  strbtig^  fillt^orti'^i^bf 
JoUfMitiw  OYflridoUns  the  piahi  of  Battaiit'oh  thi^  norihW^of'thb 
If l^xare^h  ridge  i  wItiirOium  of  Odlilee  on  its  hofthef li  edgp;  tod  f^- 
•4PA.  QH  Mi  $oiithern«  All  those,  oir  the  heIgh1»/Hlhderwbfe1i'ihey 
nes^edfsWeikJieveryKlaysightsof  JeeusfrOm  the  r6und  sili^tniiBdbhid 
IHsp^nTliiffiland  Nazareth,  »nd  th^y  were  6ntf  a  few  tfMt  knlghi  bb 
n^med.  I :  poMng  86uth,  over  the^  plain  of  tl^rd^on,  '<^n  Kib  turtlicr 
edge  ii»y  lii^o.  Uke  bid  Megiddo,  where  the  gdd'd' Julnjt  Jdi^h'fell'iii 
b^t|J«s,  mnidst  fi^oh  slauj^htef  and  lamenttitiolti,  that  z^^haHuL '  iiio]re 
th^n,liilim^dred  yeim  later,  could  And  nol}etter  picture  i^f  '*'in(i'fiihd 
mQ)wk4ngt^  oj^rerv  family  ep^K^"  than  the  "  taoutiim^  in  the  ^lley  jdf 
HegiddoQ,"  and  that  even  the  Apocah'psb  pki^e^  the  g^tiTnal  c6h- 
^t,  lot  Annageddet),—the  Hill  of  ,;S%iddo[  Th^ 'T^iidltlg^  of  'the 
tqrreiUtKitbon  .carried  xviXh  it  the  membnes  of  anoth^  '^ar  lUstbrt- 
e^l  ^t\^  when  the  host  oifBi^era,  thrown  h^^sa  by  %  iiudd^n  flood, 
p^ibed  bfifoi^  Berak  abet  pebomh.  li^  the  ^a^t  of  the  pTniib  rdse.  on 
Its  jyfope,  the  plcea^nt  jbkrboi,  onee  Ahkb'»%aj3}thl,  Ivhere  ^abpth  iidd 
bi^^^ineyejcd)  and  the  dogs  licked  the  bipod  of  the.  haughty  Jezebel. 
Qnste]m];pt|n^  a  spur  of  the  ^lilli^  oi  Oilbo^,  '^^%^  ^^^  1,800  icetL 
libpi^^  4he.searl£^il»  halfway  between  Jezrieel'  and  Tdbbr.  lay,  o^  the 
d|j^ei»QtJ8tdea,  J^e  yi)l|ige  of  8uttem,.wb[erc  :B^tea  Ifyed  with^  the 
l^vuniuninile  wt<iowr  and  the  birthplace'  of  Alrahog,  the  fiirest 
mald€^  in  the  lungdom  of  David— iCain,  irvhere  the  yotini:  i^^n  Was 
gm  d«y.to  Aisfi  up  again,  alive,  f^om'his  biet-^atid'  Ehdot-^"the 
fpiU^tajft  of  thepeople  round"— where  6aul  saw  the  shade  of"  Sahiuel. 
*  Oloeelothe  hill,  on  its  southern  side,  bubbling  lip  itf  i*  hoUbw^  bf  the 
ispck,  >ya«»  the  Spring  of  IV^mbling.  where  OlaeOn's  test  sent  awiiy  all: 
b\lt.the  stouthearted  three  hundred  who  won  the  gf-eat'^'diiy  of 
Mi<iiaa,'*  the  pfOp>hetic  prototype  of  the  trium|)h'6f  the  *'I*rJnce  of  * 
ifeac^,"  On  the  iouth  side  of  the  ravine  down  whi^h  the  spring 
4owe/i,  rose  the  hills  of  Gilboa,  where  Saul  abd  his  three  eons  fell  in 
little.  Where  the  rocky  gorge,  sinking  steeply,  opens'  a' few  miles 
lieyon4,  ,lo  the.  east,  into  a  feasant  mountain  valley,  Watered  by 
Itarod,  now  swollen  to  a  brook,  lay  the  town  of  Betn'sheah  0^  Scy- 
tbp.pQ)i%  to  the.  walls  of  Which  the  bodies  of  B^ul  and  of  hls^three 
mn^,  Jonathan  among  them^  were  hung  lip  in  triiunph  by  tiieTlctorr 
ouflJPhilifltuaea-  •    ,         i     /v/:;/ u-y,;?!,^,  t'^v  y^  ^vi^'■i^^,f:iiT(n  ;->:  •... 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST 


815 


The  view  from  the  Nazareth  hills  swept  over  all  this  landscape, 
bat  it  embraced  much  more.   Josophus  i^vs  that  there  were  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  towns  and  villages  In  Galilee,  and  fifteen  fortresses. 
Tabor,  Sejjiphoris,  and  Jot^patu,  were,  amo^g  them.  In  Christ's  own 
district,  and  Bafed  and  Caesarea  rhiirppt  within  the  sweep  of  His 
laik      I    ^^^^'  ^^'  ^f^lpk  speaks  of  toWhs,  village,  and  fdHlife^uses  on  the 
^' "      ■    (^llfffio^  lipjrsidea ,    Not  a  «pot.  of  g^rpund  wai  left  \d\(ii^  and  tluj  mi- 
ni)^ olylslpn  of  tbo  soil,  from  the  d^^sej>opu1$Uo|t,  Jijiid  ciused  tho 
plough  pf tci^  ^  give  way  tp  tl^e  spfMl^.    Pasture  la^^  ^»^  tum^^  lato 
fl^da.  asnjo|re,p;cofliable  than  c^Ue  or  even  flocks,  whiqkwe^^ft, 
ta  graze  the  mQimtal^s  of  ^rla,  ^n4  tJie  barren  hills  of  Judca.    tlic . 
*r|padarH  ml  of  ^sdraelon,  bjpre  i^aghlflcent  indt^  corn  aiid  whet^t. 
aou  Uie  hill-slopes  o^  It^  sid^s,  wm'o  noted  for  their  wine,  and  th^  ifldi 
yij^ld  pjrjifpir  oHvegar^en^  and  vineyards.    The  mbbls,  in  thelTr 
uypeipb9^9Al  way,  say  that  one  wftded  In  oil  In  Galilee.    ''It  never 
sUfT^r^ktrom  wijint  oftp^qple,"  says  Josqphus,  " for ItssoH  is  rich,  with: 
tjrccspi  fvllk^ndp  on  It,  and  its  surpassing  fertility  ^Ids^  a  splciidid 
rc(uj|n;to  tlie  fajr^ner.     The  gro^nq.  is  worked  wliS  tnq  greatest  p)mU 
lifid  i^ot  a  m^i  Ipft  ^dlfx    The  ease  with  wm1c{i  jlfo  Is  stipiported  in  it, , 
ii^fioyer,  to  .qvfjrapr^jia  U,wlt;h,  towns  and  weUrFfOpledVUlag^, 
ui^ny  pf  tliei^  strqna^  fprti^edr    Th«  smallest  bus  oyer  fift^n  thpu-, 
sand  f^hftbil^nts.    ^he  ease  with,  iivbich  Josephus  )crfif4  10(KQ0p, 
Gjf|ii%an  troops  seems  to  indicate ^  pppula^lon  of,  pcrhapia^  tw^mu-; 
Upns,  .and,  tb^,  general  prosperity  is  shpwn  in  the  t^iapiines^wUb  which* 
UdiXP^  raised  »  Kprnt^n  cpntr^butipu  pf  100  talents  in  Galilee,  fts  cpni-  f 
pared  witnJwdjja.         ,      . 

Tb^  pictures  lii  the  Gospels  support  thl9  descriptipn.  Everjnfirhere; 
tl^^  ^ene,  is  luU  pf  Mfe,  Busv'ldjbpur  enlivens  the  vineyard,  orf 
ploughs  fbe  fle|d,  prdigs  t)ie  garften.  In  the  towhs/,build|ng  is  going 
oil  yigprpjasly:  tlie  extra  tniUstobe  iito  .re^^X  l^eslfie  thi^  mill  the 
btfr^s.fij;^, filled  ^nd  new  pnes  abput  tp  be  built:  Vineyards  stretch 
Hl9iig  tbe,  terraced  bill-sides,  and  pul^ide  the  toWii  are  seen  die  white* 
wasUfid^ ,  stbnes  pf  the  ,  peuieterie^.^  On  the  roads,  ana  beside  the 
bedgea^  the  blind  and  cripple  await  the  gifts  pf  passersrby:  labourers 
are  bejng  hired  ii^  tl^q,  market-places,  and  the  fariii  servant  wends 
hqme>^ardsiji  the  eve^iing  with  nip  plough:  the  songs  and  dano«  of 
llght'i|earted  jputh  pn  the  village  greon,  are  hei^ra  f rppi  a  distance; 
tlie  cbiidf?en  play  and  strive  in  ppe  ^accspf  the  towns:  visitpre 
knock  at  closed  dbprs  oyen  Jate  in  the  ui|^ht:  and  the  drunke^i  u^per 
servant  stprms  at  and  naaltreats  the  maids.  Fi^pm  morning  to  night 
the  bum  of  many-coloured  lusty  life  everywhere  rises:  the  busy 
crowds  have  no  time  to  think  about  higher  things.  Que  has  bought 
a  Held  and  mi^st  go  to  see  it,  another,  h^  to  provea  newypke  pf  pxen, 
and  a  third  has  ^pxpy^  ptherJbuisiness-T-a  feast,  fi  marriage,  pr  a  fune^'^I. 
To  use  our  Lprd*s  wpfds,  they  ate,  they  drank,  they  bPUght^  they 
sold,  they  planted^  they  builded,  they  mwrried  wives  a,nd  Werei  given 
in  marriage,  as  full  pf  the  world  in  its  ambitiens,  cares,  labours  and 
pleasures,  as  if  the  little  moment  of  their  lives  were  to  last  for  ever. 


t 


■  i," 


CHAPTOR  XXI. 


THIC  ^TALIEiSAKS  AFD  THK  BORDER  I^NIXI. 


.■'liV.    ;•■  ' 


GAiiiiiEE  got  its  nanxe  as  the  circle  or  region  of  the  heatlieja  nations, 
and  liehce^  to  the  sbiithern  Jews  <)f  Isaiah's  days,  it  was  ''the  heathen 
dotintry;**  It  included  the  districts  assi^ed  to  Asher,  Kaphtjili, 
Zebulibn,  an<|  I$^acha^.  But  thpse  tribes  lievcr  obtained  entire  pos- 
Bfiiisiori  of  fheir  territories,  aiid  contented  theiiiselves  with  isettling 
amoft^'  me  Canaanite  population,  whom  they,  in  some  casies,  made 
tribiitar^,— the  Jewish  colonies  r^mietinihg  centres  of  Judaism ',  in 
places  Wbich  retained  their  old  heathen  names.  Kedesh  in  Naphtali, 
nf  at  Lakfe  Merbra,  thd  birthplace  of  Barak,  with  twenty  small  ci^il^s 
lying  tntmff  it,  was.  origiiiMly,  **th^  land  bf  Oalilee'^  jii  Josht^a's 
tltn6.'ahd  in  Ihe  days  of  the  kings,  from  the  population  mainly 
bctotigfeff  to' tlfe' neighbouting  Phenicia,  but  thp  mixed  characteiidf 
th6  ^mfe^  ivhich' ms  a  necesskry  eonsequencie  of  (jralijee  bein^  a 
b^fder-laridl  extended  the,  name,  lo.  tbe  etid,  to  the  whole  of  theProv 
incfe;-  \EH:eii'ing<)16mDn'^  tinae  the  population  was  mixed.  Tbe  hilly 
dl^ri<!;t,  called  Cabtil—"drT,  sandy,  unfi-uitful"— which  he  gaye  to 
H^inti?,  king  bf  T^re,  ias  a  niggardly  return  fbi-  service  reiidered  in  the 
b^ilahag  bfthe  Temple,  cohtamed  twenty  toWna,  inhabited  chie|iy  bjr 
Ph^nicians,  but  was  so  worthless  that  Hiram,  in  ccntemptuous  ridi- 
cule, playing  on  the  narne  of  the  district,  called  it,  in  jj^heniclan, 
Chabaion— *^  good  ^or  nbthing."  The  separation  frbhi  thie  House  of 
Dtivid)  iRi3d"frir)hi  Jehisaletn,  under  the  king  of  lisrael.  and  thie  As- 
sVrian. captivity  at  a  latei-  date,  further  affected  the  northern  popula- 
tipn.  To  tlife  prophet  lif«iiali  they  yferc  the  people  ^' that  walked  in 
darkbei^s  and  a^elt  in  the  land  of  the  shadb^v  of  death,'*  ali^e  fr<6m 
thCTT  separation  frotri'  Jerusalem,  their  living  among  the  heathen,  and 
their  natibnal  calamities,  though  he  anticipates  a  bright  future  for 
thierti  In  the  light  of  the  Messiah.  After  the  cx^e  two  great  changes 
tookpIa(ie?  Jewish  colonists  ^dualjj'  spread  over  the  land  once 
more,  and  thena^me  Galilee  was  extended  to  the  wbble  north  op  this 
side  of  the  Jordan,  sb  that  the  territory  of  the  tribe  of  IssacharJ  Vith  the 
plain  bf  Esdraelon ; '  Zebtilon,  with  the  southerri  part  of  the  Sea  of 
Qe^h^saretli ;  and  Naphtali,  and  Asher,  were  included  in  It.  The  new 
Jewish  settlers  had  tio  loh^r  any  political  jealousy  of  Jerusalem,  and 
onpe  more  freq>iented  the  Temple,  while  tlie  fact  that  they'  wCre  sur- 
rotiridocl  bylioatlicn  races  made  them,  perhaps,  more  loyal  to  Judaism 
than  they  othenvise  would  have  been ;  just  as  the  Protestants  of  Ire- 
land are  more  intensely  Protestant  because  surrounded  by  Romanism. 
Btili,  though  faithful,  their  land  Was  "defiled"  by  heathen  citizen8 
iffld  neigh bbiirs,  and  the  naiTow  bigotry  of  Judea  looked  askance  at  it 
ftota  thw  cahsc.    Besides  JeVs,  it  had  not  a  few  Phcnicians,  Syrians, 


Arabs,  ai 

Syrian  co 

for  ages, 

the  Jew  b 

Moreover 

which  T'di 

lee,  broug 

goods  emj 

'labourers, 

were  litth 

j^er^bed  as 

fee. 'or  S 

'     Iierod^  ir 

had  been  i 

rias,  orthc 

Judea,  but 

fancy;  noi 

K4U  lii^ 

Jenis^Ienn 

Juto, -tlfe 

sqiired  by  i 

Jewish  ort 

sideinfluer 

i^cliisiye  a 

Jewish  wbi 

.  JBut  tliouj 

Jews  were.] 

feasts  at  J< 

fogiies,  an() 
aw"  were 
equally  wid 
Held  in  ^iipi 
In  Jeriisalei 
the  Qalilasai 
ed|e  of  Sci 
dition,  were 
.Kordidtl 
ways  of  thoi 
ligion.  In 
much,  for  e: 
llie  sexes,  w] 
but  It  was  a! 

lifp.  '       " 

"Cowardi 
They  are  inu 
been  wanting 
brealihcd  ma( 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIBT. 


2fT 


^.a» 


nations, 
heathen 
Taphtali, 
tire  pos- 
L  settling 
es,  made 
jaism  in 
i^^aplitali, 
lalf  ei|*iis 
Jostipa's 
Q  mainly 
ara!ctei\of 
3  being,  a 
thel*rov 
The  Wily 
e  gaye  to 
red  in  the 
chiefly  hy 
sons  riui- 
^heniclan, 
House  of 
i  th,ie  As- 
n  pbpnla- 
vaiked  in 
tlil^e  frbm 
then,  'and 
utnte  for 
it  changes 
[and  once 
th  on  this 
:;^aththe 
le  Sea  of 
The  new 
lalem,  and 
w(6re  sur- 
Judaism 
its  of  Ire- 
Idmanism. 
citizens 
ance  at  it 
I,  Syrians, 


ATabs,  and  Oreelw  f?etllod  over  it.  Carmel  had  become  almost  » 
Syrian  colony,  and  Kedesli  retained  the  mixed  population  it  had  had 
for  ages,  while  the  eastern  end  of  the  Esdraelou  valley  was  barred  to 
the  Jew  by  the  heathen  town  of  Scytliopolis, — the  ancient  Beithshean. 
Moreover,  the  great  caravan  road,  from  Damascus  to  Ptolcmais, 
which  ran  over  the  hills  from  Capernaum,  through  thfe  heart  of  Gali- 
lee, brought  m^ny  heathen  into  the  country.  The  great  transport  of 
goods  employed  such  numbers  of  heathen,  as  camel  drivers,  Jiostlej^p, 
faUourers,  conductors,  and  the  like,  that  the  t^wus  facing, the  ^ea 
were  little  different  from  those  of  Phenicia.  Thus^  Zebulqii  ta  de- 
^^^r^bed  as  "a  town  with  many  very  fine  houses,  as  good  a^  those, of 
Tyre,  or  Sidon,  or  !6erytus."  The  places  created  or  bparUtiifiLed  by  f ^le 
liferod^  in  Homan  style,  could  hardly  have  been  soj  if  the  popujatjioii 
had  been  strict  Jews.  iTlio  attempt  to  build  heathlen! cifie'SiUfee  Tibj?- 
rlas,  or  the  restored  Sepphoria,  would  have  excited  aj3^irisurrecti9nj^ 
JudJea,  but  the,le8^  narrow  people  of  Galilee  leVAntipas,^.pIe^^^ 
fancv;  nor  was  there  ever,  apparently,  such  a  ptatc<^f  feeling,  cau^fnl 
by  4".  liis  Roman  innotations  as  w-as  rousted  ^y  ,the>amphithej>ti;e,at 
Jertis^lem  alone.  Separated  by  Samaria. rrpm  the, aesolat^r^hjulspf 
Juto,,,tl^e  home  of  me  priests  and  Rabbis,- me  Gj^lUpeanf^  were li?^^^^ 
sqiired  by  the  sectarian  spirit  paramount  there,  and, ie^shardched.  in 
Jewish  orthodoxy,  while,  in  many  resjJecis,  they  liaacau^lit  the  p^t- 
slde  influences  round  them  at  home.  Ilence  their  Jvi^^isni  w$is:  Jesa 
excliigre  and  narrow_tbii»  ;^^.||pr^^  %j^,()ife^(5|}Qg,g^ 

Jewish  world.  -■,  't"^,,M    ;..  ,!'.<■•  .i--^     ■.  ...•7^!i:i-'i..-'..  ■u'^mfin 

But  iboiigh  less  bigoted  tlianthipir  southern  Dretlireh,  the  t^alilij^n 
Jews  were  none  the  less  faithful  to  the  Law,  They  frequented  ,ihe 
feasts  at  Jerusalem  in  great  niinabe^s,  and  were  true  tOpihei^  &yh^' 

fogiies,  and  to  the  topes  of  Israel.  Pharisees^  an(J  '^docjtpr^jPl^tfo 
law"  were  settled  in  every  town,  and  their  p>reaence  impliesi,  ^a 
equally  wide  existence  of  synagogvies.  In  the  souih,, tradition  was 
lield  in Vipreme  honour,  but  ihTJi^lilee  the  people  fcep^  %  tbje  jaw. 
In  Jerusalem  |he  Rabbis  introduced  refinements  aRd  changes,  b^it 
the  0alil8Bans  wonld  not  .tolerate  ndvelties.  Our  tior(d.*s -vyide  kho^C- 
cd^e  of  Scripture,  His  reverencQ  f oi*  the  law,  aJti^jpija  seqrjii^  i^^^ 
dition,  were  truits  of  His  countrymen  as  a  race.  '  '  y  , , ,  J  .\  ^.  j 
,  Nor  did  their  forbearance,  in  the  presence  of  heatl^^  fashions  ftiVd 
ways  of  thought,  affect  their  morals  for  evil,  any  more  ,than  theiir  yc- 
llglon.  In  many  respects  these  were  stricter  than  tliose  of  Jud^a: 
much,  for  example,  w^as  forbidden  in  Galilee,  in  the  intercourse  pt 
ihe  sexes,  which  was  allowed  at  Jerusalem.  Their  rctigioh  was  freer, 
but  It  was  also  deeper;  they  had  less  of  the  fonn,  but  more  of  the 

lifp- ■" 

' '  Cowardice,  '*  says  Josephus,  * '  was  never  the  fault  of  the  GaUbeaifis. 
They  are  inured  to  war  from  their  infancy,  norjias  the  cowtiy  eyer 
been  wanting  in  great  numbers  of  brave  men. "  The  mountain  aur  u^y 


1  W  !■; 


i!t8 


TM  LITE  OP  CHRIST. 


for  their  faith.  Wliile  warmly  loyal  to  Herod,  in  gratitude  for  hi? 
subduing  the  lawless  bands  who  had  wasted  their  country,  after  tliie 
civil  wars,-^and  quiet  and  well-disposed  to  Antipas,  during  the  forty- 
three  years  of  his  reign,  they  were  none  the  less  fixed  in  their  abhor- 
rence of  Rome,  the  heathen  tyrant  of  their  nice.  In  revolt  after  re- 
volt they  were  the  first  to  breast  the  Roman  armies,  and  they  were 
the  last  to  defend  the  iiiins  of  Jerusalem,  stone  by  stone,  like  worUiy 
90US  of  those  ancestors  who  *' jeopardised  their  lives  unto  the  death  in 
the  high  places  of  the  field."  .There  were  families  like  that  of  the 
Zealot,  Hezekiab.  and  Judas,  the  Galilssan,  in  whom  the  hatred  of 
Rome  was  handed  down  from  generation  to  generation,  and  which, 
in  each  geneitttion,  furnished  martyrs  to  the  national  cause.  A  hun- 
dred and.fifty  tliotisandof  the  youth  of  Galilee  fell  in  the  last  struggle 
yfWi  Rome,  and  few  narratives  are  more  stirring  than  the  defence  of 
the  Galiledan  fortresses,  one  after  another,  in  the  face  of  all  odds. 
Even  Titus  apjpealed  to  the  magilificent  heroism  of  these  defenders  of 
their.freedom  and  their  country,  to  rouse  the  ardour  of  hiSi  own  army. 
Nor  was  their  devotion  to  "their  leaders  less  admirable.  Jpsepli^fj 
boasts  of  tlie  heartiness  and  trtist  tlie  Galiiaeans  reposed  in  him. 
Thotighi  their  towns  were  destroyed  in  the  war,  and  their  wives  and 
children  carried,  off,  they  yt^  more  concerned  for  the  safety  of  their 
gefieral  than  for ;thcir  own  tfl^ubles. 

The  Jew  of  the  south,  wrapped  In  self-importance,  as  living  in  or 
near  the  holy  city,  amidst  the  schools  of  the  Rabbis,  and  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Temple,  and  full  of  religious  pride  in  his  assumed  supe- 
rior knowledge  of  the  Law,  and  greater  purity  as  a  member  of  a  cqm- 
muniity  nearly  wholly  Jewish,  looked  down  on  his  Galilaean  brethren. 
The  very  ground,  he  trod  was  more  holy  than  the  soil  pf  Galilee,  and 
the  repugnance  of  the  North  to  adopt  the  prescriptions  of  the  Ra,bbis 
was,  itself,  a  ground  of  estrangement  and  self -exaltation.  He  could 
not  believe  that  the  Messiah  could  come  from  a  part  so  inferior,  for 
**  the  Law  was  to  go  forth  from  Zion,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from 
J^ru^lem."  Jesus  foimd  willing  hearers  and  many  disciples  in  the 
cities  and  towns  of  Galileo,  but  Ho  made  little  impression  on;  Judea. 

Yet,  Galilee,  from  the  earliest  times,  had  vindicated  its  claims  to 
honour  for  the  intellectual  vigour  of  its  people.  Not  only  physipally 
and  morally,  but  eveninmenttU  freshness  and  force,  it  Wjfts  before 
the  narrow  and  morbid. south,  which  had  given  itself  up  to  the  child- 
ish trifiing  of  Rabbinism.  The  earliest  poetry  of  Ismel  rose  among 
the  Galiliean  hills,  when  Barak  of  Naphtali  had  triumphed  over  the 
Canaan  ites.  The  Song  of  Hongs  was  composed  in  Galilee  by  a  poet 
of  nature,  whose  heart  and  eyes  drank  in  the  inspiration  of  the  briglit 
sky  and  the  opening  powers,  and  who  could  tell  how  the  fig-lreo 
put  forth  its  leaves,  and  the  vine  sprouted,  and  the  pomegranate 
opened  its  b),08soms.  Hosea,  the  prophet,  belonged  to  Issachar; 
Jbrtah  to  Zebulon,  Nahum  came  from  £Ikosh  in  Galilee,  and  in  the 
Qospehi  a  noble  band  of  Galileans  group  tlicmselvcs  round  the  central 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


219 


fl^ttffe,  P^tot,  ttic  brave  and  tGndcr^bcarted^— James  and  John-~Aii- 
dt^^  and  Philip— and  Nathanncl,  of  Cana,  not  to  speak  of  otliers,  or 
of  the  women  of  Galileo,  who  honoured  themselves  by  ministering  to 
Glttist  of  their  substance.  It  was  from  Galilee,  moreover,  that  tlife 
family  of  the  great  Apofetle  of  the  heathen  emigrated  to  Tarsuaj  in. 
Cilicia,  for  they  bdlonffed  to  Gischala,  a  Galilsean  town,  though  thpr 
stock  originally  was  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  ^rtwil 

The  Talmud  sketches,  in  a  few  words,  the  contrast  between  the 
t'#o  provi«ce»-^'*The  Galilsean  lov0s  honour,  and  the  Jciw[  money." 
The  Rabbis  admit'  that  the  GaliloeauSi  in  their  comparative  poverty^ 
W^ve  tfeikiperatei  pnre.and  religiousi  Their  iideli^  to  their  faith  wiii 
.  showil  by  their  fond  and  constant  visits  to  the-Templei  in  spite  of 
i^e  hostile  Samaritan  ten-itory  between,  and  it  was  through  their  zeal 
that  the  Passover  was  celebrated  for  eight  days  instead  of  seven. 
When  Ohrist  appeared,  they  thi-ew  the  same  ardour  and  fidelity  into 
ilis  sdrVice.  In  their  midst  the  Saviour,  persecuted  ejlsewheris,  took 
c6!4sti!infr  refuge.  They  threw  open  their  land  to  Him,  as  a  safe  sheltei* 
ftbfa  the  rage  of  the  Jews,  almost  to  the  lasti  He  went  forth  from 
aiftchg  them'  and  gatheredthe  flntt-fruitis  of  His  kingdom  from  themy 
and  it  w&s  tO'tt  band  of  Galilseatts  that  He  delivered  the  commission  t6 
spread  th6  Gco^l,  after  His  death,  through  the  world. 

The  district  of  Perea,  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan,  was  included,  with 
Ckililee,  in  the  section  ruled  over  by  Herod  Antipas,  and  wasltho 
scene; 'to  part,  of  the  ministry,  first  of  John  the  Baptist,  and  th^n  of 
Jefeus.  It 'was  larger  than  Galilee,  extending,  north  and  southi  from 
thfe  City  of  Pcl^a,  to  the  fortress  of  Machaerus — that  is,  from  oppoaito 
Seph'Opblis,  Mil-way  down  the  Dead  Sea,  and,  east  and  west,  from 
the  Joi^an  to  PhiladelpMa,  the  ancient  Rabbath  Aramon,  It  was^ 
tilu^;  abfrtit  seve^y-five  miaes  in  length,  by,  perhaps,  thirty  in  breadtU, 
though  the  b^mdaries  seeni  to  have  varied  at  dinerent  times.  It  was 
much  leas  fruitful  than  Gdli  lee.  "The  greater  part  of  it,"  says  Jctee- 
phus, ' " is  a  dtsert,  rougli,  mid  much  less  suitable  for  thefiner  Idnds 
0^  fniits  than  Galilee.  In  otlier  parts,  however,  it  has  a  moisj^soil^ 
r.nd  prbduces  all  kinds' of  fruits*  and  its  plains  are  planted  with  trees 
of  all  sorts,  thou^  the  olive,  the  vine,  and  the  palm-tree  are  Cultiva- 
ted! ■  moat.  It  is  well  watered  in  these  parts  witli  torrents,  which 
fl6w  fi'om  the  mountains,  and  are  never  dry,  even  in  summer.'*  To- 
vfards  tlie  deserts,  which  hemmed  it  in  along  its  eastern  edge,  lay  the 
hill  fofrtross  and  town  Gerasa,  1,800  feet  above  the  sea-lovel.  It  was 
on  the  caravan  road  throu^^h  the  mountains,  from  Bozra,  a  place  of 
conaideraWe  trade;  while  its  magnificent  ruins  stiU  show  that,  in 
Christ'^  day,  it  was  the  finest  city  of  the  Decapolis.  Two  hundred 
and  thirty  pillars,  still  standing,  and  the  wreck  of  its  pubTiq  buildings, 
—baths,  theiatres,  temples,  cjrcus,  and  forum,  and  of  a  triumphal 
arch,  tartke  it  easy  to  recair  its  former  splendour.  The  line  of  the 
outer  walls  cafi  be  easily  traced.  From  the  tiiumphal  arch,  outside 
the  etty;  h  loiig  islroot  posses  ihrcugh  the  city  gate  to  the-foraitn,  stiU 


:R.i  ;i 


ill 


m 


itoJ  LIJ'E  OF  CHRIST. 


.  skirtied  Ijf  iifty-eevek  fonlc  iedlumus.  Colonnades  addmed  mile  aftei 
mile  of  the  streets,  which  crcp^d,  at  right  angles,  like  those  of  on 
American  town.  ''r^f;  v 

It  must  have  been  a  gay,  as  well  as  a  busy  and  splendid,  scene; 
when  Jesus  passed  tlirou^h  the  country  on  His  Perean  journeys. 
;    But  the  tide  of  civilized  life  has  ebbed,  and  left  Gerasa  without  an 
inhabitant  for  many  centuries.  ^^H^t  '. 

^.  About  twenty-five  miles  south  6(  Gerasa,  and,  liKe  it,  betw0i3h 
twenty  and  thirtv  miles  east  of  the  Jordan,  lay  Philadelphia.  It  was 
the  old  capital  of  Ammpn,  and  in  Christ's  day,  the  southern  frontier 
post  against  the  Arabs.  Though  two  thousand  five  hundred  feet 
above  the  sea,  it  sheltered  itself  in  two  narrow  valley's,  each  bright- 
.Cned  by  floyiring  streams;  the  upland  "  city  of  the  waters,''  with  hills 
arising  w/^ll  sides  round  it.  The  main  stream,  faced  with  a.  long 
stone  quay;  terraces  rising  above  it,  lined  with  rows  of  pillars;  the 
citjadel,  seen  far  and  near,  on  a  height  between  the  two  valleys,  give 
u^  a  gliuipse  of  it.  The  old  city  Which  Joab  besieged,  and  where 
tJriah  fell,  had  given  place  to  a  Koman  one.  Fine  temples,  theatres, 
and  public  and  private  buildings,  long  ruined,  were  then  alive  with 
motley  throngs,  but  the  whole  scerie  has  been  utterly  deserted,  now, 
for  j\ges,  and  rank  vegetation  rises  in  its  long  silent  etreetis,  and  in  the 
ieourts  of  its  temples  and  mansions.  ^¥^ 

;.>;  Hesbon,  about  fifteen  miles  nearly  south  of  Ammon,  on  the  Romab 
)X)ad  which  ran  from  Damascus,  thro\igh  Bozra  and  Ammon, — 
branching  from  Hesbon,  west,  to  Jericho,  and  south,  to  Edom^  Was 
the  third  and  last  frontier  toWn  of  Perea.  It  lay  among  the  Pisgah 
mountains,  three  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  amidst 
brown  hills,  fretted  witli  bright  green  lin^s  along  the  couree  of 
numerous  streamlets,  oozing  from  the  limestone  rocks.  Its  ruins  lie 
in  great  confusion,  and  serve  only  to  tell  of  wealth  and  prosperity 
long  since  passed  away.  In  the  valley  below,  a  great  volume  of 
;  water  gushing  from  the  rock,  once  filled  the  famous  pools  of  Hesbon, 
w-to  the  writer  of  the  Song  of  Songs,  like  the  laughing  eyes  of  his 
beloved.  From  Hesbon,  the  eve  ranges  over  a  wide  table-land  of 
undulating  downs,  bright  with  flowers,  or  rough  with  prickly  shrul)s, 
seamed  with  gorges  sinking  abruptly  towards  the  Jordan,  and  noisy 
with  foaming  streams  which  leap  from  ledge  to  ledge  in  their  swilt 
descent,  between  banks  hidden  by  rank  vegetation. 

These  three  towns  lie  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  loftj  plateau,  east  of 
the  Jordan,  where  the  long  wall  of  the  limestone  hills  of  Gilead  and 
Ammon  begins  to  sink  towards  the  desert.  On  the  western  edge  of 
the  plateau  itself,  nearer  the  Jordan,  and  at  the  north  of  the  district, 
lay^  Pella,  on  a  low  flat  hill,  only  250  feet  above  the  sea-level,  rich  in 
living  waters,  and  embosomed  in  other  higher  hills.  Built  as  a  mili- 
l^ry  post,  by  veterans  of  Alexander's  army,  it  bore  the  naine  of  their 
OFii  Macedonian  capital.  It  was  afterwards  famous  as  the  retreat  of 
the  Christians  Ijefore  the  fall  of  Jerusalem;  among  oth«^,  of  tiie 


*«latibin 

local  chu 

every  sid 

Church  u 

looked  fi 

shelter  H 

North  ( 

^dg»  ol  tl] 

of  Tiberifi 

suJphurou 

for  a  time 

colonnade) 

%le,  ami( 

Ijourhood  < 

devila,,  K 

striking  i^ 

Gadara  a 
the  mount 
w/fhich  atret 
^i^rge  in  tli 
M»(J  valloys 
highlands,  ; 
t«rebitithj  ( 
rich  vegetal 
^tene  Mis 
abundance 
must  often 
vineyards,  | 
forests,— foj 
stretches  n< 
green  Wadi 
Bjobel  Oscl 
^rka,  tlie  j 
Robad,  wht| 
Christ's  (eyel 
end  of  the  r 
ing  Qccasioi. 
be  before  IH 
Momi  Tab( 
timce,  and  i 
see  the  hills 
l^lue  haze,  tjl 
His  road  wol 
side  of  whicj 
ofEsdraeloi 
^  With  tlm 
maccesslble 


y 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


231 


cftftei 
of  on 


f  /■•; 


scene, 

'S. 

loutan 

f'.* .  • ' 

It  wfts 
frontier 
«(!  feet 

brigbt- 
itU  hills 

a  long 
ar»;  the 
.ye,  give 
1  where 
theatres, 
ive  with 
ed,  now, 
id  in  tlie 

eBomiHi 
oamon, — 
lom;  was 
e  Pisgah 
a,  amidst 
•ourse  of 
\  ruins  lie 
frosperity 
olume  of 
:  Hesbon, 
res  of  his 
e-land  of 
y  shrubs, 
md  noisy 
heir  swift 
>- '■-<•)  ■■■' 
lu,  east  of 
ilead  and 
•n  edge  of 
le  district, 
el,  rich  in 

as  a  miU- 
le  of  their 

retreat  of 
TS,  of  the 


KilaUons  of  Christ,  the  last  of  whom  died  as  fifteenth  bishop  of  the 
local  church.  The  storm  of  the  great  war,  which  wasted  Perea  on 
every  side,  passied  harmlessly  by  Pella,  Ifeaving  it  and  the  infant 
Church  untouched.  With  what  fond  regards  must  Jesus  have  often 
looked  from  across  the  Jordan,  on  the  spot  which  one  day  was  to 
shelter  His  servants.  '  m  <^;»'  .  , 

North  of  Pella,  twelve  hundred  feet  above  the  sear-level,  on  the 
Qdge  o|  the  deep  cleft  through  which  the  Hieromax  flows  to  the  Sea 
of  Tiberias,  stood  Gadara,  a  place  famous  in  Christ's  day  for  its  hot- 
sulphurous  baUiB.  It  had  b^n  rebuilt  by  Pompey,  after  having'  hAn 
for  a  tune  in  ruins,  and  gloried  in  its  streeti^  pkved  with  basalt,  its 
colonnades  of  Corinthian  pillars,  and  its  massive  building  in  Roman 
style,  ahiidst  wliich  Jesus  may  !have  walked,— for  it  wlj  m  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  tliis  town  ^liat  He  cured  the  two  men  possessed  with 
devils.  I^umorous  tombs  hewn. in  the  hills  aroimd,  still  illustrate  a 
striking  feature  of  the  Gi)spel  narratives. 

,Qadara  and  P^la  are  bptH  oh  the  western  side  of  the  Idng  range  of 
the  mountains  of  GUead-T-the  old  territpry  of  Reuben  and  Gftd^^- 
wfluoh  stretch  along  the  eastern  side  of  thje  Jordan  valley,  till  thcly 
merge  in  tlie  Pisgah  range  at  the  north  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Itocky  glens 
amd  valleys,  Who^  lower  slopes  are  of  ten  terraced  for  tines;  rolling 
highlands,  for  the  most  part  clothed  with  forests  of  ilex,  oak,  and 
tc^elj^ilith}  open  plains  and  meadows;  rushing  streams,  frin^dwith 
rich  vegetation;  still  justify  the  choice  of  the  two  tribes.  The  limc- 
^tene  hills  are  identical  with  those  of  western  Palestine,  but  the 
abundance  of  water  makes  the  whole  region  much  richer.  Jesna 
must  often  have  wandered. amidst  its  wheat  fields,  olive  |p*oundH, 
vineyards,  and  fig  and  pomegranate  orchards,  and  under  its  leafy 
fol-ests,— for  He  once  and  again  visited  these  districts.*  The  road 
stretches  north  from  the  ford  of  the  Jordan,  near  Jericho,  up  tiie 
green. Wftdy  Scha'ib  to  Ramoth  Gilead,  2,700 feet  above  the  sea,  past 
DJebel  Oscha,  the  hill  of  tliei  prophet  Hosea,  800  feet  higher,  to  Wady 
Zerka,  the  ancient  riVer  Jabbok — thence  to  the  heights  of  Kala'at  cr 
Robad,  >vhere  Saladin  in  after  days  built  a  ct^tle.  Resting  here, 
Christ's  (eye  would  range  over  Palestine  far  and  near,  from  the  north, 
end  of  the  Dead  Sea,  along  the  whole  Jordan  valley,  the  river  gleam- 
ing oceasfionally  in  its  windings.  Pah  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  would 
be  before  Him  to  the  north,  and,  to  the  west,  Ebal  and  Gerizim,  with 
Mount  Tabor,  and  the  ridge  of  Carmel  stretching  into  the  far  dis- 
tance, and  the  wide  plain  of  Esdraelon.  Farther  north,  He  would 
sec  the  hills  of  Safed,  beyond  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  and  far  awa;^,  in  the 
blvie  haze,  the  snow-sprinkled  peaks  of  Hermon.  From  this  point 
His  road  would' lie  through  Pella,  across  the  Jordan,  on  the  farther 
side  of  which  the  steep  gorge  of  the  Wady  Farrah  led  up  to  the  plain 
of  Esdraelon  and  His  own  district. 

With  tJiB  mountains  of  PlSgah,  on  the  eaiit  of  the  Dead  Sea,  a  wild 
ipaccesfiihlQ  T<^A  lK*S^^f  counting  amon^  its  peaks  Beth  Peor;  from 


il'  I 


233 


THB.  LIFE.  Off  CHRIST. 


^hich  Balaam  oxice  blessed  Israel,  na  it  lay  encaoipcd  below  in  the 
open  mdaddws  oppoi^ite  Jericho,  where  Antipas,  iii  Christ's  dajr^ 
built  tlie  town  of  Livias,  in  honour  of  the  Empress-inother.  Mount 
Nebo,  where  Moses  was  buried  in  an  unknown  grave,  and  the  stimmit 
from  which  ho  surveyed  the  land  he  was  not  to  enter,  are  in  this 
range,  and  it  was  in  a  cave  in  their  secluded  valleys  that  Jewish  tradi- 
tion believed  Jeremiah  to  have  hidden  the  ark,  and  the  sacred  vessels 
of  the  Temple,  till  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  in  a  secrecy  kna^^ 
only  to  Ood  and  the  angels. ,    .  f '^ 

The  Jewifeh  population  in  Perea  was  only  small,  the  heathen  element 
greatly  prevailing.  In  the  northern  parts,  the  Syrian  races  were  in 
the  majority;  in  the  southern,  the  people  were  largely  Arab. , 

The  cities  were  inmostca^s  independent,  with  a  district  belong- 
ing to  each  of  them,  and  thus,  though  in  the  territories  Of  Antipas, 
were  not  pdrtjof  his  dominions.  Under  the  name  of  the  Decapolis,-^ 
*'the  ten  cities," — Philadelphia,  Gadara,.  Hippos,  Damasctis,  Itap- 
hana,  Bio,  Pclla,  Gerasa,  and  Kanatha,  were  confederated,  hcder 
ditfect  Koman  government,  with  Scythopdis,  on  the  west  side  of  th^ 
Jordan,  in  a  league  of  peace  and  war  against  native  robber  bands 
and  the  Bedouin  hordes;  and  this  made  them  virtually  a  disthict 
state.  ^  Antit)a8»  apparently,  had  only  so  much  of  the  district  as  did 


not  belong  to  these  cities. 

Above  Fefea,. in  Christ's  day,  the  Tetrarchyof  !]?hilip  reached  to 
the  slopes  of  Hermon  on  the  north,  and  away  to  the  desert  on  tlie 
eafet.  '  It  included  the  provinces  of  Gaulonltis,  Iturea^  Trachonitis, 
Aittolnitis,  and  Batanea.  -^ 

Gaulonitis^still  kiiown  as  Goldti,  r  :ached  from  Gaesarea  Philippl,  or 
Panias,  on  the  slopes  of  Mount  Hermon,  to  theHieromax,  at  the  south 
of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  stretching  back  twenty  to  thirty  iniles  in  barren 
uplands  of  Volcanic  origin,  to  the  green  pasturesi  of  Eatanea  or  Bashan, 
the  oasis  of  the  region.  With  the  ditoct  of  Iturea  on  its  north— ^thc 
lava  plateau  of  Trachonitis  on  its  east,  and  the  cdjually  waste  tract  of 
Auranitis,  or  the  Hauran,  on  the  south.  Gaulohitis,  which  we  knbw 
Jesus  to  have  visited,  looked  over  towards  Galilee  from  a  range  of 
hills  running  parallel  With  the  Jordan,  north  and  south;  a  second  and 
third  tidge  rising  behind,  in  their  highest  peaks,  to  the  height  of  4,000 
feet.  Besides  Ccesarea  Philippl,  at  its  extreme  north,  the  province 
boasted  the  town  of  B^thsaida,  I'ebuilt  by  Philip,  and  called  Livias, 
after  the  daue;liter  of'  Augustus.  It  lay  in  a  green  opening  at  the 
ui^per  end  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee.  On  the  hills  overlooking  the  lake, 
towards  its  southern  end,  lav  the  town  of  Gamala,  and  in  the  valley 
at  the  south  extremity  was  llippos,  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Decapolis. 
"  Iturea— north  of  Gaulonitis,  on  the  lower  slopes  of  Hermon — was  a 
region  of  inaccessible  mountiiin  JPastnesses,  and  ihtricate  defiles,  which 
favoured  and  helped  to  perpetuate  the  lawlessness  which  the  first 
riettters  may  have  derived  from  their  Arab  ancestor.  In  the  sotith  it 
bas  u  rich  «oil^  watered  by  numerous  stream)^  from  Hermon,  but  the 


tlM  LIFE  Ot  CHRIST. 


228 


t 


ijf6f£h  is  a  wild  region  of  jagged  rocks,  licaped  up  in  uttermost  con- 
TUMon,  or  yawning  In  rents  and  chasms.  Tlie  Itureans,  fonder  of 
ilunder  than  industry,  had,  till  Herod  tamed  tliem,  an  evil  name,  as 
[ieit  robbers,  issuing  from  their  savage  retreats  to  prey  upon  the 
Caravajis  pasdhg  from  Damascus  to  the  Sea. .  ' '  The  hills, "  says  Strabo, 
.**4^e  iiihamtcd  by  Itureans  a*id  Arabs,  who  are  mere  hordes  of  ^'o\\- 
jb6r8;  the  plrtiria  by  a  farming  population,  who  are  constantly  pluh- 
aei^d  by  the  hill  people,  and  thus  always  need  help  from  outside. 
Gathering  in  the  recesses  of  Lebanon  and  Hermon,  the  mountain  ban- 
ditti organized  i-aias  as  far  as  Sidbn  and  ^erytus  On  the  coast,  and  to 
'the  gates  6f  damascus  on  tlie  east.  Famous 'as  archers  and  bold 
riders,  they  yero  Icuigely  enrolled  in  the  Roman  army,  in  which  their 
stjlll  became  ;t>rovcmali;  but  the  legions,  nevertheless,  looked  askance 


utthem  as  the  worst  set  in  the  service.    Their  boundaries 
like  thfelr  fortune  in  war,  aiid  hen<Je  are  seMoin  described  alike.  «i . 

Trachonitis  was  the  nattie  given  to  the  district  east  and  south  of 
I^rea,  t|i61igh  th(3  two  seem,  at  times,  to  be  interchangeable  names 
tor  ti,e8iriy  the  same  ri^gibh.  Iturea  often  embracJes  the  tract  usually 
;khown  as  Trachonitis,.  the  '•4.rg6b,"Or  "Stony,"  of  the  Bible,  Tra- 
chonitis b^ing  apparently  a  mere  translation  oi  this  older  ^naiae.  It 
was  part  bf  the  kfngdorti  of  Og,  conquered  by  the  Israelites  before 
they  ,entered  Canaan,  and  was  assigned  to  the  half-tribe  of  Hanasseh. 
It  Is  about  twenty -two  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  fourteen  from 
eisttoweat,  and  matkfe  the  focus  of  ancient  volcanic  energy  in  the 
district.    It  is  a  vast  oceatibf  basalt,  cracked  and  rent  into  muunier- 


thbusurid  men  could  assemble  for  a  fOray  against  the  merchants  Of 
Iih.tha$cus.  Tl\6  chief  town,  Kanatha,  on  the  caravan  route,  belonged 
totli^  Pocapolis>  and  was  protected  from  the  robber  population  around 
by  fitrorig  ROinaii  fortifications.  As  a  whole,  it  was  a  terribly  wild 
region.  "The  inhabitants  of  the  country,"  says  Josephus,  "live  in 
a  mad  way,  and  pillage  the  district  of  the  Dama^scehes,  their  rulers  at 
times  sharing  the  plunder.  It  is  hard  to  restrain  them,  for  robbery 
lias  long  been  their  profession,  and  they  have  no  other  way  of  living, 
for  they  have  neither  any  city  of  their  own,  nor  any  lands,  but  only 
some  holes  or  dens  of  the  earth,  where  they  and  their  cattle  live 
together.  They  contrive,  however,  to  secure  water,  and  store  com  in 
granaries,  and  are  able  to  make  a  great  resistance  by  sudden  sallies, 
for  the  entrances  of  their  caves  are  so  narrow,  that  only  one  person 
can  enter  at  a  time,  though  they  are  incredibly  large  within.  The 
ground  over  their  habittitions  is  not  very  high,  but  rather  a  plain, 
Whflc  the  roC'ka  tra  very  ditficult  of  entrance  wimout  a  guide. "  Ilerod 
did  Ms  utmost  against  them,  but  his  duccess  was  only  parsing,  till  at 
iadt  he  settled  several  Mlitary  colonies  in  the  district,  and  by  their 
ihfeek^m itoti^e  rttattftged to  keep  the  i*b(b^s  in  chfc^^^^ 


} 


224 


tHS  ilFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Sonth  of  this  fierce  ai^d  lawless  region  lay  Aunmltis;  now-^nowii 
as  the  Haurao,  a  high  plateau  ot  treeless  clowns,  of  tlUe  richest  Boil, 
8tretchin«  from  Qilead  to  the  Desert,  and  from  the  Ledjii  to  ^he  up- 
lands of  moab  on  the  south.  IS^ot  a  stonq  is  tp  bo  seien,  and  the  gre^ 
caravans  of  well-fed  camels,  laden  with  corn  and  barley,  con^^tjy 
met  with  on  the  way  tjo  Damascus,  snow  what  it  must  mVebeenin 
the,  days  of  Christ.  Even  yet.  however,  no  one  can  travel  thfpugt  it 
safely,  unarmed,  and tlie  feffahin,  except clpseto  towns,  have  to  plough 
and  sow  with  a  inusk^t  slung  at  their  \}ack.  tt  is  th9  granary  of 
I>amascti|^i^nd  the  ruins  of  nMn;ierous  towns,  all  of  basalt,  even  tp 
the  doorp -of  the  houaes/showthat  the  population  must  hayeheen 
gfeat.    '■■■  \  ,■    ' 

Batan^a,  the  ardent  Bashon,  was  a  mountainous  district  of  the 
richest  typ<?,  fibounding  in  forests  6f  evergreen  oaks,  and  extremfely 
rich  in  its  soft.  The  hills,  which,  in  sdni^  cases;  reach'  a  height,  of 
6,000  feet,  ajod  the  cattle  which  fed  in  the  rich  meadpT^'s,  are  often 
alluded  to  in  the  Old  Testament.  Desolate  iiow,  it  wps  densely  pieq- 
pleif  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  as,  thie  riiips  of  townii  and  .cities! or 
uasalt,  thickly  str^tvn  oyer  its  surface,  tind ;  still  ^hnost  as  perfect  as 
when  they  Were  built,  strikingly  pripve,    '       .'    . 

In  the  lifetime  of  t^hrist,  a  large  Jewisikpopuljation  lived  in  all 
those  districts^  ih.  the  inidst  of  much  larger  numbers  of  Syrians,  Arabs, 
Greeks,  and  Phenicians,  undjer  the  nile  of  Philip,  th6  son  of  Herod 
and. of  CleopatTa  of  Jerusalem.  Hp  Was  .between  Arqhelaus  t^id 
A^tipas  in  age,  a^id  )x»d  been  educated  with  them  in  jRpiije,  biit  ^ept 
entirely  alool  from  faro ily  intrigues,  aijd  was  true-hearted  enough  t() 
plead  the  cause  of  Arcuelaus  before  Augustus.  The  best  pf,HiBrbd*f< 
Bomi,  he  ijetalned  npt  pnly  the  good-will  of  his  family,  but  wais  held 
in  high  esteem  by  the  ^^m^i^sf,  aiid;1he  Jews  especially  honoured  him 
as  ho  son  of  d.  Samaritan,  but  sprung  .from  a  daiightet  of  Zipn. 
Diuing  a  reign  of  thirty-seven  years,  h^  was  np  less  gentle  to  his  siih- 
jecls  than  peaceful  towards  his  neighbom'6.  '*'Se  shpWedJiin^elf," 
says  Josephus,  "moderate  and  quiet  in  his  Hie  and  government..  He 
constantly  lived  in  the  country  subject  to  him,  and  used  tb  tiiivei 
through  it,  continually,  to  administer  justice;  his  official  seat — the 
sella  curulis — accompanyfng  him  everywhere;  always  ready  to  be  set 
down  in  the  market  place,  or  the  road,  to  hear  complaints, /without 
any  one  suffering  from  delay."  His  court  was  formed  by  only  a  few 
friends,  whom  he  seldom  changed,  and  it  is  recorded  of  him  that  in 
his  care  for  his  people  he  levied  almost  fewer  taxes  than  he  needed. 
Modest  in  his  ambitions,  he  cared  more  for  the  peaceful  triumph  of 
discovering  the  sources  of  the  Jordan  than  for  noisy  fame.  The 
neighbourhood  of  the  romantic  city  he  built  on  the  edge  df  Hermon 
was  the  scene  of  the  Transfiguration ;  but  he  is  not  mentioned  in  the 
Gospels,  though  it  is  a  noble  tribute  to  him  that  Jesus  once  and  again 
took  refuge,  in  his  territories,  frpmthe  craft  q|  His  own  ruler,  Antipas, 
and  the  hate  of  the  Galiliean  Pharisees.    He  married  his  pieo«  Salome, 


daughter  c 
welfknowi 
our  Lord,  a 
fi^ion,  in  B 
in  a  tomb  v 
On  the  so 
again  into  i 
flfpross  the  i 
east,  while  t 
Tih,  or  th^. 

west  of  the 
began  at  En 
Esdraetlon,  a 
bir^r,  tho< 
netwespkof  < 

east  and  wc^i 
^In  these  Va 


Iwd.  carried 
selves  as  esca 
Jews, who  ha 
Judea^  "jpjue 
eiicrppched  gj 
sirable  Jand» « 

The  soft  li) 
south,  are  noj 
are  ndt.infre 
in  the  valleys, 
the  f  topes,  an 
of  many  of  tl 
famous  in  Isrj 

Such  was  t 
ther  hills  of  Ji 
future  time. 

■4/--  i;;'P'  lij;. 

v'  '•4- 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


225 


nselt," 
.He 
ttiivel 
at— the 
be  set 
itliout 
^  a  few 
that  in 
eeded. 
mpli  of 
The 
lermon 
i  in  the 
d  again 
oitipas, 
iaWme, 


daughter  of  Herod-Philip,  his  uncrowned  brother,  and  of  the  too 
welfknown  Herodias.  His  reign  continued  through  the  whole  life  6t 
our  Lord,  and  he  died  childless,  at  last,  a  year  or  so  after,  the  Cruci- 
fixion, in  Bethsaida,  or  Livias,  dh' the  Lake  of  Galilee,  and  was  1^^^ 
in  a  tomb  which  he  himself  had  built  as  his  final  resting-place.      '| ,  ! 

On  the  southern  side  of  the  Plain  of  Esdraelon,  th^  country  rises 
again  into  rounded  hills,  which  extend  from  the  great  coast  plain, 
luiross  the  deep  chasm  of  the  Jordan,  till  they  sink  away  in  the 
east,  while  towards  the  south  they  end  only  in  the  Wilderness  of  ^t 
Tih,'or  the  Wanderiags.  The  northern  part  of  th^ise  hills,  on  the 
west  of  the  Jordan,  was  the  land  of  the  Samaritatid.  Their  co"ti try 
began  at  En  Ganniih — ^the  fountain  of  gardens— af  the  south  and  of 
Ei^raelon,  and  ended,  in  the  south,  at  the  moimtain  pass  of  Akrali' 
bir^r,  the  "Scorpions/'  north  of  Shitoh.  The  whole  re^bn  is  a 
netwoik  of  countless  valleys  running  iti  every  d|r?ciiop3^,  butrinaiu][^„ 
east  and  wCistt.  ■  .  ■  *  ":.   i/,'. 'Y' ,•'"■!."''.''', 

Jn  these  Valleys  lived  the  descendants  of  the  Assyrian  tribes,  whoflli 
Eaarhadddh  had  sent  to  fill  the  room  left^by  the  ten  tribes  whom  ii|d^ 
Ifiid  carried  away,  and  the  children  of  such  of  the  ten  tribes  them-> 
selves  as  escaped  deportation.  Or  had  found  their  way  back,  and  <^t. 
Jews.who  had  fled  thither  f rom  tiine  to  time,  from  any  cause,  from 
Jiideav  l^he  growth  of  the  hew  Jewish  kingdom  on  the  south  h^^ 
eiicrpached  greatly  on  the  Samaritan  tesritory,  hut  it  was  still  a  d<P^ 
sirabieiand^  and  lar  more  fruitful  than  Judea' itself .  '       f 

The  soft  limestone  or  chalky  hUls  of  Samaria,  unlike  those  farthi^t'' 
south,  are  not  without  many  springs;  Fertile  bottohis  of  bladk  ^rth 
are  not .  infrequent,  and  rich  flelc^^  gardens,  and  orchards,  alternate  | 
in  the  valleys,  while  vineyards  and  trees  off  ditfereiflt  kinds  spread' up'' 
th6,[pV>pes»  and  woods  of  olives  and  waluuts  crown  ^<e  soft  Outline; 
of  manjr  of  the  hiUs.  The  meadows  jtnd  pi»fitu]re  land  cf  %ni&ria'««^ei^^ 
fainbus  in  Israel.  r   .;  ^^ 

Such  was  the  territory  which  lay  hetweeh  Christ  ih  Gailflee;aiba| 
therhilld df  Judea.  Of  the  people,  I shallhaye otcasioiL  to  sp^  sXiy 
future  time.  .     r, 

m1j:-j;;'^'  !.;;:. .■■     /"       ;■  ■',,..'     «;. j/./li/n] ill; a^'fv:ir-itii^)<i^;i^i«^ 

'3?  t^  of  ^>T;-;-       _. .-,  .     •,         =.     ;:^nv44^^;n'v^^'~HTaTf)'■i;utfiS^ 


*  i'  :*  I 

i  / 

■■.-■4 

■"■■  ''-•  '  -'ooi 

■■■» 


■m^uh  • 


d-^ri  ^\^f 


■4- 


CHAPTER  XXn. 

BEFOltB     THE    D^WN. 


■lUh 

♦  'f,    ti. 


.i^o  power  ever  showed  so  great  a  genius  for  assimilating  cooquered 
nations  to  iteelf  as  Rome.  Its  tributary  prnvinces  habituallv  merged 
their  national  life,  erelong,  in  that  of  their  conq^ioror.  Her  laws, 
laQgua^,  and  religion,  more  or  less  completely  took  root  whererer 
Ijer  eagles  were  permanently  planted,  and  haVe  left  the  racbrcto  of 
i^icir  triumphs  in  the  wide  extent  of  the  so-called  Latin  race,  «yon  lit 
tliis  day.  6ut  it  was  very  different  in  Palestine.  There,  Romisi  met 
astat0cjf  things  un^known  elsewhere*  whieh  she  neither  cared,  nor 
jy^  tV^de  to  comprehend.  The  Spaniard  or  Gaul  had  given  no  trouble 
^ter  he  was  once  subdued,  but  readily  accepted  her  arts,  dviliEft- 
t|on,  and  laws,.  It  was  reserved  for  the  mountaineei-s  of  Judca  *  to 
reluse  any  peaceable  relations  to  the  mistress  of  the  world'^  to  trei^t 
herpioudfest  sons  with  haughty  contempt,  and  tore|{;ard  thelf  very 
pcesence .in  the  country  as  a  de^lement.  hhvuyf^iK^n^vf^.^MVi  !»lit>'i 
^^v  rte,  disQipline  of  the  centuries  bef oi'e  the  RoAian  i^onqliett  of  Pwl- 
esflpe;  by  Pompey^  had  formed  a  nation  every  way  unique.  TUe 
^ell^opi^  institutions  of  its  ancestors  had  become  the  oh^mit  of  a  pas- 
fiionate  idolatry,  which  cladmfed,  and  willingly  received,  the  whdio  Of 
life:;fpr  its^  ser^ce.  The  tragedy  of  the  Exile,  the  teaching  of  tlie 
teijidersof  the  Return,  and  of  their  ■successors',  and  the  tierce  ^uvi- 
'  taj^is^  kindled  by  the  Syrian  pei-secutions,  and  deepened  by  the  Macoa- 
l^ii,  struggle,  had  formed  a  people  whrt*)8e  existence  was  woven  Inlo 
One.with  their; law;  who  womd  endure  any  torture,  or  let  themselves 
T^etbtO|W|l  ^beasts  in  the  circus,  rather  than  lilter  a  word  which  tlidr 
few  forbade^whose  wotnen  woidld  bear  the  agonies  of  martyrdom 
ratj^er  thatt  edt  unclean  food,  and  whose  men  would  let  tlieragelvfes 
b^  out'  down,  witlLopt  an  attempt  at  (re3is|;aace,  tatlier-  than  touch  the 
BWord  on  a  Sabbath.  Their  whole  life  was  a  succession  of  rites  aUd 
observances,  as  sacred  in  their  eyes  as  the  details  of  his  caste  to  a 
Bralimin.  Intercourse  with  other  nations  was  possible  only  to  the 
most  liniited  extent.  They  shrank  from  all  other  races  as  from 
foulness  or  leprosy.  The  common  Jew  shunned  a  heathen  or  Sti- 
iiiaritan;  the  Pharisee  shrank  from  the  common  Jew;  the  Esaenu 
ascetic  withdrew  from  riiankind,  into  the  desert.  The  dread  of  cere- 
monial defilement  made  solitude  the  onljr  security,  till  the  desire  for 
it  became  morbid,  like  that  of  the  Samaritan  settlers  of  the  islands  of 
;  the  Red  S6a,  who  Implored  any  stranger  to  keep  at  a  distance.  The  very 
cotintry  consecrated  l^y  so  many  purifications  was  sacred,  and  henco 
there  could  be  no  greater  shock  to  the  feelings  of  the  nation,  t^han  tlmt 
^y  who  weri;  ceremonially  unclean  should  pollute  it  by  their  pres- 
&iitli^.  "J^venaffiAiong  themselves  Constant  care  wasrequirea  to  mcdntaiu 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


W 


or  restore  their  purity,  but  the  presence  of  heathen  among  them,  made  , 
daily  defilement  almost  inevitable.  What,  then,  must  have  lieea  the 
horror  of  the  nation,  when  oven  the  Holy  of  Holies,  which  the  High 
Priest  alone  could  ent^ir,  and  tltat  only  onco  a  year,  after  endless 
purifications,  was  polluted  by  Pompey,  and  when,  as  in  the  days  of 
the  Prophet,  that  Name  which  a  Jew  dared  not  even  utter,  wasblas- 

f>hemed  every  day  by  the  heathen  soldiery?  The  cry,  of  the  Psajmist, 
Qttimes  long  past,  was  once  more  that  of  every  Jew,  '*  O  God,  the 
heathen  are . CO tno  into  TUiuo  inheritance:  Thy  Holy  Tepiplehave 
theydeaied." 

^uch  »  calamity  could  bp  regarded  only  as  a  judgment  from  Jeho- 
vah on  the  nation.  >  la  words  which  were  constantlv  read  in  thesyi^- 
agoBues,  they  sighed  to  hear  that  "The  wrath  of  J'ehovah  was  so 
lundiad  against  His  peoplet  because  they  were  defied  w^th  their  own 
works,  Uiat  He  abhorred  His   inhoritftncc,  and  had,  given  it  into 
the  hand  of  the  heathen,  ai^d  let  them  thai  bated  tne^  rule  OYer 
Israel" .  The  very  laqd  seemed  under  a  curse.    Xt  app^ired  as  i^  the . 
dew  of  blessing  no  longer  fell ;  as  if  the  fruits  h^  lost  their  fragrance 
and  tiUte,  i^nd  the  fleldrt  ref  asod  their  harvests.    The  practical,  ftoma^ 
could  not  understand  such  au  idealistic  race;  with  nim  laW  wa9  ho 
less  supreni^e  th^  It  was  with  the  Jew,  but  his  law  was  that  of,  the 
Empire,  the  Jqw's  the  law  of  an  unseen  God;  his  had  for  its  aim 
external  order,  and  material  civilization,  the  Jew's  ignored  material 
progressiand  wf^s  a^  wiaiT^  ,with  the  drst  conditions  of  pojii^cal  ,^ub- 
ntiasion.    I4kethe  Jew.  tlie  Roman  started  from  the,  idea  of  duty, 
but  it  was  the  duty  owed  to  the  Sta,te :  the  if^w  ^epi^diated  any  eafth]^ 
anthority,  and  owned  allegiance  only  to  a  tliepcr^c^y.    Tne  Rpm^ 
cared  only  for  tha  present,  life;  to  tU^  Jew  the  present  was  indjfe:  :. 
ewt.    The  ome  worshipped  the  Yisible;.the  other  the  Unspen.  ,  To' 
the  Jew,  the  Roman  was  unclean  and  accursed;  to  the  Rop}ans,'the 
Jews  were  ridiculous  for  their  religion,. and  hatefi^  f or  th^ir  prl^. 
Each  despised  the  other.    Pompey  had  begun  by  treating  ihe^r  most 
sacred  pri^Judices  >vith  contempt^  and  his  successors  followed  in  l^is . 
step^.    The  muvderyr  of  their  royal  house, and  the  friend  of  the  hated 
Bamai'ltaus,  was  niivdu  King  in  Jerusalem,  and  at  a  later  day,  Roman 
Procurators*  sucked  the  very  ipavrow  ifrora  the  land^  oppressed ,  the 
people  to  the  utt^rnijiit,  »^ud  paid  n6  regard  to  their  tendeirest  seusi- 
bilitiea.    ;  The  govern  meat,  was  as  ruttuess  as  that  of  Englpd  in; 
India  would  be  if  it  trampled  under  foot,  in  the  pride  of  strengtji, 
every  Hindoo  prejudice  it  found  in  if;s  way.    Roman  reli^pn   was 
fHith  in  the  magic  of  the  Bciman  name,  apjd  the,  irresisiiJDleQess  of 
tlie  Roman!  ai'm«;  a  worship  only  of  brute  force,  hard,  unfeeling, 
coaroei  whiqh'CQuld  not  understand  anything  fraiisceridental  like,, the ^ 
creed  of,  the  Jew,  or  the  possibility  of  men  caring  for  an  id^i^a,.  «*! 
les^ol  th^ir  dyi^gfor  it.  .  r  '    ;        .     ./h 

,j|t':!^ae  up  wondoi' that,  th?  Rabbit  j^w,  ii^  sijipjiji,  power,  the.fgi^tl^ 
Jppk  or  Paric^TT*' a  bqist  divj 


:    '3       H 


\m^M  i^Q 


divei*4e  11*001,  all  ^  the  o^i^, 


sT 


THE  LtTE  OF  CHRIST. ' 


excqeding  dreadful,  whoso  teeth  were  of  iron  unci  his  nails  of  hrasB, 
w^ich  devoured,  hmke  inpicce$,  un^  stamped  the  remnant  of  God's  , 
people  with  Jt»feet."    **  Tliou  madest  the  world  for  our  sakes.'^says ' 
one  of  ^he  latest  Jewish  seers^  who  hinaself  had  sisen  the  miseries  of 
tlies^tiiAcs;  "As  for  the  otlier  people  —the  Romans  and  all  man- 
kind j^sides — ••  who  also  cpme  from  Adam,  Thou  hast  said  they  are 
notl^bff,  bii^  0re  like  spittle,  or  the  droppinji^  from  a  cask.  And  now, 
()  Lorn,  Ykihc^d  the^e  heathen,  wjio  have  ever  been  counted  as  notli- 
ing,  haVe  begun  to  be  lords  ovxir  us,  and  to  devour  us.    But  we,  Thy 
people,  wlioi^  Thou  hast  called  Thy  first-born.  Thy  only  begottfen, ' 
apa  the  pbjeci  of  Thy  fervent  love,  are  given  into  their  hands.    If 
the  world  How  Toe  made  for  our  sakcs.  why  do  we  not  posiAess  our  in- 
heritance over  the  world?    Itow  long  shall  this  endure?"    "H^iir/' 
thou,  I  will  talk  with  thee,'*  He  makes  the  Messiah  say  to  the  ^oman 
Eagle,  VAitA]^o\\  i^o^  the  last  of  the  four  beasts  which  I  mad^  to 
reijni..in  niy  world,  who  hasfc  overcome  all  the  beasts  that  were  past, 
ana  hast,  po^croy^r  the  world  with  gteat  fcaifulness,  ai:id  much 
wicked  opine9^on?    For  ^hou  hast  afflicted  the  meek,  thou  liast  hnrt  | 
th^  peaceable,  tl^on  hast  loved  the  Faithless,  and  hated  the  Faithful,  > 
and  aestybyed  the  towns  of  those  who  brought  forth  fruity  and  the 
wajus  of  those  who  did  thee  no  hdrm.    Thy  wrongful* dealings  hav6 
gon^  pli  to  the  Highest,  and  thy  pride  to  t^e  Mighty  One.  Therefore, 
O  fsagic,  thou  shalt  perish,  with  thy  fearful  winm,  thy  baleful  winglfets, 
thy  i^acioti^  heads,  thjr  tparitig  claws,  and  an  thy  foul  bbdy ;  thitt 
th^  earth  may  be  refreshed,  and  be  delivered  from  thy  violence,  and 
that  sh^mt^y  hope  in  the  justice  and  mercy  of  Hiiii  thatihade  her."    ' 
*''^*'  concentrated  hatred  and  bitter  contemptuous  scorn  frorii  a; 


niunbers  were  increased  yearly  by  the  sales  of  the  slave  market.  Bnt. 
buyers  had  fb|Ui\d  that  Jew  trtaves  Were  more  trouble  in  a  liousehdld. 
about  thdr,  law,  than  they  wore  worth,  and  hence  they  were  alloTirca 
to  ouv  their  own  freedom  at  a  very  low  price.  A  vast  number  of 
Jeyfish  fr^edmen  had  thus  gradually  accumulated  in  Rome,  to  the 
horror  of  the  Romany  iat  large,  by  whom  they  were  reckoned  oiie  of 
the  gTeatcslt  phiguiiis  of  the  city.  Tlie  Acts  of  the  Apostles  show  h<)W 
frequent  n^iist  Tiavc  been  the  tumults  they  caused.  Squalid,' dii^yj 
troublesome,  repulsive,  yet  sneering  at  the  gods  and  temples  of  their 
mafitei*s,ajfdcon8tantiy  aggressive  in  the  hope  of  making  proselytes, 
they  We,re  the  special  objects,  by  turns,  of  the  ridicule,  loathing,  and 
.hatred  of  the  haughty  Romans,  and  tliis  hati^ed  was  intensified  by  the 
favour  their  ivligion  had  found  with  some  of  their  own  wjves  and 
dai^te^^.  'Hie  officials  who  went  from  Rome  to  Judea  to  rule  the^ 
na^joQ^  earned  with  them,  already,  a.  scorn  and  abhc^ence  for  the- 
na^oiii  wfticS  foiiud  its  expression  in  a  ready-  belief  of  repi^rtis  so. 
revwrag  and  iiiercdiblc^a^^^  the  heiiid  of  an  ftad.^ 


„..)I 


THE  UFE  OF  CHRIST. 

as  Qod,  iu  tUeir  Temple.  What  treatment  thev  might  expect  from 
Rpitiati  gpvetp.0TB  is  shadowed  in  lik&riy  uttoraQcei'ofaiiferent  qlasseSb' 
Speaking  of  the  Jews  sent  to  tlie  pestilent  climate  of  fiai^ihlA,  t6  put 
dOMm  the  robbers  there*  Tacitus  adds,  "If  tliey  pierished  by  the 
cliitiate  it  was  no  loss.  **  Apollonttis,  of  Tyana,  Is  ndade  to  say  to 
Vespasian,  in  AlexAridria— ''When  one  caihe  from  the  scene  of  War 
and  told  of  80,000  JeWs  %h6m  you  had  killed  in  oh(^  battle,^  and  of 
60,9pO  in  another,  I  took  the  speaker  aside,  and  a«lked  him,  '  Wbnt 
are  you  talking  about;  have  you  niothinjBf  more  wortli  tilling  than 
that? ' "  Even  the  calm  and  lofty  Marcms  Aureliils,  at  a  later  diiy,  la 
credited  with  an  expression  of  the  common  hatred  of  the  Jews;  whic|i, 
in  its  biting  contempt^  surpasses  all  others.     ''O  M^omannl!  O 

"  '    '     "*  when  he  passed  from 

"  the  JeiN^s,  "I  have 

Tiie  f^cling3  of  ihe  J&^a  towards  the  Romany  hacji  originally  tj^ 
th^se  of  admiration  and  respect,  fot  their  braV61y  ^d  grd^V  deeds. 
Jutjla^s  Maccabfl^us  had  sought  their  alliiiniJe,  and,  ev^n  so  late  2V9  tn^ 
reign  of  Johanncfi  Hyrcanns,  the  natio\i  retained  kltidly  feelfn^^ 
towi^rd^  thepqii  tt  wa^  the  fanlt  of  Pompey  thfit  so  great  and  su(!|den 
a  re  pulsion  .topk  p^ace.  Tlie  treacbtjry  by  which  he  got  po^sesMoh  of 
tli4  Country  and  the  capital;  th6'  insolent  fcitotempt^ithwlifch  "he 
deAle4  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and  the  vanity  which  led^jiim  tockr#  dtt 
the  toyal  faulty » who  had  put  themselves  conftdlriglyxtivder'^is  pro- 
tection, to  grace  his  triumph,  filled  the  race  with  an  abiaihg  hnited  of 
the  very  natixe  of,  Rome.  A  writer  of  i^o  times  hak  left  us  t!h'e  lili- 
pressions  made  by  sucji  acts:— "My  ear  he,ard,  the  sphnd  of  %ar,  tho 
"       oithe^rurfp^t^hich  calledto  murder  dhd  tiiiVr  "The  Msb'6f 


a  ^eat  arnyr,  a^  of  a  niightV  rushing  .windi  like  a^  kfeat  pillir  of^fltfe, 
rolling  hitherward  oVer  tlie;  plains r  Jehovah  Mtfffi^  up"' hiipi';  a 
mighty  Warrior  from  the  ends  of  tttp  earih!  He  hfls  a^t^rmijea  W^r 
ag^^hst  Jerusalei|i  and  against  Htsland!'  Tlib  prlhc^^'<^  the  laWd 
went  out  to  him  with  joy,  and  "said,  'Thou  fLt\,  Welcome,'  C<l>ni6 
in  peace.'  Thiey'  havb  raad6  sniboth  the'  rough  Way^ '  beforfe  the 
marph  of  the  stranger;  they  opened  the  ^tes  of  Jerusalem.','  Tjf^ey 
crowned  the  Walls  with  gfttlahds.  Hi^  entered,  as  a  father  enters  the 
hdpse  bf  liis^  sona,,iii  peape.  He  walked  ibrbad,  in' pb;rfiect  s^urlty'. 
Tlxeh  he  took  possession'  of  tlie  towers  and  the  Wall's  6f  jerttfejSJtM' 
for  God  had, led  him  iti  safety„thro:ugh  hei'  f oUy.  He;  db^titjyfed "■hef 
princes,  anci  every  one  wise  m  cotiftisel,' ahd  poured  oiit;  the'bidoa"6jf 
Jei'ii^klem  like  unclean  water.  He  led  heir  sons  and 'dautoers' into 
captivity:  The, strange  people  "haVe  ^ne  up  to:  thealtaj'^  khd,  ija 
their  pride,  haVe  not  taken  on  their  shoes' in  the  holjr  pjace^l"  ;  ' 
'tin  Ms  haughty  pride,"  cities  the  siriger  in  his  second  psalm,  -^bich 
thr6w8  Tight  oh  the  Corruption  of  Isrf^el  in  tjie  hpJt  cehtury  Wef pre 
Christ,  and  dn  Jewish 


»^||»*^:^f^!ftJrti'<Ml*^^ 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST! 


iiktXB  have<got»9  i^p  i^to  Th^  boly  pla^e;  thcsy  have  wajl^^  upr  Mdj 
dowo!  in  U,  wHiji  tl^eir  sb^e^  ip  contempt.  Because  th)^  spips  of  Je- 
rtiaalem  h^V^  defied  tlie  noly  thiri^  of  the  Lord,  aiict  haVe,rorofape(l 

surf 

before  God  tor  ever  I  ..  ,  •^ 

^;  *;  YoUrsoni^j^pd  ypuy  d^UgUter^  are, sold  intp  woeful  slavery;  tlitT 
kre  bra^de:d,  ak  siaves,,on  jt^ir  neoJks^^^  ihe  sigl^tpf  th^  lieatLen 
For  your  sins  hath  He  done  this !  Therefore  gave  He  thie^  up  jucit* 
thehand^  Ojf  ^hf)se  that  w^re , stronger  than  they,  for  H^  turned  awni 
Hi9ia^efio>m  pitying  theni,---yputh,  and  old  man,  and  icbltd  togethef" 
because  they  all  ^iqned,  in  not  hearing  His  voice.  The  heavent 
scoMed  on  them,  and  1;j^e  e^t^  lo^t^4,  th^m^iipr^^i;^©  ^ap^  6  it„^a4 
d()fteasthey,  .  .:,>;,', v.'    ^:{-  {■  ■"     '  .  .,.:.V'-''' -''^:  '^   -.r'^y' 

;J'*  God  lias  made  the  so^g  of  Jerusalem  a  aerisioiL  Every  one  gave 
him^Jf  up  to  tihe  sin  of  Sodopa,  I'hey  flaunted  their  wi<j|^cdncs^ 
before,  the.  <mn,  ,  They  committed  their  evU  d6eds  before  it.  Thejr 
znade  ft  show  of  theiv  guilt.  Even  the  daughters,  of  Jerusalem  are 
pfofane,,  ax^pordmg.  to  Thy  judgment,  for  tliey  have  defiled  them- 
fidves  shamelessly  with  the  heathen.    For  all  these  things  my  heart 

i^UTOS.'   ,  '    ■  ;    '-•^■^''''^;u'' 

y,"  I  will  justify  Thee,  O  God,  in  uprightpess  of  heart,  fpr  |n  Thy 
itidgme^ita,  p  G^d^  is ,  seen  Thy  righteousness.  Fpr  T^pu  givest  to 
uij^  Wickqd  ^ordi^g  to  their  works,  according  to  the  ^eat  evil  of 
their,  doiii^.  Thouiia|st  revealed  their  sins,  thatjThy  judgment  may 
he  s)E«nu  |Thou  Wpttest;  put  their  memory  from  the  earth.  The  Jjord 
is  ft^righteoiis  ju4i^>  and  regardeth  no  man's  cpuntenance.  i^e  has 
dr^^gg^dj  down  her  bea^ity  from  the  throne  of  glorv.  Fpr  Jerusalem 
hasjp^en  puji  tp;  shame  by  t^e  heathen,  when  they  traitipled  it  ynder 
fdot.  FUt  oh  s^dfcfcth  fo^  rbhef  of  beauty,  a  wre^tpb.  of  twisted 
riches  ihstead  of  a  crown.  .  GiOd  has  taken  away  her  naitre  pf  glory, 
ivhich  he  piit  0»  h^r  hrpw, ,,  Jt^r  jpiride  ii^  cast  dqfeM^ishonouii ^i^ 
tliQ earth,  ,       ,'",.'■         ■::'.'.'/'.  \  '.  .  '■    ....  ':..';{:'■ 

..'■•And  I  looked,  and  prayed  before  the  face  pf  the  Xord,  and  said, 
iufet  it  sv&ce  Thee,  0  J^prd^that  Thou  hast  made  heavy  Thy  hand 
upon  Jerusalem,  in  the  coming  against  her  pf  tJie  heatlien.  flecaiiso 
th»)r  have  treati^d  her  with  scorn,  and, have  not  spared  in, their  wrath 
aii5  fUry.ai^d^hey  will  not  bring^this  toan  end,  unless  Thou,  O  L'prd, 
reproves^  thiBm  in  Thy  wr^tb.  For  they  have  not  done  it  in  ^eaj  for 
Tn4e,T)Ut  jfrorh  the  Fish  of  .their  hejirt,  to  poi^r  out  their  riage  agaihfct 
r  u&  tike  furies.  Delay  not,  O  God,  to  smite  them  on  the  heau,,|:^t.t|ic  . 
haurfitiness  of  the  dragon  may  sink  down  in  dishonour,*',,, 'yr;/,  is.; 

/*Tt  had  Waited  biit  a  Utile  tUl  God  showed  mo, his  hau^typridQ 
^ti^ht  JOVt^.  0131.  the  shores  of  tgypt,  an4  his  body  set  ^t  ^ouj^hf  hy 
this.Iei^t,  aliko  <>n  wnd  ^hd  sda,~rottinJ5  u^pn  t^.e.  waves  in  pitiful 
itKmtbi^pt,  li&amviiig  no  one  to  bury  it.    JBetiause  he  hod  set  (tod  at 


THE  lutFK  bP  6HSiyt. 


m 


jibixghi' md^shonrmtk^  mtn.  li^Mgdt  tte  M  trlds  Only  a  inlair- 
Ife'dia  ri6t  think  of  What  m%ht  be  t6  come,  lie  siid,'*r shall  Ije 
librd'df  sea  akd  land/^nd  he  did  not  t^cthe^  iS.cfKit 

aid'  resistless  in  His  gredt  inighi  He  is  Eihg  of  Heavfeh.  and  the 
jtM^  6f  kings  aifd  nilel's,  exaltinff  Hiis  ^ryiitit,  and  stllKiig^the  |rt*oud; 
ii  eternal  dishononr  and  ruin  hecdiise  they  haT6  ridt  ilcknay^ledliiecl 

is?-       .  ■".■■- 

Herod's  3attenr  6f  Rome,  and  his  treachery,  to  whtit  thie  'patriots 
thbnght  the  national  cause,  only  ifatensifled  the  b|tterhes.4  of  Buch 
r^feoiiections:  '      '    "  .:^:.i -oi  .wjic  >■.... ,ii^..  Vi,.  . 

Airiidst  aH  the  troubles  bf  the  nation,  ho^e^re^/thfeit  Woji^^elfe 
still  kept  alive  by  a  belief  ^vhich,  like  mubh  else' tohdhgthp  J^W,i^^ 
uhittueiu  history.    Tliei^  sacred  bodks  had  f torn  thfe  eitfllest 'tfajns^ 
^tedicted  t!i6  appearance  of  a  great  deliverer,  "Who 'ikhiuld  itld^em' 
Israel  out  of  all  his  troubles.     "  All  the  prophets  "  says  thi^talint^d,  • 
•r#6phesied  ohly  of  the  days  of  the  msMah:'*^lft'^faM^dd|^Hthis 
h6j>iB,Was intensined  b)^  it  ne\<r  development  of  the  naftfohdl'liteMiifB. 
It  thfe  secohd  century  before  Ghriist,  tl^e  B6<?k  of  Daniel  had  br^tcd 
a'|JrOfbund*  seusMon  by  its  predictidns,  univei^alfy  cutreht, 'of'thfe' 
destn^ction  of  the  heathen,  aiid  'the  elevation  of  the  '6lio^n  ped^l^'^^tb 
supreme  gloVv,  dader  the)  Messiah!     Tliese  "Were,  at'  that  time,  h?t^- 
pret^d  f^s  applyin^to  the  disastrous  period  of  religious  pers0cuti^tt 
uMer  Antiochuis  ISpiphatifes,  which  pr^Vok^d  the  Madbkbsbain  revolt, 
attd  dltiriiately  led  to  the  tettiporkry  independefice  of  thb  na^,^^th'- 
it^  short,  bi'l^ht  glimpse  of  pi*6spett(;y,  as  if  heraldfiig:  the  Mtissfariib 
reijii.-  The  heathen  were  to  *'devoUi^  the  whole 'cfarth  ;fo^"a  *time, ; 
andtretid  it  down  and  break  it  mpiecres."    But  "the  kingdom  knd 
ddihinron,  arid  the' gi*eatness  bf  the  rule  tinder  the  \Vhble  ht«iV^h;  J^all 
be'glVeh  to  the*  people  ©f  the  saWitsTif  the' Moat' Hfgtf.whb^kingddm: 
is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  iinii;i"<5be^- 
Hlin.*^  '  In  such  ivoras,  Isi^>l  read  its  future  iii)lltlcjal  glo1^/as  the 
seiit  <>f  si  uniyeWal  theocriicy,  which  wA's  to  tamAcp  tifie  kings  df  the 
W^ath^.^i^'d  flotfri^  in  pei^etual  supremacy  over 'all  mankind.    The, 
head  of  this  world-wide  empire  they  saw  in  "the  Son  of  Mail;"  wljb 
w&sto  "cbme  in  the  clouds  of  lieatrcn;**  dfeHiinidh  aMg:Torv,-iihd  a 
kitigdorti  ■  that  all  people,  natibnS,  und  laUffuajges  ^votild  serve  "Hitn  fo^ 
ev^hbeihgglvenHim'by  the  Anclfentof  Ihiys.    '    /    i?^  ^        '    . 

IVitJi  tlie  peiling  of  the  Maccabfeaii  glbry,  after  Ms;  short' brighthe^, 
and  the  dec^y  of  reUgioUi^  enthusiasm  Under  the  cbrhiptirig  in^uence; 
of  its  later  kings,— a  reaction  hot  unlike  the  licehse  of  tlie  Restbra-^ 
tibn  as  contrasted  with  the  Severe  Puntafaistii  of  the  CdtWmonVealth,; 
---a  copious  literature  sprang  up,  ba^ed  on  the  model,  whidti,  in  the 
Book  of,  Danielj  hid  so  profoundly  affected  the  spirit  of  the  age. 
With  the  independence  of   the  nation,  prophecy  had,  loiijs: 


THE;  ^iWE  iOF  |CpRI^^. 

.v^i^^lj^.^JIcnp'^l^dgedi  the  gm  of  prpphets  JLiad  eij^^^d^^f,  ^6 

i4^ioi  the  order  h^q,  iijde^d.liimaelf,  virtualljr"  anijoiiinc^d  ji^s  siirfep^tf- 
sipiij  In  poiuting  to.the  oomiog  ot  Elijali,  Ijieioje  the^^ri^at  and  dr<;^d- 
f u^  diay  pi  4^^hovali,jjs  iti^  oQxt  appejarance.  ,  From  jtbati  fe^. !lt 
became  ifii^esd  in  the  popular  ,ihind  that  Elijali,  dhd  pcjrbapl  alap.*'ft 
**  JEJ^Ppte  like  ^into  MQse8^"j ^puld.  herald  the  Messiah  ^n^.  mski^m- 
dotn.  The  peculiar  cohstitutibh  of  the  nation  inevitatiiy  gave  tins 
glorious  (yiture  a  political,  ji;athei';  th^n  a  spiritut^l  character,  for,  their 
cpuceptipn  of  ih^  kipgdom  o)^  Opd,  was  that  of  a  theperi^cyl.^h  as 


a  IMessial),  Jiiust  hayiB,t)|qeu  derived  from  the  ilKistratiopS' p^eie,4  hv 
the  earlier  hisipi-ji  of  thp  i?ation.  Tiicy  knew  of  Mos(^^  Jpt^huW^^thc 
judges,  a^d  ihe^kings.  The  pt^triarchs  were  spoken  ^of  in  the  Scw^- 
ture^  (^  the  idndintea  of  J^^pvah,  or  Hijf  ijVIessiahs,  and  bo,  ^Isp,  Were 
high  m;iest^  ai^d  prophets,  and  theit  kings,'  ^nd  even  (he  Pers^^p  mpn- 
arch,  (pynis./  4^mong  the  later  Jews,  of  the  ages  immcdiiitj&lV  Ijef^^ 
(^hrjsit,  '*The  Iflessiah'*  had /become  the  usual  name  of  lijeiJentCTer 

{)redi,cte4  by  the  prpphets,  and  •vv^as  almost  exclusively:  i'<0stnctpd|r) 
liin,  But  at  no  time  !^d  the  spirttuaitjeen  sepatatW  frbni^^t^^^^ 
icat^  in  ]xf  u^e.  Indeed,  the  whole  theory  of  their  national  govm- 
inent,  inevitably  Joined  the  political  and  (he  religious.  ,The,1$tajte  |a^d 
th^  Chureh  were,  with  it,  identical,  the  former  b^ing  Pnl^  ,tli$'pptWs[rd 
emhodipncnt  iof  the,  latter.  Jewish  politics  "we^e  only  Jewish  migpn 
in  its  public  relations,  for  God  was  (i^e  politxcai  as  well  as  r^jljjgipiis 
Head  pi  the  nation.  It  was,  hence,  all  but  impossible  fo^  a  Je^v  to 
conceive  of  the  M  jiah,  except  as  the  divinely  CGmnii^sioned  ,^.|ce- 
ge^ht  of  (Jbd^  in  iusi  double  sphere  of  earthly  and  heavenly  kipgsliij) 

■  in Israel,' ,  .,      ,"..■;■.. .,    '\,   .;,"' 

.  (The  Icjng  silence  of  prophets,  and  the  keen  politico-reli^iou^  Ci^thn- 
sidsniivitn  which  the  advent  of  a  Messiah  was  expected-7-an,entiiu- 
.siasm  resting  on  Scripture  throughput,  but  rekindled  to  a  passionate 
and  abiding  fervour  by  the  Book  of  Daniel— incited  seme  iipbl^r 
spirits  to  hre^k  the  stillness,  and  keep  alive  the  hatipnal  faith  anU 
hope,  by  conipositidns  <;pnceived  in  the  same  spirit.,  T^o  giye  ttieiii 
greater  weight,  they  were  asc-ribed  to  the  niost  famoTis  maif  ,6i  xast 
ages,  and  sent  abroad  in  their  nam^s.  A  Revelatipn  of  Uie.fufme 
glpry  of;  Israel  appeared  in  the  name  oif  the  antediluvian  J^np^cb,  tis 
one,.of  all  nieii,  worthy  to  have  been  favoured  With  dMne  cojnjnujdi, 
cations.  Another  consisted  pf  psalms  ascribed  to  Solompjpi,  and  a  tUjf^l 
was  said  to  have  been  written  by  the  great  Scribe,  the  second  lyjtosf  s— 
E7.1U.  Others  are  still  pre^rved  in  the  collection  of  "  jApecryi^lia" 
till  recently  bpund  up  with  cnr  lE^ngliah  Bibles..  0f  the  whole,  tl^ 
first  Ifookof  the  Maccabees,  ilhr^trates  the  fervent  patrlottein  and,stern 
pufitinispior.the  war  of  liberty.  Tlie  "JVIsdprtijof  theSox^of  Mrach 
.8ct8  in  agtril^g  jfglit  tl^e  wing  of  Esdras,,  ^^at,  e]f^.  %  tl3i^8^;daijc 


THir'iS^^'6F 


it 


io, 


^  Ijtiljoiighnikiiy* 'Walked  feighedly  before  God,  others  feared  l^i^ . 
U^e"^CQordinff 't^  Ijis  -w^itl,  and  tau^t  Hi^  law  nobly."  ,Ko  bett^V 
k'l^j^  to  tbe  if^i^^pus  spirit  of  an  age  can  be  had  than  its  religious  liter- 
at)ar|.  TUit,  of  l^r^l,  as  the  ag^  of  Christ  drew  near,  was  mere  and 
nH?tf  ?<;0)&ceiit^"ated  OQ  tlji,e  expected  Messiah,  and  the  preparation 
n^ded  for  Ijis  coming.  The  Bcxik  of  Enoch,  the  Psalms  <^  Solo- 
moh,  aiid' tlfe  i^ourth  Book  of  ISsdras,  successiyeiy  reveal  the  white 
heat  of  the  national  hopes  of  ^hich  they  were  the  expression. 

jxojthihg  could  bo  more  fitted  to  influence  the  excitable,  imaginatioii 
0^  ^h  Oriental  p0Qi)le,  accustomed  to  such  a  style  in  their  sacifed  writ-1 
iri^s-7-n6'thi|i^  more  fitted  to  intensify  a  fanajtical  spiritual  prid,e  in 
tlii^n^c^yes  a^  the  favourites  of  heaven,  or  to  deepen  their  hatred  of 
•alj.lpthel'  nations,  than  the  ijiystic,  chapters  of  the  Booji  ojt^  En^^^h,  of;  I 
vriiiicli  the  eartiief  ^ate,  perhaps  forty  years  before  the  entrance  of  the  ' 
RiE^in^ns  into  Palestili^j  wl^ie  the  whplc  a^re  as  old  as  the  reign  ot 
rtjgi^od. ,  In  9ne,,Isj'ae 1. 18  painted  under  the  figure  of  a  flpck  of  w'lito 
8|ieob,  !^hUfe  the  nations  irodnd  are  the  Egyptian  wplf,  the  Phcnicj^n.. 
dpjgi  tlie ,  plaick  wild  bb^^  Arabian  vulture,  this  Syriajakj 

rayeii,  .^d  thd^Gr/Dci^ii  eagle;  or  ai'e. branded  as  jackals,  kites,  foxes^^^ - 
and  swme.    Hyrcanus;  the  shdep  with  the  great  horn,  drive^  aw^y'f 
tlijC  Grecian  eagles,  the  Syrian  ravens,  the  Egyptian  kites,  the  Arabian 
vujjtiire/aihd  the  Philistine  idogs,  who  were  teaiing  the  fles^i  of  the,,^ 
sh^^p,  of  the '  l^ou^e  of  Israel.     The  Lord  of  the  sheep  conaes  to  tii^,  I 
flbcK^  the  rod  of  Hia  wratli  in  His  hand,  aihd  strikes  the  e^rth  till  it,^ 
qu^k^s,  and  all  the  beast?  and  birds  jttcQ,  from  the  sheep,  and  4?^  ^ 
tliH'qarth,  ^hicli  closes  over  them.     A  great  throne  is  tlien  ^t  up  ijj^e. 
tlie.]biellfjved  land,  and  the  Lord  of  the  sheep  sits  on  it,  and  opens  the 
sedated  book?.    Hb  will  then  drive  the  kings  fjoni  their  thrpnes  ^nd; 
kingdoms,  and  will  brdak  the  teeth  of  sinners,  and,  finally,  chase  bul^- '• 
the Jfeathen  from  th^  congregation  of  His  people,  and  cast  down  the  ^ 
oppresso^^  of  Israel  Intp  a  deep  place,  '•full bf  fire,  flaming,  and  full  of j^ 
pil,M^s  of  fire; "    '4-  **  greaiji  everlasting  heaven"  will  spring  forth,  frorrijjj; 
tii6  Ijtiidst  of  the  a^^els,  and  the  day  of  judgment  wiU  begin,  '*whe4'A 
the  blood  of  th6  kinners  will  be  as  high  as  a  horse's  breast,  and  as  fjij 
chariot  aide,"  and  when  legions  of  angels  shall  appear  in  tlieskieo,,^ 
arid  tlie  righteous  be  raised  froipi  the  grave.    The  days  of  the  Messialiv 
-*nhe  Meet,"  "the  Anointed  One,*^"  the  Son  of  Man," who  is  also;-^ 
"Soriof  God"— will  then  begin.  .;| 

';  The  plants  of  rightepusness"  (the  Jewish  nation)  w^ill  %urisli  fof^^ 
ever  ^nd  ever  under  His  reign,  for  He  is  to  come  forth  from  tho,.^ 
"thr'one.bf  the  tnajesty  of  God,"  and  rule  over  all,  as  the  object  of^^ 
universal  adoration.  .r 

ThepictjUres  given  of  th^  blessedness  of  Israel  in  its  world-wide'^, 
empire,  throw  li^ht  on  the  nobler  side  of  the  Jewish  natjure,  for  wQ^y 


;i 


884 


THE  LIFE  or-  CHPwIST. 


.  of  the  Sun»  and  the  elect  in  the  light  of  the  Life  EtemlJ;  the  dat&^of 
theif  life 'shall  have  no  end;  and  the  dayg  of  the  ho^^  ottes  ShSf  be 
tountless:  .And  they  shall  seek  the  light,  an(j  nnd  ri^hteoXiioiess 
.beside  the  Lord  of  Spirits.  The  righteous  shall  have  pefecewith  "ttxe 
iLord  of  the  Worid.  They  will  dwell  beside  the  Water  of  Life,  in  the 
gardens  of  righteousness,  and  shine  like  the  light  for  evef  rfnd  efer. 
Their  hearts  will  reioice,  because  the  number  of  the  ri^teous  is  i\x\ 
filled,  and  the  blood  of  the  righteous  avenged."  '      .' 

i't!  The  Psalms  OF  Soix)M0N,  writteii  at  the  time  of  Pcittipey'd  inva- 
sion, look  forward  confidently  to  the  coniing  of  the  Messiah,  and  the 
setting  up  of  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  God,  when  the  eons  'ftnd 
dau^tets  of  Jerusalem  will  be  brought  back  again  from  the  eJEtet' and 
the  west,  because  Jehovah  has  had  compilssion  on  hei*  afilictioii.  Tlie 
17th  and  18th  Psalms,  especially,  bring  before  us,  with  equal  vivid- 
ness and  Jbeauty,  the  hopes  that  glowed  in  the  national  breaist  in  the 
davsof  Christ,  and  broke  out  into  wild  violence  in  the  religious  re- 
vcttt  of  Judas,  the  Galilflean-  Joseph,  in  his  cottage  at  Naiateth,  ma}^ 
often  have  listened  to  them,  or  read  them,  for  they  were  familtati  to 
eVery  Jew,  and  many  a  group  of  Galilaan  villagers  gathered,  frpm 
time  to  time,  to  hear  them  repeated,  in  Eastern  fashion,  by  sofiae 
reader  OT  reciter.    They  ran  thus: —  u-Hfj:;*  rl^/(' 

■*  Lord,  Thou  alone  art  our  King  for  ever  and  evijr,  and  iil  Tli^e 
shall  oiir  souls  make  their  boast.  What  is  the  span  of  iidan's  Itfe 
iipon  earth?  Accordihg  to  the  time  fixed  Ijy  the  Lordiaiid  nian's 
hope  upon  Himl  But  we  hope  in  God  our  Savioul*,  befeaufec^  the 
power  of •  our.  G^d  is  with  mercy,  for  ever,  and  the  kingdOiii  of  *ur 
t  God  is  over  the  heathen,  for  judgment,  for  ever. 
;  ■>  ♦'Thou,  O  Lord,  didst  choose  for  Thyself  David,  to  be  king  over 
Israel,  and  didst  swear  to  him,  respecting  his  seed  for  ever,  that  there 
would  nr.ver  fail  a  prince  of  his  house  before  The^,  fCr  ever.  But 
for  our  sins,  the  wicked  have  risen  up  against  us;  they  (the  Asmo- 
nealx  party),  whom  Thou  hast  not  sent  forth,  have  done  violchee 
against  us>  and  have  gotten  the  power  over  Us.  They  hftv^  put  Awfiy 
Thy  name  with  violence,  and  have  not  glorified  it^  though  it  b6  above 
all  m  majesty;  they  have  set  up  a  king  over  them.  They  have  laid 
waste  the  throne  of  David,  with  a  haughty  shout  of  triuttit?h.  But 
Thou,  O  Lord,  'wilt  cast  them  down,  Th6u  wilt  take  away  their  seed 
from  the  earth,  raising  up  against  them  an  alien,  who  is  hot  6i  our 
race.  After  their  sins  shalt  Thou  recompense  them,  O  God;  they 
will  receive  according  to  their  wotks.  According  to  tliejt  works  will 
God  show  pity  on  them!  He  will  hunt  out  their  seed,  ahd  will  n6t 
let  them  go.  Faithful  is  the  Lord,  in  all  His  judgmehtd  which  He 
performs  in  the  earth. 

"He  who  has  not  the  Law  has  desolated  our  land  of  its  inhabi- 
tants, lie  has  made  the  youth,  and  the  old  man,  aind  the  child  dis- 
appear togebhe^  In  his  lury  he  has  sent  away  our  sons  to  the  west; 
ttia  x>ut.  princeei  he:iiaa  mBm.m  ofp^  s^w,mdlm  tix>%  spared. 


THE  LIFE'  OF  CHiaST, 


One  eqiesiy  Has  done.liaughtily^  ia  his  alion  pride»  ancb  I^s  hesttt  is  & 
ettWAgQr  toi.our  God,  And  he  did  all  thin^,  in  Jerasalcin,  as  tho 
heiatb<9Q  doi  \vith  their  idols,  in  their  cities.  And  the  sons  of  the 
coy^napt  have  bceo  made  to  >  serve  them,  and  have  been  mingled 
anipng;  heathen,  nations.  There  was  not  one  among  them  .who 
ahewied!  pity  or  truth  in  Jerusalem^  Those  who  loved;  tho  synagogues 
pf  the  9uiat9  fled  from  them;  they  were  driven  away  as  farrows 
from  their  nest.  They  wandered  in  deserts^  that  their  souls  might 
M  J  saved  from  defilement,  and,  the  wilderness  was  lovely  in  their 
sight,  in  saving  their  souls.  They  were  scattered  over  the  whole 
earthv  by  tliose  whohave  not  the  liaw. 

y  "Behold, ( 0  Lord»  and  raise  up  to  Israel,  their  king,  the  Son . of 
Pavid^  at  t^  time  Thou,  O  Gtod,  knoweat,  to  rule  Israel,  Thy  child. 
And  ^>^d  him^  O  Lord,  with  strength,  that  he  may  break  in  pieces 
the  unjust  rulers. ;  Qeanse  Jerusalem,  in  wisdomand  righteousness, 
from  the, heatliiOQ  who  tread  it  under  foot.  Thrust  out  tiie  sinners 
from  Thinie. inheritance;  grind  to  dust  the  haughtiness. of  the  tcans- 
gressoi'a;  shatter  in  pieces  all  tiieir  strength,  as  a  potter's  vessel  is 
shattered  by  a  rod  of  iron.  Destroy  utterly,  with  the  word  of  Thy 
mouth,  the  heathen  that  have  broken  ThyJLawj^at  His  comii^let 
the  heathen  flee  before  His  face,-  and  confound  ThoiL  the  sinners  in 
the  thoughts  of  their  hearts.  And  Ho  shall  bring  together  the  holy 
rac6,  ana  shall  lead  tlkem  in  righteousness,  and  Ho  shall /jud^e  the, 
tribes  of  the  holy  people,  for  the  Lord,  His  God.  And  He  will  not 
suffer  unrighteousness  to  dwell  in  the  midst  of  them,  nor  will  lany 
wicked 'man  be  let  diwell  among  them.  For  He  will  take  knowledge 
that  they  are  all  sons  of  God,  and  He  will  portion  them  out  in  their 
tribes,  over  the  land. '  And  the  stranger  and  the  foreigner  will  dwell 
amou^  them  no  more.  He  will  judge  the  people  and  the  heathen,  in 
the  wisdom  of  His  righteousness. 

"And  He  will  bring  the  peoples  of  the  heathen  under  His  yoke, 
to  serve  Him,  and  He  will  exalt  the  Lord  exceedingly  in  aU  the 
earth..  And  He  will  cleanse  Jerusalem  in  righteoiraness,^  so  that,  as  it 
was  in  the  beginning,  the  heathen  shall  come  from  the  uttermost 
parts  of  tho  earth,  to  see  His  glory,  and  her  weary,  wasted  sons  shall 
return,  bearing  gifts,  to  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  with  which  God 
hm  glorilled  her.  And  He  shall  ])e  a  riglitcous  king  over  them, 
taught  of  Gk)d.  And  there  shall  be  no  unrighteoiLsness  in  their  midst 
in  His  dovs,  bwause  they  are  all  holy,  and  their  king  is  the  Christ,  the 
Lord.  For  Ho  shall  not  trust  in  the  horse,  or  the  chmot,  or  in. the 
bow;  neither  shall  He  gather  to  Himself  silver  and  gold  for  war,  and 
He  rfiall  not  itrust  in  numbers,  in  the  day  of  battle.  The  Lord,  Him- 
self, is  His  king,  and  His  trust,  in  the  ^tightv  God,  and  HE  shall  set 
all  the  heathen  ra  terror  before  Hun.  For  He  shaU  rule  all  the  earth, 
by  the  word  of  His  mouth,  for  ever.  He  shall  make  the  people  of  the 
Lord  blesaed,^  in  wisdom  and  in  joy.  And  He,  being  pure  from  s|n. 
fatJ^  nUing  of  a  gi^-pcQple»  will  iBbukc  kings^  and  will  cut^ 


1  '*^ 


:il 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


transgressors  by  the  might  of  His  word.  And  He  shall  not  WA^t 
help  from  God,  in  HJs  days.  For  the  Lord  shall  make  llipi  miglity 
in  me  Holy  Spirit,  and  wise  in  counsel,  and  strong,  and  fighiteduf. 
And  the  favour  of  the  Lord  shall  be  His  strength,  and  He  snail  riot 
be  weak.  His  hope  is  in  the  Lprd,  and  who  can  do  anything  i^ainsi: 
Him?  I^ighty  in  His  doings,  and  strong  in  the  fear  of  God;  feeding, 
as  a  shepbeM,  the  flock  of  the  Lord,  in  faith  and  rightisousriess,  He 
will  let  no  one  among  them  fail  in  the  Law.  He  will  lead  l^hem  all 
in  holiness,  and  there  will  be  no  haughty  oppressing  of  them  in  His 

rule.     ^  Vit^' '■  ■■ 'i  y'i'iy     ■■'"  Jiuj? 

"This  ^s  the  glorious  excellence  of  the  King  of  Ta-aeirwliicli'Ts' 
known  to  God.  He  siiall  raiise  Him  over  the  house  of  Israel,  to  iur 
struct  it.  IBs  words  are  purer  than  tlio  most  piore  gold.  He  will 
judge  the  people  in  the  synagogues— tj^e  tribes  of  the  saints.  Hjs 
words  will 'belike  words  of  the  holy  ones,  in  tlje  mid^t  of  the  holy 
multitudes.  Blessed  are  those  who  shall  live  in  those  days,  to  see  the 
good  thin^  which  God  shall  do  for  Israel,  in  the  gathering  together 
of  tier  tribes.  God  shall  hasten  His  mercy  towards  Israel.  He  sliaM 
purge  us  from  the  defilement  of  the  presence  of  our  (^nemieSj  tue 
profane.  The  Lord,  He  is  King,  for  ever  and  ever! 
''^*0-  Lord,  Thy  mercy  is  on  the  works  of  Thy  hands  for  ever  ai4 
ev^r^  T^y  goodness  to  Israel  is  a  gift  beyond  price.  Thine  ieyes  look 
on,^  and  nqthing  will  fail  of  Thy  proniises.  Thine  ears  will  attend  ' 
to  the  supplication  of  the  needy  who  trusts  in  Thee.  Thy  judg- 
ments aj^  m  all  the  earth,  in  niercy,  and  Thy  love  is  towards  the  seed 
of  Al^i^»ani,  the  sons  of  Israel.  Thou  hast  Thyself  taught  us,  as 
Tiiy  Son,  Thine  only  begotten,  Thy  first-born,  s^  tliftt  we  ppay  J,uj:jd^ 
an  obedient  heart  away  from  ignorance  and  sin.     '7?     ?  ;     Vl  r^^ 

''God  sL  '11  purify  Israel,  arainst  the  day  of  mercy  arid  blessing, 
against  t,he  day  of  the  calling  n)rth  of  His  Christ  (Anointed)  to  ruje. 
Blessed  are  t^ose  who  shall  five  in  those  days  r 

in  the  FouETH  Book  of  Esdras,  which  was  circulating  among  the 
people  at  the  birth  of  Christ,  the  ration  found  its  strength  and 
wealoiess,  alike,  reflected,  and  all  its  religious  hopes  flattered  to  tlie 
utmost.  "If  Thou  for  us  hast  created  the  world,  wherefoxe  is  it 
that  we  do  not  possess  our  world?",  asks  the  supposed  Ezra.  In  the 
fifth  of  a  series  of  "Visions  of  the  Ni^ht,"  for  which  lie  Jiad  pre- 
pared by  long  fasting,  he  sees  an  angel  rise  from  the  sea,  with  twelve, 
wings  and  three  heads,  the  mystic  symbol  of  the  triumphant  hca^eii 
power  of  the  Syro-  and  Egypto-Macedonian  kings,  and  of  that  of 
Home,  Under  Caesar,  Antony,  and  Octavian,  with  whom  feijriamed, 
final  victory,  and  universal  monarchy.  After  a  time,  life,  Octavian 
(Augustus)  alone,  as  the  one-headed  eagle,  remains.  But  now  appears 
a  mighty  Lion — the  Messiah— who  calls  to  tliC  eagle,  with  a  nuriian 
voice,  "Art  thou  not  he  who  remainest  of  the  four  beasts  (the  |our 
heathen  world-empires  of  Paniel),  which  I  created  tliat  tliey  might 
rv^e  in  my  world,  that  the  end  of  times  might  come  through  therii?; 


THE  LIFE  GP  CHRISt. 


m 


'Fhou  hast  Judged  the  earth,  but  not  hi  truth,  for  thou  ha$t  troubled 
the  peaceful;  and  wronged  the  unoffeUdini^;  thou  hast  loved  Hars; 
and  hast  overthrown  the  cities  of  the  industrious,  and  hast  razed 
tlieir  walls,  though  they  did  thee  no  harm.  Thy  wrongful  deal 
ing  had  risen  to  the  Highest,  and  thy  pride  to  the  Mighty  One; 
The  Most  High,  also,  has  remriiiibered  His  times,  and,  behold,  they 
are  closed,  and  tlio  ages  are  ended.  Therefore,  begone,  O  thou 
ettgle,  and  be  seen  no  more—with  thy  fearful  Wings,  thy  baleful  wing- 
leits,  thy  ferocioui  heads,  thy  tearing  claws,  and  all  thy  foul  body, 
that  the  earth  raa^  lie  refreshed,  and  may  recover  itself,  when  freed 
from  thy  violence,  and  that  she  may  hope  in  the  justice  tmd  pity  of 
Hhn  who  made  Imr!"  "And  I  looked,  and,  behOld,  the  eagle  wa* 
'nta' more  seen,  ana  all  its  body  was  burned  up,  and  the  elarth  greMr 
pale  with  fear."  Rome,  then  just  entering,  on  its  long  imperial 
history,  and  in  the  height  of  its  greatness,  was  to  be  blotted  out  from 
the  earth  by  the  Me^slali.  Past  generations  had  thought  the  Syrian 
persecutions  mui^t  be  the  tribulation  which  was  to  herald  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah,  and  to  end  heatheU  dominatioU  on  the  caxth;  then 
the  persecutions  and  wars  of  the  later  Maccabees;  then  the  huge 
wodd-turmoil  of  the  Bomah  civil  wars,  in  isuceession,  seemed  to 
proclaim  His  approach.  But,  now,  the  supposed  Ezra  looked  for  it 
in  the  reign  oi  Augustus,  as  meti,  a  little  later,  expected  it  on  the 
death  of  Herod.  The  Lion,  rising  from  the  forest,  would  rebuke 
the  haughty  Roman  eagle,  and  Would  sit  in  judgment  on  the  heathen, 
fi-ee  His  holy  people,  and' bless  them  till  the  coming  of^the  end.     ff^y 

Nor  Was  this  the  only  vision  of  the  Messiah,  presented  by  the  sUp»: 
posed  Ezra.  ,  ** Behold,"  say 6  he,  "la  wind  rose  from  the  heart  of  the 
sea,  and  in  it  the  form  of  a  man" (the  Bon  of  Ood),  "and  all  its  waves 
were  troubled.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  the  man  caUle  on  the  clouds 
of  heaven;  and  wheresoever  lie  turned  his  face  and'  looked,  all  things 
trembled  before  him,  and  all  that  heard  His  voice  melted  like  W*axin 
the  flame.  But  a  countless  host  from  all  partsof  the  earth  came  up 
to  make  vf&x  against  Him.  And  He  cut  out  for  Himself,  by  His 
word,  a  great  mountain — which  isMoUrit  Zion — and  stood  on  the  top 
of  it,  and  when  the  multitude  pressed  with  trembling  against  Hlmi 
He  lifted  against  them  neither  hand  nor  weapon,  but  consumed  them: 
utterly  with  a  flood  of  fire  from  His  mouth,  and  the  lightning  flashes^ 
of  the  storm  from  His  lips,  and  nothing  remained  of  them  but  smoke 
and  ashes.  Then  He  rose  and  came  down,  from  the  mountain,  and 
called  to  Him  a  peaceful  multitude,  some  glad  and  some  sorry,  some 
bound  ns  captives,  some  bearing  gifts,  and  these  were  the  ten  tribeisf,' 
whonl  He  hnid  brought  from  their  hiding-place  in  a  land  beyond  Ad^- 
Syria,  'wliere  never  man  else  dwelt,  cleaving  the  EuphmteS  to  let  theiA 
pass  over,  and  gathering  them  to  their  own  land  again,  tliat  their 
brethren  there,  and  they  from  afar,  might  rejoice  evermore  together." 

To  Esdraa  the  reign  of  the  Idumean  Herod  over  the  Jevrish  people, 
seemt  a  tccoud  note  of  theculmlUatioti  of  heathen  ruletu^d  its  speedy 


i 


989 


tfne  i^E  OF  owrist. 


Amettht^^.  ''The  end  Of  thSsogie,"  «iys  IAj,  "Is  EgauVan^JfeeCbis 
the  begitmfbg' of  that  which  is  to  come;"  the  tteath  of  the  SdetUite 
was  to  mark  the  otjehiog  of  the'  reign  of  the  'sohs  of  JattQb'.  **  During 
his  life,  or  at  liis  cteath,'^  siays  another  vision,  "the  Messias  (or  Son  of 
Ghod)  will  descend  fiV)m  hteiven  with  those  men  who  have  nottkisted 
of  death,  and  the  hoolts  will  bo  opened  before  the  face  of  the  sSrv,  tiMl 
nil  shall  see  tliem,  and  thd  IVunipet  shall  sound,  and  evety  cheek  -^ill 
grow  pale  at  the  hearinj^  it.  Aud  friends  will  flght  at  that  time 
a^inst  frifends,  and  the  earth  shall  tremble  and  all  who  flWell  bn  it, 
iind  the  springs  and  fountains  shall  ocase  mnnirf^  for  three  hours. 
And  thd^^eartsof  the  people  shall  be  changed,  and  they  "ivill  be 'turned 
into  other  men.  Tor  all  sin-  aind  wickedness  will  be  desltroVed,  arid 
faith  will  flourish,  and  corhiption  shall  be  rooted  but,  and  truth,  which 
had  been  lost  for  a  long  time,  will  reign.'*'  Regidns  hitherto  unknown 
snd  barren  will  bcf  planted,  to  shame  the  heathen, 'by  sdiolving  the 
greater  glbr^  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  than  dt  th^rs;  Yet, 
this  goldeh  rige  is  to  last  only  400  years;  at  the  6nd  of  whibh^the 
Hes6iaih  will  die.  The  earth  will  then  pass  away.  The  deiid' will  U>e 
raised,  ailid  the  great  judgment  held,  after  which  *'  the  righteous  >hall 
go  into  the  presence  of  GK>d,  and  shine  like  the  sun,  and  dwell  in<the 
midst  of  His  everlasting  light,  and  die  no  more,  and  a  ^inglb  day'shall 
\y6  as  seventy  years,  and  they  shall  live  for  ever  and  ever.  But  the 
wicked  shaU  go  to  everlasting  fire."  '     -  ;. 

Such  a  literaturcj  widely  diffused,  penetrated  the  hatibfa! with  Its 
BjJirit,  amd  cblouredits  (testiny.  Nor  were  the  books  quoted  the  only 
writings  of  a  similar  tone  that  everywhere  formed  the  residing,  and 
fired  the  soiil  of  the  contemporaries  of  Jesus.  A  succession  6r  these 
heralds  of  the  Messiah  perpetuated  the  theme.  After  the  Psahns^  of 
Solomon' and  the  Book  of  Esdras,  we  have  the  anticipa-tions  of  the 
Targums,  and  of  Philo,  and  the  pictures  of  the  Book  of  Jiibil^s.  In 
the  Messiah's  time  we  read: in  the  latter,  "the  days  will  begin  to 
lengthen,  and  the  children  of  men  %  ill  live  longer,  from  generation  to 
j^dneration;  and  from  day  to  day;  till  their  Mt'^s  come  nigh  to  a  thoit- 
Rfthd  years.  And  there  Will  be  no  iiore  any  old,  or  any  wesi,vy  of 
life,  Tmt  they  will  all  be  like  children  and  boys,  and  will  fulfil  all  ibeir 
days  in  peace  and  joy,  and  there  will  be  no  accuser  amongst  thepi,  or 
any  corrupter.    For  all  their  days  will  be  days  of  blessing.'''  -•'''^  *'■'' 

The  result  of  influences  so  unique,  was  almost  beyond  im'aglnatioti, 
in  an  age  so  cold  and  priictical  as  our  own.  A  parallel  may,  perhnps, 
be  found  in  the  universal  excitement  which  pervaded  Chri^eridom  at 
the  end  of  the  tenth  century,  when  the  1,000  years  of  the  Book  of 
Revelation  Were  thought  to  be  closing,  and  the  end  of  the  world  ivas 
believed  at  hand.  The  consternation  that  tlien  seized  mankind  made 
men  give  up  everything  to  be  ready  for  the  descent  of  the  judges  1 
was  the  onie  thought.  CouhtlesB  pilgrims  sold  ^11,  and  set  off  to  th& 
Holy  Limd'  to  await  the  exipedted  baviour.  Not  less  deep  oi*  uhi versa/ 
wasihe  etpiectatioii  of  tike  Mes^h  iti  the  days  of  Ofaristv  <roush){ 


THE.  LIFE  OF,  CHBISTi 

U^i^f  ^Ti^n.against  hope,  once  and  ugaXn,  in  t^o  Uteral;  wse  of  the  werdi 
ojEtaeMaccabieanpsalm^to  takca  two-cdgcd  sword  ia..tbeii;lxan(|»r 
to  ,oxei6ute  vengeance  on  the  heathen,  and  punishments  on  the  iiations; 
to  bind  their  ungs  with  chains,  and  tlieir  noblea  with  iinksi  of  itoni 
to  execute  upon  them  the  jud^nenta  written.,  Thi$  was  an  honour 
gj:ant«dtoall  the  Saints."  m* 

\rh0  ei£ect  of  the  long  reign  of  Herod  cm  Jewish  parties  was  im?> 
mip^6e»  Sprung  from  a  race  which  the  Jews  detested,  and  the«oa. 
of- a  l^ated  father,  ho  had  owed  it  to  the  Boman  Senate  tliat  he  was 
aole  to  crush  the  national  liberties  under,  foot,  and  usurp  the  title  ot 
King  of  Judea,  wliichno  stranger  before  him  had  bosne.  tlis  instinota  , 
were  cruel  and  harsh;  his  life  and  tastes  pagan  and  sensual;  hiswho^e 
na|^re  opposed  to  everything  Jewish.  He  had  murdered  member 
after  member  of  hisfamii)^,  and  among  others  the  last  of  the  native 
ipjl^al  race,  which  the  people  veiierated:  he  had  put  >tQ  death  most  of 
the  jteadiE^  Habbis;  he  had  filled  the  land  with  heathen  architecture; 
herh^:4^fiied  Jerusalem  by  a  circus  and  theatre;  he  had  degraded; 
the  ipontificate  by  putting  two  high  priests  to  death;  after  deposing 
them ;  he  ^  had  yiplajted  tho  tomb  of  i  David,  in  search  dl  treasure ;  m 
had; burned  the  national;  regist^rsj  so  essential  to  a  people  amoi^ 
whj(^  so  much  in  their  priesthood  and  common  life  tiuDcd  on  theiic 
descepi;tt;  he  had  burned  alive,  in  his  old  age,  two  famous  Babbis,  an4 
slain  many  of  the  youth  of  Jerusalem,  for  meir^eal  for  the  Law ;  aud* 
^v^ep  dying,  he  had  left  a  command^  to  murder,  in  cold  blood,, the 
collected  elders  of  th©  nation,  to  fill  tho  laud  with  son'ow:  for  themr 
selves,  if  not  for  him,  when  he  ivas  gone.  ,        t  / ,  n 

Against  such  a  master  the  two  great  parties,  Pbarisee&  iind  8a4^ 
ducees.—'iiotwithstanding  their  dlfierences,  above  alls  things  Jews^» 
felt  for  the  time  drawn  do;  r  together.  Except  the  high  priesitgy 
who  Were  Bteiod's  creatures^  the  courtiers  who  worshipped  the  power 
of  th^e  day,  and  the  soldiers  loyal  to  a  warliliie  king,  few  were  foi| 
Herod  Tlie  ^adducees  forsook ;  the  Court ;  therHigliTPriesthood  wa$ 
for  the,  tin^  taken  from  their  party.  An  Alexandrian  family, Into 
wliipji  Herod  had  miirried,  received  it  to  ennoble  them,— men  sus^ 
pectcd,  of  ;i\>ieiga  views»  royalists  by  alliance,  and  opposed  to  the 
pcople^?by  their  origin.  For  the  first  time  we  hear  of  preachers.. 
The  last  martyrs  under  Herod-^judas,  son  of  Saripheus,  and  Matta^ 
tluaS;,  son  of :  iltoisfalouth, — were  in  reality  tribunes  of  the  people,  to 
whose  stirring  addresses,  the  great  riot,  in  which,  the  golden  eagle  in 
the  Templis  was  thrown  dowii,  was  due.  They  were  burned  alivo>j 
but  men  of  the  same  mould  took  their  place,  allies  and  friends  of  th^ 
inulti?ttidcs  who  fled  to  the  hills,  to  emerge  from  time  to  time  from 
their  hiding  places,  to  htu-ass  the  troops  of  Herod.  Bevolutionary 
times  always  produce  such  men,  whom  time  servers  of  their  day 
harvQ  been  wont  to  denounce  tvs  brigands  or  robbers.  They  were, 
}V)wevi2iri  ip  realityL  the  Maccabees  of  tlieir  age.  -  "  The  followers  of 
Jadas,  the  GaHlfean, "  pays  Josepbus, ^ "  in  all  thbif  opiniona  wre.  at 


I     v  ■ 


■■  ;| 


m 


\m  ^ 


'^IR^^Vl' . .  ,T,'!,''*U,';'''"  - 


210 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


otie  with  tbo  Pbari6e6s,^that  is,  with  the  natioi^.-^but  they  have  an 
inextiuguishaible  passion  for  liberty »  and  will  own  none  but  Qod  \As 
Mastery  tli«^  count  any  tortures  that  thev  may  endure,  however  dread- 
ful, as  notlnng,  nor  do  thev  heed  the  sufferings  their  parents  or  friends 
may  bear  for  their  sakes— for  they  were  punishea  if  the  offenders 
themselves  were  not  caught, — ^"but  nothing  will  make  them  call  any 
man  Master/'  It  was  for  {Hitting  Hezekiahi  the  father  of  Judas,  to 
death,  in  the  beginning  of  his  rei^h,  that  the  Banhedrim,  titehrStU) 
extant,  tried  to  bring  Herod  to  tnal,  which  they  tiever  wcdiild  fhavo 
done  hf^d  he  been  a  mere  "robber."  What  the  nation  t)iought  of  l^id 
son  Judas  is  ishown  in  the'woMs  of  a  Babbi,  "In  the  world  to  como, 
Ood  will  gather  round  *Tudas  a  multitude  like  hini,  and  will  set  them 
Ijiefore  His  face. "  Men  t  f  the  same  type  had  appeared  before  Pompey 
at  Damascus,  pleading  the  cause  neither  of  Hyrcauus  or  Aristobulus. 
biit  of  th^  people  of  GOd,  whose  institutions  had  never  favoured 
royalty.  But  it  was  under  Herod,  and  immediately  after  his  denth, 
thai  these  ideas  first  becanle  the  cry  of  any  organized  party.  The 
pcoi^le  had  tired  of  the  dry  and  lifeless  discussions  of  the  Bablids. 
Their  subtleties  and  legal  distinctions  left  their  hearts  untouched.,  ^Boit 
men  had  risen  like  H^ekiah,  Judas  of  OalUee,  Mattathias,  and  Judas, 
son  of  Saripheus,  whose  harangues  set  their  souls  on  fire.  These 
eamest  spirits  did  not  trouble  with  barren  decisions;  thoy  preached 
and  roused  They  did  not  dispute  about  some  obscure  chapter  of 
ExOdiis  Of  Leviticus;  their  texts  were  the  inspired  Words  of  the 
prophets,  the  burning  and  eloquent  exhortations  of  Is^aiah  and  Jere- 
miah. These  they  recited,  commented  on,  and  enliarged,  before  mul- 
titudes eager  to.  hear  them.  The  voice  of  the  Ancient  Oracles  bad 
retained  alV  its  freshness,  and  suited  the  passing  times  as  if  writteh 
respecting^ tliem.  For  Jehoiakim  men  read  Herod;  Borne  took  the 
place  of  Babylon;  and  the  gloomy  prophecies  of  Jeremiah  seemed 
about  to  be  fulfilled  anew  on  the  Second  Temple.  For  the  last  time, 
the  almost  withered  tree  of  Jewish  nationality  seemed  to  live  again, 
in  the  soil  of  the  Word  of  God  it  grew  green  once  mOre,  and  pushed 
out  some  last  branches,  but  all  the  prophets  tlirough  whose  impulse  it 
thus  revived,  paid  for  the  dangerous  glory  by  a  violent  death., 
,,  In  the  lifetime  of  Jesus  parties  had  thus  become  transformed.  The 
Bo^thiislans,  or  Alexandrians,  raised  to  the  pontificate  by  Herod, 
became  the  royalists.  They  hoped  to  be  able,  under  him  and  thp 
Romans,  to  maintain  ecclesiastical  matters  as  they  were,  ^nd  keep 
hold  of  their  privileges.  They  were  the  high-priestly  families  whose 
harshness  and  violence  are  handed  down  to  us  in  the  Talmud.  "A 
curse  on  the  family  of  Boethos,  a  curse  on  their  spears"T-was  the 
apamtetha  muttered  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem — "a  qurse  on  the 
tainily  of  Hanan!  a  curse  on  their  viper-Jike  hissings!  A  curse  on 
the  family  of  Kanthera !  a  curse  on  their  fine  feathers !  A  curse  on  the 
family  of  Ismael  Ben  Phabi!  a  curse  on  their  fists!  They  ^re  high 
pnesto  tbeinseives>  their  sons  keep  the  mp|ie^.  tbe)r,||pn/|.ip-l^w,^are 


THIS  LIFK  OF  CHRIST. 


d4l 


6lit>taiiiB,  fttid  thHr  ■6rvantR  Htnito  the  people  with  their  states  1"  '*HMi 
approaches  of  the  sanctuary,"  continues  tlie  Tnlmiid,  "echo 'with 
four  cries—*  Denait  henco,  yo  sons  of  Eli,  you  pollute  the  Temple  of 
th6  Eternal :'  *  Depart  lienoe,  Issachar  Kerr  Barkai.  who  think  only 
of  yourself,  and  profane  the  consecrated  victims,'— for  he  wore  silken 
^toveS  to  protect  nls  hands  in  his  ministrations.  •  Then,  in  keen  ht)n}^ 
<^mes  the  cry— 'Open  your  gates,  O  Tera()le,  and  let  Ismael  Bon 
^*habij  the  disciple  of  Phinebas,  enter,  that  ho  mfty  perform  the  higli- 
priestiy  rites!  and,  Anallv,  a  fourth  voice— 'Open  "vi^Ide,  ye  gates!  ftnd 
let  JoMpan,  the  son  of  Nebcdivi,  the  disciple  Of  gluttons  and  gour- 
niands,  enter,  that  ho  may  gorge  on  the  sacnfices!  ''^  No  wonder  tliis 
lost  piipil  of  his  Ronian  masters  won  such  a  name,  if  the  Talmud  i^ay 
be  believed  in  its  staiement,  that  he  had  tliriee  hundred  calves,  arid  ^s 
many  casks  of  wine,  and  fbWy  scabs  of  pigeons,  sfct  apart  ^r  Ydk 
kitchen.  , 

The  luxury  and  audacity  of  seme  6f'  th^  high  priests  if^re  pttsh6d 
so  far,  that  it  Is  related  of  Ismail  Ben  Phabi  tnat  his  mbthci"  Uiadc  a 
tiinic  for  him,  that  cost  a  hundred  mi'nae— about  £330.  The  mbthjcr 
of  Eliezer  Ben  Harsom  had  a  similar  robe  made  for  him,  if  We  may 
credit  it,  at  a  cost  of  90,000  mina- £66,000,  but  it  was  so  fine  that  the 
other  priests  would  not  let  hlni  wear  it,  because  b6  sdcnied  naked  from 
iW  transparency.  The  exaggeration  is,  doubtlissS,  gi'eat,  for  the  for- 
tune of  this  Pontifical  millionaire  Is  a  favouritie  theme  of  Rabbinical 
fancy,  but  such  exaggeration  itself  springs  only  from  truth,  striking 
enough  to  arrest  the  unaglnatlon.  Tne  high  priesthood  had,  in  fact, 
sunk  to  the  extremest  corruption.  "To  what  time,"-  asks  Rabbi 
Johanan,  "do  tl^e  words  refer — 'The  fear  of  the  Lord  prolongcth 
life?*  To  that  of  t^^e  first  Temple,  which  stood  about  four  hunclred 
and  t^jn  years,  and  had  only  eighteen  high  priests  from  first  to  last? 
And  to  what  time  do  the  other  words  refer— *  And  the  years  of  the 
wicked  shall  be  shortened?'  To  that  of  the  second  Temple,  "Vv^hich 
stood  four  hundred  and  twenty  years,  and  had  more  than  thr^e  Jitm- 
(Ired  high  priests :  for,  deduptihg  eighty-five  years  for  five  exceptional 
reigns,  less  than  a  single  year  is  left  for  each  of  all  the  other  high 
priests."  ■• 

The.  Pbarlsees  and  Sadducees,  In  these  dark  years,  had  to  wlthdi'aw 
completely  froni  political  life,  and  seek  consolation  in  the  study  of  tlie 
Law,  and  in.  attracting  the  people  to  the  schools  where  they  taught  or 
discussed,  The  extreme  party  attiong  the  former— the  Zealots,  tho 
Jacobins  of  the  age,  or  rather  Its  Maccabees— were  enthusiastically 
popular  with  the  youth  of  the  nation.  St6m  pUrltansi,  who  knew  no 
compromise,  they  dreamed  of  triumphing  in  their  weakness,  by  tho 
help  of  God,  for  Mrhom  they  believed  they  fought,  over  the  armies  of 
the  mistress  of  the  world.  No  danger  appalled  their  magnificent 
devotion,  no  sacrifice  daunted  their  heroism.  They  were  the  rising 
party,  from  the  time  of  Herod's  death. 

Thus,  from  about  the  time  of  Christ's  blvth,  religion  bfecame,  ohlftfe 


'-  'ill 


qM8 


THE  LIFE  or  OHRIBT. 


),  tho  great  faetor  of  Jewish  national  life.  The  blo^  king  hiwi 
died  in  the  midst  of  rumours  of  the  dose  approach  of  the  MeHsiah.  :f ; 
M  The  visit  of  the  Magi*  almost  immediately  before,  must  liave  fann^l 
^e  popular  exdtement  still  more,  nor  would  the  mafisacre  at  Bethle- 
hem be  without  its  influence  on  the  public  mind.  -The  insurrection  of 
Mattathias  and  Judas,  at  the  head  of  the  youth  of  the  eity,  which, 
also,  marked  these  eventful  months,  had  only  antidpated  thetocoorHtlc 
movement,  to  be  made,  as  all  hoped,  with  success,  as  soon  asthe  tyi'ant 
was  dead. .  The  wild  outbrealss  headed  by  Simon,  the  slave  of  Heiod, 
Judas  the  Qalilnan,  and  Athrons^es,  the  Pereau;  shepherd,  wore  all, 
m^re  or  Jess,  connected  with  rdigion.  The  deputation  of  fifty  Jews, 
sent  to  Rome  to  petition  Augustus  to  set  aside.  Uie  Herods,  and  permit 
the  restoration  of  the  old  theocracy,  had  aroused  the  Jewish  popula- 
tion of  Rome  itself..  Tho  Rabbis^  martyred  for  destroying  th«goldeii 
oagle,  andf  Judas  and  his  colleague,  Zadok,  the  Habbi,  had,  morcioyjer, 
by  their  inspiring  harangues  and  appeals  to  Scripture,  as.  well  as  by 
thdr  heroism  and  the  lofty  grandemv  of  their  nims,  given  isuoh:  an 
impulse  to  religious  enthusiasm,  and  created  such  an  ideal  of  patridtic 
devotion,  that  the  youth  so.  the  country,  henceforth,  pressed  ever  more 
icoalously  in  their  steps.  Even  the  old  looked  on  them  as  the  gloiy  of 
their  age.  Patriotism  became  more  and  more  identified  ^th  fiery 
zenl  for  the  Law,  and  war  with  the  hisathcn  for  its  sakebQiqame  tbo 
ffoliTlous  creed  of  the  multitude. 


A I 


CHAPTER  XSIIIt 


jrf- '.  itiPiui 


X\hv  ■ 

4,.'  TinnTr  years  of  the  life  ot  Christ  had  passed  in  the  sedusbn  of 
yKaisarcth.    In  early  youth  lie  had  Icarnea  Joseph's  trad<e;  anil  had 
ispont  tho  long  years  that  had  intervened,  in  the  duti,ea  of .  His  l^umble 
■^^alling,  for  humble  it  must  havei  bedn  in  a  provincial,  town,  wJierc 
there  could  be  no  demand  for  the  skill  required  in  great  communi- 
ties, in  that  age  of  civic  embellishment.     It  is  well  for  mankind  that 
iHe  chose  such  a  lowly  lot.    lie  could  sympathise  more  keeqly  lyith 
the  humble  poor,  from  having  Ilimsclt  shared  their  b^^'den. ,  Nor 
^ould  labour  have  been  more  supremely  ihonpurcd  than  by  the.Savipur 
giving  Himself  to  life-long  toil.    Work — the  condition  of  he^th*^  the 
law  of  progress,  the.primsu  duty  in  Eden,  and,  the  safeguard  of  every 
^virtue  in  all  ages,  is  touched  with  a  grand  nobility  by  the  spectacle  of 
rtthe  Carpenter  of  Nazareth.    Idleness,  in  any  ranis,  becomes,  4oubIy  a 
vice  from  th^  remembrance  of  such  a  Icssoa.  , 

liow  tl^esd  thirty  years  of  obscurity  were  passed  is  left  untold, 

;, beyond  th^  inc;idental  mention,  of  ;the  calling  Jesus  pursued.    Joseph, 

according  to  old  tradition,  died  when  Jcaus  X7,9&  eighteen  yefurs  old, 

,an<X it fleenu^ oertatn,frpm  t^ip  iaqt  tlipt .^9.  is  not.  Pje^tU^(J^,^  the 


TRE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


M 


Gospels  clorlnjif  dtrlAt's  public  Hfe,  llmt  he  died  at  least  bef^vre  Ihat 
begun.  From  lUe  time  of  his  death,  we  are  told,  donotlosa  corrcctlfv 
Jesus  supported  His  mother  l)y  the  worlc  of  His  hands,  at  least,  iu 
oomttion  with  the  others  of  tho  household.  It  is  added  that  He  had 
^rowtt  up  with  four  brothers;  Jamies,  Joseph,  Bimon,  and  Jude,  and 
at  least  two  sisteirs,  whose  names  are  said  to  have  been  Esther  and 
Taniar;  but  Jude  and  Simon,  and  both  the  sisters,  we  are  told,  mar- 
ri^  before  Joseph's  death,  and  settled  in  th^^  town  of  Nazareth.  Borne 
think'  that  Salome,  the  mother  of  James  ind  John,  and  Wife  of  Zebe* 
dee,  was  Miiiry% eldest  sister;  otliers  ideiitify  her  with  the  Mary  whb 
married  CIopas-Alnhaeus^  a  townsman,  but  he,  like  Joseph,  seems  to 
hare  died  befoni'jesus  began  His  ministry.  This  couple  seem'  to 
hate'haid  two  sons,  James  and  Joses,  but  it  is  not  told  us  wheth^ir 
ti^ey  had  any  daughters.  The  two  households  formed  the  family 
citeteof  which  Jesus  was  the  wondrous  centfe.  Tradition  fills  up 
th^wltlifle  of  one  or  two  of  those  tlius  honoured — notably  of  James, 
af^rwards  the  saintly  head  of  the  Church  of  Jeru8alem--a  Nazarito 
frofm  his  chiHhood,  and  a  martyr  in  his  old  age.  Christ'd  brothers, 
Sifhonf  ftnd  Jude,  are  also  mentioned  incidentally;  the  one  as  head  of 
tftieC3iur6h  of  Jenisaletn  after  JamGs'  death;  the  other  as  having  left 
(iMcehdants  who  were  cited  before  Domitian,  as  belonging  to  tho 
kingly  race  of  David.  **Tliere  were  yet  living  of  the  family  of  our 
Lord,"  says  Eusebiua,  from  HegesippuS,  who  wrote  about  the  year 
160,  "the  grand-children  of  Judas,  called  the  brother  of  our  Lord, 
according  to  the  flesh.  These  were  reported  as  being  of  the  family 
of  David,  and  were  broiight  to  Domitian.  For  the  emperor  was  as 
much  alarmed  at  the  appearance  of  CJlirlst  as  Herod  had  been.  He 
put  the  question,  whether  they  were  of  David's  race,  and  they  con- 
fessed tliat  they  were!  He  then  asked  them  what  property  they  had, 
or  how  much  money  they  ownfed.  And  both  of  tliem  answered,  that 
they  had  between  them  only  nine  thousand  denarii  (under  three  hun- 
dred pounds),  and  this  they  had,  not  in  silver,  but  in  the  value  of  a 
pi0cf6  Of.l^rid,  containing  only  thirty-nine  acres,  from  whidi  they 
raised 'their  taxes,  and  supported  themselves  by  their  own  labour. 
They  also  l3oo*kn  to  show  their  liand=«.  how  they  were  hard  and  rough 
wiiuflaily  toil."  Domitian  then  asked  tliem  some  questions  ahb^t 
Oiirist,  and,  biter  hearing  their  answers,  dismissed  them  in  contemptU' 
mis.' Btlettbe,  ias  8im]jle  fools  whom  it  was  not  worth  while  to  trouble. 
The  niomehtaiy  glimpses  still  left  us  of  the  home  circle  of  Kazaretli 
tltii§  llidw  us  a  group  of  brothers,  partly  working  a  small  farm,  but 
alt  ih  hultlble  life,  and  all.  alike,  marked  by  so  strict  an  observance  of 
the -Law,  tliat,  even  in  their  old  agfe,  the  Jews  themselves,  and  the 
Jewish  Christians,  held  them  in  honour  on  this  account. 

06mmu^lon  with  His  own  heart;  the  quiet  gathering  in  of  all  the 
lessop^  of  life  and  natuYe  around;  deep  1?tndy  of  thfe  thoughts  and 
heajp#bf  men;  a  silent  niastery  of  the  religious  ideas  of  th6  day,  and 
a  deep  kuonirledgc  of  the  religious  parties  of  thie  people,  ii^re  daily 


tii 


itU 


THE  LIPUiQy i QTOIW 


oadyaiK^mg  \v[tli  Josus.    Cv)t ill  liis  spiritual,  UiOj  in  titcse; y!ea|Sy:<9Mo 

;t>be  eq4»  solitary  prayer  and  long  continued  ^ommimioiif'witi^GQct, 

^■wlier©  np  eye  saw  ai»d  no  car  Ijyeard  Him<  were/doij^b^le^j  Hi^:^^- 

Btant  ^cl^araicteristics.    The  Scriptures  read  in  tliet  Bvna^o^ositogr 

studied  in  tbd  houfiehpld^we/^  His  habitiial  study,  till  His.ic^Ueot 

tf^nd  heart  were  so  saturated  yrith  their  words  and  spirit^.t^ai  He  kiov 

tliem,  better  than  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  v^ho  clalniedr  tq  iiiaisc 

jtU^m  tiiqip  whole  study.    ,  ;  :        nt    i     j 

in  He  must  haive. been  a  my^te^  to  His  hpu8iehp}d.    <^e| . liad rbe^^. so 

,qven  to  His  inother  from  the  time  pf  the  templet  yisit^  iEm4  £(e/mufit 

hav^  become  more  and  more  sp  as  H^  went  on  J^  owa  wiiyi  jpinipg 

,  no  party,  silent,  thoughtful,  self-cpntaii^ed,  giv^n  tp  spUtud§,  audii^jiiih 

a  ligH^Q  His  great  eyes  that  seemed  as  if  they  £)aw  into  th^jycry  «0|a1 

of  thoap  on  whpm  tjtiey  were  turned.  .!lpis  brothers  fmd  sisters  Ci(H4d 

liot  understand  Him^  even  after  He  had  becpme  a  public,  te^plie^. 

Alone  in  th^jt  beautiful  world  of  Galilee,  with  its, s^ipsfiiie^f'V^ith 

JjLght-rritfii  gi^een  pjains  and  va^cys,  wpoded  hiUs»^  aii4  phmingiS^^; 

amidst  a  brave,  bright,  fiery,  nobte  people,  ^nd  yct,so  ^i^e^^^t;  jlrpm 

them-r-a  faithful  son,  a  patient  worker  at  His  daily  toil,  a  friep!4  "erf 

children  and  of  tlie  poor  and  nee^yi  gentle,  loving,  pure,/ai;|d  ypt  sp 

.;wholly  apartlpi  His  very  perfection-— we  may  almost  think  Jli^ii^u^t 

have  been  avoided  rather  than  sought. ,  ,     ,M,(/i)n      • 

Taught  by  Joseph  and  Mary,  and  in  the  Synagogue  sphool,  Jesus 
had  leai-ned  the  Hebrew,  which  had  long  ceased  to  be  a  spoken  lan- 
guage, so  as  both  to  read  and  writq  it.  &yro-Chaldaic  was  t)ie  Ij^q- 
guage  of  the  i>cop]e,  and  thus  His  mother  tpngue;  but  He  nuist  ^sp 
have  gained  knowledge  enough  of  Greek,  jfrom  its  being  spoken  by  sp 
many  in  the  differenr  towns  of  the  country,  to.  converse  wit^i  those 
who  knew  luo  pther  tongue  used  in  Palestine — such  as  the  centwion 
or  Pilate,  or  the  Greeks  who  sought  an  interview  witlj,  Hiw  in  t^cjl^t 
week  of  His  life.  »  i- 

Amidst  the  homely  engagements  of  life  in  such  a  sphere,  itenf  after 
ear  passed  quietly  and  ^scurely  away*  Events  arpund*  and  in 
^  udeaj  were  not  wanting  to  keep  tongues  busy  in  the  mark:*,  plwce  or 
in  the  streets,  and  thoughtful  hearts  grew  claily  more  sp,  as  tP.the 
issue  of  all  that  reached  them  from  the  gi;eatwprld  outside  their  hills. 
Meanwhile,  the  house  of  Mary  must  have  been  the  ideal  of  a  Jtiaj^v 
home  in  its  relations  with  her  mysterious  Son.  His  childlike  humil- 
ity, sunny  contentment,  stainless  purity,  watchful  tenderness,  an^ 
transparent  simplicity  of  soul,  would  find  expression  in  an  evef-ready 
delight  in  pleasins:,  an  infinite  patience,  an  attractive  meekness,  and  ft 
constant  industry.  The  discipline  by  which  His  human  dianicter 
was  perfected  was  not  cpnflued  tp  the  cbsing  years  of  Hjs  life,  when 
He  qam^  before  men  at  large,  but  b^gan  with  His  childhood  and 
lasted  to  tlie  end.  We  gfow  l6rm  an4  strong  to  lesist  and  to  do;  we 
gain  the  mastery  of  oi^selves  wliicil  brings  superiority,  by  a  i>at!ent 
use  of  ithb  incidents  of  daily  life,    .To  rule  one's  pw^  spirit .0Q|  the 


I 


not  continue. 


THf  ^LlFi^  O*^  GHBiSt. 


d«5 


tietcy  tlA^iihre  otaprMi,i^  ^E*^^**?  creates  *  povtet  which  goeri^tl^  us 
h  vHder  Adds  (if  action.  Thei  t>i'iiQcipled  mid  graced  which  statid  the 
i^idtmB  ^fpirWIc  life  must  iMitebeen^  trained  in  the  school  of  our  diily 
#oria.'  men  to  hiive  to  wait  for  t|iiiiy  years  before'  the  tiaie  cattfe 
tiy-biegln  His  grtat  work,  l^-as  it^f '  ^  discipline  to  fi  holy  sOul.  How 
riiiist  Hfe  have  lii^ted  over  the  evils  of  the  times;  over  the  sufif<$ritigs  of 
HiS^fellbw  m^'  over  the  loss  Of  aplpaVent  opportunities;  over  the  lon^- 
permitted  rfeign  of  evil.  Enthusiasm  burns  to  go  out  on  its  midsimi, 
ahff  ft^lits  at  delay,  blathiiig  itself  if  a  Uioment  appear  to  be  lost.  '  But 
JdsUs  leariifed  at  Nazareth  to  wait  His  Father^  time.  Till  ■*  His  hour 
W^  V*bnic'^  He  coukl  control  His  longings,  and  wait  for  the  divine 
sfinc^idil,  iti  obscuH%y  so  Complete,  that  eveti  Nttthaniael,  at  Oaua,  Otify 
ft  fe^ttiili^S;off,  Bfever  heard  of  Him  till  His  public  mini^ry  had 
begim,  and ' bisf  f  ellb^^owusmen  had  no  isuspieioh  of  His  beihg  more 
thati' JesU^^  thte  eai^penter;  ^  .  . 

'Thus*  although  i^tired,  these  years  w6re  in  uo  measure  lost.  The 
dIvirie#iSdorti,  which  marks  out  the  life  of  all  mien,  must  have 
ei^cially  Watched  and  planned  that  of  the  Perfect  One  Of  Nazareth. 
Tfctesei  tihknOiVn  s^ludra  years  teach  us  that  the  noblest  lives  may 
ytetbethe  mo^  o*)Scure;  that  life,  in  the  high^stsense,  is  not  mere 
aCtion'.'butthe'calm  reigfl  of  love  and  duty,  towards  God  and  liian,  iu 
our  allotted  sphere — that  the  truest  and  holiest  joy  is  not  necessarily 
that'of  puMic  activity,  f sir  less  that  of  excitement  and  noisev  but, 
rather,  where  the  calm  around  lets  God  and  heaven  be  mirrored  iU' an 
li^itroUbled  spint.  'Comparett  with  the  last  years  of  His  life^  with 
their  a^tation  «thd  c^seless  labour,  Jesus,  doubtless,  often  toOked 
back  f(mdly  on  the  quiet  life?  of  Nazareth,  where  the  skies,  fflled'  witli 
cld^Ie^s  light,  0^  tlie  silent  splendbur  of  the  stars;<«  the  dream  of 
loveliness  its  all  uslture,  far  and  ne^,  wer^^nly  emblems  of  the  heaven 
■of'Hfei'owhsoull-- ■'        '  •  !''  '■-'' 

With  the  growth  in  years.  His  riper  faculties  would  find  a  growing 
delight  in  the' highest  knowledge.  Even  as  a  boy*  He  had  shown  a 
divitti^  love  Of  truth,  and  a  wipreme  devotion  to  God,  which  found  its 
natural  jb^  in  •'  iseeking  and  asking"  wherever  He  could  hope  to  learn, 
whether  in  the  school  of  the  Rabbis,  in  the  Temple,  or  from  towns- 
men Of  Naaifireth.  He  had  doubtless  a  premonition  of  His  calling, 
whiel'i  urged  Him  on. '  Each  dAy  more  loveable,  He  would  each  da^ 
beCJbthe  more  thoughtful.  He  might  gather  mudi  fi*ottt  without,  but 
His  soul  developed  itself  maiiily  from  within.  fK'«9iit  t^i*^  ^li; 

Meatiwhile,  the  time  was  drawing  near  for  His  manifestation  to 
Islrael.   ' 

Political  oppression,  by  a  natural  reaction,  had  waked  the  hopes  of 
a  ^reat  national  future  to  an  intensity  unknown  before,  even  in 
Ii#i5,el,  But  while,  at  other  times,  similar  hopes  had  affected  only 
the  narrow  bounds  of  Judea,  they  now  went  beyond  it,  and  agitated 
the  whole  world.  Tliey  fell  in  witJh  the'  instinctive  feeling  which  iu 
tha^  age  ^^n'^dcd  all  countries,  tiiat  the  existing  state  of  tlanga  could 
not  continue. 


II 


4. 


"mm  hwn  <o^.  cHmsfE 


^,7^^1)6  reigPioff  avU  tl)]?QU|^l|p«t'  the  w/M?ld  seeiiQecl  to  haye  reaciliec^iti 
i^iglit^  .  In  -llQine,  t}ie  in&m^iis  Sejanus,  Vma,  Uiifi  iavouiiliC^^pl 
iCiQeriue,  hadat  la«t  faUeii,  bi»b  not  till  )2ls<care«r  ^«id  £dle(|^tlie  Dt^qrld 
?(Yitli  hprrpi^.  !  The  eofofceineiit jiof  o^>solete  usufy<  laws  had  spread 
^nancial  ruia<aYeF  the  enptpUe.  >  Forced  sales  maao  property  ahoost 
W(»*thless.  Bankruptcy  spread  far  and  near.  Hhe  courUs  wete  ilied 
with  naen  imploring  a  mpea)  o|,  the  obiuxxious  la.ws,  arid,  vieanwhiile^ 
the  capitalists  kept  back  their ,  mone;^.  Business  was  paralyzed 
throughout  the  worldi  Many  of  the  rich  were  reduced  to  beggtury, 
and  the. mipeiy  of nthe  poor  became  more  intent,  Ta.addtopthe 
iiQiversal' ruin,  ipfonners ;  reigned  saipreme  at  Rome,  and  , even  tthe 
iorms  of  ia;w  were  forgotten.  Multitudes,  both  innocen>t  and  gliUty, 
perished;}  19  th0  Homtoi  jails,TTrinen^  ;wemoa,  and  cbUdreo^Htheu: 
liodies  sbeingj  throwft  into  the*  Tiber.>  TOifl^dd.tP  aJl>rthe  vices  of 
Tiberius,  iraught  with  evil  to  the  world,  grew.daj]^  xnore  moflgtrous; 
0J4  age  and  d^Uauchery  had  bent  his;  h<>dy^  ana  ,oovei»4  Wfecfc 
F^h  wffjy^  blotches,  but  his  taste  for  obscene  pleasures  fititeadijiy  iaB^\ 
^rei^!ed*Aand,!to  indulge  them,  he  s>liut  himseUi.up  iu^ loatbs|[»b^ 
retiremeint.  yiiiue  and  life  werC; alike  at  hi»  mercy:  no  one  XRai^  saio 
irom  infamous*  informers,  A  reign  of  terror  prevailed.  JLe^aVnaur- 
der#  ayadrremorseless  ponfiscdtion^/^ere  increasing;  immorality^jukd 
^rlme  held  high  carnival.;  [The  nijostdi»trtnt  countrieSitreiabled  be- 
fore Kitjwc,  ,but  i:tsr^^ea»ay  he  judged  by.  1^^^ 
rvip^ion  at. the  centre.' ;,,  'iiioii.  -'■<;  > /.  -.;.  i  /'fir^  i;/f  -^^--Hil  h^ijd.  m^ 
-^e  Bii^gsoveimed  East,  was  deeply,  agitated  by  'the  uneasy  pre- 
sf»3(ti^aent  of  an  intpepding  change.  Not  only  Juaea>  but  the  neigh- 
hpuriiig  countries,  were  full  of  restless  expectftttion.  ,        < 

>j*ThiUSi  in  perhaps  the  very  year  in  wWch  John  the  Baptist  appeajred, 
thCf^gypti^n  priests  announced  that  the  bird  known  as  the  Phoenix 
hod  once  more  been  seen.  Originally  the  mythological  emblem  of 
y^e  sun,  it , had  gradually  come  to  be  regarded  as  a  iii^presentative  of 
^Q  cycles  of  the  history  of  the  world>  appeafiiog  at  regular  inter^'als, 
to  ^onsuHws  itself,  and  rise  anew,  from  its  asI^cs,  in  wy sjtic^indication 
iPl.thip  end  of  one  great  period  and  the  opening  of  anoitber^  i  It  had 
appeared  uncber<S^ostris,,updev  -Amo^is,  and  under  Ptplfemy*  the 
thijfd  king  ot  the  Maoedonian  dynostyi  ,  That  it  should  appear 
now  seemed  strange,  as  the  intervals  <c)t£  its neturn  had  hitherto  been 
XA^l  and  6i)0  years,  but  it  was  only  SOO.since  Ptolemy.  Meianwhile, 
the  sacred  colleges  of  tlie  capital  confirmed  what  was  announced  by 
the  ]^yptlan  piiiesta.  If  the  Egyptian  consoled  hiniself,  amidst,  the 
oppressions  of  the  dark  Tiberius  days,  by  the  fond  belief  that  the 
mystWPus  bird  was  about  to  bear  away  the  expiring  age,  the  prieatlv 
col^ge  ofBome  reckoned  that  the  great  wqrld^year  wasa^out  to  end, 
a<id  th%  age  of  gaturn  to,  return,  .According  to  the  Angurs,  the 
ninthworildfmontli,  and,  with  it*  the  reign  of  Diana,  had  cksed.with 
OEQsar'a  death,  and  the  las^  naopth,  that  of  Apollo,  had  begfin^  .  As, 
XttforeoyipEk  the  sec^tdar  months:  w^re  of  unequal JengtWit  sisemed  as  if 


THli  IliIFE  OF  CHRISt. 


m 


tke^eiidtif  al^thin]^  wei«&^hand:    Yirgil,  %  tihe  genertttibii  before 
Gll^^r  luiid  already- written  Ms  Fo  wiUi  its  pictiii^df 

^d  c6iiifh^  kp^deti .  age,  boriv>#ed  trom  Isaiah,  through  the  tbedftim' 
of  lite  Jifvnjm"  SihyHiiie  poems,  then  widely  circulatied  throtigW  th* 
Wort^.  "  it  toetii^  a  Mttilife  on  his  visions  of  future  hippy  3refars;'tftHt 
the  cJhild,^  of  Whtom  he  wrote  in  au^h  lofty  strains,  n6t  only  ^ifed  to 
bi^g  Inagolden  age;  but  died  of  hunger,  under  Tib^jrosj  in  the  mf 
yearin  whieh,  it  would  seem,  Jesus  was  crucified.  Thtf  legend  Of 
th**  deiith'of;tlife  greiat  god,  Pan,  which,  according  to  PItita'"»h; 
happened  in  l!ie  days  of  Tiberius,  sho'^^a  the  same  deep  fend  b6din> 
presentiment,  in  the  ancient  world,  tiiat  a  great  change  Was  at  hand. 
;  '"At  thit  thne,"  it  relates*  "aship,  when  off  Gorfu,  waii  strangely 
becalmed,  iind,  fbrthwith,  the  Egyptian  helmsman,  lliamniis,  heard 
d  loud  toicie  fi'cuba  th^  Echinadian  Islands  call  him  by  namie,  ahd  bid 
hi«ii'Siay,'wJien  hegot  to  Palodes,  that  the  great' god,  Pan,  wadded. 
l^Egy^an'did'as  he  wds  bidden,  but  searcefy  had  he  called  otii 
hia  idedBa^  c^er  the  shore  that  had  been  named  to  hiiei^  wh^n  theMi 
rope;  littnmd;  a  great  sighing;  and  a  sound  as  of  wond^^'thatHHed 
the  passengerfii  wttl^  aweV  the  story,  when  it  waA  told  itC'Bdm^, 
trfynMnf  tihe  BiiiperOf  Tiberius  and  the  people  not  a  little."^  The 
great  Pan^wsi^  indeed;  deH^,  dnd  tl^  other  ^s  W^aited  bverhi^  bief; 
The  orfecles  and  sacred  utterances  of  the  time  breathe  h  dark  dt^eakl 
of  U'comiteg  World-catastrophe.'  The  bright  day  df  tlie  Au^tati 
age  had  long  passed.  The  air  over  Kome  smmt'Of  blood.'  Mtir^ 
dier;  and  suicide!  were  the  feUshibn,  and  eveh  women  Were  hot  skf e 
fi^mth^/  daj^.  Financial  distress  brought  Wlint  to  the  ttiass. 
Even  the  provmces  suffered  by  thfe  awful  mlbnetary  cridls.  '  In  Pa^ 
tine,  m^en  isaW  Ifheii'  future  king,  Agrippa,  rfeducet"  td  tibe  gr^l^ 
stmits  for  inoney,  borrowihg  where  be  i6btild;  glttd  td  tteete^firidrf 
sec^tly  X]iflfei?ed  td  gkin  his  mfluence,-*-^for  a  timer  dep^ndeht  fdr^hisj 
very  food  on  Herod  Auttpas,  and,  in  the  end,  a'  fugitive  -  f toM'  hiis 
usurious  creditors.  The  debtor,  the  cr^itor;  And  the  jail,  v^iiich- 
recur  so  often  in  the  parables;  were  Illustrations  'bnly  too  Vividly! 
realised  by  the  people  at  large,  tt  was  a  thue  of  change,  transition,^ 
universal  doubt,  uncertainty,  and  Expectation.  In  the  l»a,then  worldi' 
men  did  not  know  What  to  think  of  the  future;  in  Jtidca,  they 
looked  for  the  sudden  appearance  of  the  Messiah.  Thie  drama  of 
nnbient  society  had  been  played  oiit;  a  vast  empire  had  risen  H>n  tho 
niini'  of  the  nationalities  that  had,  hitherto,  kept  men  apart;  and  its 
tritinfphs'  had  ui»credit<id  the  local  gods,  to  whom  men  had  every- 
where looked  for  protection.  A  calm  had  foUbWed  agefe  of  univejrtol 
war  between  city  aijd  city,  and  State  and  State,  and  hiad  revolWiion- 
ized  liffe.  Corruption  and  oppression  had  followed  fei'  *he  Wake  of 
domiiilon,  and  had  filled  the  world  with  vague  longings  for  a  hi^hef 
morality,  and  the  hopes  of  a  nobler  religion  thftn  the  decayed  systems 
around  theni.  The  very^ triumph  of  <M^e'  pdfVfet  over  all  Others  had;' 
Indeed,  befdreaU  tbingsr  besides,  opened^e  wny  fbf  the  kiew  fiilXtL^i. 


m 


TP^ ,  ^?EE  OF  i  CpR^ST. 


Gl^t;    .The  isolation  of  hostile  races  ^l^ia^  J^^^°  m^'^^^^"  ^^^i^^ 

llie  joii^-bu^'iaagi^idcent  concflptipii  o^  a  brQthe^bojS  pf  ^ific^  (I%MT' 

•ai9  yet^  onjr<  as  siibjects  of  ajuiuversiyi  despotism,, h^^^(%^i^ 

jiiiiid'Ql  141  p^oplifes.  ^  The  (l^ghways  of  Bom^  iiiHted  |cp^i^i^ 

-%»  wilji  all  lauds;  her  goTermnent  apd  laws  jjuHJ-antej^d  wderiwA 

safety,  wherever  they  obtained;  hut,  above  all,  she  liMprepi^^e^s^e 

world  for  a  religion  which  should  address,  all.  huinaanity,;^by  ;Ieve^m|g 

^e  innmneirable  TOTriers  ;bf  rival  nationalUyr-rwith  th^)^  jeajbusjips 

and  impenetrable  prejudices^  and  linking  all  races  in^to,  a. single 'gr^i^ 

federail(ni,  with  common  sympathies,  and  as  iet^^-G;i|izen^,  (^  .ttie 

^^ttonegiei^t' dominion.    .•■'•'  •,>/..•,  -  '*— oi''.i".."i 

|twa$  amidst  such  a  6tate  of  tliipgs,  whei?  tfief^rjoo^  i^ieity 

fieem^d  dissolving,  pd  the  new  world  hid J^ot  yet  ^^  tih^n  ^o^^tjie 

chaos  e^  the  pld>  that  the  desiined  hetald  61  a  new  moral  ofqt^g'^as 

bp/n,  apparently,  in  Hebron.    The  ^n  ^f .  a  pure,  apd  ^pr^;(jriest, 

John,  fcfiiteeBiiptist,  was,  frpm  hisl^irib,  ,si:^rroun<^C|>y  the 


eyes  of-  his  race,  was  xpble.  .  Jn  the.  /society  of  'p^^fpn,'^  W^ts 
would  have  a  prominent  potttioi?,^  «nii  th^zr  ypV^^iV"  ~ — ^^      ~ 
been  surrounded,  on  their  accpimtj^with'tbejWspept.wl 


would  have  a  prominent  potttioi?,,  «nft  tb^ir  ypyi|^,f^f^jiX|)9s|  |^^ 
been  surrounded,  on  their  accpimt,  with  the  jrespeptw^cji^^ 
educates  and  Vetines.    His  early  educatipi^^  received^. at  'i%^ 


his  father  and  mother,  woi:^I<^  take.  thC:  cp](qur  pf  tteir  Jpp^itf5W|,  ai^d 
trainilifr*    ,Tbe  child  would  hear,  from  jbis  iiifancy»  t%  J^ftoy,  9^ 
jlCi  ,«a  of  tbe  great  jpriestfy  rac^  ^j^Pse  blbcd  raiim,  me  jV^ins. 


lis  gfoealogy  was  no  dbiabtful  conjecture,  tiijit  cleari^ii  weij^.eSiiQ- 
lidhj^  throngh  f  purteen  centuries,  liglited  m  at  mt^rvah„i?y^tra^j- 
tlpnfjpf  funous  names,  and  as  famous,  deeifsv  The  chUd.oi'iatri(5t 
Pbserters  of  the-Jiaw,  he  would  groSy  \tp  3SJth  fik  rjeUgioia.  ,r§^(^7^<^e 
for  its  minutest  prescriptions,  its  feasts  ^nq  fa^s,  iff.  S^b%t!fts,  a^^ 
newrmobnSj  its  teii  thousand  rule^  on  meats  a:^*^  drinlLS^. 0*^)^8^,  iip-iiii- 
ture,  dii^he^,  conversation^  readii^g,  ,tr^yellijj»gi  meeting,  parting.  J^iij^ 
i^g,  spning,  cooking,  the  wa^hip^  pf  pots,  cupsj  tobies,  a^d  pt;rsp^-r- 


.  ,    ,  .     ,   ■t'jj , 

perfprm  the  most  secret  function,  except  by  set  rules.  He  ¥i9ult 
grow  up  in  the  ideas  of  the  system  inip  wldph  he  bad  )^en ,  Dprn. 
which  mapped  out  his  every  aet^  and  w,ord>  and  thought,  ^a^^de* 
i^punbed  eyery  deviation  frpm  the  all-embr«^cing  rules,  f>r&bb)pisa); 
as  1^  bUi„  fatal  to  his  caste  as  a  Jew.  m.  ' \     j    >     ^ 

*^  As  Ih^  son  ql  a  pi;^est,'and^  as  si;ch,  hi^qfisfelf  a  aefitmed^  priest  here^ 
after,  J^m  w^ould  {early  lean)  aU  tbe;  details  of,,lhe  Temj^le  ^rvic6, 
•tid,'.dottbt^B,  often  went  wijUtms  parent^  tP  tbe  Ti^mme,  |^e,g;]|itter 
iiUrpmiMicifes, of  which  he  could  see. iroin  Hebron* ;  ilieppimtles.'* 
^^    «t  the  great  feasts:  t^j^  |(]^m»it)tw  of  tjtie  il,t^r,  i^}i|  1^  tur! 


sblenifent  i 
4to  Affectl 
tHe'inflhbii 
^udWsm: 
Inthecenti 
,       *^^  (SfaHl 

peoMe.     'f 

-;fi5t'^ehpti 

#^%Ht»o 
i'*i?«|i^he  ^ 

[Even  ft^m  cj 
.J.  priest.  »^ 

fa^i 

wilder  i^h6  11 
^t^rit  eiitli 
^ifct^iiiafi 

'«ya  than'in 
«jpiHtttii|^iceji' 


ptiiideiihjffS, 
up,  tKbdi 


devoted  hii  u 

.Wcourflev, 

^JatJtPfihPuJc' 
out i^VAw  for 
TJie  Kazarite,  I 


tHE  LiFE  OP  CHRIST. 


^ 


v^tk»r  iKThb,  eax^hmofiiliilff,  'iaiiLg  tbepsatms  of  tlie  oa^,  in  ^tie  inkier 


;1^p  r6t|  ^!  ihii  fSfefX  T<shit>Ie6rgan,  Whose  musid  ik  Hkl^][)is/^itli 
f(]|M*eXA|;2i9^ipn/fl|pQ|^e  of  iis(  lieard  kt  Jericho.  — would  >e  fao^lijir 
^^a' de^  lb' him,  undl'the  ^plieadbur  of  tlie  n^wly  built  .T^mpK?^- 
sblend^t  in  iinbwiharble  ai^ft)^^^^^^  on^p  ^  pi;^^ 

fltird  iffectlonf.   "He  would,  iieb^saril^,  rl^fo  manhood' CQibureC;]by 
the' iii!lteiphnte  ffiroiiud  him,.an4ihdse  all 'tended  to  the  narrowest 
JudAisnt.   ^Living'  klm'ost  under' me '8ha!d6wot:heTei)ipl^/ii^ 
in  the  centre  of  ajji  that  was  mojst  ri^d  ajt^id  intolieiriEii^t;  iintil^  ^esiist^ 
'^6ae  d^aHlaettn  home  kept  Hipl)!  in  a  freer  air/far  from  the  dead  con- 


■■<■:■   .v'n: 


;  But  didti^  tlhus, -ajf  \i]ri%  ediic^liom  and  circumBtances^  ^i^iuridt^c, 
■*^  strict' laud  tlM  JeW,  higher  In^ji^nces  surrounded  John^  j6rd;^.  ]^s 
16iTfh'3haii  thVtse  bf  ^^6  fdrmlalidm.'.  Bis  father  and  mtherwete 
'bbCh'HffhiDoba  liefoi'e  Gk>d,  t^  a^ighei*  sense  than  thai  of  Babt)mic%l 
biahielS^ndtiS.     Ijheir  rieil^on  wais  deep^d'sinciere,  for  they  inr^<^e 


Even  f^m'  childhood  he  showed  his  reli^^ous  tiiais.  ;  The  pn^  ^ii  pf 
"a  pHd^tj  h^,  m%ht  have  passed  thtbiikh  life  with  ilattbrlng  respect,  in 
the^JBnjdVntie'nrof  a  liodefit  "plenty,  put  he  eiLrl^  qiiight  the  spirit  of 
th^  herdnsV  Ms  wtkvpf  wiioni  lie  lieard. ana  read  so  muplv  in  me 
aiici^nt  Bbr^ures.  Disdaining  'sdf-induigent  ease,  hia  soul  ikin^ed 
tthd^r  ih^  ittflHbACCs  pf  homfe,  of  the  times,  ^hd  6i  rellgiDn,  intba 
fi^i^i^nt' eiiitl^uaiaim.  which  foiled  its  loJ^tie^t  c6n^pf|on  of,  life  iH 
a^ihsUhi  and  jbyful  seif-^riift^e.  iUways  more  or  less  iii  fftt^ur 
%ltli|1ili^  riiicfe',  this  teiideiicy  wM  mpre  f  reauenj;  in  the^^ewi^^,  priest- 
hdba  thian'in  any '  oth^t-  of , antiquity.  F€«img  the  pulsus,  of  t^e 
Hptrittiiil  ^kbitcmein^  whi^h  thrbBbed  thrO;ugli  the  people  around  him; 
pt^hdeiliig'^eir  sufftfrltigs,  tbeir  siiis,  an(^  tncirhopc^  Jol^n  gave  hii^^ 
s^lf  up,  intiaigh^  both  a  priest,  t6  the  higher  paission  of  a  wophJet,  and 
de\t)ted  hti  Ufb'tb  the  reform  of  the  evils  lie  fio,  deeply  aeniQre4,ancl^ 
td  flS  >dvival  df  tlie  \  ^iglt^hof  Wsfatl^Jrs:  ,7^^^^  ^^^^^^ 

HH  course  wiik,  doubtlssd^  ii^  sdJne  measure,  determ^ined  %y  411,  ^gX 
of  his  ^hsnts,  before  liisbirtlt  They  had  made  a  vow  in.iiis  9J|^4 
that,  h^  sho^Ia  be  a  l^azarlt^  altbis  Ufe.  and  had  thus  miarked  |uA 
out >k»*ite*'fomiAlly  devoted  to  God,  ana  lie  freely  adopted  the  vow^ 

The  ]S[azarlte. "    -      -  v.,  .^  •■  _  €..  ..^1.^^ 

God  as  pecuii 

irt^t.'in^iSe^  „._ ,._   ,,   , ,    .   ,    ,    ^ ,, 

byiSuitfttidthd  tll^e,  cpilailkdn  to  all  l^ai^fern  races,  U  Md,itieiei 
pTiteitilfedi^f^rftQl'^otit  ilie  ciirliek  tmies/aiid  is'alfe^dy:f6mula^'c 
as  a  ^ccijsfhizpd  inslitutidn  in  the  l&o'ok  6f  N'titribers.  ^  The  mzan^ 


9S0 


THE  |iiF|;  OF  qHi^isj. 


was  required  to  abstain  altogctlier  from  wi^e  and  fntoxicat^  drinks. 
eVetf  hxiM  Vini6^t,  or  i^iiy  liyrtip^  or  prfepar^^^  ^grsipi^tin^ 

ftoia  ^f)0s  tiien)8e|T«^,  1^  rids  A^l  the  Siijrs  of  liis  Ifazaritier- 

sSiip  lie  w^  to  eat  nothhig  maae  ^f  the  vme^  from  tfie  kem^ft  ^  tibt6 
husk.  **  ^o  razor  was  to  come  upon  his  hea^ ;"  he  ww  to"^**  fe^  hw; 
invito  let  the  Idcka  m  the  hair  of  his  liead  grdw.  Ta  gui^agam^t 
ahy  legal  deiSleinent  from  a  corpse,  he  was  ,to,  go  nesir  no^idead  ho^j, 
eVm  irtt  Were  that  of  his  lather,  mother,  hrolheiv  6r  sister,^  l^c&use 
the  consigctatioii  bi  Ck)d  ^os  on  his  headland  if  ^  by  chanq^^  death 
ckine  where  he  was,  the  d^lement  could  only  be  removed  by  a  seveti 


^ATNAzaKfeVbwwtis  commonly  mado  for  a  fixed  flme^  but  jparents 
mi^t  Yow'  for  their  infant,  or  even  unborn  diildrep,  that  they  should 
b6'i7fr^aii(es  JEbr  life.  It  wias  thushi  the  cqse  of  Johp;  it  ha^ ^dn 
b6  -v^ith  Bamiiel  and  Samson,  ahd^  according  to  traditi^pD,  hx  the  case 
of  James  tiie  Ju3^  thehrotherof  our  Lord.  ,  But  tihbugh  consecrated 
to  God;  and  marked  as  such  by  special  signs,  the  ]f  azarite  wlnji  notla 
nloi^^Who  iivithdrew  wholly  from  ftmi"yi  socistf,  or  civil  Hfe,anfi 
thW/shut  himself  out  from  aU>  usefid  activity.  '  ^e  soufid  sense  6f 
eta]f  anliqmtj^  had  no  cohceptfoni  of  such  s^msh  aevotibh;  He  only 
epHiuiiied  Cettaiu  asp«cts  or  parts  of  com^oQ  lif<^,  though  sbme^bf 
thdr  OT^  ac6otd,  carried  self -denial  farther.  Not  a  few  ^e;tired  lUtd 
the^.  dek)latiOtt>f  tlie  hills  of  southern  Jtide^  and  Ij^ved  rudely' rii 


ate-fi6  Iwshv  Tlie  shrinking  avoidaiQce  of  all  levitipal  defilement, 
wM6h  dictdted'^uch  inortlfieations,  was  held,  due  to  their  special  cpn- 
fiecratiqn  to  God,  whom  such  rigid  ceremonial  purity  was  sui^pq^ed 
t6  honoTMr.  The  Running  the  sight  of  the  dead  was  out  a  repetition 
oif  wliat  Viras  required  from  the  levitically  holiest  man  of  ^he  nation— 
ttke  hig^h  priestl  The  abstiftiuing  from  wine  and  strong  dno^ic  guarded 
against  ah  offence  doubly  evil  in  one  who  had  ^ven  h^iiiiself  to  God, 
liod  "was  a  secjurity  for  vigour  and  cleaitiess  of  mifad  m  His  service, 
Tlie  uncut  hair  was,  perhaps,  a  visible  sign  of  the  sacred  and  invio- 
lable surrender  of  the  whole  man  to  Jehovah.  The  hair  was  the 
syinb&l  of  manly  vigour,  its  crown  and  ornament;  and  its  untuuebed 
Id^ks^  thus  symbolized  the  consecration  of  t}ie  reason  and  higher 
pothers  to  God.  Thus  eBpecially  '*hoiy,'*  the  life-long  IsTazarite  stood 
oil  an  equality  with  a  priest,  ana  might  ^uter  thQ  inner  Temple^  as  we 
8ee[Ji1h3  Instance  of  James  the  JUst.   '■■■^  -^ '  '}'^^  ■  I  -    ^      (-*J; 

^The  liftzai'ite  Vot^  was  <^fCeQ  te^etf  to  alt^  some  wlsli'-for  healtiL 
slifety^  dr  siStecess— frbni  God.  BUt  v^here  itwas  lor  life,  ho  siidi 
selfish  ahns  could  be  CheHshed;'  Ihlower  oa^,  like  tht^  of  S&msoh, 
thcK^'M|rhi  be  a  Vague'  caraVihit  for  special  favour  |roiu<2U>d^^ut  in 


Ik  ./et^ 
.      *ae  duplijj 

2qe?,hb^o^ 

M03*<wish 

mm  1o  lay 
to  be.no  mod 
^P^on,  '/lel 

to.^opt'aft 


^>Vth  theSut' 
^^kio  subdu 

so^bycoftt. 
fjieirupvitlfttd 
,^^e.  priests? 
{jnjjpie,  as  it  i^ 

Jfley  Ve  ml 


TH|5  LIP;E  QF  OHRJW  m 

1  ihighes(  i^ljffl^tuaLAtuunmohts.  It  was  ^  lu^^ft  vm^\G9fi4ffinim'' 

,     a9i,time,,of  Pft»UH>ni an|^j9fJBwwi,.tow^4»  ttoQiose of  t]be. period 

sSt«K  ^m^  prepared  >,he  w^.  for.thi9,gi»nder  ?y^  of  Mif^  pr<^p^M^, 
g^^unij;^g,witU.Skn?LUjel,,au^  m  the  grpa4.;Bpintijftl  i^QVl^meB^iPf'  Xho 
o;gi?^f;^ie|i;:si  kings.    Xess  tiian  two  ) 


9ai;ridqes  requijrpd  tp  discharge  Uiree  hi^dred.i^a^aTite^lroi^ivitlM^t 
yi9i^^:yfV^♦^^lfpt  cau^.pf  ms  dipastrpus  quarr4vfjthj^J^xw<ie?  Jw 
la^pi.    |ly^ntwo)iundre(^  years  More,  th*  yitaU^y  o|  t^i§  IngjHvlt'Qn 

at  i(M,1«me,  "m^ed  to  tast^  t|^«  tre^as^-ode^iing  of  ^.IJ^fk^^iite. 
Qn<^if  ftp.^cyfa;  amaa  pf  .ftw  South  pan^i^tqBvewlio.fe^SPia^^^ 
|Tajta^:lM  ypw,    I  Ippked  at,  Um.   Ho  had;  gtoribus  ey^  a  itol)^  f W«i 
ajEid' lUs  hair  jfell  f>ypr  hia  '^houldj^i^  ifl,  great  waving  nmsm^-  >ij '.  W.^ 


lAJ 

#:^.  "fiy.  Mwf8^bfip%  i^nd  lelt  ,a  pec?reti.p?id/?.  An,  e>i|l(  Qwwait 
l^fifft  $9  l»yi  l^ld  on  mpi  fv:^4  d^troy  me*  T,^,tI  #aid)MW'«*wl 
CfOEit'uro!  jou  would  M^  be,  proii4  9(f  wJ^^t  is  npjtjsjpurs^iipd  cj^t 
to  he  no  more  to  you  than  dust  and  worthlessness;  iTOWtoqiyifi^ 
tUi^l j^a^l-cuit  pff  my J^ftir  fpr  pis^OTv^' ^' ,  >^|\)rtj|rwith^?^lfeied; 


gi^^pu.  \'Iemhrftcedto.ai^d(#^H/h^P.^ 

mtMUke,th^e^n  Israel.';*  ( ^j-  ;;_j  ^i.Ms  >J;^{J^^.^<OA^-,n■J;K4^of■-l■.!Ji{-;.l.,^ 

;][)ie,)n|^iQC^,  wMch  has  lediU^en,  in  eyery  religipi},  and  ini^l  Ag!99> 
to  Mopt ,  ani  .tt^petio ,  lit^,  doubtless  springs  frpm  the  b^ot  that  self • 
(|09>jivl  iwd  j^he  Bi^blugatlon  of  th^  body,  leave  the  (loiil  iik^;  |rPf  to 
attend,  to  l^ipedaj  mteressts,  Bud^hi^m  is  a  systeaii  (^  seH-iiiO?- 
ti^patlQn,,jai;id  B^4)iB;idnlsi|i  has  its  Yogus,.  pr  devotees,  who  aspire,iby 
tlie  r^iiunclatiph  of  all  th^t  pancake  life  pleasant,  to  attoipt  w^oii 
with  the  Supremo  Spirit.  iMphammedamsm  hs^  its  ;fab^r8!,  who 
^ek  ip  Bubdi^e  the  fleal^t  .by  their  ^usterUies,  a^d  ftp  strengthen;  th0 
SQi^  by  cpiiitemplatlba  and  pray§r>  The  |)gyptiau.ipr^ests,i passed 
their  ;Qpyltiate  iir  the  deserts,  where,  like  .5Jolm,it«hey  Uyed  m  oayef. 
*' The,  priests  in  JtipllppoUs,"  ^aysplutarch,.!' bring  no  wWiuto  the 
temple,  as  it  is  not  seemly  to  drin^,by  d^y,  ii^Wlst  .pue  l^PJ^iimd  ^mg. 
Helfos  i(t^^  «i^n\  Ipokf  on  j  f  tbe  otfeei»  diftek  .win^r  W.  fOT  littje. 
They  h%ye  ma,Dy  ^(tsts»  dm-mg  which  they  refrain  .fi^m^lpe^iyiA 
cwpi^uftuily  i?(iedMi<ii^  on  diyh^^ 

,  Jl^Mtlftp  Jrpm  the  corrap4o|^ aFPund,  jt^e.^ef^w^,©! vtt|f  Jlir^W, 
natural  in  a  period  of  universal  unquiet  and  uncertainty,  and  the  wi»h 


1*afe'lJlF*E  blF'dHMB^. 


?yi7ih:f.v:iJCi 


T^f(m6^  oDrti  tW  \ettet  6f  ihg  l^W  eJ^lwtly,  Wd  1ed;to,the  ad^ptloi^^^^ 
^'iili  ftUst^Ve  lit^}>f  ifivnf  tn  Palestine.  As  the  Naa^viies  sttOTe  to  at- 
^^vm  'm^al  deremonikl  ^nxity  ih  rude  isblaiibh,  oihert  soug^i  lt;]ii 
brotherhoods.  Josephqs  classes  as  pnq  of  the  fourjonreat  psi^i^bf 
^lili^-day^'theBiteiiies.  an  Older  numbering  about  4,(^  menobf^  in 
^^riifthdFatestid^;  more  or  lei^  <|eVoted  to  dh  ascetic  iil^  tni^t^e 
irrhaii^d,  they  were  a  dev^opm'ent  of  the  keal  Ibr  the  La^ilr  vU^h 
f;hiid 4^  tttatk^  th«  Hasidim, m  the  Maccabsan wi^rs. //ThQ  ifiyi^^^ 
'Anxiety  to  atoid  leviticardefllemeht,  which  had  already  given  riseito 
^'Fhari^tlslttii,  fouiid  its  ett^me  eXpredsionin  these  iiltra  rigi^legalisjts, 
vVho  hoped,  by  i^I&t^on^  to  ati^in  ceremoniiU^  rig^t^ousnesp  impo^i- 
^t)Ie  Sh  the  open  W<^rM.  ThiE;  Mrictii^ss  apd  .asceticism  of  oi^rs^^ap- 
*p6flrfed  bpljftt  hyjkxiritical  effe^inafey  in  their  s^venar  eye&     But, 


.,  6ven  With  thejn.  t^«re  we^re  grades  of  st^c^ness,  for  only  the  "most 
I tij^d  withdrew  ttpik  ^i^ty,  The  Pharliee^  had  h^  brotherhoods 
|lt^d  unions  f6¥  ^n^rations/ and  iu  Egy^t  there  were  cot|onieb  of 
:'*^11|ferapeiitfe,"  who  lived  a  lonely,  confqpiplative/  idle  lif^^  in  tte 
i^desert,  iDOtiiing  together  only  for  common  wo^hjp  end  |ioIy  mea|s. 
■3utthle  Esf^^sr  Vere  as  fsir  from  the  isaiihtly  idle^^ss  of  the^oM,  as 
'Irom  the  riBStless  demagogue  activity  of  the  othueH/  llie  Pharisees, 
'^Ite  fehM  pisaUd,  dn,  had  l)econie  cc^st^ntly  less  entitled  '^  t|iev3^|^n\<p;9f 
l^he  Be^rat^,  sliice  they  e'ag;crly  courted  the  ntultitude;  |ina  cpm- 
•  passed  Bea  lind  laiid  to  make  a  proselyte,  and  freqii^te^ifhe  conoeb 
?imd!t>hblic  plaoes,  t6  makel  a  show  of  thehr  piety..  IdeW  legfd  purity 
|i^ia  ncit  be  attained  by  'such.a  Hf^,  knd  hclnc^  members  who  laired 


>vir  thef  di^Hct  bibl^c'en  Jehis^lein  aM  the:^ead)^  in  thfs  days  of 
'".John,  came^  every  here  ,^d  tbji^,  on  such  S(rttle|nents/m  tJ[i^;iiaT?iow, 
'|h4dy  iv^dy6;i|o^i^times  g*w)i  in  their  Kdnows,w^ich  sink,  iii  .great 
?ntttn»eitj  from  the  high  stdiiv*  plateau. ,  towards  the  D?ad  Bed.  ,  liieir 
%d  41(^pieatam;e;  theii'  life  &tr;ctly  regulated  by  thie  Jaw,  tn  iliel^t  de- 
tail; grfve  theiA  the  air  of  people  Weary  |of  life,  who  hajd  withdrawn 
'^ff om  the  wbrld  to  prepare  for  death.    They  seemed  to  ? havie  given 

)f  the  Es- 
exacUy  suited  for  the  monkish  life  t^i^y  had 
""^hOfiteh.  '  A  'Zigzag  path  Mds  from  the  wilderness  of  iTudfia.  abomt 
three  hours  north  of  Masada,  by  a  steep  descent  of  fully  :|, 600  feet, 
H>ver  loose  rocks  and  $tQnes,  to  a  rich  spring,  which  makes  its  w^-un- 
^Ir  ft  luturitot  gr6Wth  of  shrubs  and  blishes,  to  ttie  l>«id  Hea.  ,*|Il^e 
^aitie  ^gedi;  thfe  f bat^^iring;  >n^y  ^ell  have  b^en  ^gv«i  from  the 
^Ud'gdatS'hdving  nfi^  foutid  out.and  us^  the  steep  pailu'  A  tropical 
,Vegeta<l6fi  supplies  the  slmt^  wib^s  of  life  almost  i^i£b#1ab|ou^. 
Mmt^^^  thd#adyi  and  ^  o0^ers  r^^^  it. 

'the  Esseneii  foiind  exactly  the  idealities  ^at  isuited  thein.'    Each  col- 


tfieii^ 
^w6i»6f 
mu'Sides^l 

ftfufaediii 

thQ  same  ri 

•e'tidnunodi 

*cem»a8if 

5?J^^»«dui 

uejQlemeati 

Their  wi» 

citttle,OTiii 

proved  n^ 

oesfdes,  thit 

^^ej^upre] 
a^     Thev 


**^Ks  ^?his  a 
^ago^fes  ( 
The  sapei 

andth^r,'^!^. 


iil6u«ir  t-. 

S>f>;:*^erei 

pnr^edvdth 
meals  was  cc 
andVk^asec 

ootained,  adda 
slmredbyalil 
Jfte^earneirtl 
novices  had  ^ 
'nan^tdia? 

accord,  to' «»c 


TH£  LIFB  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


Mn 
dbt 

ige  to 

jBut, 
iVgiost 

ill  pe 

jiifiees, 

d  ;«Qin- 

coiners 

pwty 

'    ifcd 


.n  great 
Ifiastrde- 

;^y  had 
*,  al30iit 
Wfeet, 

oio,  tbe 
xopica^ 

flavour. 

'mi^  it, 


oifyiliad  its  crwii  s^nagOKue,  its  common  hall  for  meals  ttnd  assemblli^; 
aiifl  dls  prOTision-for  duly  baths  in  nttmiag  ^^mter.  Besides  ih(^ 
tett)erB,thei«e  were  lonely^  hermltsiyliVitigMfii^  solfmry  iif^^|i|tii 
fmfri#^ tb Mi  Able  tasebure thei^^ ceiN$monfal ipttHQriftfll  boater mtf 
their  brethren,  Inr  more  frec^uent  bathing.  Tfafe'sd  Unohorets,  the  ^re- 
€unNyc9  of  the  Christian  rridnks/llTed  spiely  on  the  wild  l^lant^  of  yxi 


e 


.  hiU'^des^  but,  yet,  were  frequiently  stirroundi^  by  latge  nuttibet^ibf 
disciples/ whd  adopted  tbeir , painful  discipline.  :Cotohtes^ft6  als6 
fiijrkhedin  various  outlying  towniiof  Judea,  the  inemb^ niaiittJEithihg 
the  isame  rites  as  their  brethren,  and  havings  always  ^er^iU6^6iftny  p^e 
ac^nmMdatioh  for  them  when  they  wandered  froni  the'hiH^.7  It 
teems  {U9  if  the  order  hkdoxigini^ll:^  llvM  'wholly  ani^n^nicsQ.  ind  hiid 

rmo 
.^««  .T»w,..  day  was  ispent  «.  .„.^».  ...«.«  «^.v»,  «,  .„  «««  ^.^^  y* 
e«ttle,dr-iiitfaat  of  bees,  and  in  other  us^EfoTinitemiel'^her^thUti 

gnridded  nearly  all  thei/i  wanted,  buyih^  What  Ifttle  they  f^S^ji^t^ 
esfides,  through  a  Isp^al  officer  They  neither'  bO'dghl  nb>  Md 
aiiadhgCthc^selves;  but  ex6haB|^d  as  eiafchtequited,  atid  ilffefW^d 
haildlyu6e^CQin,frdm  its  bearing  an  image.  '       ••     '  "^  '^^^ 

^  ^^^prenie  ^d  6f  thdr^i^^th^ent,  eithef  in  ii^so^lktiohsdi^^ 
idOti^ty  ^rmite,  Was  tp  Iteep  this'Mosdie  law  with  alt"  po^ibl6  M6t- 
n^-  They  read  it  not*  only  oik  SabbaUh,  but  day  1«hd ' pi^it;  |M 
€ifSM  ir^ding '  hieing  forbidden.  Tor bl'aSj^eb^  the  h^ih^  orMbi^s 
i/irftsr^he^^  highest  crime,  punishable  with  d^ath,  and'  to  gitcT  ixp'  m 
B&plis  iha  tti^t^Yitrf  Which 'no  Essehe  Wduld  bomhlit  eVefn  1iii(ler 
thieagoiiiies  of^rture  OrrdeatH."^  ......     .      -  v.. ...     .  . 

7he  superstitious  dread  of  defilement,  which  required  the  cut^s'^irid 
{ylti^^s  of 'one  cotnpany  of  Pharisees  tb  b)^  Meni€id  f 6r  "06  i^e  of 
aiMither,  wafsca^edeVbn  father  by  the  i^iies^  ithit%tld)^  ^  itie 
pri^lVi^yBals  in  tye^^TebipK  from  Which ^e'*'uhcl^^^ 
ptilbuMy  excluded,,tfaeyhiEul  Common  ineats,tn6itithg  aiUd  Wcttihg, 
bef6re  Itnid  after  the  day's  work  r  all  AoVlees  till  th6  thhrd  Jieait^.limi 
alVwlib>ete  not  of  the /order,  bein^  exbliided  ad  levitfcftljy  Ain§l<?a'4.- 
Tl^'dimng  hall  was  as  sacred  ks  a  s^agOgUe,  the  t^^ls  and'  ai^h^s 
ptti^ed  with  deepless  care,  and* '  eVen  the  clbthing  "^^ith  durip^  tile 
meals'  was  couhted  holy.  Priests  invoked  A  blessing  «(y^  thfe  f  O^d^ 
an,dVit  ;^as  eaten  in  reverent  silence.  Whoever  bcicaih^  tne^t^rs  of 
the  (irder,  gave  up  all  thfey  possessed  to  it/tod  the  ctfmthdn  stock  ttitis 
db^ined;  added  to  the  fruit  and  earning^  of  the  g^ieral  labour;'wyre 
shttredfby  allr  the  old  and  sick  tecfeiving  the  tipnderest  cfti^. '  *     '^*'^' 

TSci^  earnestness  of  the  order  showed  itself  in  its  iJrinciplii^;  Tife 
ndvices;had  tiof^r^mise  "to  hdiiwiff  Gt)^  to  bfe  r^ghtcotis  iO'^iij^ 
manj  to-ii^jure^no  oiie^  teither^i  thfelbiddhig'otttttotlier  oiroif  their  tt^l^n' 
accdrd,  ix}  hate*  evH,'  to'  promotie  good,  t6  1)fe  faathftil  t^  fevtry  W^, 
esp!0cltaJy'.teslEi frt a^tfio**!ty; to  loVte  the  I^Uth.td^llum^sk  IfeTs/atifl 
to  -li^pr^tee^^ijI&fttMn  ^^Mt,  tod  tiw  ^ng^^^iice^fi^iii^  M^ 


«4 


THB  lilFB  ( OB  CHRIfifB. 


which  members  were  admitted  to  the  order,  yfteri  asu^i  9v,fn  w 
miMiMfaCilui^ol  weapons,'  w««  held  imlswful,  not?  would  thareyen  use 
animal  food/  since  the  LawisaM^  < ' '  Tbou  shalt  not  Idll.  H  Tracb»'  ^ 
oenjt  $0  far  as  tbt^r  simple  want^  required^  Was  disoomitenaacfd.  . 
^  mtt  if' their  morality^  drawn  from  the  Old  Testament,  was. pure  iiii^ 
loftnr,  their  slavish  devotion  to  ceremonial  observances  mai;^dtl)9m 
as  ^e  most  superstitious  oi  their  nation.  There  were,  fouj?  grad|ss  of 
l^^viticiil  ''eleanaess,"  through  which  the  novice  rose  only  .by  a  Ipns 
^d  BbetJOL  probation^  and  it  was  defilement  that  seeded  to  bei  waslioa 
9wajr  by'il  bath,  for  the  member  of  abigher  grade  to.be  t<M>ched  bQr 
OiJ^Ofa  l<>iVer,  Pnests- washed  their  hands  andi  feet  before  any.  sacred 
iHte,  Imt  the  Essenes  bathed  >  their  whole  body  in  cold  water .  before 
every  taeal,  and  all  they  ate  must  be  prepared  by  one  of  their  own 
i^utn^t'^.  i  Thj^  bathed,  ^alsoi,  eaohi  morning,,  beforemtteriniJ:  the  aaine 
of  €k)d.  'iOn«M)ba^s;tbev  would  not  even.miove.anyr  vessel  i(roA. Its 
place,  ai|d  they  prepared  all  their  food  oh  Friday,  to  avoid  kindling 
a  fire  'on<tbe>  sacredday.  i  Tl»y  refused  to  .eat  pesh  oi:  /  wine^  V^^v 
ffQ^JeaF^of/deflleracnt,  partly  because  they  w]sl)ed  to  reproduce,  ja 
thdr  whole  lives  the  strictness  <etf  theNai^tes,  of  1^:  priests  durbg 
tjieipnilnistrations,  and  of ;  the  old  rBe^bites.  Thus,  their,  only  -food 
waS'  that  'preseribcd  to  others  tor  fast«.  They  liept  aloof  frqm  the 
WemnSe,  though  they  sent  the  usi^al  gifta^forthe  presentation  of  in 
offenng  invplved  partaking  -in  a ,  sacri^lal  meal,  which  would  ha^o 
^^Ifid  them.  -In  some  of:  .their  colonies,  women  ^  were  not  sulCened, 
from  the  49ame  dread  ^f 'Uncleaimess^  and  though  they  did  notwliypUy 
forbid  marriage,  the  wife  was  required  Ao  undergo  evqu  mori^  oc^'C- 
mbnial  cie^stngB  thanfthfi/ brethren.  They:kQpt  a  wotchful  ffUf^rd 
^at  no  one*  was:  defiled  thy  the  fipitlle^oif  an6]fcherv«n4  that  J(t  did  uot 
fall  on  ^e  right  side.  Theanointingoiri) which*  was-  ;to,otl)ei:^Jfefw:^  a 
festal  luxuryviu  which  the  P^ainUst  h;ad)gWied;Aa(droppin|;Jr(^m 
Aatoo'aJ^card,  wd%  toitho  I)isfyd^,^aiL  unckanpess,  wiiich  .uepded^o 
t^  washed  »way;; !  a  brother^  expejled  from  the  order,  wolUjlci  ratl^er 
starve  to  de^th,  than  touch  f0o4  preparod  by  a  common  Jew,  nor 
would  any  iionuui  torture  force  him  to  |oise.l«SrCu«te.  Tho  whole  llfo 
of  an:  Sssenci  wa«t  a  long  tfurrot  ol  doiilcmeiut.  The  work  of  the  colony 
begali  before  simriBC,  with  psadnis  and  hymns,  followed  by  prayer  apcl 
wasuingi  They  theni w;eqt  tft  their  day  s  wprk,,  ?  At  «ley©u-r-tue!  mtli 
hour-^the  scattered  labourers  gatliered  agaiu  for  acommon  batDLJin 
cold  winter.  The  woollen , dies^  in  which  they  workea  wias  now  laid 
aside,  and  the  consecrated .  drei»  of  the  i  order  put  <  pn,.  in  .preparation 
for  their  eating'  together,jand)  their  meal,  whiich  consisted  onl^';  of 
brmd  and  a  sii^le  kmid.ofTegetaUei/ was  cfitenwitlij  pray e,r»  in  solemn 
^'i]ilness»; ;  <  Th^  koly  dress  wa«  then  'Mid  aside^  and  work  resjuutnedi  In 
the^ evening,  theh second  meal  wa3^  taken,  with  itlie  same,  fiplemnitiea 
atid  rites;  audv^^rship  (;loaied-#ie  day.th^  Odsly  pure  ihouii^t4sA)l|:ht 
ftll -tiwip'soula  iflSithey^yetiredoto  re^lt.  n,Qm  day,  tf>iiat«fit/9tif>iS^h 


IHththe 
;/»f  uttbeni 
^  TheEs 
to  metapl 
fantastic  I 
Atei^i^ndri 
,P»h»iil8nc 
Mods,  ii 
pillfiEred, 

ijtorniis.ttrei 
^feWwind 
thelAir,  I 
Inhere  fore 

,caHy  Uncle 

^tmi,  dih( 
^ftimdthfei 
.•Jeeves;  wa 
Wt]>het-Jik( 

;J*'each  rest 
brcrtiner.  1 
btothatbf 

*«»nceftt 

<aiiidhood;r 

Ji^HofyB, 
It^to^hcj  fut 
theii-  pfophl 
attain  dtred 
ttiy$tlc  cohf 
dental  visio 
thb  sutoremi 
aeniaj.    A 
.rtieanftof  pi 
ppw^.    'lil 
weeks.    I' 

mouth,  nei 

MMed 

'^ttieWde 

em^ndi 

•pen,  whefi 


THB  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


il» 


IHth  the  monotQay  of  pendulum  lieai8»  in  ptedmly  the  um»  rqu^d 
'6f'unbeBdliig formi.  '    :.     j     . 

Tht  EsMTioM,  as  the  mvstios  of  Judaism,  naturally  ffave  th^maelyes 
to  metaphysloal  fipeGukMlont^  and,  like  the  Babbit^  tmy  neye^l^ ,  m 
fantastic  alletfoiisifilf  of  Scripture.  From  the  philosopbip  ^.ud^wnpf 
AleJTfindrl^/Uiey  bcirowed  notions  on  i  free  will  and  ftUc,  ana  fi^om 
F^btin  and  Greece^  with  both  of  which  their  race  had  been^jpr  Ipng 
^pef^ods,  ineontnot,  they  adopted,  i  various  dogmas^  The  sopl,  tiw 
ith^gined,  was  a  subtle  etlier^  of  heavenlyjorigin,  drawn  down  to  eaiip 
btrii  fell  necessity;  and  imprisoned  in  the  body  tHl  set  free  at  aeat^^ 
It  wdili  then  borne  away;  if  pure,  beyond  the  ocean^tp  a  negion  wh^rip 
Btorme  Were  unknown,  and  where  the  heat  waft  tempered  .by.aeenUe 
weM  wind,  perpetiunlly  blowing  from  the.doean.  -  If  it  h^ad  nes^epted 
the  Law,  however,  it  was  carried  off  to  a  dark,  wintry  abyss,  to, dw;eU 
there  for  erer.  Every  morningk'  the  Essenes  paid  homage  to  the  3un, 
and  they  MTould  not,  at  any  time,  let  its  beamsfiall  on  anything  Ji^vij^- 
''atliy  tincleatr. ''<   '.    '  •    •  .,    i-r.  ;<    .,, 

^r  The  cbknmunity  of  goods  amcmg  them  was  a  necessity  of ,  their ^ino^e 
'^fHf^,  dihce  the  order  alone  could  supply  the  wants  of  it8,^)^mbe]r8. 
It  iiad  thi^  result  of  enforcing  simplicity.    An  undergarment,  wijttiovt 
'  sleeVes;  waft  their  only  clothing  in  summer,  and  a:  roM^  noiantle  jth^ 
'prp'tifhet^ike  winter  garb;    The  inter-^relation  of  the  dvuerentt  cqlpnies 
nuiae  tti6n(er  unelessln  travelling,  for  there  was  no  need  of  it.W^^. 
'iiit'e^h  testing  plaoe,  their' frugal  wants  >v«Fe  freely  supplied  .Py  jany 
);>hitiier.    ThoV  had  no  servants,  and,  as.they  recognized  no,  distinction 
btrc  thatOf  "cidan  and  undeati/^  ttiey  could  have  no  ^veg^{,ii^m^f 
'/  Thci  f^A  aim  of  this  amazing  system  of  self-denial  and  ascetic  ^- 
dujnmce  h  told  by  Josephus.  in  a  brief  sentence.!   r'<)0n8eeratfid»  fP^pi 
diildhood;  by  many  purification^^  and  fainiliaar,  beyond  thou^^.^h 
flie  Holy  Bodks;  and  the  utterances  of  the  pro^ets,  they  cl»im  to  see 
"inito^hti  fUtii^el,^  and,  in  truths  there  is  scarcely  im  instance,  in  .which 
thei^  prophecies  have  l)een  found  false."    The  belief,  that* they  conld 
attain  direct  communion  with  God,  by  intense  legale  puridQatiQn<and 
my$tlc  contHihplatian,  and  even  pass,  in  the  end,  to  such  transcen- 
dental vision  as  wolild  reveal  to  them  the  secrets  of  the  future,  was 
thfe  suptente  motive  to  endure  a  life  of  so  much  privation  and,  self- 
deniali  -  A  similar  course  had  been  followed  before  then*  .day>  a9  a 
nicdna  of  ][>reparation  for  divine  visions^  and  communion  with  higher 
IJibwdrs.     "In  those  days,"  says  Daniel*  >*  I  was  mourning  three  full 
Weeks.    I  ate  no  pleasant  bread,  neither  came  flesh  or  wine  in  my 
mbtlth;  neither  did  I  anoint  myself  at  all,  till  three?  whole  weeks,  were 
fiildHed.    Apd  on  the  four-and-twentieth  day  of  tbemonth,  as  t^as 
'by^the'sideDf  the  gireat  river,  which  i$  Hiddekd,  thea  I  lifted  ttp  mine 
eyes,  ihd  looked,  and  behold  a  certain  man  clothed  in  liijent  wljipse 
10ini(  v^e  fflrdoa  with  fin^  gold  of  Uphas^"    In  the  samejRay,  S^ros 
llifeptt^  hltnA^lf^  beforehand,  for  <  his  viaoni»^*>ao  tci  the  floi^#ry 
#eti,  whet^  thJM'e  i.4  no  houiw,^ '  said  the  angels  him,  V.and.^tQnly 


ttin 


tfti'  itFE  dp  ifHimr. 


i^'tii^^^  m  *^\:m^'u&i&:^ 


Tibii^r^lUs  IteriEi  supposed  to  ti^  welT-Mgh  freed  ttxiiintlielioncls  of  U»6' 
flesb,  '^tad  able  to  wander  foHh  to  tii«  wcnrld  beyond.  Tliiis  an  Mt 
flie^e  iPtTM  said  to  h^ve  i^yroiAesied  his  miserable'  d^th  to  tb^  brothet'- 
bf  t^  IBM  Arlstobvilu^;  and  another  to  have  Predicted  to'  th<i  voi' 
Heirbd  that  he  wpuld  be  kinjo;,  and  that  he  i^duld  have  tlongmf^V 
Aijier  be  had  gained  the  crown.  Tliis  gift  of  prophecy  was  believda 
by  Hei^ai^a  Iii^.8<>ns|  tio  less  than,  am^n)^.the  people,  and  hence  an 
Essene  tifes  ojften  s^nt  for  when  a  had  dt^am  disturnearovaly, or  ani^iety 
f or  the  f utilte  troiibled  it.  Witb  sudh  tnyMlc  Claims^  the  expectations 
of  Israel  miisi  have  been  their  chi^:thbiight.  Their  old  men  di^a^ed 
d^int,  their  yotiidg  then  iRiiw  virions,  and.  their  sons  and  dauMiters 
prophe^ied^  as  if  in  fulfilment  of  the  prophet's  signs  of  th^  condin^  (^ 
the  jaesj^an,  ,'Tet  w6  have  no  jproof  that  they  anticipated  It  as  ideati 
or  ata)Ued  thetiiselVes  in  anyi^racti<5ai  way  to  a  preparation  of  Israel  fot 
it'  TtVw  btity  a  fohd  and  airy  vision  of  ^e  ideal  futtire..  They  wefie 
rigid  J^estuia|ria^s,'believihg  that  all  things,  in  the  counie  of  niitu^e 
andih  tHe  IHfe  of  man,  are  fixed  by  fat^.  Wh^re  there  wa^  Bomota^ 
f||se<ibm,  i|^Wa$  Idle  eithertbpreiach;  or  teach,  atidflo  they  did  ndtl^^r. 
ijliB'y/if^'  i:iaiufal  With  jthincu  o6<^pied  mainly  with  subjects  abote 
h^m^gras^Jthe  epeci^  of  the  order  became  wild>  and  ^^il 

monstrous.  The  npvice  was  rec]^&ed  by  a  f eakiul  oath  to  eonceill  the 
se^rl^^.  haines'c^  ttie  angels,  tthich  were  known  to  the  brotlierhood, 
a^'d '  I^Vc  Win  wlio  leiarnM  tl^em  power,  by  pronouhcifigi  thena^  to 
draw  down  tlie^ae  awf li!  b^ngis  from  heaven.  Th^A|)bcrypharfiter^ 
lUreof  the  d(^  boasted  of  long  li^ts  of  the  names  of  angels;  iwith 
their '(x>yers  i^d  oflSees;,  and  t&,  EsSenes,  Kke  the^  Babl^is;  believed 
itli^bysec^  spells,  in  which  ihem  names  pl^ye^'  a  foremost  Jjart, 
tfijisy  cq^la  conj^mana  their  services  for  good  or  evil,  as  the  services  of 


the  geniji  arls  ^t|the  command  of  the  magicians  in  the  Arahiah  Ixights. 

They  believed  alsbi  in  "common  with  the  agej  in  the  secret  magic 

TOwers  of,  plaMs  and  stones,  ^^^    they  had  much,  besides,,  t^  dis- 

TfQsu|«  of  which  was  the  greatest  of  onnies.     Secrecy  ^a^,  iniieed,  A 

characteristic  of  the  order.    The^ebphyte  boimd  himself  by  a  terrible 

okth,  "neither  Ip  conceal  anything  from  the  brotherhood,  nor  to  dis- 

cpyer  any  of  thdr  doctrihes  to  others,  even  if  he  should  have(  to  die 

for  hii§  refusal.    i|©  "had, "moreover,  to  swear  thai  he  wbuld  cpinihunl- 

cate  their  doptrines  to  no  one,  except^s  he  hirnself  had  neceiv^them, 

'and' thai  he  would  k(^|)  inviolahly  secret  the  books  of  tl|e  order,  and 

[the''^iiie8bf.iheahgels.^  ^.       '       ^ 

^/  '^'](^  i&TOcwce  pf  Esaenism  on  the  age,  however,  was  |maU^  for  its 

'member^  were  few  hr^pbrtibif  to  the  teeihjihj^'population,  avdlpade 

'%0-  tttt«mi[)t  at  prbj^gaiidi6m;'buf  Mv«a  etitil^l^raplift^^ 


natural  pn 
*(ter  legal 
with  h6ath 
drawing  a' 
gloix  And 
t^^Messial 

pretfe^-^iilc 

e|t^h!iW6,ai] 

'   at?t<^mot  to'« 

countryman 
tiict  ^th  n 

'JpSfiJ:  $0t  ligi 
dMr4edft 
meftk  iiid  B 

Jrrbm  theii 
iz^dLtoalarg 

m^ 

mmthM 

whiijh  bpre 

"MwlSiit: 

exiSte  ih  J)s 

serl<rashes8  a 
Sabbath?:  wh 
Theisfe  bhlirgc 
*?iihose  w^Q^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


257 


natiut^l  product  of  the  times,  with  Its  Messianic  hopes,  its  striving 
after  legal  rig])Lteou8nes8,  its  gloriflcation  of  the  past,  and  its  contact 
With  heathen  superstition,- it- servedUie  pappose,  in  some  measure,  of 
djrawing  away  the  thoughts  from  the  dr^am  of  national  politicial 
gloiy,  and  of  preparing' tfier  soil  fbrthe  more  spilrittial  conception  of  * 
tMjnessiah^  .which  John,  and  JoHua  were  tp  introduoet .  The  JSAenes 
came '111' t^bntabt  Vlt|^,  tM  ne^      a3  h^ttl0r8;6rb|)heterdream4bterr, 
pr^t^  $tid  exorqlSts,  ti^t  as  teAch$r9  oi'  jpreaciiers.    Their  religious^ 
ej[^ttise^,ahd  J>u^e  *(deas  were  cherished  In  the  bommnnltv  Wfltho^t  ,an ' 
an^mpi  to  spread  them  thi'ougii  the  nation  ;r-ih  inarb»d  contrast  to ; 
tlie  Baptl^.  ly^pse  life  w$s  ^  fervent  mitiiistry  td  the  mosses  of  ^Is 
cpunt^yma^,  ftnd,  ^tlll  inoro,  to  Jesus, -rfo^  he  lived  Vn  constant  con- ^ 
tact  ^th  m^n,.eVen  thps'a  shunned  Blilte  byHssene  and  Rabj|)i,  as, 
uik^leiui:  $howed  the  n^ost  perfect  eniperlortty  to  f^  ritvial  narrow*' 
nesB:  ^t  likht  m^  ccrembnial  purity,  6r  superstitious  SablM^th  Ijiws; 
di8(»rded  mtlng;  took  part  in  the  social  enjoymdnt  of,  ^easts*^  |u>d - 
mejftlsl  aiid  i^i^agcis,  and  left  a  n'evfr.code  ortules  and  maxims  v>r' 
His  Wiptei    Essenlsm  W9s,  at;  |)^st;  btlly  the  Vivid  culm|natioii  <^t. 
the  )3^|,'  ^ooi^ed  to  pass  aw^y,  and  wholly  uiiilt '  to  create^ 


^Jt^jather  ikm  tlie  theocracy,  anq  made  their  order,  in  so  &r,  a^ 
[4  of  ^^stianttv,,  theit  exa«gmited  cerempnialis^  their  luLrnh 
%,  j^d  their  faQtastip  an^^aif -heatheh  stiperst^tions,  neutriilr  > 
a  latge  ex^iit„  this  (wealthy ii^tfue^be.   '  BtUt,  in  spme  directions,  - 
ipa3^4 1°^^  tru^  moraUtyl  an^lihin^  in  the  last  centuries  of  «feW' 
^-^J^    it  i^yes  eveh  their  harsh  asceticism  »  hfgher  dignity,  ths&  It  - 
w^^jSot,' like  that  of  the  l^harisecis.  i  iherceh^  seirvice  fdrextiniiar 
ret^^d,  btit  a  ^lif^enyinff'  attempt  to  keeop  qut  ^vi\  f rpm  the  8<iui; 
am  .thus  pi^cxit^t'e  it'for  that  high  coihhiunion  with  Ood,  In  whdsQ: 
saCTM  c4^ni'th0  still  smali  vbi%  of  divine  revelatiops  grows  au^iile.  ' 
For  the  trhl'  tjfme  since  ihe  jiropheld,  the  spiritual  cbndi^on  oi  0):e 
80^  Wk  4fecl»ted  t6.be  the  end  of  teUMon. '  While  the  Kabbis^s- 


tr^jM  theM^^^  ilerce  partjf  strues  about  the  merely  external^ ., 

aii6lheit  j^ihabf  life  |ijpenejd  ih  the  seclusion  of  the  colonies  of  Essenes, 


il^h^re  m^t  n^  be^fi^  It  eoncerned  i^^If  With  the  need  of  ^ 
6ltth<''^d  the  circumt^ieton  of  ^e  heaift,  not  -^Ith  the  |heobt  ^ 
"«v,<,  Je  t'emple,'  br  politic^^    Th^  lil^ei^ess  to  CliristianityijWheto  it 
fixms  iti  ^^asenism,  lif ai^  '^oi  ih  its  ihstitiitionS;,  but  in  the  quiet  and 
meait^tjv^^  ft^e  mi^t  breiti^ed  thrbil^h  the  cbmimtinifyii^its  Teli^qna 
8erl<rasnj^8S  and  jiri^stjy  cohsecratibn  bf  iife-^tlie  ''daily  'lp?epiiig  of 
Sahbatht'  yrh|9h  wa^  atso.th§  ideal  of  the  first  Christian  cprnthuhlphs.  ' 
Th^Sfe  bharactferistic^  bf  the  order  Wei^,  '2h  i^me  degree,  commcm  also 
to:thoM  whOv  after  them,  were  '!  thci  .quiet  and^acefulli^  ^e  jabd^**  * 

to'     ■ 


li  yl 


r 

\ 

■ 

1  ......  JL I 

^  i,„_           J    .  l'                .'^    . 

TO' 
• 

K'.^r 

>...■:.-.: 

f1      .  t  ^'-  *  '  \  t*  •  t 

■v'J^lOf'bipc  ft  imaiffe¥e^ 

therefdtc,  VSdt  at'ii  firae  Vheu  tefi^oiifl  iciirhestpeffl  foilibcf  dx{n<e6^a<m 
ilk  tlfd  a^tlc  selfdenittr  aind  retimneiit  In^m  W^<$rld  ^^miirim^ 
Kisseiib,  Hiia  clteril6f  dtBera;'n6t  coriftiect^d  witB^  elthe*;  to  ^^liiig 
e^htfelai^  df '  Hfem^  Hrlth^W  iv6t&  his  faItti^y  atid  taadikliidi  to"  tliS 
CftVfes  <?f  f^ci  WMfehij^  stretaiing  away  from  Ms  aktiwt<)Wtt;  hum 
.^a^e  lo  jtc^^bM'  b  politics  ahd  risligioh/llie  i)ea66fut''siiflj>li6iiy 
$tt^h^'a  hcraiit  life  ivits  ii^sistiblc,  apd  iii  its  calm  t^tit&ti^t  'ta&ix 
COtild^iivndrkjOfuit  thtif -salVatfonib^jr  |>rliyeri  fasf»;  washfiigsijibd  r^M 
zeal  lor  Me  I^aw*,  With  60  on.,  to.  make  tliem  afraid.  "  Theii^aify 
h^(ii^  fpuVid  repose'iii  a  solitlidie.  v/here  tliie  gieiit  Wo>rld,  tvltli  its  dicri 
c<jrd,  ttlHnb'il,  drid  confti^lon,  its  ciitclty,  yejIlshiidBS,  ftnd  t^eaieliei'yj 
Wj^b  i;6^t  diiti  ;Tiib  psalm-sihgiiijgf,  the  celrtm<!)Mes;  atid  the  qtiik  m 
dustry  of  tl»  colonies  Of  *  Esscftes,  ectit  'fctfan^e'  ^naptioiis-^f  gentl^- 
n(p8S;ftiid  at^  iiitd  Aien'fi  hearth,  iij  ad  hm  whc^n;  feVery where .  olaie; 
wickcdi^efes  rdfeied  trium^hdnt.  In  such  dark  days  tleS6  i^tfr  «lion^ 
witn  fi  holy  liptt.  llk^iti^  fled,  iii  hoJtor,  fi-om  ijrevalent  fibl«iC0 
aiid  Sin.-i^Dy  the  n^ttei  law  bf  reaction,  the  fugitives  sought  to-er- 
tihsui^h  iii  themselves  Ithe  simplest  inBtinct^  of  human  nature.  It  iva^ 
thtlsi' af^ei^'iitds,  iri'the  fawfUltimespf  the  dissohitlon  of  the  Eohiau 
empire.  "  The  ddserts  of  Xgypt  aiid  Syriai  wcrij'iillcd  tvith  a  Strange 
pbptdallon,  flc6ing  fromthd  wild  tumult  ahd  comthbtibn  tinder  which 
tlie  iearth  redfcd.  It  ivas^  thtis,  alsb,  in  t!ie  fierce  and  lawless  middle 
&^H^  ^hen  the  cloister  wa^  liUd  a  spe6k  of  hluO  tii  a.hc5aveh  of  stores. 
AiJcc^ciiiii;  iii  these  diUcrent  p(3riods,  as  In  that  of  the  Gostel  histc^ 
ry;  Was  the  only  protbst  which  told  Idth  sufficient  for<*  against  th6 
rampant  evil  around.  Elevp^n  centuries  after  Christ,  a  sixtlilar  sthtc  of 
sodfcty  viade  t^<e  aSpetic  life  this  ideal  of  the  ttoWi  st.  Bbtils,  even  v/hcrc 
they  did  not  withdraw  from  the  world.   '  £t.  Bernafd's  saintly  mother^ 


6t|rove  iifter  that  vision  of  "self -yacrific^  and  humility.  Which  alone  was 
attractiye  in  that  to.  Ascetidsih  i^  not  needed  now.  Its  place  has 
bcJen  more  nobly  filled  by  the  claims  of  Christian  Work  for  ottiers,  bet 
in  John  the  Baptist's  dtiy,  ahd  for  long  centhries  after,  it  was  &  js^- 
,uralti6ndeiigy.       '  [  v   ^ 

!rh|  Wildcmess  f6' which  John  WittidreW  streitalies,  far  .ind  near, 
otfijrte  ^h6l6  cnsterit  part  c/f  Jiidea,  beginnibg  almoiat  at  Jerusalem, 
and If^chrag  iBWriy,  imder  different.  names,-ta the  Dead  Sea  ^udthp 
iOUtlifirn  desert,  us  its  distant  litnits.-   It  Isndrese;^ waste  ot  lochy 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


Ullt- 


yalleys;  in  some  parts  stem  and  terrible — the  rocks  cleft  and  shattered' 
by  earthquakes  «nd  convulsions,  into  rifts  and  gorges  sotmetimes  a 
thousand  feet  in. depth,  '1fa(^f;^;Oiilt^' thirty  or  forty  in  width;  in 
others,  stretching  out  in  We  chalk  hills  fidl  of  cares,  or  in  white, 
flint-bound  ridges. '«teff^#ftediiag,liUddy>wMy^^  an  occasional 

iH^y^iry (h^wn  in  the  liard  iimestonje,  ^  supply  water  in  a ^iiAtnr 
qi(M%>tf,9f  ff|>rings.^  One  may  travel  all-day,  and^  see  no  ottiQtfiro 
than  th«  desert  pAFtri^ge,  and  a  chance  f ok  or  vultnre.  Only  thft  dli^ 
and  fleshy  pja^ts^  which  require  no  water,'  grow  on  the  iiUi8,:andiii 
the  yalley^  the  mi^  luxuriant  ve^etatioh  is  the  white  broom  bukhee^i 
whicii  Wossom  inMnFch  aud  Apnif  The  whole  district  is,  in  fact» 
the  slope  of  the  mldUMid  <^alk  and  limestood  hills,  from  their  highest 
point  of  nearty  8,0w  feet,  ueaf  H!ebron,  to  1,(000  or  1,600  feet,  at  the 
valley  of  the  p^a^  Sea.  The  Hebrews  fitly  call  it  JealMmonr-^"thd 
appalling  des(Hifition,"  orif*  horror"— for  it  is  hot  possible  tp  conceive 
a  mope  o^olate  region,  ^^arts  of  it  are  deserted  ^ven  by  the  Arabs^ 
On  the  northern  sidp,  yialleys  of  great  depth,  'sinking  towards' th^ 
l]lead  Sea,  alniost  preclude  traveltine  except  in  theic  troughs,,  am^  far- 
ther south*  the  co]imtTy  is  absolutely  impassable.  Hug^  peipen(&cr 
i)lar  gorges  of  from  (t  thousand  to  ^f teen  hundred  f eetln  depth,  and 
ilk  some  places  nearly  a  m|le  in  width,  hav»  been  bc^owed  out  by^ttio 
ffreat  torrept?,  rqshingin  winter  over  the  precipices,  towards  fhel>ead 
Sea.  The. only  natural  site  for  a  town,  in  the  whole  district,  1$  the 
openihg  at  the  foot  of  the  pass  of  ]Eaged».  the  sprihg  rOf  thi^  w^d 
goats,  aboye  the  shores  of  tjwj  ssa^a^d^thit}  is  reached  only  fey  a  hat 
rpw,  serpent-like  path<  down  cliffs  twelve  hundred  feet  higC—well 
rtamed  by-the  Hebre>Ys»  the  roc^ksofthe  wild  goats,— which  only  un- 
loaded beasts, f by  an  hour^s  slow  care,  ca;a  descend  in  safety.^  JBhu^ept- 
ing  in  the  spring,  nt  this.sp(j>t,  water  is  to  be  found  only  in  hollows  ojf 
the  robks,  or  in  the  ye^ry  rare  water-dster^s^  bevirn  m  pa^t  agcss  in 


Tockon  a  little  plateau,  503  feet  abpve  the  D^.  Sea,  and  1,200  feet 
betoly  the  top  ot  the  cliffs.  The  water  is  sweet  and  clear,  but  unpleas- 
amtly  wartn  to  the  taste.  The  stream  flows  in  a  long  cf|3cade  over  the 
fliieepface  of  the  cliff,  arid  isloiiit  in  channek  for  irrigation,  beneath,-r- 
low  bushes,  bending  rushes^  and  the  gigantic  leaves  of  the  osl^r,  the 
yellow  berries  of  the  apple  of  Sodom,  and  tlie  flat  cedar-like  tops  of  the 
thorny  Barda'ra.  rising  in  a  tliicket  along  its  course.  Bulbuls  and 
hopping  thrushes  court  this  sheltei^aud  black  grakles,  with  golden 
wings,  and  melodious  note,  flit  to  and  fro  on  the  cliffs  above.  On 
every  aide,  below  the  spring,  ruined  garden  walls,  and  terraces^  and 
a  larger'terraced  mound,  show  the  t^teoi  an  ancient  town,  whlcli  had, 
porhai^,  a  thousand  inhabitants.  The  j||enery  along  the  shore  is 
magni^c^t  in  its  wild  aud  desolate  |pc<iuia«ur.  Beneath^!  is  (he  l^ue 
"Urm^  of  the  Dead  Sea;  above,  rise  the  tall  brags  and  castellated  pr«o 


'■'  H 


9«r 


THE '.  lilKB  OP  <i)tltRIBTr 


neaKly.>tL>  tb»  fenlresfs  of  M«sa4a^ -tbe  admire  isolfite^  nuass^^ikf  .ivjiic^^^^r 
raoieitliaii' 1^600  lB0t  aboiw^tiie  <PQ(id/lSe»i  i^rQu»«a>i^i^t;pUte^Ut  c^i, 
offrifiiif^fTieiT  fiide  by  deep  ;goig^,  mA  Vertiqal  -walW  of  ^ock*  luiat^^a^ 
froiii?EngeaL  -  Oxii|h0e&9V1bevo^dtl)e(leepgf>r^        ti^Q  Af^n,  aM^. 
IcsbA:  streams  of  tiie  Blue  Ja:oi|iitiaii6i^  the  wlBl?  tp^^r^fOf  !^i^^^ 
look  doiviL  ftroir  a  great  cliff  .wbic^iSeeii^tQdefyAPprc^^t^       ;;]>;• 
^bettown  of  Ei^gedi  was  jthe,  |0]»f^  sainiit^liyiiig,  sp^t  iix  .tine /^I^p^ 
region^t  for  fbe  ^aaly  hiunan  babiUitionB  in  tbe  it^Ud^regiop  ali9rY«l  wfjijft^ 
tbe>it^<cayesi  in  wioch, berimt^;  aou^t :  a.nvlaeralile  shel^^.    ^fme^i 
wbore  in  tliegoige)e«4jng  doiwn  to  iUo  spidpgj  tb^J^seijefi  Itad.ljl^i^^ 
]ittlcL>colcoy.iii  John!fl(  day,  but  their  strjct  i^olatipp,  lefjt  the  Xm^^i 
anbhoriteinadeeperisolitade.   In^^e  Beigbbpuriagwil^erij^sB^ ^h^ie 
the  iVeBomoiWi  desert  viper  i^ided  among  9ie  stones,  9;ad  tlie  si^prpion, 
the  fox^  tlic}  vulture,  or  the  raven,  were  idmost  the  pply  «lgp%.oi  li^^;, 
where  drolight  reigned^  and  the  waterless  hills  and  ^pny,  TaU«y§  i^ere; 
symbols  of  utter  desolation, — in  some  cave,  perh|ip$,  in,\t]lie  jde^th  ic^ 
a  deep  and  lutrrawj g^rge,  that  at  least  g^yesj^elter  f;Qm.thq,pi:t|)e^ 
heat  and  glaieiof  an  eastern,  sun,  John  took  np  biSiabode^  tpibe^yipna 
with  £kKl-  and  bis  own  soul,  and,  thus,  tbe  better  able  to  fpltil  X^  ^e;! 
loBjgyow  which  separated  him  from  m^^    Brc4 jip  i^  sli^ic^  JQWit^^^ 
trawled^  Mke  St.  Paul,  in  the  perfect  knoivliedge  and  pbscrvaiici^.^f  ii^ie 
Law/ he  wa:«,  doubtless,  like  him,  a  zealot  towards  doQujia^jithiii^sh 
respecliBg  i«.    At  what  age  be  retired  from  Hebron  to^  t^ish^rpiijt 
life,'  we  have  no  means  of  knowing,  but  he  had,  ^^pparentjp^,  MF^dipri 
many  yean  apart  from  men  before  bis  public  appearance.  Tiie  ^pspels, 
fumudiuawSth  vivid  glimpses  of  bis  appearance  and  mpde  pf  life.  ^^Bia 
hair  hung  long  about  him,  like  Bamp^on's,  ibri^  Itatil  never  jbe^njcut. 
from  his  birth.  Hisi  only  food  was  the  kcusts  which  leaped  or^ewpn 
the  bare  hilfe^i  and  the  lipneypf  wild  bees  whiqh  hf  jtpuiid,  here  andv 
thece^  in  the  c^f ts  of  the  .tpck«,  and  bis  only  drink  (a  draught  pf  wi^tei^v 
from  some  rocky  hollow.  Locusts  are  still  the  food  ol  the  poor  jip  naai^y^ 
pants  of  the  Ea^L    ' '  All  the  Bedouins  of  Arabia^ ,  and  the  inbabit^ts 
of  towns  hiNedj  and  Hedjaz,  are  accustomed  to  eat  them,"sajj^, 
Burckhotdt.     "I  have  seen  at  Medina  and  Tavf,  lpcus>t  sbpps.^vvbere, 
they  are  s(dd.by  measure.    In  Egypt  andiNubia  tbeyare  ea^j^  onjy 
by  the  poorest  beggars.    The  Arabs,  in  preparing  them  lor  j^^fm,, 
throw  them  alive  into  boiling  water,  with  which  a  gppd  de^lpf  salt 
has  been  mixed,  taking  them  out  aifter  a  few  minutes,  aqd  oTyiQg 
them  in  the  sun.    The  bead,  feet,  and  wings,  are  then  torn  off,,  the 
bodieip  cteansed  from  the  salt,  a^d  peiiectly  dried.    TJbey  ar^^poie^ 
times  eaten  boiled  in  butter,  or  spread  on  unleavened  breadvipixea 
with  butter;:'f  :  1m  Palestine,  they  are  eaten  only-  by  the  Aral^s  on  the, 
extTfsme*  frontters;  Vlisewhere:  they  are  koked.on  with  disgust  mid 
loathings  and  only  the  y^rj;  pporest  us^  tbera,    Tllptr^m,  however, 
speaks  ofr  thorn  as  •'  very^  paiitaWe.**  .  VI. rfppn<i. them  very  icipdj'. 
says ii%f.^'«iienAi»iten. after  the  Ar^b  fashion,  stew^id  w^^.bUtt^y,/ 


Trti3^i^E  hF  cHtttstr 


f'« 


tei 


Th^j^  taitfed  W)ittetvlijit  like  shfimiffe,  btit  tflth  less  flavow.**  In  the 
wilfeiii^^bf  ^tlirteA.' various  kiuds  alioiind  at  aU  masons,' and  sprang 
up  Mtb>  dWiirimilig' sGimd,  at  x^vefy  step,  sudrtcnly  sptbadlog^^  their 
brljghVhitld  witigs!  of  sciirlet,  crimiiofl,  b1u«,  yellow,  white,  green,  or 
hr<^,  jiecdrdittg  tb  the  ^Sjiiedcs.  THey  were  "deiin/' tmdijrtheMo- 
saie  iLyiw,  ahd  h^lice  cpitld  be'  eaten  by  J(ihft  without'  offence:  '■  The 
wild  bees  in  l^^l^tirief  iii^e  far  more  nnmerod^  thaii  thpse  knpt  in  hives, 
and  tlie'gt'^te*  jiatt  of  theiirtney  sold  in  the  souther^r  districts  Isob- 
tafti^f^iW  Wild  swfehns.  FeW  cotihtries,  indeed,  art*  better  ftdapteil 
for^  hefeS;  T^  &^y  climate,  artd  the  stunted  but^viMfied-fiora,  con^St- 
in^flftif^lf  prfirdhiatldthyttics:  mints,  and  Joth#  slinilar  pla^s,  witii 
crocttps  %ti' tli^  sprliag,  ate  V6ry  favourable  to  them,  while  tlie  drjjt 
refiSSSeS  of  th^  fltileStdtte  rbcks  eVei^where  afford  them  shelter  and 
pT6t(B(fli(>rt  tor- theif  c'oinbsf.  In  the  wildenle^  of  Judea,  bees  are  tar 
mbtentrnifefbtis  than  ill  a(ti1r6therpftrt  of  Palestine,  and' it  is,  to  this 
ds^,  part  of  the  homely  di6t  of  the  Bedouins,  who  squeeze  it  froin  tb« 
cottiMdhdstioreitinwtWS.   ^'^;v5    -       :  r/rir^^r   ^; 

J6lin*8  dr^i^^'Wftb  Iti  keefpittg  with  the  aAstbrity  iof  Ms  life. ''  A  bur- 
noH^  'of  tdh^,  rodety  woven  cloth  of  coarse  camels*  hair,  sucli  aa 
thf  SiediiiU.iBfl'^iH  Wekt-,  bbiindf  ound  his  body  by  the  common  leath* 
ern'MMIe  still  iti'^iilsieainong  the  very  poor,  was  apparently  his 
oifly' clo«fiiilg.;    His  head-dress,  if  he  had  arijr,  was  the  traah^lar 
heiw-cj/oth,  kei)t  in  its  plstee  by  a  cord;  afc  is  ^tilltheciiBtom  among 
thfe'  'Al%;b8,  aindf '  hi^'  feet  were  ishod  with  hoarse  sahdtfls.    In  Pebron 
hcfl^d  jbadjirouhd  him  all  that  could  make  life  pleasant-r-^  iaintly 
h(5ime,^toMn'g  pfWents,  social  con^ideratibn,  modest  cbmfortaj  and  a^ 
e^outidok  for  the  future,    fiut  the  burden  of  life  had  weighed 
h4i^6ii  Wrti,  und  hisli^rt  was  sad,  and  di-ove  Mm  fbrth  from  men. 
T^^  ^eniies  df  hid  pi^pple  were  strong,  and  the  hafid  of  thfem  that  ir 
hat^  thefeldy  spire  uj^on  them^  '  The  cr^  of  the  faithful  it  the  land  i. 
rol^  t6  'Obd,  that  He  tirould   retncmbef  His  holy  covenitt   and  1 
delii^ef  thein.    'They   si^h^  to  tSB  f ree   from  the  presence  ofr 
the  Mtth^n,  that,  once  more  under  Ood  sd  their  only  king,  with 
thfeVico\lhtry  to  themselves,  they  might  serve  Him  without  fear,  m  •< 
the  hoittage  Pf  the  Temple,  Md  the  rites  of  the  Law.    Israel  had  l6ng  0 
sat  id  da^Knes^,  with  nP  break  of  light  from  heaven.    The  promises  i ' 
seettfed  to  tarry.    The  gbdly  sighed  to  have  their  feet,  guided  in,to  the/o 
wat^  of  beate,  biit  no  Mesvsiah  had  appeared  to  lead  thenii'     ^    i-  v  : 

"6ut  if  the  sorrows  of  the  nution  pressed  on  the  heart;  of  loMi,  ko. 
alsp;  did  theh- sins.  If  th^  "  shadow  of  death"  thtis  lay  ontliem,  it  (* 
\vns  through'  their  own  sins  and  degeneracy,  for  God  had  only  for- 
saken them  l)ecause  they  had  first  forsaken  Him.  The  courts  of 
His  Temple  had  been  turned  into  a  dcri  of  thieves;  the  sjiiritu^Lguldes 
of  the  multitude  were  deceitftil  and  deadly  as  the  viper  of  theaesert; 
blind  leaders  of  a  blind  .people.  They  who .  should  have  been  the 
hoiit^  itf  the  hPly^GPd*8  priests— were  a  scorn  and  derisioti  for  their 
utt^wthitieSs;    Before  John  feache^  Ms  majprity,  lie  M^  se«n  the 


;  n. 


1 


THE.  IJFB  OF  lOHRIBT. 

R&cre.(l  mitre  changed  nino.thnes,  Jit  the, .will  of  ArchelmiS*.  my&f 
a  heathen  goYfirnor  from  Home,  and  the  pui^t  high  priests  t4d  de^ 
eiCfatesl  i^  ^tvful  dignity  by  personal  vice,  or  time-serving  p61icyv  or 
tindi$t^enCfi  to  its.  highest  obligations,  .or  shameful  luxury,  and 
haug^l^ypride.  .Two of  the  famifv of  Bofithos/of  Alexandria,  i»ified 
hjfiMkiXod  to  dignify  his  marritbge  into  the  house^had  worn  Uiie  h^ 
ptiests'  rbbes,  but  the  people  muttered  curses  on  thjfflp,;for  haying 
surTDunded  tiicmselves  with  courtly  show  aad  militaiy  vl^lencjB^  < .  Is- 
itaelf.thQ  sonofPh^iltn^  had  worn. them»  but  the  clubs. of  his  ret^ilkcrs 
had  pe;iomet  A  by-vford  iii  Jerusalem^  as  had  his  own  shameful.p^- 
90nai  luxury.  ,  Three  ^  members  of  the  family  of  Hauhas  s  had  worn 
themrr^^ansajB  himself,  l^le^^sar,  his  son,  and,  now,  Caiiq)has,  his  son- 
in-la,w,^— andHannaswjasstil)  the  foremost  jnan  in  Jemsidem,  butt^hey 
hatiea  the  t)e6p]e,  and  the  people  hated  them,  and  maintained  tbat  they 
hifciedat  them  like  vipers,  in  their  proud  malignity,  or  glided  to  th<^r 
evil  end^,likc  the  snake.  Their  families  were  branded  as  Sons  of 
liai.  Iniquity  filled  the  high  places  of  the  Hill  of  God.  Nprrwere 
the.-  people  themselves  innocent,  for  He  who  was  meiBk  and  lowly;  in 
spirit  denoimced  them,  a  year  or  two  later,  as  an  evil , and  adulterfi^us 
generation,  more  hardened  and  hopeless  than  Nineveh,  or  Sodom  and 
Qomotrah,  which  God  had  cursed.  Earnest  souls,  in  such  circvm' 
stances,  with  the.earthdauk  around  thiam,  aud.no  light  in. the 
hedvens;  feeling  that  hope  could  only  come  with  national  contrition, 
and.  aye&ened  spiritual  life,  might  well,  in  loving,  sad  despair, 
withdraw  themselves  from  mankind. 

r  But  with  John  thei'e  was  also  a  conviction  that  the  Messiah,;  long 
expected,  must  be  neat' at  hand,  land  that  the  &t  preparatiou  for 
His  adveht  was  a  self-denial  and  humiliation,,  w^hich  surrendered 
the  whole  present,  and  gave  itself  up  to  prayer  and  watchipjj, ;  in 
desert  soUtudes.  It  was  the  idea  of  his  age,  and  ^ohn  cpuld  be 
i^tisfied  with  Aothing  less.  A  great  sorrow  and  a  great  ideal  alike 
drove  him  to  /'keep his  body  under,"  as  if  the  least  pleasure, we^Q«in, 
aiid  the  flesh  the  eriomy  of  the  soul.  ,  ^^ 

.Tpjiepljus  gives  uis  a  6ketch  of  one  of  the  recluses  of  thP  desei!t, 
vrith  whom  he  himself  lived  for  three  years.,  "His  name  was 
Eanus,  his  home  the  desert,  his  only  clothing  the  leaves  or  bftrk  of 
trees,  h^s  only  food  what  grew  of  its  own  accord,  his  only  d^iuk 
the  brooK.  ftnd  l^is  daily  and  ni^fcly  practice,  to  bathe  in  cold  water." 
ITot  a  few  such,  no  doubt,  buried  tnemselves  in  the  dens  and  caves 
of  the  lonely  hills  round  John,  wefiry  of  the  world,  as  Pliny  says, 
Und  seeMng,  by  a  life  of  penitence,  as  he  calls  it,  to  QjL^*mee,^)v^y 
the  defilements  of  the  flesh.  t/-    tl  ii  J 

With  tnanv,  the  great  motive  might  be  to  save  themselves  in  tho 
shipwreck  oi  all  besides,  but  no  such  unworthy  impul^  actuated 
John.    He  sought  the  wilderness,  at  once  to  secure  perfect  leyitjctil 

{)ui:ity,  for  he  was  a  strict  Jew— to  ponder  over  the  mysteries  of  tho 
•ng-delayttd  kingdom  of  God,  am^  to  aid  in  bringing  abpi^i  .)i^s  ac- 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


968 


'  40TnpUihnMn)i  THs  life,  to  earqeatly:  striving  fat  meetnew  for;the 
neirilfoiiBUunlc  kiagdoiipi,  w^s  no  Tacant  And  Mb  goUtuc^e.  He  ha4 
notiiing  of  the  fiastern  laystic,  mhoae  c?U  witnesses  only  dseamy  ibid 
gelns^i.  inecUtatlon.  The  stru^glea  of  soul^,  in  kll  natures  like  his,  were 
unLBpioakablyreal,  and  weyoinnot  d^uht  that  I4s  days  and  nigtits  saw 
Vim,  pleadiuff ,  ^yi  iong^  earnest  pxay^,  with  many  tears  ana>  sor^^faet- 
ingt  ti>at  Qod,  inip[is  mercy^  would»  at  |a<^,  send  the  Messiah  to  His 
^qple.  We  ktum  how  even  Christ,  **  in  the  days  of  His  flesh,  ottered 
U]^<prayera  and  stmplications^  wit^L  strong  crying  and  tears;"  how  He 
«ighAd  deeply  in  Ilf8;Bpirit,  and  spenl;  whole  Ai^ts.in  the  hilK  qr  in 
the  dosert,  in  lonely  iu;ayer,  and  His  herald  mus^  hay^  felt,  in  his 
measunev  the  same  all-ahsorbing  zeal.,  The  prophets  and  Rabbis,  alik^, 
taught  that  the  ".Kingdom  of  Heaven"  conid  only  come  when  Israel 
had  prepared  I  itself  rby  humiliation  and  repentance,  and  «Tohii  sought 
to  rouse  men  at  large  to  feel  thjs,  by  the,  prqtest  ag;ainst  their  smis, 
embodied  In  his  Example.  To  rebuke  love,  of  riches  would  Have 
been. idle,  had  ho  lived  ia  comfoiib;,tppondemn  the  hollo wness  and 
unreality' of  life,  lio  must  be  olear  of  all  suspicion  of  them  himsdf. 
Men  involuntarily  do  homageto  ^elf-deayii^gsineerity,  and  there  could 
be  no  quefltion  as  to  that  of  John.  It  was  felt  that  he  was  real 
ReMgion  had  become  a  thing  of  fwms.  Men  had  settled  into  a 
round  of  externals,  as  if  all  rdigion  centred  in  these.  Decencies 
and  proprieties  formed  the  substance  of  human  life.  ,  But  John 
showed  Uiat  t^cre  was,  at  least,  one  man  with  whom  religion  was 
an  everlasting  reality. 

A  soul  lost  in  the  greatness  of  eternal  truthsj  like  that  of  John, 
may  well  have  risen  to  an  indiffer^ice  to  the  comforts,  or  even  or- 
dlwury  wants  of  the  body,  otherwise  almost  impossible.  We  ha^iw  no 
record  of  his  cU^ly  life,  but  that  of  one  who,  in  saint^h  3ss  of  spint, 
trod  in  his  steps,  It  still  preserved.  Saint  Antony,  in  ihe  deserts  of 
Egypt,  was  wont  to  pass  whole  nights  in  prayer,  and  that  not  once, 
but  often,  to  th^e  astonishment  of  men.  ,  He  ate  once  a  day,  after  the 
setting  of  the  sun;  his  food  was  bread  with  salt,  his  drink  nothing 
but  water.  Flesh  and  wine  he  never  tasted.  Wlien  he  slept,  he  was 
content  with  a  msh  mat^  but  hnostly  he  lay  on  the  bare  ground.  He 
\vould  not  anoint  himself  with  oil,  saying  that  it  was  more  fit  for 
young  men  to  be  earnest  in  subduing  the  body^  than  to  seek  things 
Which  softened  it  Forgetting  the  past,  he,  daily,*  as  if  beginning 
Dfreeh,  took  n*ji«3  pains  to  improve,  saying  over  to  himself,  continu- 
ally, the  Apostle's  word? — "Forgetting  what  is  behind;  stretching 
forth  to  what  is  before;"  and  mindful,  too,  of  Elijah's  saying,  "The 
Lord  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand" — he  said,  in  himselt,  that  the 
ascetic  o\i|^t,  ever  to  be  learning  his  own  life  from  that  of  the  great 
Ellas,  as  from  a  mirror.  The  picture  may  not  suit  in  some  particu- 
lars, but  as  a  glimpse  of  the  mortified  life  of  the  desert,  in  its  best 
aspect,  it  may  serve  to  realize  that  of  Jv>hn,  in  the  loneliness  (^  tha 
r^ugh  wUdM&esi  qX.  Judeii. 


w 


^m' 


TlitE  ^W^W"  ^MRlSf . 


tn  its  ii.iggcd  solitudes,  Wa  s6ul'  jgfaduftlly  tiose  tW  thc-iTOtiscibnsiies^ 
ot  a  great  Aiisdion.  He  Tbelievfed'  Wit  Hie  Wftith  o*  0od  trks  iieMr'^t 
hand,  to  take  vfengep.a<J6  on  th6  uittHgliteoiisiieisd  of  then,  Tiiit  he  kiie1><^ 
that  th*f  God  of  iUbAharit;  eVten  iii  tvraA,  i^enicmbers  m^!t<k;ieoi<9^iMi, 
w*ftft  th^  lit^feiiientfl,  there  iroiiW  fcome  the  lonrir-profhi^a  dfeHterer. 
Hfclmtetofis  bature,  ted  Jtlfieiirt'tttAt  nevei-  f(§ft*d  thefiliceOf'mfe, 
raised  him  to  the  leVM  of ■  the  old  ^hiphets,  sM' ith^ied  hfm;  likb 
thteni;'td  addlfete  his  geheifatlon.    Jnstfoct  ii^ith  thedf*ep<j&t  rellja^ 


y^rs,  to  know 'the'ttle^lie  was,  aboVe  alf  ni^Bti;  fitted  th  rh^Wthte 
sle^ihg  csohiaciencd  of  Isi^el,  fend  tO'  lay  bare(  the  self -dec^mlons 
and  isinsof  eveh  th6  tfeligiohists  of  the  cfaj/'.  Thbtigh-'a  hfereditlify 
priest,  he  had  i^toiod  ildof  nom  the  Tempi<^  serVibe^  for  iti^  meOhatiieal 
rites  gave  hiih  no  iniier  peace.  '  "  "       ^v  j;      i  >    i  u 

Fiioitt  the  Teniple  artstbcracy  he  shraiik  with  a  elp^t^ial  ^VersJoti, 
for  the  guilt  6f  the  nation  Culminate  ih  theitt.  Uiider  the  toiihttfe 
of  legal  purity,  ahd  behind  the  cheap  popular  sanctity  of  the  PhWiH- 
sees,liiB  qtdck  eye  saw,  at  a  ^Mce,  hat^iil  ambition,  ^eed,  f^tt 
hyikxirisy.  The  natidii  itself  i^rtred  hisdoul;  As  he  i§aW  it,  ind  tMe 
so  eiame^,  cohtcnting  itself  With  Pharisaic'  righteotistiess^  and  trust- 
ing, with  insane  self-eoihplacehcy,  to  its  bein^  the  beople  of  Odd;  Ih 
his  10nelfh^ss;'his  soul  had  it^nimuned  xhudi  with  the  prdphetsM  the 
Old  Covenant,  and  found  in  their  holy  zeal  for  Israel  and  6k>dr  in 
their  demand'fdr  a  higheip  ri|ht^otisties6  bf  the  h^tt'  and  life,'ite8tead 
of  sacrifices  of  beasts;  in  then*  16fty  anhdutieemetit  6f  a'divinefiilute 
for  iiis  nation,  if  it  prepared  itself  foir  it,  the  jirophetic  longing' and 
prophecy  of  hife  own  spirit.  That  he  hevet  names  Moses,  ^h6W$  that . 
he  must  have  passed  b^ond  the  Law,  to  theprophtets.  Isaitihj  e^- 
peteitllty;  hatd  e*cited  in  hfm  a  f iEilth  so  deep  and  intelli^t  that'  J^kils 
rebuked  hife  fears,  when  Oerplexed  ahd  dbubting,  byfi^otati6n  from 
tliat  p*ophef  fe  Meissianic  predieti6ns.  The  f etf  f ra^tmeiits  left  of  his 
preadiing  iEibound  ih  figures  borrowed  from  this,  hieif avourite  fieok-^ 
the  viper  brood,  the  trees  of  God's  vineyard,  the  fellinff  that  Hvhich 
wasbaiteti,  the  cohstmiing  fire,  the  threshing  floor  alid%e  winnow- 
ing shovel,  and  the  giving  bread  and  clothing  to  thte  poor.  /-      ''   ;  •  - 

John's  life  in  the  wilaerncss  iseeras  to  have  been  nOi^dtt  retire- 
ment. His  whole  later  bearing,  his  rtiode  of  life,  his  sad  passioh^te 
earnestness,  and  even  his  lofty  res6l*ve  to  come  forth  as  a  torbphtet; 
imply  a  long  ab6de  in  the  solemn  freedom  of  the  desert,  far  rroBti  the 
distntcting  and  enfeebling  tumult  of  life.  But,  though  in  the  same 
wilderness,  he  was  no  Essene.  His  relation  to  the  feopl^  ttt  large; 
hid  eohception  Of  a  kingdom  of  God  fn  their  midst,  his  latef  preaching 
to  them;  his  sympathy  even  for  publicans  and  sinneis,ft^om  whom 
the  £s^6hes  akid  Phansees  shrank  hs  pollution ;  even  his  food,  which, 
though  simple,  was  still;  in  part,  of  fl^h,  sh<^w  t^tU  lii^::wiA'ii|^^TW(^ 


THB;  fcl^ETOF  .€>]^RIW.s^ 


m< 


lik^.p^)|n.|\9  ^eniea hi^piie)! :^  ijQ<}uig«iqe,  aa^r  showed,!^  proffih^tr, 


seHjinn^l^  .w^re  cldpe  «t  toojlTitfid  Vera  open  to  l^m,  ]|Q.cho«e  io^, 

aiir j^i^pulio,  ^)e£c^:e  inrhifih  tli©  SMium  tEemble4  and  ^iv^p,  :wfhUe  E8f|e«-t.i 
isiii  wiUiiio  vMpowj^^beyppditedi.Tel^^  .. 

^;^|)«t  fui|^dui)eutfU  pripciplQ  }n  Johii  s^cl\i|iipn  W4|8,  in  fact,  exa^Iy^ 
tl^  r^yfiraiif  qi  tUat^f  the  pqlwp8  w  )»i«  ,W.    T**^y  dwelt  apart  frjoni 
nwn,  tp,94)9lpL,t^eirpi^n,^p^rituai  goQ^Vtl^Ji^IHQuetandcfqipal  8^\^^.j 
n^fjij^  ,  Johii,  MWUflit  ,M;iie  wM4w»?8s  %  anif^pulse  lyhicU  sfeemed  Jilw;« 
th^  voice  pf  009,  to  seejc,  in  its.  lp^eu^e^,  a  loftier  Qpirituall^iiB  M>l>n./ 
sq^medpoBCjil^e  amidst  U^e  r^limous  decay  of  the  time.,,  Asa^  J^w,  M^ 
had  noit  risen  ^\^vb  the  exte^natand  material,  W  reljg^oj^   Ap  earnest,!  .^ 
str^^jg, all-iwilvacing  Ijewin p^ jselfi^eniivl, which  prpvqd  itadepthrj 
by  its  selMnflictions;  a  rejection  of  all  temi^ationpj^,jociety  .andh 
cultil^e,  withi^i^  threatening  posaihilities  of  ae^leme^t^  a^tren^uous 
waragajinstt  nature,  in  eyery  appet||£,  to  the  extent, pf  eudui'ing  thejk 
privations  pt^hunigeii;,  hQmelQ^sne^„and  e^^p^ijBuce,  we^re,  at  ,once,ith(|>> 
diociplhie  by  which  he  ^trug^led  against  wd  '/ uncleanpeia?!' he  stillv,.: 
lamented,  and  the  aids  by  which  he  hoped  to  attain  neiaf  ness  to  Godyii 
Yet  he  was  far  from  caring  only  for  himsell    His  future  career,  andv, 
his  very  clothing,  which  was  that  of  an  ancient  prophet,  showed  tJialr;{ 
he,.carned  the  buvdcu  of  his  people  on  his  soul,  and ^ad  fled,  from ii 
the  crowd  to  entreat  Gk>d  fca*  them,  by  prayer  and  penitence,  and,  iof > 
accordance  ^iththe  ideas  cf  his  time,  to  prepare,  on  be^^^f  .a|l,^b^r|| 
hcjy  fw's,  ,for  graciou/3  revelations  from  heaven,  v  ^, : .  :,i^i..,  ;^j,-j 

fti^B  revelation,  he,  in  fact,  received.  He  already  saw  that  ishf^Vt 
tin^ef f were  ripe  for  the  J^d^nents  of  God.  The  slavery  to  heatheair 
R(^e  ha4  lollpwed  the  agony  of  the  days  of  Herod,  and  )iad  dis^d 
pelied  every  hppq*  ^pr  j^^ar^y  a  generation  he  l^ad  seen  nq^hiiig  but«{ 
misery  in  the  land.  In  his  l?oyJipod,  tl^e  census  of  Quirinios  had^f 
drei;iohed  the  countfy  in  blppd,  andha^  been  loilowqa  by^suchop^iv 
pressioii  as  had,  already,  in  his  e^rly  manhood,  exto^^d  t^e  re^pjurcedrq 
of  th^  nation,  and  caused  a  despairinc^appealito  Rome  for  reUef,r.j 
Rapacious  and  unjust  governors,  true  Roman  knights,  seeking  only w 
their  own  fortune,  and  rioting  in  the  abuseof  their  power,  had  addednj 
burdens  o^  their  own  account;  the  officials  and  soldiers  had  only  toQ 
taithhilly  copied  their  lawless  violence;  heathen  garrisons  occupiediry 
the  Holy  City  and  the  Temple;  the  high-priesthood  had  become  sur-^ 
mere  sport  of  those  in  power,  and  all  the  sanctities  of  the  national  lif^',i 
had  hjbeuipQ<^l^^d  and  outraged  in  turn.  Siqce  the  year  26,  Ppntiusvi' 
Pilate  ,had  becyn  governor,  a  mMi  to.  be  compared  only  to  Gessiusrv? 
Florus,  th^  .last  Iwman  procurator,  whose . enormities  at  last  rp\ise4i. ( 
th§  w&l^  of  despair  in  which  fjj^usaiem  pcriah^dt,  Pilate  wUfiilly  set 
himself  to  insult  and  violate  the  sacred  customs.  It  was  beneath  him.. 
t()  study  the  people. he  rujed.    ]S[pt  merely  harsh, imd  hotrhead^^ii:; 


Ui- 


TM  BIPE  'OF  OimiBT- 


cM^fVhif  itifttUM  hiiti^tnT  «ven  tatrai^s  AtttiiNia  and  -tintf  wnmiitd 

Beiifod-^he  ^IU(  tntileVdlent,  and  ever  on  the^wotcli'to^gmtifTi  l^va«r 

Dib^  jAdd  ^^KkoinOtts  tikitto,  the  hatred  rankHng^ia- his  t)ftiaMjagftiJDtot 

a  race  he  did  ti5t  titldenttfiid,  and  who  defied  hinr.    The  Mto^le>i0f 

J^i<ulftIem'iaffered'athii^^»ndB'aieriB8  of  proTocatii(m»  witifMiil  ettdr 

0^  ttiftllclcftii  injuries,  brawls,  and  m&ssabred.    Bo'envieiiQBiedfWae  he,^ 

ind<«d,  that  eten^heti  he  saw  hismistAke  and  treihbted  feeferi  rXi- 

b61rias,  he  wtmld  hot  yicM,  hecauaerhe  could  teot  eonseni  to  do:  his 

subjects  a  JpleadttTe.  ^  ^  Pbitoj  liis  conteiUOorar^.  char^  him  with  mi^ 

<*ptlh^  bwoes,  Vrith  nets  of  wanton  vwlcnce,  with  robfoerltift)  yfiith 

^w^^ti\  tr^otihlent  of  many,  wanton  iifsulti  aad  threats;  <  oontinitai 

eixiebtitibn^ 'fcont^ty ' to  law,  and'  aimless  and  ^evous  cruelties.  *  * '  He 

w:ft$  a  6)ali<}}ou8  and  furious  man;**  says  PliiiO',  "iinwiUitg-to^O  sA)-^ 

tbi^gthat  he  thought  would  please  his  subjects.'*'    The  nation  looked 

back  eveA  6U  Herod's  days  with  regret,' so  much  worse  had  become 

itS' state,  Uow  that  it  was  trodden  under  foot  by  the  Bomansiiind^aw 

.ijo  hope  of  relief.    John  haduoted  aR  this. '  iifnnff  eioset^  Jerusa* 

ieih',  hehad  beeutimldiit  it  all;  nDlikeiJesui;  who  had  liTe4  far ^ff^lv 

Gftlilee.    He  httd  Bba^dered  at  the  spectacle  of  infidel  high/ pM^tferr 

ui^  Saddaccees,  culminufting  bow  in  CaiaphaPr  wbpnin-tbo,  jpfoply 

liatedf  bn«  Filai(i9  liked,'  or^  at  leaet,  endured..  MthaaJ^v^ft^Aq 

deapise  the  balk  of  the  RiihbU^^  who  tamely  bowed,  to  thD  sli,4Mi^f^l 

yc^ei  they  ha«d  invoked)  and  aubmittedjla  it  froin  IptereBt. .,  N<ii;  irero 

the  people  better  than  their. leaders.    Tli^y^ived  \^  theiday  dreaimapr a 

merely  outwai4pi<^ty,  with  prpud  9fld  mefc^,n«^  ^9(Si^^  ^t-H*^'^^ 

ear,thly  r(9waTd  for, it  from  the  McBBialii  \'  .'  '  [ 

Amidst  such  mingled  ^rime,  wlctedncas  and  cbrru|itlbn,' 'lhef''ilbw'i 

of  John  was  filled  with  humiliation  and  gi^fef.     The  fioly  LaW;' gtven 

at  Sinai,  had  sunk  tp  |iBuper8t1tiou8  cre^d,  and  wivs  only"tol«*rat*d  by 

Rpme:  the  (Sceptre  of  the  nation  waS  broken  Ih  pieces,  though' it  had 

beeh  pifotoiscd  that  it  would  be  cVfcrlastiug :  the  holy  hill  badf^beeomc 

the  cftadi^I  of  an  undrcumclaedsblfliery,  and  the  atreete, ,  iwhlvhrhad 

cc'hPed  to  the  minstrelsy  of  David  and  his  sacred  cholr»  were- ii}vjide<l 

by  the  ensiens  and  music  of  a  Gent^ile  nation.     It  seemed  i^rUr,^<k\ 

mUst  presently  appear.     He  had  never  before  remained  for  cei^tnri^s 

without  baring  Ilia  Mighty  Arm:  He  had  never  before   endured,,  i)iti$, 

the  derision  of  tiie  heathen,  or  the  aia  of  Hit  people:    ITe  had  QCiVfr 

before  left  them  to  perish  as  now.     For,  His  own  Uf^me   f$l^e  He 

would  assuredly  appear.       The  prophecies  of  Panlel  ha4  .predicted 

only  a  short  triumph  to  the  iron  Idngdpm^  Borne,  and  it  baid'nb;*' 

IjASted  for  a  generatipOr     $ut  even  in  these  last  dajs^  had'ttoi'tl* 

curse  on  the  house^  of   the  tdumean,   the  destruction  of  Ajjtlpatcr, 

Phasael,  Rcro^,  Afchelaus,  and  many  others  of  the  hated  race,  8ho"»v'a 

thai  the  wrath  of  God  was  kindled,  and  that  His  avenginj^  j^ufdgments 

#^re  on  the  way  ?  The  judgments  of  God,   foretold  by  tb^  pr<l>phets, 

must  speedily  fall,  alike  on  apostate  Israel,  atid  on  her  enf^mrcs. 

'^'^hat  Jdhn  had  ioritnoded  in  Hebron  or  Jerusalem  boctune.  a  c<^ 

■  i^i^  hufA  mi^  {v^-jvc^  -^Jm  feiui  ^- -hat-  :^-u;3  t>tir.'icfi\.v>ro'i  -■■'- 


Odntyte  bii 

aUiOIMOOE 

luftfolk/iillgl 
The  srslemi 
dlftlyaii#iij 

h^dbip^todt] 

Miikei'  of  ] 

appeared  ^ 

Att«  did  St 

IMtett  with 

fttd  heating; 

J(ilin's;ow*n 

Hii^praiyeis 

devoted  to  C 

hehiid'fottui 

he^liad  felti^ 

t6  rfesolve,  tc 

brtti^^Owtiii 

ajidthelitW 

Pttttifeft'fbes 

IS^iw&ufd 

revealed  evei 

in  tlie  spirit 

the  Lord.    * 
forth  and  pn 
in  judgment 
the  Divines 
tui'ned  inwa 
longexposui 
inVineibHity 
pliftiiees,  but 
at  length,  fel 
intb'which  a 
h^ftld  predh 
Meabifth  of 
mouptains  i 
rough  i^lades 
^the  hiimble 
and  ways  of 
repentance,  i 
The  kingd 
grander  thai 
of  Sariphem 
Messiah  by 
In  his  boyh( 
to  force,  foi 


TM^lftlFE  OP  CHllltm 


rm' 


.J" 


ttdntyto  hiln  tn  <ffae wildemessi  llie'  lonely  yastneM  nii«ad  faim'Sbovw 
niixlDXM  coiitraatft  of  the^wenkaess  ol^  iMnel  and  th^nigiitol  Bonn^ 
"(vMuik/tillghVlisye  pairaIjr2od  refloliieioo;  wid  bidden 'iK^po  daapair. 
The '4stomii 'itilliicfis  of  lOie  bllW,  And  tbe  boiutdleM  Aweep  of'  tbe^ 
dUif  an^iiiglitfy'heaTenSy  effaced  the  tUoufht  of  maft,'aiRd'fltied  his 
90m?with'  the  oMjesty  t>f  Oodi  What  mta- tnao,  whOfMi  day9  weie  Wy 
hiibdbKtodth,  and^ii^ofle  fouiidaEtioir  waaiirthe'dust,  4)ef0re^'Midbitf  • 
Miikst  of  Hesven  and  Eaidi^the  rock  of  Itraelt  ;  He  ha^wte^' 
i^i|)€ai«d  t6'  dellrer  His  .people  when  their  ease  aeemed  hopeless*  • 
And  did'  nbt  the'  jndgmeilts  of  God,  in  the  ijNroidiets,  Always  ^ome 
Iriim  with  hidden  g^f  Were  not  cursing  and-  blessing,  «aBitin|. 
Sokd  hea)ing,^death  and  resurrection,  alway9  joined  in  ^is  vuitationa? 
Jdiin'siown  history  in  the  l^ilderncss  gATe  him  hope  lOr  bis  race. 
Biafpraiyers;  his  penitence,  his  renunciation  of  the  .world/ hie  life 
devoted  to  Godv  had  remored  the  burden  and'agony  of  his  aoul,  an4 
he  hiid'fotmd  peace,  and  rest,  aild  graee;-8nd  heavenly  light.  •  What 
lii&  had  felt  was  possible  for  all  Israel.  If  thejf  oould  only  be  brought 
td  resolve,  to  turn,  to  repent,  to  live  a  new'Ufe,  th^  repentance  Irould' 
btit^ <down> lowers  of  blessiiigs,  as  it  had  always  done  Is  the  past,: 
aM  me  li^hthlhg^  ahd  thunders  of  judgment  would  break  in  wrath 
bhi!hl^iffbes,but'in  heavenly  h^lp  to  theraselvesr '  The  repentance  of 
li^M  w6urd  brin^  the  M^sdisQi.  He  knew  He  was  near.  '  It  had  been' 
reviewed  even  before  his  birth  that  he  hhnself  wds  to  go  before  Him, . 
in  the  ^irit'and  ppwer  qf  Ellas,  to  make  ready  a  people  prepared  foi^ 
the  ijord.  The  can  of  God  rang  in  his  soul  Mke  a  trutiMit,  to  go' 
forth  and  preach  to  the  people  tlie  coming  of  the  expected  DeUverer, 
in  jud^ent  to  the  impenitent,  and  grace  to  the  contrite.  lied  by 
the  Divine  Spirit,  throi^h  long  yeiu^oi  spiritu^U  struggle-— his.. soul 
tui'nbd  inward  on  its^  fmd  upward  to  God— his  body  subdued  by) 
lon^  exposure  and  privation,  and  his  whole  being  raised  to  a  lofty< 
inVincimlity  of  purpose,  untamed  by  customs,  unweakened  by  coa^-* 
pUah^es,  'but  filled  witli  meditation  and  high  religious  life-^he  had,i 
at  length,  felt  equal  to  taking  the  sublimest  and  most  tenible  position 
intii 'Which  a  frail  man  could  be  raised  by  the  Almighty— that  of  tiie 
h^^ild  predicted  by  his  favourite  Isaiah,  to  pioneer  the  way  for  the 
|ii[6$fsitth  of  God.  He  was  to  fill  up  the  valleys,  and  make  low  the 
mountains  and  hilfe,  to  make  the  crooked  places  straiffht,  and  the 
rough  pflabes  even;  that  is,  to  rebuke  the  lofty  and  proud,  to  raise  up 
,;tlie  humble  and  oppressed;  to  spare  none  of  the  crooked  policies 
aad  ways  of  men,  and  to  smooth  dbwn  their  roughness  by  a  hearty 
repentance,  so  as  to  fit  them  for  the  peaceful  entrance  of  tlie  Christ.. ; 
The  kingdom  of  God,  as  thus  realized  by  Jolin,  was  far  higher  and 
grander  than ^previous  conceptions.  In  hn>. infancy,  Judas,  the  sou 
of  Batipheus,  and  Mattathias,  had  sought  to  bring  in  the  re^  of  the 
Messiah  by  a  political  riang,  wlrich  liad  been  quenched  in  btood. 
In  his  boyhood,  Judas,  the  Gfalilaean,  had,  in  the  same  way,  appealed 
to  force,  for  the  same  end,  but  had  only  covered  the  land  with 


tip 


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THiitXlFE  OF  CWUISm; 


mottfiiiiigJi  TMthof)«vtgp,  with  whom  a  r*4igi(>M»  war^wifl^  Rpme  h 
beooipe  a  fanstioal  oreed,  waa  ^aijly  inormsibgc  BveQ  in  fiamafigt 
Mraa  pMohiioied  that  the  liinedom  of  Gkxji  ^ai  about  tq  cvmotr 
that  it  wqul<)^  ^e  AHi  outw«rc|i  politicaA  f omn.  1^ ,  vn^aexy  XhM 
roused  Judeahad  also  pressed  heavily  on  the  SamaritaDS,  una  tl^ift 
national  jealousy  pf  th«  .Jew%  anticipated  a  ,  share  in  the  expaptea 
MessianiQ  fflory^.  In  their  opimpn,  they,  ^nd.not  the  Jeiys,  bdd (JRe 
real  Holy-Lanft  promised  tp  Abraiuun-r^the  ]^d'^iere  t|i<  patriarc^^ 
had  £ed  their  floclcs:  they i bad  the  true,Te<Bple  Houot,  and  the  tvu^ 
Law,  free  fronut  ^e  eomiptions  o/  the  prophets;  upon  their, ^lolY; 
mountiun  Moses  had  buiied  the  true  vessels  pi  me  Tal^n^aclei  w^on 
theJewadaimed  to  have  possessed  luider  the  Temple  pf  Bolpmom, 
and  which,  they  asBorted,  ha4  been  miraculously  hidden,  after  the 
Temple  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Chaldeans.  The  possefwion  of  these 
vessels  was  i|ll J^poFtant»  for,  with  the  fondnesafor  outward  embodi- 
ments of  belj^  common  to  th^  East,  it,  was  held  that  the  pl^ce  wliere 
they  were  mdden  would;  be  the  scene  of  i  the  proclamation  ol^lie 
Messiah.  A  cherished  promise^  tliey  avowed,  announced  that  wh^n 
the"  kingdom  of  the  M(  asiah  was  set  up,  the  Ark,  end  these  Bacr«d 
vesa^  would  be  again  brought  forth.  Jeremiahi  sonm  the  Jewi/ih 
tradition,,  beiBg>  warned  of  God,  commanded  thoTabemaole  and  the 
Ark  to  go  with  him  to  Mount  Kebo^  and  there  he  hl4  tbem  andtlie 
altar  of  incense  in  a  hollow  cave,  and  stopped  the  door,  which  none 
who  went  with  hini  could  afterwards  fina.  Jeremiah  thereon  told 
them  that ;  it  would  be  "unknown  till  the  time  when  Ood  gathers 
Hispeople  again  together,  and  receives  them  to  mercy.,  TbensTisll 
the  Lord  show  them  these  things  spin,  and  the  glory  of  L."^  Lord 
sbaU  appear,!  and  the  cloud  also,  as  it  was  shown  unto  Md^"  A 
fuller  version  of  this  tradition  introduced  an  angel  astthecmef  ^ctor, 
instead  of  Jeremiah.  Shortly  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  it 
went  on,  this  heavenly  being  descended  tOr  Jerusalem.  alig)i^Ung  on  i 
the  Temple^  to  save  it.  a  Having  prepared  the  Tabernacle,  tno  Enlip<l 
ofvtfae>High  Friest.  the  Ark,  the  Two  Tables, of  gtone  from  Sinai, 
the;  Golden  Robes  of  the  High  Priest,  the  Altar  of  Incense,  the  Xlrim 
and  Thummim,  and  t^holv  vessels,  for  removal,  he  parried  ^hem  to 
a  secret  place,  and  cried  with  a  loud  .voice,  "O  earth,  earth,  efttthj 
hear  the  word  of  the  mighty  Lord,  and  receive  what  J  conumit  to 
thee,  and  Ireet)  it  *0  the  end  of  the  times,  to  restore  it  agfjinwhjen 
thoti  art  ccmimanded,  that  the r stranger, get  not  possession  of,, these 
things.  For  the  time  will  come  when .  Jerusalem  shall  arise  agwiu,  to 
endure  for  ever!"  Then  the  earth  opened  her  mouth,  and  swallowed 
ui).Alh  1  A. third  version,  uaed  %uratively  in  the  Apocftlypse,  sup- 
poses  the  Jboly  vessete:  to  have  been  taken  to  heaven  end  hit^jden  theve, 
Hfi>who  tnreroQmes  is  to  eat  of  tlie  ma,nna  which  is  hidden  iin ;  H«aven>  , 
anidvwhcni'lthe  Temple  of  God  was  ope»ed i^b^YP,  lihWfiiK«s.w^^ft  Iftr 
Itrthe  Ark  of:the.Coveuant/"*.,a;.  .a.?;...  ./W/uu,  .K;i  •  ■(>.  .^mi'io^  tn:,>. .  ^ 
The  Samaritans,  treasuring  these  fancies  no  less  warmly  tlian  the 


TUB  lilFE  OF  cimisT. 


2«& 


3e^^,  gave  them  &  local  colour,  and  had  persuaded  themseWeft  that 
th^  tHift  place  of  the  mysteriously  hidden  treasures  w&i  the  top  of 
Q^stAm,  wHide  their  own  city— the.  hill  from  whose  top  the  trihes  of 
Is^'el  had  sounded  the  blef(8tn{^  M  iite  Iia%,  bn  the  entrance  of  Joshua 
into  Canahn.  , 

Hb^  intonAcly  such  thoughts  were  fermenting  in  ^he  minds  of  the 
HatfiarttlittAln'Vholid  ycnm  WaM  shown  a  little  later,  "When  JbhA's  titia- 
HiO#  hfid'd()s«a  wittibut  brlngitig  fMtH  tlie  resitlts  they*  hod  exp>eetcd^ 
toi"wh«it  th»n  took  place  was  only  the'flnW  outburst  of  feelings  Idng 
pent  up.  '''A  man,"'i^iiVS  Josephus,  •' who  made  nothing  of  false^ 
hood,  and  tlcWted'  the  tnuitltude  %  what^vei"  seemed  likely  to  please 
thew,"  had  determln^Hl,  ff  lie  could,  to  raise  ft  popular  movement, 
likri  ihht  of  John's,  which  had  sWcpt  oVef  Judca  arid  Galilee,  with  the 
hope,'  mwit  prfttwibly;  of  being  able  to  turn  it  to  political  account. 
SendiUff  abfond  a  report  through  the  vallejrs  of  Sartiaria,  that  a  new 
prophet  t^'ould  revcfil,  on  a  fixed  day,  on  Mount  Gerizlm,  the  place 
where  Moses  hftd  hidden  the  vessels  of  the  Tabernacle,  he  raised  an 
uricontroUabltl  teitc^iterrient.  The  announc^ihcht  implied  that  thelting- 
domof  God  Ivouhl  on  that  day  appear,  for  the  sfecred  vessels  Were  to 
remaiti  hiddert  till  it  ^vas  to  begin.  It  wais  a  crafty  scheihe,  to  transfer 
to  Samaria  the  l)Oastf ul  hopes  wliich  had  been  the  glory  of  Judea,  hy 
niAkiiig  open  daim  to  the  possession  of  the  ttiystenous  treasures,  knd 
of  the  Law  in  its  purity.  Thousands  gathered  ori  the  day  appointed' 
be^een  Ebal  and  Gerfzim.  New  caraVans  c6ntinually  broi^lit  fresh 
nifthbera'to  Tlntbatha,  the  village  named  by  the  prophet  as  the  ren- 
delivbtis,  till  the  matter  becatrie  Prions  in  its  possible  political  results, 
fliikje  the  **  elders'*  of  the  people  Identified  themiselves  with  the  move- 
ment. Pilate  was  alarmed,  fearing  that  the  multitude  might  be  easily 
led'froin  a  search  for  the  sacred  vessels  to  Open  sfeditlori.  His  brutality 
had,  ift  tftdt,  already  made  them  ready  for  it.  He  therefore  forbade 
th^j)ile;d^^ffe,  and  placed  posts  Of  fbot  and  horse  at  all  the  approaches 
to'Gwjdm,  to  prevent  theih  ascending  it.  But  the  vast  multitude, 
mwiy^bf  #httin  Sveris  armCd,vrould  riot  be  baulked,  and  tried  to' force 
thWf'way  to  thcf  sacred  spot. 'Pilate;  on  this,  ordered  the  troops  to 
disf^rse  them:  fierce  fighting  fbllowed,  in  which'  many  were  killed, 
the¥est  taking  to  filght,  the  principal  menamong  the  prisoners,  taken 
duriri^  or  after  the  f attl^,  being  put  to  death,  tt  '>ii  7  %  r 

TMs  tragical  InMd^rit  tobk  place  a  f 6W  years  aflfer  John's  appear- 
ance; but  it  wu^  of  a  piece  Witli  tlie  popular  feeling  respecting  the 
Messianic  kingdom,  which  was  mixed  up  with  the  politics  of  the  day. 
Jcihh  kept  entirelv  aloof  from  sUch  views.  If,  as  a  Jew,  he  hoped 
that  Israel  would  nei'eafter  be  exalted  under  the  Messiah,  he  left  that 
for  future  dl^lpsure,  arid  confined  himself  exclusively  to  the  moral 
and  spirituafl.  H^  was  nt)  political  agitator,  no  revolutionary,  like 
Judas  the  GalHeMri:  his  Messianic  kingdom,  like  that  of  Jesui^  wais, 


It  least  for  the  time;  a  kingdom  not  of  this  world. 


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.ij*^l^il]li)>  ^y  ^i^iWf  aear 


'-■  •  i  -t 


Ji^,  ^  Aiiguistr  AiD^^^,  tlie  liojfiMp  etsi^lm^  il«dtei^mk#  :^!»^maf 

^Ii^qi^ili^a^  alive ^i|t  tW^time,  loii]^  ceqieti^       nni^ iov'  g$o<L  bir 

'  f)i^^^^  <e#pao'n,  H  l^idtoei^l  tinieftk  6i  M^Wkt  V4»iviwh-*m^  a  #iM 
><^foik.^  %^a8to^ereaf!|i6r,  triih  l^a  ao^/EiC1l«;|o^or^l^  J^«jlei&, 

dalrlo'hdTn'Ify  Ui^¥w^  q^taclQ^i  aa  iiuMitae  d^^'^vjlkc 

^bead  o^^tbbiem^iir^,  niriR^  a  lad  of  16;  'Cteuditw,  one  day  t(3i,be  empqmr, 
ti»ra&a-tot>r  la^oe,  trembling  ma^  of  ^  m^tmoiiR^t^inaxtiAgstr&f 
'^^tmm  fM^f^d  daugli^i^of  the  av<fated  Qoitttii^iis,  ^f^ 

;v\rlucb,  nine  year^  later,  was  born  KEROr'^-^^fag»w«ie^ep»fripQI0^^ 

^>'|;^i4mnfB^>9n  we  east^of  $ti^^ 

^fimp$  ^  XM borth-w^.  ;  fk>ntiUs  FHa^^^hs^  been  two  .<y€axiB!;qpvo- 

<mv^  ^  p$m^ih  '^udea,^  aim  Idumea,''  H«irod  AutipasiljiijftU^ieiL 

cfieigung  w  abKiul  t)iirk3r4iifo^ye^  over  Galiilse/aiid'8pimlia,aaiKl 

Kikaa  n0^  a  man  of  al^oiii  l!K>i  aiw>  Ph^i  his)  bfothav^ijitaiti  i^exqune 

'>i0f  and  (^  ttk|  aanii  at&aain£ia$  «  tiil^>  i^^  the 

U9t  oit  the 'tena^  bieyond  the^  Jordaa,  liiviiag  a.ciuiet  li£^  i^fol^  and 


k.) 


^,i^:0r3^sp^ini  tiia  Migi^  ji^gifsit'  J)udasir  asuli  tae;  otbav^  boxifiiiHidns 
uift^^roo^fl  i^tli,^^^  'at  itbe^timi^  of.  tlie.Qenfiia'^bT'^Qiiiirinius, 
.ilWivtuieL'baa.enjo^ed  iioiininal^  Q^ 

<c4t^  iiid  townis^^iw^'all  tlie  el^gapeies- aiid  aplttidou^  p^ iHbtaau 
/(^ii^iKii^bn,  /had.nses!  atti  o^ier  Ihef ,iand«««^Cttsai»a«  mitk  i|ts>id<M|iQi> 
ijpiera^  ware^uaes*  and  broad  J9ti?eetB^  on  wbieli  a  spkn^  tampiaitto 
^. Augaiitu«,  seen  five  o^-i^^iea^-^kieA  ^  down. ;  In  Jerusalem,  4ha  igr^t 
/  !reoa^%  lour  btiige  castles, ^tbe  tlieatcar  tbe;  cirqus^  and  B«rod^ai|iow 

palace,  nad  risen/  Samaria  j|ad  been  rebuilt  >wkh  ^«at  jSpleadoUr, 
qand  ]r^?name<^  Sebaste^.tbe  €lreiek  equival^t  p£  ;A<u^sta,'aftQr'tbe 
,l^v^^^matr^:l^  old  KapbarB^ba^on  tbe  iimer  iedge  ot  tbe  ibea  idain, 

ibelufid  Joppa».'/liad  i  bie^  Rebuilt,!  and  T^xmi^m  J^XWf^^ 
:^fi^rod'a  father.  .  '^ear^  Jendbo^  two  >town9?t*-K^^o^v3tamei|  ii^r 
i  (H^d's  i  mi^tlier,.  anid .  Bbasaelia,i  |f  ten  ^is  bcqtbex^  bad  /been  c^ncaated. 
?  A&fbedfm,  dose  toi^aza^  onithe  ikxi;4»ast^  liad  bMn;laised^;f)P9l^ 

•)}^)^,^att4<^l<8^  ^^S'^PP^^/  ofi4^igufi- 

l(fijui.^  Tintp  flxealjfl^e  riaea^jealhidikftQr  Haiiod;  )$6jci(K%ii,r^ 

iidne  iii  ibe  btus  oh  tbe^aoofcli bo|deir.  thejotbervtluaab^wraiirom  Je- 

^vmism,  at-oUie  liead  of  the  desoow  to  the  Jordaa  yalky ^  \ilutaQ 


THB  MFE  OF  CHRIBT, 


«rr 


Herod  hftd  i)]!^^  had  a  aore'  strugete  with  the  jrebellioiUi  ,lew8  wh<l< 
pttTMied^hlm.  IHe  piiMion  of  Augustus  for  ofolitontting:  the  ttwiiea  of 
the  great  dvil  wars  throu^oui'  the  empixe,  l»d  eTehr  wheve  beak 
fluttered  by^«reatioii8  whWIft  <fl(4«<tiiiltBfled  the  laod,  and  defiled  it 
by  their  heathen  aocmsoiies.  la  the  far  north;  Philip^<  after  his  father's 
death,  had  re^ilt^Fyit^/'mvtbe  green  Up  of  Mxmni  Henhon,  and 
caUe43<l«^(Q«w«v^' i?htttmH4  fin<  flatMJrf  of  .tbe;i  eBipe*<Hr/r4n«t^o|>ithe 
jnofthHwst  «f  rthet^Bea  of  >(3wU^,  ho  haa;em)^lliiiheime^^:ol4lle|jl^ 
MinmarndtU  ivUmeiiMtfiT^  tfaedangbtero£  August  /;^.%imflir, 
ilelirod  Antipas  had  Te-buUt  Sepphoris,t  andi  ismnrounde^^lts.  h$  nith 
fltrbnl^ #alfo;ritttii0rshel«e]ied  Aeeii^ ptoinioi^^ 
of  (Alt  Aoaeias,  of  itiie  days  liHf  jof^^ita^heAiiia  hufljt  ai$notQwii>|QiQwvi 
aarMvia^  in^icoiiipUiiieiit  "to  the  ijiiiisv^orthr  iv^^o  »f  Angnst^iSi  and 
wi^hitlt»1aat,*|ei|<s^«ais>fae  had  Mlt  t^e<jp]«ndia  ii«wiC8|nti|l  toiOie 
BliK>nisioff4b^  'X«kiB t  of  ^alilee^iaAf  oaUedi itiWiherioB,  after  the  Tmw 
eni|>emv.  >  JiBTSQ  ithorgroasfaod  BenBuiaJi,  Ai^chelaus  litdriBepiiedlto  mm 
extent.  hJysfather'Qeaaixiple^fM?  at  mm  tow4  ihad  ^^99 -on  Ihe  ^orast 
sidft  of'^fafttJ^i^m)  ttotiaBt  pabhr  Bsoum  elaborate^  nrigat^  'Mi 
ioiMMd^'^|fterhiiBS9{ft.  Aisch^li^lta^  .(>:'  :t'-.  ^t  ;.v.'  !•:'.*  »-vy^-  i'^s'-  .!^<y&jr  ■ 
'ifOa^^'Bomiukpem"  i^Ui^>^ivia8  destinM' to  prepfiye%tbeii[ray:49r 
(^ii^bit^,  'b^[4H«alut)^>l^d^  b^twoeti  naiiloBSis  M 

iii9iB9j|het<ciriBaed  WQrLdi».^£or  fthoitime,  mto  Ciie  -mii^liy;  ooimDoii* 
wsAllhj^hadrtliin  borMiffliita'Qfr  all  sjidesi  though m*ftov«rm^ 
; wftsBitoaiklf^ulidiim^Diflg  the  wfaolo  'imp^?iait f HjslGmi  ^  l^e^^^t mst 
inj|)roftiuim'^eaeed  Tho  Baritt^  4kmArf  heated  Who<!iRrefe  Ihjar.tefVDr 
dt  ttie  Jg^/iluid;  not  wateredi  their fiiofses  hi  the  fiuphniteiBi  or  ^^Mrsd 
itmctimli^  fotiitwb  coDienitioqiirUiiBut^lhegr  slill  s;Wai<hedi  oviee»fthe 
plai&  of  Paithia,  and  onlj  waited  the;  orders  of  the  Gouit,<tfij6leti-^ 
pIMi  to/dashiin  on  'the  vxposod  t^nritor^df  fPalcfstinei  i  Four  logins, 
lu^iiirdbsenriri&'iA  Sjnria^:  and  «istix>n^  line  of  JoUiliaiw  p<i>sts  i|oag?tbe 
>hrateaii^«t  the  thouighift^  of  beip^^  onioiied'itonR^iiibhivthciiH^An' 


aiiikir#5^QM>^)il^^  fKom  <4br 'WorW;  In^ly 

sttffiMdIiio  ijild  these^fieree  Goteadcs  q£  (ho  age  iit/cheek.  r  /The  terror 
the|r;  had  hiapieed:  in  theii*A  lasl  iii<vMioit<  was  alill  nuibaiedi  iorivnin 
fiti^oha^iortsr  years  Iateri'>ln:4he^Apooaly|iee^c«aw;  four  dentroyihg 
im^otil^boiiiid  in  the  glrec^  driver jj  fiup&rateSj  1  who  we#e  loosed  to  slfiy 
thefth^dpapti«f 'iitea.:  \l^o  huildred  thousand  faorsemetii  tn-^^ery, 
oUhic»atod  brim^h^cokmred;inaiV  rode  -forthrthroi^  dried  tup 

rivftf-bed,  an  array  of  liea,  io-'  destroy  inaukhid--^4(ymbols  takenvf  «kki- 
ajji^s^itBLhl^, (from  tiie  lemienibrflhce' of  the  Parthik^ns.' ' ^rnie'  iftbman 
ibiatoiSansMuse-'langiiBge'ihaixlVy  less  strilBing  of  the  endless*  rtt<[ibiig 
-swi^rms  oi'Mld  6»\Kidhr5H-^eir  terrible  shoiits,  like  tiie*  bellowing'  bf 
U^anitfi^'iuul  ithe  hidecMfttlamottr  ol  oonntie8s4liiin8v>'}ike  the  nolse'of 
t^smdeii}  Iheir.  breastaafitteilimd  hehnetsof  eteel  glittering  like*  Kg^t- 
n^Bf^tiieii  hbrie6:ooverejl'((*ith  harass  4nd8teel'tn.ppkig8,  ^heifades  6f 
the:aoldiers>pihttedi  imdr'their  /Ihaggt  hatr^gatlicved  in  a  masp  upon 
I^Mir  loiiliibadii.iif Mr  the  fiksytMlua  AshiOn.  ilDto^  cteM^ 


in 


PK 


wih^m9^^fmm^' 


pt 


•"'^f; 


ie 


fiii 


im 


16M<b#'¥ih»P: 


f 
1. 


im 


mm 


1^119,  bIFE  /  QF^OHRienil; 

h^i^^fdmit^  mig^iv^ik  the  poopterilial  Tbeudiis,li(i  He^  -. 
1^,  ,^]ia,.f^9m(Eia  tbOvXPle  qI  AiPropM  some  y^^irs  ii;^t^!il|e: 


¥^^^j)^^  op§iV;§ig^ t«iu^  woii4er8»^  and  Jesu^  HImsetf  tfiffOgMii 
neqes^axvy.li^foi^  tea,y^  tyi  ^'"wu^  h 

w)M.a^d,  thft4Dljiirifit  Mas  to  (thfl  iwttdflAiesi^'^ttey  w^  ikrt  Wjt&mi 


b^9ce^.^  jbpokip  jO\iti  Jn.  ftiryj^^  Swee  Exra*i  diys'  thie  ;'fe|i&ll^|r; . 
grown  eyeii;  deepci^  that  repentanfie  ak  ^  cdiild  save  Iiira^l.  'Hff; 
rej^l^jd  l^liiopftd^y.V  sala  UtCji^iabbi^,^  ''/tt^eMei^iah  w^uldi^pig^ 
Hf;, was  p9l^fii  ftfit^n  l)ack  to  God  by  mentonto.  ^^^  AmlmBt^i 
Iss^^-^h^ .  iipfe  f ?|>(enW  M.  cannot,  ««pect  .thje  ^a^iotir,'*  '^^d  ^  ,  , 
jydji. ,  J^jl^is  Ti^licmtfince  woiild'  liot  ^npca  tiU  E)^(di  !i^<^^^^ 
in  i(ul$|[^ent^of  4^  v^rodiciioiif  (9!  Halacbly  and'  he  Wftf^  Bpi  ^  dietso' 
tilt  ih|e§  j^Fs  ]^  the  Mes^riah^  Vh^^i^  VoW 

woiud  jai^oclbjji^f i<QffiL  om  ejad  ol  the  earth  ta.thu  oth^^'^'Bali^lEtfibn' 

A  prophet,  in  the  Jewish  point  ot> View,  ^aaless  aseer  tbati^'a'le#' 
Id^ipreacbeTi f^pi)  whoni,,:to :uiBe^ilhe  woifdtffof;  €;te^n^t,')^jf  ^/Ues^ 
tindm,.t^e  tci^>8|M»wn,fprUi^^  tt&m  tfie*^^^'^  ^ 

mighl^rpvi^)  tt^tfntpre«  hut  his  gireat  obaractarisiio  w!as/  that  h^  t^i^ 
tli<^ inc^thp^^pi^^^f G<^^ ^P uttei^by  reiMBtless impiiise^  th^ jyi)tfl£<^ b| 
cox)[)i^4s'Of  ;ti^  JJnMgh^,  as  Il{s  ainhassador.'aud  the ';ilij^t^]|^i 
i^^-wUttojpneA. ..  J^niJealized  thiakloal;    He  sbirU^d^lhl^i^^e 


ami- 

hy  j^mai^diiiks  repeatai|de»  if  ihoy  wonldiesoape  the  close'a|i>pt|t>( ^ 

wra^  of  God.  ^lie  Ifingdom  of  Heaven— a  phrase  familkr  ,td  IKilj 
from  the  lajDguage  of  Daniel,  of  tl^  PsAlms  of  Solomon,  and'ofdp^i: 
Lo9)i%  t|ien  ia  wide  Qii^culation— waaat  hand,  and?  woiild'bH%^wiu]ilt 
the  terror^  oi  J^Men,!. The 'C0nsci4r.ce' elf' them 
hadji^ink  to  sleep  nnderPharisaip  iarmftlisni^  Roman  dp^re^fiio^V  aM 
Badd^ki^^  m<^lerei^ee.\> iJfo^^  viodc^'  aoin^ed  U]t«ii\  ti^j^ef  ^,^ 
alaim  ihera.  t^epopular'excftemeht  spread;  ll^oii^'lie^JtePt  ii 
fropi,ii[ei^asalem;Andathetl^iQkIy> peopled  jdisfribts,  the  ndili  m^t^ 
stru^  yilgrated  thi!oiigb.>  tli»tw^c^  land^  Cl!r<md^  gkqi^cfd£&^ai9¥ 
gn^^  i^umheiri  frcHU  Jtnisalem,  Jiudea^  aind  the  ml&»  jiplBMaW 


Tl«! }  MPI^  i  OF  t  OHRlffft? 


m 


<>  I 


,^      .  ,,W»oC:»be  fiftbW^    ,j  ^^^ -.  -^-    ,-. 

ftB^IMd  toi'lli9<iQf)n|(!tieii(Q6v:«id^earrie<|''9uif4n  th&lif^    A 

m  fipitr  INI  )prell  i^afttfitl^anli  appqtnpc^,^  atid^  liiM^  h^,'  Witnessiiig  id 
eyp, i$iaim  hfi  'C»me  to  ihiQWr  Wkym  m>t  to^  boild^  to  pkaptht^m  'i^ 
inafs^^^  $0(1190  tJiftiAi^o  nbtr.thfe  trowel^  ^  The/ap|yr(^|i  pi  %tti»  jur^' 
mfmj^^fwjbialk.tiiecltt9t^  the<|yropliet8'haid'8poKeat  wh^iitii^'l^^ 
na^$|A.9f  Cipd  woulfl'lMpfn  atiott'O^oii,  wiid>  lAie^pircmd  and  the  w^i 
slu^iilii|vl}d<'fiauiilubbhi^)«»&  be  Ikurn^  up  tUl  tSi^eie  wiul  teft^t&er  root 
nof^^,|[)prj)|)e)i^-t*^iHiiiki0:;gTeiiit  tlieme^  'He  added^  howeverrtlMr  ^Q^'' 
fof«ii(^a09iHrfip!M)»«dB  tltt-pvoidielt  tluit^  tbote^wfa^tleared  tbef^oilaite 
tli:;Tl;«oi^.of  ^oata^jlto  Sim  of  Rvffbteboanesk  slioidd  r^.;^th  i;«aUiM|' 
iiii$(i9^wiBglike  ^^eams.  .T)ie  ^diolb  strain  of  )f alaoM  ipra)f/ $fiiiN[e^ 
oatvt  ati'^  aiilieipalioiitiof  John's 'preadikig.  -^"The  Lox^  whom-  Ir'ei 
sef^  e^p  Ihoriinessetiger  of i  the : ^xi^enant^  whom  >  f&  d^ight  liiii;  sihtitl 
co^;aii|th<>he  ;^efdijQ£  Hoets.^.  Bat  who  may  abide  th^  da^  pf 'H^« 
cm&wgt'  i^(iwho^6hfdlstia»diwhejB  He  appeoretb?  T?6rISb%li!^Q 
a  j«||ner'#irfiie,  atid<  like  fuUerls  soafk  And  ^e  sImH  bU  as  a  ref^^ 
ancbpfi^eF  of  silver;  andfH»-diall  mirtfythdsdndof  I^evi^fthiJipm 
th«Bi{^ift>0pl44if)diMl¥ei^.aild  He  wiUv^  a  mHt  ivltn^  ajmiiisl  t 
sofgere^cuDd  the  adulterers,  and  thefai^  swearerSj  and  a#uijlM,t 
th|l|4^r^^ifr  hkeUng  tni^  wageai> the  widow ^'  imd;  the  fail^tle^; ' 
an4M$<  |M«v  <i^dB  the  stnmW  ^rcmi  h|»  %^  aiid  fe^  ja&% 

th^r>I^  oflioats;'' .1  Like  ill  the  prophets^  hi?^^'  ti^^es^ge  ^8!fl4  6iie  ^f^ 
wia^t^uji^yetii  Kkp  thte»li  itt  had  &  con^tiqtMa^i^^  ^f'^Viii«>^te 
ai^i i^l^M ai^Afti)^ttQd>hi»i  oflUse^iie  i  fie^m^^'  oia^U^>  like-  I^U|i,  ^ 
i'^k>T«!hia  times,  for  like  him,"  he  was  unmovM  'before  tlM9!uMie1i^ 
maxkvfiaitMlHcoulii  lan^f^brtng  Mm  into  inib^  ;     •     I  ■    - 

^i^  t)M  eall(4Q(iiepenj^  Jolm  united)  a<slgiiifl^ahtrlt0  fot*^  wh6 
w€^  wiUh^^tp  own  theu^  sina^vandu  promik?  limentecn^  6f  l!le.^-^  ft 
wi^4ba^iiawiand/strikingi  vcx^oh^^^  baptism^  iwhieh  ij<iH^  Biid' 
beii^  rfent/by  d^viine^a^potntmeiit  to  introduoe^  ^  the  ^Mos^ic  ^ti^  had 
indeed '^<e^nid-  W8^n^^andwpurific.ation»,  ln¥t  they  werQ  fikiii^f 
pcj^nal  ajois'lQriideaadingLj&OmuceremoniaV  dei&lement8,^tid  wei^ 
rei^i»<|<a0^t^  (^s^'^uicleanness  demanded.  But  b^isih  ^a^ 
pelE^oipiea  only  once,  an^  those  who  sought  it  had  to  receive  i^ftrrai 
the:^p^  Qi  >  Johnt  '  >  ^^  old  rites  and  requlremients  of  the  Fhai^yecs 
wqii^4)<»i  eontent  himii  A  new  symbol  was  needed,  striking  ehough 
to  tfxi)f9a9r(tbe  yaetnessiof:  the 'change  he  demandad^an^^  to  f6i'|ii"Tta 
fit  ^inolai^  '^tmdi  }9el  i»m!ple«heufi^  to  be  «Mily '  appUed  to  the  whbi^ 
peop^Ma^r  «Uk«^^<Mad  to  \aasgk  with  ihe  pasc^  and  to  ^ht^o^ 
thflj^^  H.^igi^t««]k^Ort  hft^pvoclai^  411  |g^ 

beea^fii^ea  ^r«  jrQliia^ouait&ymbQl^  and  «ignifl€«mt  #lte»;:  Kaahian% 
lepTq^hadiih^n  e)$4aiMdjilwaTiin  qd-Xk^J^d&H,    Itie 

priento  in  1^9  Temple  practisea  constant  ablufiocfi^  ibd-  bthera  weH 


>1 


iMi 


t  i 


i 


-r« 


T?tt^fciHjbi«'<MHte^ 


W' 


Jy\f 


Mi6i&  ft 

mm 

H 


m 


"m. 


J(k4 


.^ii)n^#Jo^e|)li^,  '^iteia'^fg^  tile  (l«w&(«Ptio 
m  Vkltl^.    tt^ftii'dnlV>i^^jf,%tti6iJe  etoHbteiBilll.  the 

' '  ittTftT^rtflA^:    ill  ilils  iWse3'^w 


t^  i^^UldiftV^  dfiveti  tb^  tQ  d^filfMiir.    Had  li«  iti^ted  $l««l  10  l)ap- 


)r 


H 

« 


ii 


m 


hand,  the  vei 
l^(6gepte4 


cftrpingsof  t 


IW&lif^^  0^  G^Bi%l^ 


m 


ibe  ntS^^rimd  iofp^  §9^^,  an^oM  &      ^y^^y  rtoj; 


funcnc  (Uenii  nota  fffwovtms/tstdt  the  c&mmimil^-^teiTtuits^Q^ 


^<#?»^5 


carpmgs  of  thepnesthooa,  that  Tie  was,  indeed,  a  |ir?)pn6t^    *^"^t  mI     > 


v'r 


ill; 


m 


THE  hlFB  OP  CHRIST. 


bn'ftt 


'  Httiv  dren  dtiettidndd  'irhetfaer  he  w^re  not  the  He 
kiiil^f^^VmmMml^mt  Hbfk^^'^hoiir  th^  elpeoted:^^*=18fe 
mttmiibB^ma: motdii'kt'tfM' wiW, ahd  i^t ^t%  tniMB^I^i^ 

J ;  Aavtiie  l^flueoee  df  the  moirehiiBiit  #pr«id  ^  eVel^  «f  Hl^ti!nf|f '«Ij«efl 
onrer  the  oali6ii;T  It^beealhe  iiii|k>»iHae  fbr  th« eelf  Mxfllf^^tir  ott^^M^s 
#  itirtnite  toi:tgnoi<6  it/  >Thd^l^ 
iW9ii1hei]ripii^ffog|itiJiF«  'lSktiY<AsAm9a^  M^m^im 

one;^to^ :ie«cli' wfab^had.i^  eont^H  -Wlf^Hm 

ardiiijitioik  :  4f  defMkarttko  of  |M>ie0t8  tibd  Levies  l^^difi^^Wim!^ 
pttr^^,  anlMfdie^ideimtM  t<f  ffo  to  tirfe  Jordiio,  aiiidf  1iM^^$ttiE&  ifc 
9ewrlfi*deribl> the r^Jple m'- toihi*  claims.  '  Was h^the^CfEHHtrtii' 
TNikhii  iE3iaii£.ifnrr'wA8  her  the  expected  i^ropbet?'  ^^W^dtlt^ti  ittotftei^ 
^^jlkttitfttlonsf  >Tiinity.or  i^  pot^ibitftY/  ^mUM^VIiilrt 

Mjyte^sttlNiott,  of  i^yhig  a^|Rra»t  |«rt,  his  nfsnfy^  ti*iithlteliii#ifii^ 
p!«dilitedrtM  rightpto&y:  of;  tiSese  iiames.  '  With  thi'tt^hdfe  Mie»i 
ukidbif^  infliietitto,  imd  legavded  hj^  theiii  ^ith  tlil^  i!##i»!'  )tm 
wiii(&  such  qHestMs  and  si^nestiiNHQS  hiht^^  his  lofty  Hscrtit  !mmii&6hi» 

%hieM;  lAtice  8tnag|Ui  the  ^air^oTita^  libiiii  as  saith'th^  Mplif  IMS^' 

ySor.  iA  It  wtohdi^M 'that^^^ 

Beii  hoihoiii  ifc  k)lt^^8Ad  fi^^      Jaoul;  iMKihhifr  tto^lfl^  ^Mt^ 

]^|ii$ HfiB^  fmde^a«idA«i^hMiiig 'bur like;  fi^^ttt  dliehft^^  fii 
ldMi«$!i^9iiiiflBion  £^  Hiittget  and  thii^tfim  liftlet^ 

n^^^jeeii  Ms  ffliDJiiHfit' fH^ndS^  dofd  hto  -#ho  had'fiil^  ^  ^fistf^tt 
ot  tlM^QisriMiTjU  sa  loiigi'coirldhave  Itttlid  id'  i^rM'  faiibitt  ii%''^rtiinf^ 
biat  to Mit,"  a8k$  Bdwatd  ^IiKd^g^  '^"^t*^  ii  ig^<«#HI^ 

q^ddlcK^voc^ii.  lioibtia  mobti  ^)%ede  ii$9te  jDJcnud,  6heiMtl«igh^;tb  <o^ 
who  had  roamed  amohgst  the  iiHld  beastlo^  the  de^rf/^kkid  1^  the^ 
li^dst  f<^^heiik;hli^d«m- hiff  head  ivii^ 

(ie»|^i!Ki<i;i)iji^  the:^  of  «he  providetfds  M't^'^bUt^ 

]^ig)i.t'  i^ijouiida  laattntHvhsi  cail  c^i(piise  acedamiodaM6ni^^a^d  V^- 
iNahience^, aod:  q^  1^  liati^  in ^lacient  shMplieityiaM^lnd^to^^' 
4en^i  ;ti])d  jmoreamohgi^her  SQcial  and  ^^ro^  Instithtibiifi^tKliJa. 

ti^fe  IJroni  ah0lhi*^lN7blld/free '  to  j 

ashikvh^g  hh^self^^thing  at  istaite^t^i^  ai'biniv  Ih^ti'li^a 

i«M>m  mn^ebr  tiV^mihomt  tO'  ^hich  itone;  htit'  thd  iltu¥cN<^t  iktk& 
ii^9^jSg0^  tidltiso  a^bertain  awe  a^  td^etettS^.-i  Ao^ 

w!|iii  i(t^  ^  |»r^^g;&  ^'faim|«|f  Ditin^  '^n^lMdb;  it^d 

ti0  :^S!^ft^bi61der;  lihd  the  hett^er^'mii^v^a' h 

iiih<ife^  thii^i'^aciifiatyedatxd!!^^         Ii^tltiiitotiifet  i(«i^'th<M'^^  ^ 


UTCioai  tfiiain  &»i. 


:-  •!;  LsaHlSfJI 


""^     LIFE  OP  CftmST. 


ymolifi.  pfiople.  by  nira»,  to  the  bonln  6f  Hi^Jofdan;'  Boddd'tlUB  livkug 
waters,  between'  the  eotemn  hille  on  both  Mee,  and  iknderthii^low 
l|Bi9  >Iiie  of  an  E^ietem  dcy » etood  the  etrange  flgura  of  the  j^pbet 
bififote  ale  no  leei  eUiklng  audlenee;  Like  lurniM  lesd^  he  iconht 
read  the  chaTaQtera  of  those  he  addro^ed.  The  smooth  vaniMioid 
^ypocrl3]^of  the  Pharisee  or  fiadducee  oould  not  deeelvv  hlui.  iFhOM 
^nfi^oinSgh^  hayet;oinoto  him  in  the  hope  to  gala  the  inviting  pramiaei 
of ,  the  new  life  ^y  an  ee«y  lip  oonf ession,  and  a  momentai^^ta,  somi 
coun^  thMnenor.  Like  Lnthert  or  Latfaner^  or  Knox,  he  forge*  iMia 
^  nrand  fidelity,  Cold  prudence  or  timid  eaution  liiad  no  ptece^lv« 
jmnrpo  inteoeely  in  earnest.  Thk  TBtrm,  whieh  lie  domca^to  pir^ii 
d^n^  is  iMgheir  than  vffvini  and  ak>ne  commands  liis  homage^  i  Hts  aan^ 
^ffliceaBtfike,  swift  and  glitteiingi  like  lightning  ibisheB/wnklsl  the  loU 
of Jiidgment'day thunders.'  Bach  sentence  la  vivld^ with l»|djploiiEfoa 
^HjT^  Aroninat^re'and  lifei  He  comparea  IsMetfO  a  harren<teim» 
<r|!ee.n94y  f^  f^ng^  and -points  to'  the  axe  already  laid  nt  its  footii 
Pmel3f^  tepentao(^,«&c^  the  bringing  forth  good  fruity  >m<yaveft^^ 
Bt|^ke,'otherwise  it  nmslt  presently  nlVandthfe  tree  bo  cast  hstdrlM 
lirQ,  .  The  next  moment  Isr^I  id  a^  great  threahhi^floOr.'aadithe  wih^ 
nowihg  shoiM  is  ftt'hiind  tc  cleanse  It  thoroughly,  that  the  hriioat'ii^y 
^.^liered  Into  the  garner,  and  the  chaff  burned  iipwtthiinq«jeadv> 
hII^  m&  'Wilh'petfeOt  humility  he  points  all  away  lFoita)hiiiBietf;  CO 
the  Higl^tier '  Ooe  At  hand^  for>  whom  be '  was  linworlh^r^  in  m  rcritii 
(itoeink  to  pert^m'^e  slave  bpy*a  sertieo  of  iiiidoOsSiiK  aadi^movtwr 
^^  f|indii48r :  H&/would  baptliie  tbem  with  the  Holy  GhOiBt  and  witi 
fi^&^^the^Oly.QhOBt  to  kinule  in  them  heavenly  graces  if  peadtdrt,^-^ 
p^ftoiponsuoiethemv  if 'thK3  reverse.  The  t^rOrs cof'  the  daje^ 
^aiiitr  f(#ed  loyer  his  hearets/  as  his  foTemost  tfaanght;  8omM»i<^ 
^^^^[^rpke  in;Hkeso£t  musicj only  at ^niervalsitoikeep thecoattlle 

(nHMbianitto^cement  of  divine  judgnientet  ob^  rebelUonvfeoplO  Wte 
tw(^0  m(li»nB  new  in  Israel  ancl  of  Itself  hdrdlyexplainsttliielnnnense^^ 
dleiQt  of  Jobn'S  preaching/  It*  ^power  lay  in  itw  depthnand  its  de- 
iiyuodjtuvlThe  kingdom  of  h^^  was  at  |iahd;  was  not  amere 

gift>n?oni,raboMe,  whichi  they^mlght  passively  receive,  but  a  humati 
worfe  Fibdoh  tliey  must  themselves  Carry  out.  Me*el^  to  wait  In  idle 
c^^<^nt^.  asi  in  the  past;  wou?d  not  sOiflce.  Nortwonld  the  Idly- 
bniiyj  irMing/Of  legal  rites  and  ^observances;  They  must;  no  loni^ 
tfiig^.  to  Ihqlr  descent  ^rom  Abrahamviaor  to  the  oli»n«ing  of  the 
ojtiji^de  i4 :  Ithe:  platter  by  iPbarisaic  strictness.  The^  coming-  of ^the^ 
psojni^ed  IbingdOmMto  each  hearer^  meant  Ins  liftlnH^hiS  Own1if^to>'ai 
hfelier  i>Iafte,  oy  ste^y  JrosOlve  aind<  effort.  ^  Heligion  Iffiift1^>-heni6e-^ 
fQrtb», be  practical  and  earnest: 'in  the  lieart  and  lift,  not  in  wor^l^ 
oulitaill  formror  pTiviJe^,f  £err<the  first  1iine,l9ie  gteai  tmil^twite 

Eressed  home  to  the  conscience  of  men  that  the  true  kingdoiii<<<ffif^ 
eaven  is  in  the  renewed  soul.    It  marked  an  era  in  the  morS  history 


LIFE  OP  0HRI81'; 


ir 


•£  tlM#ol'kh  $tii\  ChirlitminielfliM  recognized  its  mome^toiuigiiMt^ 
^^flli;  ^'.AmonAtUom  thai  9iro  bora  of  women/'  said  H^,  ''there  )ias 
hM  dW>'«IM«elf  ^n  Jolin  the  Baprdst.  For  all  the  pr6phet|i  and 
thflXaiw  pmMedt  ^ntit  John,  tjill.tben  it  was  future  and  distant; 
the  dhjefct  oi  pttpslvoi  expectation  only.  But,  from  his  days,  the  \anf- 
doni  bf  heaten  is  gaihcd  by  earaeat  violence,  and  me^  who  atruggte 
ttarAmip  tUktf  it  f6r  tbemaelves^"  ,  John  proclaimed  tho  grefit  ti^th 
ioi  geniB^on  that  had  overlooked-  it,  that "  tj^ie  kingdom"  was  Ao 
mere^xteroal  blesBedoeiBS,  but  the  t&an  pt  God  in  the  soul  of  man, 
nt^^^wAt  W6  m\\ni  sttivo,  iff  we  would  ^ter  -into  it,  or,,  to  ussthe 
tgim  mi^lapA:\j/y  Jeiua,~liko.  a  city  to  be  taken  by  storm,  ft  was 
to  b^  won  only  by  the  utmost  eainuestness;  JRepentance,'  with  Jb|ih, 
was  liO  teere  fottna)  confession,  but  a  change  of  mip^;  ^jinclju^ed 
1|M»t  iMf  Hipcet  for  the  past,  but  ^  new  life  for  the  luture ;  avd  (his  he 
liriwa'ap' IJrpiAliiently,  that  eyen  Jo^ph^s,  a  generation  afterwards, 
3S  it  a  dhattusteristic  of  his  preaching.  T9  the  frank,c6nTp6sion 
of  Sttis  thtire  was  adited  aii  annihilation  of  a^  i^lf-ri#%pusn|^B8, 
1!t4ieth«r  rfeVting.'oi^  Abr^bamlc  descent,  oi:  attainments  m  J^harMaic 
bolhieM.  aM  a  plsdgs  waii  demanded  of  a  higher  spiritual  life  towards 
0pd  attd;man,  iiiWvlng  lifelong  effort. 

V,  Hlkwhole  conception  of  preparation  for  the  Bl^ssiai^ic  kingdom  W^ 
wsm  m  his  4ge.  The  Samaritan  prophet,  who  soon  a^er  sxin^on^cl 
aie^lUt|m4ii;tci  Gerialm,  relied  on.the  wholly  exlierj^l  act  <6f  slqlm]^- 
ttupthhyeiis^  of  the  old  Tabernacle,  as  an  jnaugUMtjon  of  ,l9ie  ^by 
j^fmb  H^mm,  The  Galili^ans  were  disposed  to  demand  (be  king- 
mtama  the  >Bonlins,  sword  in  babd,  in  the  belief  tl^at/Ji^dv&ii 
w^irid>^^  desert.  His  people,  in  arms  fo^llis  cajn^.  Jphn,  ^Xk  pe 
,^ni^anr»  so^init  to  prepafe  for  it  by  a  moral  r^eneratioh  of  the  cpm- 
!l^iiiitty.  tlii  kihgdom  of  God,  wit^  him,  w^s,  Uke  that  0f  tsafob, 
■$  l^ihoddni  61  righteoulBness  Und  holiness.  H?  had  ^fi^  ^  ^^  9^ 
the  prophets,  not  of  the  Rabbis.  He  had  sought  the  knowledge  of 
itiie  ptetNuMioit'tkeeded.  not,  like  the  I^bbis^fi^om  the  690!  of  Ilieyiti- 
cus;  not.  Ijlkeji^e  Zealot$|  from  the  warlike  records  of  the  Ha6cabees; 
jbpr.  Hide  tilie  EfiseiieS,  f^m  mystic  reyelailpns,  but  froix^  Xsbiah:  His 
whole  )^lcea(^g  Yf^A  only  a  variation  of  tnat  of  ^:  great  project,  in 
the  opening  Of  hfe  bool^— "Wash  you,  make  you  clean;  ppt  at^y  tbe 
j^tll  of  your  dofncs  from  before  mihe  eyes;  cease  to  do  evil^  leairn  to 
dot^ell!  ftoek  juogment,  relieve  the  oppressed,  jiicl^e  the  fam^Iesa, 
plead  for  the  widow."  He  says  nothing  of  an  earthly  ki'figdpm;  or 
political  glory. .  Tlie  sins  that  had  separated  between  th^m  and  (Gk}d 
mtiSt  be  removed, ^and  their  place  ilHed^th  "fruits  meet  fpr  repent- 
ance," it  the  divlnie  kingdom  was  jto  be  established  .amdn^-  them. 
Fhiirlsees  and  Bssones  hiMi  sought  to  propitiate  God  by  their  )egal 
.n|^;':  Neither, knew;  of  eonfession  of  sins,  or  repenl%icek  The 
Vktttififst:  only  boasted  of  his  Vtrtuet^  and  the  Sasenes  pfa^sed  right- 
^«i6mmefl$...K^itbout  a  word  about  penitence,  tfohn,  trusted,,  not  to 
•OBlatiiai  forms,  but  to  broken-hearted  contrition.    Haii -nnist  woik 


!?«' 


bim  as  h 
qMidfifl^ 
jaJ.thiBy, 
^¥)atbtowi 

<«M»m  to 

priesfs,  oif 
glanoeanc 

^mi  In 

crowds  thl 
l^jwce. 
the  kbigdo 

nndfavpui 
''Wngdom 

shatstered^l 
selves,  we 

aMe<>fthea 
5*<f<?ch|14(t 
dren:.  fi^ 
vmfy  of  11] 

i«f<P»wi(|h 
xell  once  UK 
the  patrt  of 
this  min  tn 

YmM  it 

fo^u4;hinls 
f  ??  PWn  rpu 


,  -riecootn 
we  had  n,o 
vaoousinqu 
^^a.  apparei 
what  must  b 
^8  words  to 

"lelr  sincerit 


Ttti&  LtFS  Ot  (%fW% 


m 


«al- 


18  no 
man. 

t  "^as 
rb|iti, 
lulled 

iriurds, 
'ceslpn 

ariitoic 


maras 


9^i 


M)getlifir  vrltU  CM  to  Uripg  about  the  fulQIment  of  t^e  pKfjfli^iUk^ 
tliQ  I^MfiahV  r^gou  •'..♦>...->  .1 

>  |for4i4J||e  intent  himself  with  vo^  or  gp^netiil  ibpealsori^- 
prool^  "**  Ye  bfood  of  vipe)^/  dried  he  t^  k  cmwd  of  Phatis^  ftiad 
&^at«pi^  ^^o  had  come  to  hiii  liaptlBm,  to  scoff  imdcMtid^;  rather 
th^il^  cii^ntea^  ma  rcptot,  and  who  bppdM»d  him  with  ihe^^HserNi- 
(isoQi  01^  lAwyets.  aod  the  hi^try  of  pifee^,— "  %iio  tlMEh  wam^'Toii 
t^ll^elrom.the  wratli  to  come?"  (n  the  wohjU  of  8t.  luke,  **tnc^y 
relfciad  $^e  counsel  of  Qod  towards  ^heniselycs,  not  havitf|t  t^cfn 
bMUz^  oy  Johu,*"  and,  so  far  from  oc^ptinghl^  mifisibn.  detiouticod 
himfi  ha^vinz  a  deVil  ,  He  bnialied  them  aside,  w|th  thefr  dhdto^s 
qi^i^^i^.,  aijid  quillets^  and  casuistical  cases,  and  lej|al'cdl>%ebll0ri;, 
aoid.lW  liaii^d  h^  Ml  return.  They  had  come  ft;om  Je^n^le^  'Ih 
fi^Q*))Kiwn  owciikl  ^sni^y,  m  a  deputhtioii  froih'tfa^  ^lema^rtcal 
ooui^*.  to  ask  hi^  creaentials,  ind  tesi  his  sbundnis^a,  But  ^ethof 
priesfs,.  or  ^y^Q8,  ox,  JUihhis,  Jth|ey  shrivelTed  lief  ore  ''tlio  IndifftaXit 
gUiAoeiindtlery  word»  which  ^iposed  their  insincerity  $^d  ino^Uipt}- 
tencfi.  Jo|in  heJid  his  ;iu|hority,  not,  from  fSheh^,  Dut  -frOth  tl  hljp^r 
oo^t  It^rteadipf  d^lterins  jUiem^  he  tb^d  tliem,- as  he  had  toUTiho 
crowds  they  despised,  tfia£  tliey  must  !>rin^  forth,  ftiiltfe^ortfty  0f  it)* 
peutjunce.  lu  their  narrow  pedantip  pride  ^ey  i^^it  iuf^  of  it  t)4rt  in 
this  Kv^om  oi  the  iE^essiah,  simply  as  desceudiai^  of  AbrahaU^rhift 
ri|;hte(^u^^s  h^ing  reoltoned  fks  theirs,  Israel,  alone, 'tbuld  pl^aisd  '<>f 
find  favour  with  Go^*  and  it  did  so  on,  the  footing  of  itsidespeiit.'  *  1%o 
"klhgdoin  of  IXeayen".  was  to  he  strictly  Jewish,  all  6thei«  ha^^^ii 
b^lUg  e^qiuded,  and  'vit  \^as  Jewish  l)y  hereditary  Hgt^t"  But'J^I^U 
shal^^dy^ms  wiretchcd  immobility.  * ' Begin  n^tr  to^s^j^  wlthtaydui^ 
sely^ij,.  w^  have  Abipaham  for  father:  fori  say  unto  yhU,  th^t  wd:i» 
a^l^  (H  theae  stones  of  thq  desert,  lyiug  countless  ar6U)&€t,  tottisditP 
^ref^  ohll^reh  to  Abraham,  an^  wiu  i^xciude  yoii^  hii^  ptctendeid  (^iU 
dren:,  jtiiom  the- kingdom,  -imlesB  yoii  i:epentl|*'  Th*  6tei^; 'fi^tea 
worjlf  of  the  old  prpphets,  which, m^  theUv  ^)e  hat0d  b^  thia  multi- 
tude, with  the  ^xceptioii  of  Bantjel,  ilie  propliet  of  pleasant  tikiri^i, 
f^il  once  [more  from  the  lips.of  jolin,  with  the  samp  result,  at  least  ($u 
the;p|irt  of  the  Eabbisl  They  received  homage  from' all  others,  btit 
tiiis  map  !treated  them  witlj  witherin]^  scorii.  Tliey  had  fancied  !^ 
wqiiiPib^  like  a  reed  moved  in  the  wmd,  before  thttm,  but  ih^y  had 
fo^ni^  him  ifn  oak.  Fltittery  and  fear  were  as  8traTpg€i  to  his  soul,  ,fts 
his  ,own  rough  mantle  Would  l^aye  been  among  the  soft  clpthin^  6f 
kinas*  pialaces.  .    .  '        '     ■  '  ' 

The  contra,st  between  Jdhn*6  teaching  and  that  of  the  Ttabbls,'  could 
have  had  n,o ,  more  striking  iHustratiou  than  his  recordiedanswert^to 
vadous  inquirers,  W:hom  his  stern  language  to  their  religious  Mders 
liad,  apparently,  alarmed.  If  the  RabbisVere  in  danger  of  thi^lft^,^ 
wiiat  must  bejrequired  of  commoh  meu?  !&ut  no  hitiihhess  miyirk44 
his  words  to  honest  anxiety,  lie  de^idhded  simply  thp  thet'lilt^ 
their  sincerity  by  their  Unselfishness^    They  were  to  act  on  thilr  'p^ 


m 


TW.XJI'E  OJ^CPBW. 


f(!(wioo^  of  .desirq  ta  le%d  a ,  new  ||fe.  ' '  He  that  haUi  two  coats,  let 
hiitt  itdp^  t6  lilm  ttiatiiath  xioii^;  and  he  that  hath  m^^Wmm^f) 
lifel&ldi«i."  If  they  mhii^ttered;  to  th6  n^ked  and  hungfy,  a&  ^  Ibtifrg 
duty,  t^^jr'ptpvea  their  dlscipleship  genuine.  Johuwa  ^m^  hiiii]^h 
sympiithies  «ttibr^4  ^^\  clasps.  iLike  Jesus,  he  cast  out  ho^e  Whfo 
cma  tf>  hUil  1u^  abUorrea  jstihlicans,  from  whbpi  i|he  PhaH^bs 
ghfiiiiik  lis  accturstid;  were  cheered  by  the  a^uraiiiie  thap  th^^/^idd^t 
iliight  share  in  the  i^ngdopa,  if  th^ir  rc^eutance  were  sinpere.  '\E}^^t 
fktf  rn^re,**  said  the  prophet,  "than  that  which  k  appointed  j^ou." 
Evi^  the  fibldiers  wc|6  welcome,  and  had  a  fitting  couiii^l--*^X)b 
vi^le^eeilo  no/man,  neither  apciise  any  falsely,  and  be  ^dtitent  w*|pi 
ytour  wag^.**'  That  the  publicaS  should  db  his  duty  hoTierly,  asm 
th^  i^gdit.Ql  Oodi  aiid  tlii^t  the  spldicr  should  dehy  hninself  l^e  (idcmc 
<]^:M9  caliiUff^  and  be  faithful  to  his  standard,  from  a  s6&^  Of  pbligri- 
tibn.Wore^od,  were  practical  t^sts  of  loyalty  to  consoi<mqe>  ^hfdi 
wouia '  c^riy  with,  them  the  l^ivine  favour,  la  all  Cases,  mrttfil  fc- 
g^hdratioQ  w$9^  the  grand  .a^ra,  andlthe;man  hltnself :  iU^  \Voi1i.i^to 
■q«i^uttheirefpn4tio?i::^  ^m-^'^W'^^f'f^^^  . 

i  if  6t^  while  John  tiiU84cfe«^d^a^pi^a^^ 

' h4  Was  &r  from.  teachiUg  tmit  the  moist  parn^stwish,  to  ^iiarigc  the 
life„1f6uld;  of  itsejf,  su6-ce.'  Ho  brought  the  hope  of  forgiveness^iii 
^  irUiy  of  the  -ti^rath  Of  God,,  to  bear  on'  all  classes,  and'  ^u«!ide't^em 
leel  tliit  salv^tipn  cbiild  not  come;  after  all,  from  their  pU'^'acitfe, 
though  these  toust  be  reridei^ed,  but  only  by  pardon  from;Goa.j 'He 
prodaim^y  bemdes,  the  need  of  the  Spirit  of  wd  to  perfect  the  i|iner 
r!BVd^utioii.":He  that  cometh  after  me  will  baptize  y^u  Wi^h  t^o 
Uo^y  <3(host,iitid  With  fire."  For  the  hardened  there. \vouId,'iii(^d, 
l^  a  baptlisniof  fite/but,  for  the  contrite,  the  heayenly  giftof  aW^hbr 
Will,  and  a  greater  po Wei*,  d  deeper  knowledge  of  God;  and  a  Closer 
communion  with  Him.  Feeling  tiiew^t  of  the  times,  and  filfed  wpi 
th&  spirit  of  the  prophets,  ho  cbuld  not  forget  iibw  tliey  ha<\  apjibunced, 
as  a  sigU  of  the  coming  of  tlie  Mfessiah,,  that  Je^hovah  "  Wou^d  pour 
out  His  spirit  upon  all  flesh,"  *' that  He  would  pour  wat^r  ujpoii  him 
that  -was  thirsty,  and.fioods  on  the  dry  ground,"  and  "His  spirit  tibbu 
the  offspring  of  Jacob."  He  could,  not  doubt,  tliereforei  that  H^, 
before  whoija  he  was  only  a  herald's  voicie,  the  Mighty  One,  W^ose 
sandak  it  was  too  great  an  honour  for  him  to  unloose,  wciuld  come, 
not  ouly  to  avenge,  but  to  bless.  But,  to  do  this,  He  must  bring  with 
Him  a  higher,  quickening  spiritual  power— the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  In  the  bestowal  of  this  heavenly  influence,  to  carry  out  the 
new  creatbn,  begun  bj''  the  forgivsness  ot  sins,  was  summed  up  Johri^s 
mctisage  to  his  age. 

It  was  a  mark  of  the  surprising  greatness  of  John's  whole  spiritiifil 
Qfitare,  that  he  had  realized  the  need  pf  action  on  the  part  of  man,  to 
fflcure  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  promise  of  the  kingdom  ^biit|t 
wad  no  less  8^/ that  he  realized  the  limitfitiopB  of  human  e£tert,  and 
ptvockuoifd  the  necessity  of  %  Diving/ ud^-<^]^ting  ppwer,  to  «edi^ 


<*b»  mi 


fitrbngfi 
i^|a#oi 

(^onsfiio 

mission, 
self^rsaerij 


™ie.Qut 


li^AheiJpi 
Wd  full  c 

ov;0n  Mrhqj 

wi^d  ito 

*^^  W 
mi^e^,  an 

themtheii 

i^rualism  < 

nt^ghbom- 

^^o;iie,,H 

3ut  Job 
oeptiot^^  of 

O^itspuri 

of.Mie  thoo 
moral  refoi 
above. the 
"^eir  ^aste 
dqiuJesusj 

w  the  neC( 


ou." 
asm 


i  inner 


inc 


it  tijion 
[at  H^ 

come, 


\ovLi  the 
Joliti^s 


„ian,to 

i' but  it 

>rt,  and 

secure 


Ms^tw^dFckaiS*. 


J;^  ijijpji  ^  age,  to ;  unyeiV  its.  ,tr\i^;  spiritual  wants^  tp  rwfake  i^,  ^  ftpyr 


SJ'O: 


fitrpnger  tlia»  u^manvwiil  ^r  «ffortf.alo^e  pQiild  Wea^  tHe^cl^if  j  Qf 

^^^^  u  ^^^  a'vi  M  It  to^be  ught,  ,f:_,, ,  ^  oii .  u;;> ;;  ;i.  /ji;;^r 

'  ,Mb(Ql\y:n^^f<)l?UwpMs,,  tainted  .by  no  staij?MOi.  ft^^P  #4(JSi!  W 
cbnscipi^^ft^,  pi;,  Jpw,.ainbftipny  John  baa  felt,  it  »0!.ji^™lip»,  5P 
;MQ^^ffjpW3  asaumptipn^jiq  cofietituiie  bipji^Jf  ,"  t|^^  iji^e^sgte^^^ 
,j(jn,C^e^iby  |i?;9,lap||ii^/:  s^nt  to  prepaid  tb(^  :y\ray.bjBf^jBj^thajLM.f .,  N^ 
..waSilu^  pi^acbiipig  n^ore.tJjiia  jmejfm^  /;jbft  pr9Pilij?tt?r2?oraa4- 

t^^Vftbe  l4pi*4  wbom  yp  seek^sbajl^  8wd(i?n|y,coiififttaIfw:'lV^ 
jfej^a/tUja  naes^eoger  jof  t^e  cpvenanjb,  wboiij  ye  ,^^ngbt,m*5.vt|^^^ 
T^eQ^Yed  tli^jcpqt^ini^sionirbm'np  human  to^  b^t  ijaa^been^.^^fapaft 
tp  ii.,  f rppi.f4>oive,  ,be)5ora  liis  l)^rt^,  F^lfedj  witU  t^]u&  jm^^e^J^  oir Jws 
mission,  nothing  arrested  him,  or  turned  Turn  iBj^ide.  .|3fhe,pirp)yas^8ii|v 
ii;^  Aimv%.  wo^ti  u«]3^ing  strepffth,  united  with  tbfii  n^psf^jcc^pjute 
s^t^^^cp:  a  lype  of  grand,  fidelity  tp  Gpd.  pd,H^^jtr][^i^^a^d>pf 
tpl^rU^^t.se^f-ai^pi^l.  The  sprrowa  and»hopes>j'of  Israel  i^^^e^jlb 
eput  |ipm,  hjs  eyes, ^bi^gh,t, with  thq  ip^piratiop  Qi,  bi?^  ^p),  Mt 
\es3  of  bis  wprL— as  be  sppwh9ned;  ip^*  orP^^^  >^^ 


«^peiiS,npe,,aJ^rmea  tbemby  wpi-^s  of  teijrpr^,orrl€^i^^piT,in  ^j^jjj^, 
^.tibev  jprd^.jftnd  impiersedjeacU  sipgly  in  ,t]fe  jsvi^ters,  affe]^^j^t 
^dfull  copfesaioa  pf  their  sms.    The  newly  baptised  krieU 411' pj^y^r 


^ahed  itp  begin  ,fti  pew  tife.apd  eiived  ppun^I.  frpjp.'^pp  jp^^^ 
tlixe^.  pcttv* ,,  iappliiQiU^  bel^vedi  imd;  each,  in  tumfj^ppJibGifPnaoldi?^*, 
c.ii;i?e|n,  and  ppen  sinner — heard  a  few  words  wpicb,  pbmteo  dut  to 
them  their  future  safety.  The  narrow  separatism  and  worthless  ex 
t(^rnalism  of  the  Law  were  to  be  forsaken,  and  love  to  God  and  their 
neaghbour,  and  a  future  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  Him  who  was 
to  <?pme,, were  tP  take  their  place. 

3ut  John,  with  all  his  grandeur*  was  still  a  Jew.  What  his  cpn- 
oei^op^pf  the  kingdom  pf  thq  Messiah  wei^,  bevond  his  realis^tipp 
of;  its  purity,  we  have  few  grpunds  of  judging,  Frpm  ap  aj^t^jjipci- 
denl;4phis  life,  it  would  sepm  tliat  he  thought  pf  it  as  the  Tcstpratipn 
pf,jihe  thopqracy,  amidst  a  people^jjrepared.  for  it  by  repantapce  apid 
mpral  reformation.  It  would  be  to  set  him  above  his  tipies,  ande^en 
al>t>ye.the  apostles,  as  they  remained  during  the  whole  lifetime  of 
theiic|(Iaster,  to  eonceive  him  as  realizing  the  purely  spiritual  king- 
dpn^  Jesus  was  to,  establish.  He  was  greater  than  pU  tbte  proppeits,  \n 
his  n^ajificettt  faith  that  the  wprk  he  h^^  begup  wppld  b$  pftpi»i 
PVItl^  Jehovah;  Himse)jE^  through;  His  l^e^iaht  mdjiPjlils,  le^jy^ti^ipa 
of  the  heed  of  human  actipn,  m  repentance  and  a  new  life,  to  thia 


I 


ll 


' .-  ■uml}   % 


c^tijbMiiietit  of  the  MessJiili'ii  kiri^oih.    Othfefs  Md  left  G<)d  ttf -d* 
all  |*i  f6]m^  fawe  timcf,  llmithig  tli^^m^'lves  to  fjrophecy.  '  ^(^nalotib 
i^^em,  tli^i  'th^  kingdbm  of  Obd  had  Ulreafl^  comef  ih  tlie<  contrite 
sbUiTumich  i^i't)vfed  i&penitebde  by  hbfy  fruits.    Uat  he  -was' also  less 
thalti  the'leaJ^  in  that  kingdom,  in  lti«i  inadbqiiate  realiisation  <tf  it  in 
its  fiiir  greatness.     He"  ca'me  neithi^r  eating  mr  dritoking,  *'^-^  i'ypk 
ot.Sp^J'^  asce.ticisra,  and  Kis  teacliing  bore,  tbrbiighout,  thefi  trno 
J,^wm  ptflimp:- '  lP^rlmj;»'b^  rose  albove  th6  tlioilgbt,  universal' S»  Ma 
te'thtit'tMifuter  act  ha(I,1ii,  itsMf,  ^hintririsib  worth,  if  not,  evett,  * 
a  spiritiiW  pbw^,  btit  tbd  inijibrtknce  he  iattaohed  t&  outward  ^Jipwu-^ 
sidtift  of  pfebit^^e  \^  ehtfreJy  jTewish.'    Like  the  RabbiB,  he  laii^' 
str6i(s  oii  Tastihgl  and  on  the^"*  making  t)rttyfer8,"iii  the^  Jewish  sensd, 
aiia  W  discljbles,  iii  thfesei  and  otlier  eirtie^nal  exercises  of  Teligicn/ 
fotind  t^emfe^vbd  riea^er  th^  disciples  of-  the'  Pharis^eia  -  than*  those  <tf' 
J^srts.  ['M' a  Nazarite  and' jiti  flsd^tic,  the  dread  of  dett)em^l/  mmt 
ha^eketithi^  apart  from  the  great  mai^  of  hfs  atrdlenbe,  ^r^he  da^ed 
n6t-t4iti0h  iiny  but  "th^  dean;  ^  even  in  b^ptifcingthem^ 

Iii-thi^  dsj^ct  of  it;'the  woife  of  Johii  Wlas,  in'the  ey<eS  <tfVGaiTfi< 
only  the  sewing  a  new  patch  en  an  dldgdniientvior  new  wihe  put 
Iflto '  o\4  1)o^ties;  The  ^reat  movendeht  he  set  on  foot,'  whflei  an 
Iniirinuensie  ftdvahcc  bti  the'  past  in  Jnidalsm/  was  yet^  in  its  eesen^,* 
Jfe^sh.  'Tiie  ascetic  sjiirit  of  its  ori^n  perpetnatfed  tts^tf  in  Jeiin^s 
■  (j|isc^|e^,  and  Mailed 'luB' whole  conceptions  as  imperfeiet  and  passit^ 
-^th« Iteming  red  heraldihg  the  day,  but  afe  yet  mingled  with  the' 
tt^il'^'  '^^  ■'  ^'^  "^-'.^'l'^  q^ 'tii  ^u^i;./rfi,i  u/y^a: -iu.^  -.-ro  ..,tu.>v...4*'„ix|:,■ 
3bim  foMed  hb  i^i^i^dt^'  Uri0xrtM^: ' '  lie  ftNigfit  hl«  disifiples^lb 
pi^y.'arid  it  Would  seem  as  if  he  had  ultimately  gathered  «  special 
band  round  him,  ais  the  aqprostles  Wtere  gathered  round  Jesus,  fi^t  he 
c&ai<^,  nbt  tb  f oiind  ii  h6w  sect;  His  far  ghtnder  aim  was  to-  raisiy  the 
natibii^^^oih  spiritual  deati)*,  ahd  direct  it  to  the  coming  Messiah^"  •  >  > 


uiu-  'till 


^'k>f-.ri:.> 


CHAPTER  XXVI; 


-  uj-m'yi-.ffi  v?'j  .  ,  ,. 

.lj;ivij,<^1^H»'BAPTI6M  OP  jpSUB  AND  THR  DBIATH  OF  JOHN^,-^i,j,|J^- 

1*^  gr^at  wave  of  religious  excitement  produced  by  the  prcabhiftg 
of  Jbhn  had  set  the  whole  land  in  motion.  Poiilque  de  Nouilly,  the 
famous  monkish  preacher  of  the  thirteenth  centuiy,  whose  discourses 
moved  all  classes  6f  society,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  «o  that 

Seople  rushed  in  crowds  from  distant  countries  to  hear  him,  or  Whit- 
ela,  in  the  last  century,  who  stirred  the  whole  natiott  in  his  day, 
help  us  to  realize  the  sensation  produced  by  John's  ministrations, 
*t6  a  people  stink  for  the  tihic  in  religious  apathy,  and  corrtipted  in 
'"moriifs,  but'loyal  ,to  the  voice  of  their  E 3ript\;ire8,  iand  the  lofty  spir- 


ma 

Me  I 
their 
Jrere 
ignoi 
me  1 
rigon 
nance 
.lUipos 

,Kal?W 
''thing ; 

their  r 

a  ^reLt 

'i^velai 

The  Vc 

attce," 

Tipach 
'i^'  meti 
Mat  h6 


Meals  of  the  past,  hi^' Vofce  came  like  a  tnimpet,  rdush^g  th^  to 
mew  li:^.    Hisi  bronzed,  wasted  features,  his  prophet's  dress  and  heap- 


lienaahd 
must  w 

•ymboKt 
cbnfesfifi, 

ciaifryhii 
'>jl'31ffean^ 
^defiSas 
easy  at  I 
afterwar 
him  by 

seemed  t 

ing  beyc 

including 

Jtethe 

tJifhere  ^ 

-^©astern  eJ 

^chose  a  s] 

Bethabai 

l>at>tism. 

south,  an| 

fleld^froi 

It  as 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIBT. 


iJ. 


265 

.  ...  -  )  J-  ^-  v-PfLL  'TIT  : 
iag,  his  fearless  boldness  rior  (jod,  and  the  response  of  Uieir  own 
jf(^S'tO)hiftdefiuiiciations  am}  demands^ipade  him  Wt.ip^l^ty  power. 
>fie:^te  utterance,  io  ^heir  .dei^pe^  <^vef  an4<^irati(^s,  fanned 
Uieir  national  hopes^  and  rpi^se^  their  enitliiis|a«m.  As  a  people^they 
W^re.  hot  ib.  favour  iof  ascetiicisQi:,  Tl^e  BaJi)bis  had  a  sayihg^:  .that ,  the 
ignoi^t  did.  hot  lmQ\i^  how  tp  Heep  themselves  from  traqsgressiohs  of 
,  tpe  Xaw,  nor  the  coimnon  people  l^ow  to/ become  "  the  Jp4,ous,"  or 
rrgprous  Jews,  jSVen  one  so  fapouous  as  S^pieon  tl^  Juftt  d)i^oMnte- 
nanced  Nazsarite  vows,  with  tlie  rigid  abstinenpe  and  self  7^en|^  they 
,iihpbsed>  The  Wtorldly;3adducee  laughed,  at  the  a^terlties  of  the 
Kal^bis,  " wha  toopmieixted, themselves  i^ti|us  Uf e  with^nt jg^inii^  any- 
^tfaingby:  it  in  the  other,"  and.the  mass  pi  the  pec^ie  were, pp  doubt  of 
their  noima.  But  the  vision  of  a  true  Na^arite,  imn^hop^  ^  couM  see 
a  gnind  superiority  to  the,  worthless  ambitions, of  liie,  :^wasi,  like  a 
irevelatlon  of  eternal  realities^  which  ho  one  qould  turn  Jightl^)  ^Ide. 
The  Vejry  power  of  his,  words  sieemed  to  imply  the.  trutk  of  niswayn- 
'ingiS^  for  the  Rabbis  had  aJieafly  tola  |heni  that  "uniyer^;^epent- 
ahce/'  such  83  they  seemed  to  see  round  t^m,  /'  woidd/<>my  ji^ppeh 
Wh^Eliashad  come^-'  aud  his  coming  was  th^  sure  s^ga  q|E  theiap- 
piipaeh  t)f  the  kingdom  of  God.  ;  ,,    i   ,    , 

:ijs  JStelrthing'  was  fitted  to  staiUe'  Tlie,  prqclamatibi;^  pf  fbo Jfessl^ 
aSiat  hand— tihe  call  to  i;epentancie— -the  ahnowicementjitf  jy^e  sT^if t 
tt>ll]iii^  towards  them  of  the  thunders  pt  ike  wrath  of  £tdd--4iie  qe- 
:  jelare^  wprtiUlessness  of  distinctions  of  race,  blood,  or  pi^sltiftB^tl^e 
idenaiahd  for^  frOits  meet  for  repentai^pe,  or,  in  othej^  woi^^  ihat  iii^n 
mudt  work  but  his  oWh  salvation  in  co-operation  with  Uoa^-rthe 
symboliciil  rite,.to  w^chi  here|(jmreid8^b?ai8fiao«,.fm^  the>hi^ 
ebnfes^oh  of  sin;  before  the  world,  w^ch  he  aduc^rr-aU  e(^l4ne^^^ 
clarr^his  naoie  and  work  to  the  utmost  Jiuiits  of  the  la»df  ;.  ,,  >.%. U 
^/li^Mean't^hile,  the  authorities  at  Jerusalm,  wi^^^  the  jealqitsy  pf  .fdl 
ectileidaitical  bodies  toT^ards  those  oiutsidje  tl^jeir  own  pa|e,  4^ew  un^ 
easy  at  his  success,  and  plotted  to  get  him  into  their  toils,  as  they  did 
afterwards  in  the  case  oi  our  Lord.  The  ensnaring  qut^tions  put  to 
him  by  the  deputation  of  priestly  Pharisees  sent  from  Jernaftlem, 
seemed  to  have  made  John  tiiink,  it  uecpssary  to  seek  safety  by  remov- 
ing beyond  the  bounds  of  Judea,  From  the  "circle  of  Jordan," 
including  t)oih  i^de^  of  the  stream,  he  passed  upwards,  apparently, 
jto  the  small  sunken  plain  wjiich  borders  it,  just  beneath  Bcythopolis, 
Where  Gideon's  Brook  of  Trembling  makes  its  steep  way  from  the 
eastern  end  of  Esdraeion,  down  the  Wady  JaMd,  tp  the  Jordan.  He 
chose  a  spot  near  this,  on  the  ef|£tcrn  side,  knowh,  in  those  days  as 
B^thabara,  where  a  ford  crossed  the  river,  and  gave  facilities  for 
ba|>tism.  '  He  had  been  preaching  and  baptizing  for  some  tune  in  the 
south,  and  his  removal  tP  a  more  northern  position  opened  a^oew 
field,  < from  its  i^arness  to  Galilee.  The  excitement  still  contiqued  as 
great  as  ever.  The  ^owna  on  ,thc  lake  of  (^alilee,  and  eveft  the 
.Tiilagfis  XW^rth  of.  |l^^aelo^,   ppj^ed,  forth  ^.  the  ne^ ,  pir<^;i|iet. 


THB 


JTv» 


OPCH^^^T. 


■7 


c 


Weeks  passed,  and  it  tiinst  how  wyiB  ibeieft,  !^'c  lato  Bi^^p^t^'^of* 
^^liefdte  Idn^,  iTohii'liM  to  lotiV^'tiie'  Jor^iati,  as  too  ^MljLow;  at'  %  acc^ 
t'ji^blld  i>^Tt^  ^y  baptism,  litid  ^6  fb^ahothef  ,pilace<->Enon,  i^ffi;'  ^^iii 
'■Man  ttitoown'  locAUty,  wjbiete  J)Ook  more  suiteWe  were  Jret  tp.fie 
^JBad.  'But,  aij  y*et,  t^ere ^as  tip  sigiji  of  the  advent  of  the  .^j^pwt^ 
^e^iah.'  Th^  a^hiWiuff  of  the  natibn,  and  t&Je  j^ieatrwbtk  on,ti^c 
Wnk*'  ^f  the  Jbtd^n,  were  necessary  prejimiharies,  m^|^fe  piy^pso 
eounflcla,  tb  dignify  thti  liltithat^'  Advent  of  the  Redeemer. ,  r , r, 

Je^s  l^ad  itei  •waiting  'the  fii  mpnaept  fc^  leaving  If  is 'iJiPy 
y^W  joi)i^tinntf  ife  Nazareth,  and  presehtiW  Hin^selfheiOTft,^^ 
neii^ld'^wo  had'beeri  \ifi(ioriscioiisly  proclaimi^^  H\Vi,  ,  !3pip«gh 
ditisinij^'the  BAbtist  and  the  Sbti  of  Mary  liad  nevw  seen  ^pl^  btfep. 
for  Uiey*  Hted  at  oppowtc  ends  of  the '  cbiiptry,  and  John  )i^q  J^peiQ^t 
wd  do'nbt  taiow  now' many  yeai^|of  his  ;|iie  in  h^nnit  ,seip)i^xop, 
f&rfrbihili!an;  But'lf  JFohn'  did  not  kiibtv  His  jpeiw^,  jie  jift^^^^^ 
do^tliel98,  hea'rd''th^/9ebndrQUs  cijfeumstajnces  atljeiidii^g^S^^  imj^ 
and  must  have  been  dafly  eijifebting  Him  W  jpuHortji  pis  cJa^. 
M  last,  '^esus  left  Kazareth  and  came  jtb  Jordan,  and  p?«ise|\|e4i  Jiip- 
eelf  befdre  him:;  Hi^  ap|)eaiiiice;  -w^ioliy, different  fr^  ^^  oiM 
Who  Juid  thronged  to  his  ministi^y,  at,pnce  a^estiqd  thie  propi^e|t1|  eyff» 
^hB  'K&ljr'detbtibn  and  heavenly  repose  whicjh  jmarked  Him'.  4?  Mp 
jWObd  itk  prayeV,  sjJbke'  of  a'fu^ty  aiid  jgyeatniess  before  in^ii^hiih^ 
B6vildt\^ohn.  did'  mstant  r^vere&be.,'  H^  might  have  st^  ijj^oideifer 
flid' in^wliaild  self™litedii$,  bu'tj'ln  the  |)resfi2ce  bt  ^c^raj^^ion^M 
that  befe^  hiih,  he  hfesonrf  those  of  Ibwliest  homage.  ^Tb/e  }}gmi 
*8  of  *  btftbt'  wbiid^,'  ehihliig  froni  the  depth^  *o|  th^ose  !QaIm,^es;jtiie' 
radi^^e of  abbul fre^ |tx)m  all  stain*  of  sin,  t^jansfigu^ing,  tbe; pi!l9 
face^,i^ftill,' ait  bn.a^; ;  of  hi^eiit  beaiity^  •^rid^es^  Ibve,  ap4  .deiepest 
sadhe^,  wa^'htereatte^,  feven  v^hen  jiliinly  &eh  by  the  Ifgut  of  i^i|^)ght 
tbrches'and  fentetns^'  tovmake  accusers  vsbrfnli'fc^^^^  mi\i 

bverebitoe,'to  th6  grqiiiid,  an'd  Simoh'Fe^er  May— -',*  popart  from  «»Ci; 
foir  1  ath  a  sihfiil  ma^,'0£bral'*  The  bouI  %sm  instinctive  recpgni- 
tibh'Of  gbbdrie?^,  and  feels  its  ^wfufriess.  IBpintuiarjCT 
kitifiy^CrbWti  which  cbmpels  instai^t  reverence,  Had  He, l^^ja  an 
earlhiy  king,  John  would  navcreinaiheci, thesten^,  f^artes^. prophet; 
h«td'He  been  the  higliest  of  the  earthly  prjlestlicpd,;  he  wo.^d  Jjay^ 
bbirne '  himself  '  6s  His  s^feerip^^,^  in ,  i  t^ic  conscipusneps  pf  ^his  iiigh- ' 
mii9sk)n^  But  the  royalty  before '  him  was  net ,  of  this  Woi;ld,  apd  m& 
prieBthbbd  was  higher  than  tli^t  Of  Aaron.  Jesus  had  comp  tp,  be? 
baptized;  but  Jblm,  for  tha  .first  and  last  time,  vvith  any  opp.  pt ill 
the  crowds  that  had  ^theted  round  him,  hesitated,  and  d,rew  baejfei 
"I  have  hPed  to  be  baptizied  of  Thee,"  said  he,  "and  earnest ^hpu 
t^  m^  ?"  He  might  not  knpw  by  name,  or,  open  intinaatijpn ,.  vtihom 
be  had  Wefore  him;  '  but  tm^rring  jjostipct  taught  him  jih^t  :.he 
addressed  a  greatei*  than  hinaself.  He  was  longing  for  the  reyeln^t^ 
^of  tiltle  Meissiah,  nnd  knew  that  Odd  bould  i^anifestHii^  i9t  m^^ 
itfc/tudbt,  plbthing'Himw^bni  He  liad  designated  fprihe  hijii  dlsi4^« 


I 


I  T  ' 


^E  OF  C 


^^)l  divine  m|gh((  to  carr^out  His  ,t«^||:^.    It  1%  indeed,  the  .especial 
greJRtness  of  the  Baptist  that  he  not  oiijy  ro3e  to  the  kyel  of  so  gieat 
^^enterpfise  as  thp  spiritui^l  re^;ieratipn  of  his  country,  and  devoted 
^lamsetf  to  it  with  gigantic  ^neigy,  and  that  he  waaa  man  o£  spotless 
'trivth  and  daiintless  coura^,  but  that, /wit^h  ,aJUi  this,  he  was, filled 
;#|ith  a  s^endid  enthusiasm,  and  unfaltering  faith  in  the  nearness  of 
'%m  Messiah;    This  ^lone  could  b^ve;  supported  liim,  undpr,  the  burr 
den  of  Itis  ''^ork.    No  one,  till  then,,  had  stood,  like  him,  between 
'iW^e^d|)£|0t  and, the- dimly  rising  future,  iu  hopeful  and. confident 
expeot$ition.    He  had  led  the  people  f rQm  the  qoiruption,  wickedi- 
iiess,^  and  coirfusion  of  thpir  decayed  religiousness,  ana>  stood  calmly 
And  griandly  at  their  head,  in  the  ^n^  belief  that  the  Messiah,  who^ 
•oDJLy,  could  realize  the  promises  l|ie  had  .made  them,  of  divine  help 
.td^vtyrds  a  higher  life,  .would  emerge  |rom  the:  darkness , before  himi 
Injsiich.  an  attitude  of  intcns^st  expectancy,  he  ^lust  vix  onqs  have 
rktognisied  the  Tnarks  of  the  possible  Messiah  in  any  one  who 
fihWed  them.   ;  He  might  look  dfor  pp  ovitWftfd  signs :   the  divine 
lineiiments  of  a  niaturc^nt  for  such  an  olHcc  Would  sufQce,  the  future 
1>ein[g  left  to  God,  to  whom  he  entrusted  his  own;  workl.   He  could 
Bot^  go  abi7>c^  to  search  for  opB  w^o  inigbt  be.whathe  desiired,  but 
Ids  aFrd9ht,'yel  keen,  ^ul,  cpuia  not  fail  to  discover  Him  if  He  Cftmd^ 
ine^ithliii  his  spnere.     !No  wonder,  then,  he  felt»  that,;in  Jesue,  itho 
o8jeefr:of  his  longing  seemed  to  haye  been  jfound.    "X  knew.  Him 
fiot^"  said  he,  some  time  later,  "  and  had  not  in  any  measure  begun 
riijtwotk  because  I  k^iew  Hhn,  or  th£rt  He  might  at;  my  request  come 
tci^e,  ,b^t  I  have  been  ba|>til^zing  and,  rousing  Israel^  that  He,  ^oii^ 
tifiknown  to  irie,*— draw^i  indeed  by  my  work,*  but  without  de^gn  ob 
thought  9n  my  part,  and,  therefore,  only. by  ^e  clee«r  leading  and  pur< 
pO0e  of  God,— should  be  revealed  to  Israel  a3  the  true  Jlf essiah."    Ho 
had,  already,  before  Jesus  had  presentec^ijlhnself,  made  kjipwn.hi^ 
dx«i^  eon victiou  that  God  had  hc^rd  the  cfyof  His  people,  and  had 
pQVided  the  Messiah,  though  as  vpt  He  had  not  disclosed  Him^ 
Iu  his  grand  trust  in  God,  he  had  told  the  multitudesy  "  there  &tandetlif 
one  among  you,  whom  you,  know  not — the  true  Messiah,"  who  hat> 
been, among  you,  and  ypu  have, not  dreamed  of  it,  because  youknem 
neither  the  marks  nor  nature  of  God's  Anointed,  aud^  indeed,  you^ 
WUl  iiot  recognize, Him,  even  when  He  appears.    Tliatye: may  know 
Him,  He  is  He  who  cometh  after  me,  and  yet  shall  be  preferred^ 
before  me — the  true  Messiah,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose.^ 
*?^He  shall  be  preferred  before  i^e,for  He  wm  h^ore  mei    He  is  no 
man  of  mortal  birth,  for  scripture  and  Babbi  unite  in  recognizing 
the  llessiah  as  the  uncreated  Word  of  God,  sent  down  irom  heayen» 
to  dwell 'f6r^  tipie  among  nfien."    Jphn's  long  communion  with 
God  iof  the  wilderness,  his  prayoB  and  te^rs,  had  raised  him  to.a^ 
spiriliual  gnilldeur  which ,  anticipated,  Tv^itb  a  higher  thaoi  bumaa 
siliiK,  t^0;j^  u^revealed.    Lifted  alwve  Cji^rtii^  the  advea^t  ot  th$ 
■•'"'^^'^^haa  become  to  him  a  livmg  truth,  wUoh  only  waited  God'9 


II 


988 


THU  LIFE  OF  CHRI»T. 


iO 


time  fen*  Its  WGlmnire,  ^and  «t  laist  stood 'tifei%  Vtetoto  mih,  hi  'HIiH 
who  sought  baptism  at  his  hands.  .^  :  ^ 

'yr.  Ko  wonder  he  shrank  from  asdufninff  to  such  a  behi^  the  relation 
in  which  he  stood  to  other  meni  He  Ttnew  that  only  one?  wh<)'  was 
wholly  free  from  sin  could  be  the  'Messiah,  and^uch  ah  Qn«  h^  fe^ 
was  before  him.  The  meekness,  gentleneiss,  and^ilrit^,  w^choT^- 
awed  him,  spoke  of  nothing  less,  and  the  heart  of  John,  o&  the 
instant,  cotHd  express  its  overpowering  emotion  in  no  more  flttiok 
thought  than  that  he  "  beheld  the  Lamb  ^f  God,  who  taketh  awtit 
the  ^n  of  the  Worid."'  In  such  words  he  embodied  a  concej^tlon 
which  he  had  heard  from  the  Rabbis  since  his  chiMhodd;  for  thfe 
daily  sacrifioe,  on  whose  head  the  sins  of  Israel  were  laid  by  a 
forma)  act,  was  their  favourite  tvpe  of  the  Messiah;  who  was  heiic6 
known  by  the  endearing  name  or  the  •*  Lamb  of  C^od."'  The  subliih^ 
picture  in  Isaiah  6f  Him  on  whom  Jehovah  had  laid  the  iniquitiba 
of  Hi8>  people,  and  who  was  led  as  a  Lomb  t<)  the  slaughter,'  held 
alroadybeen  applied  to  the  Messiah,  and  John  might  weS  thitilcbf 
ilin^  In^this  His  highest  aspcct,~ioppres8ed  in  soul,  as  he  himself '  ^iirtis, 
by  the  #ei^t  of  the  sins  of  his  race^^' "'^  ^'f^^']  ^f  Ji'<  •'•  \«l  »"*^'?  '>m  &f 
The  hesitation  of  the  Baptist,  how^Vci'i  wasKm  allbv^dttfpr^riitt 
for  Jesiie  ^ill  nepented' Bid  desire  to  be  baptized:  *'  puffer  it  noi^,'^ 
said  He;  ^' for  thu#  it  beootnesiis  to  fulfil  all  righteousness.  Frdtn 
whatever  jQod  has  Required  of  I^riiel  as  ti  duty,  I  cannot  withhold 
myseM.'-  Baptism  was  an  ordinance  6f  Gbd,'re(iuired  by  His^piTophet 
astheintroductioii  of  the  new  dispensation.  Itwasapart  of  "rigfc^- 
eousnees;"  tliAt  4»,  itwas  a  part  of 'God's  commandments,  which  Jfesiis 
came  into  the  world- to  show  us  th^  exftmpld  of  fiiWllfnff,  toth  in  the 
letter  and'  tlie  sphrit.  Moreover;  He  had  tiot '  yet'  recerf)ed»  the  con- 
secration of  the  Spirit.'  abicling  bn  Him,  artd  had  bot  yet  «s^m6d'lf!»3 
awful  dignity  of  the  Messiiii,  but  hisid  hitliertobe^nonly  the'unkno^ii 
villageP  of  !Nazar6th.  No  stiblect  is  nidre  mysterious  than  the  *'*M- 
crease  In  wisdom"  which  maiked  the  Snvidur,  as  it  does  all'  btjwir 
meh,  nor  can  we  con jeoturti  "When  it  wAs  that  the  full  realisiatldn  iOf 
His  divine  mis^on  flr^  rose  befbre  Him.  Ai^  yet  there  had  been  no 
indication  of  its  having  done  so,  for  Hehad  not  yet  "  mai!i$fes«edigis 
glory,"  or  appeared  at  all  before  men.  Is  it  too  much  t6  bi^llfeve  tMt 
His  baptism  was  the  formal  consecrt||tion.  Ii^hich  marked  Hii^  ehtraoide 
on  His  great'offlce?    ■         ^ti-,urri>  ii-A^.;ait  oj-.^to^o:  -v.^  .hiiif^^ 

John  resisted  no  longer,  and  leading  Jesus  into  the  stream,  ffie  fitfe 
was  performed.  Can  we  question  that  such  an  act  Was  a  cri^s  ih^  the 
life  of  our  Lord?  His  perfect  manho6d,  Mke  that  of  other  men,' in 
all  things,  except  sin,  forbids  omr  doubting  it.  Holy  and  ptuis  befdee 
sinking  under  the  waters;  He  must  .yet  have  risen  ftont  them  %itii 
tiie  light  of  a  higher  glory  in  Hii^  opunt^flance.  '  Hi$'past  life  Was 
dosed;  a  new  era  hiad  opened. .  'Hithelto  the  humble  v1iIi^^,'!Veiled 
from!  -  th#  world,  H»  was  henceforth  the  M^^lih,  openly  'WoilcM? 
amongst  men.    It  ww^  the  true  moment  of  Hia  entrance  on  a  new 


ie  Yitis 
iythe 

If e  was 

la  new 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

Itfe  Pa»t  years  had  bM  bufied  in  the  waters  of  Jordan.  He 
^tfned  . tliem  aa  Je^uar^e-fioa  e£  Man;  He  rme  frpm  ihcnti^  IIli^ 
Ghristof  God.  .  vmC^-) 

viv^oW'  ia  it  wonderful  tM*  at  a^ moment  when  He  was  paMing 
•  tturough  sucli  a  supreme  spiritual  crisis,  there  should  have  been  iwm- 
jj^hy  wMh  it  in  the  distpiut  regions  of  the  Universe.  '*  Being  bap- 
Jajsed,"  says  St.  Lukie,  "  and  praying,  "-^in  the  overpowering  emotion  , 
ofi  such  a  timer^the  heaven  was  opened-'^*all  hindrances  of  human 
7ive«toieas  jij^ithdrawing,  so  that  tlie.eye  seemed  to  pierce  the  sky,  to 
the  far-toff  heaven^, splendours.  And  now  a  vision  as  of  the  Holy 
>Gho^  descending  in  the  "bodily  form"  of  a  dove,  the  symbol  of 
ptirity  and  peace,  luid  resting  over  the  newly  baptized  as  in  perma- 
jient  consecration,  revealed  itself  to  John  and  Jesus;  a  heavenly  voieo 
Uttering  as  it  did  so,  "  This  is  My  beloved  Bon  in>  whom  I  am  well 
pieasedT"  Isaiali  )had,  long  before,  foretold  how  the  Spirit  of  Jehovfdi 
shoiild. rest  upon  theB^ancli  from  the  roots  of  Jewe — the  spirit  of 
wisdomi  and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  mi^t,  the  spirit 
iE>f  knowledge,;  a^  of  fear  of  the  Loxd,  and  the  prediction' wais  now 
jEulj^Ued,!  It  was  the  divine  anointing  of  Je8!Us,.to  pveach^good  tidings 
to  the  meek,  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted^  to  i  proclaim;  JRieFty  to  tbd 
.^inptiv;^,  imd  the  opening  of ,  the  prison  toithem  that  are  bound,  to 
pvocdaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lordrand  the  dav  oi  vengeanco 
{if  j3pd-«^he  consecration  from  on  high  to  the  office  of  Messiah^  and, 
;flis>fflichv  the  time  birth-hpur  of  Christianity.  It  was  His.solemn  desig* 
innticmiaa  the  Great  High  Priest  of  the  new  and  abiding  Dispensation, 
^e  sons  of  Aaron  wc^e  required  by  the  LeviticalJtiaw  to  be  set  apart 
>ta  th^  hijgh  qMcq  by  waahm^  and  anointing,  and  I^  who  was  to^  be 
qlotbed  with  an  infi'&itely  loftier  priesthood^  could  not  be  allowed  to 
want  a  correspondingly  grander  inauguration.  Instead  of'  theTemplo 
niada  with  hands,rHoJbad< around  Him  the  great  Temple  of  nature; 
ilor  the  brazen  laver  He  had  the  tlowingtSivcr,. reflecting  the  vault  of 
heaven.  If  He  had  no  golden  rob^- He  had  the  robe  of  a  sinless 
rj|;htepusness,  and  if  there  were  no  sacred  oil,  He  had^  instead)  the 
aj^inting  of  the  Holy  Gthost.  John  had  already,  by  Divine  intima* 
t#>nv  learned  that  the  8pirit  should  thus  descend  on  Him  who  was  to 
bi^tize  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  thus  saw  the  conflrmation  of  his 
b^et  that  Jesus  was,  indeed,  the  Lamb  of  God^  and  His  Bon.  How 
kin^  He  r€»Baained:  with  John  is  not  told  us,  but  it  would  seem  as  if  Be 
haa  forthwith  retired  to  the  wilderness,  to  return  only  after  His 

-tt^mpitation*    -         :   ;  :i!-    ■•■:  ^^     ;, 

yfjjThe  great  work  of  John  was  now  over. ,  As  Samuel  had  once  oon- 
aeoratea  the  earth]^  David  king  over  the  outward  theocracy,  the  last 
of  itli^  prophets  had  consecrated  a  greater  king,  wlto  should  rule,  by 
different  means,  over  a  kingdom  wholly  different,  though  John, 
standing  as  he  did,  outside,  could  at  best  only  dimly  conjecture  these 
ehacaolirist&cs  of  <the  new  Messianic  reign.  He  Uved  and  worked 
kng'enoi|i|^lM^t0ir.Jj»is.fn:own^      moment,  to  rejoice  ovev. the  first  .ad" 


^ 

ll 


J»- 


IfP^^IFB  <)r  OHBifiyfi 


97«i3cQa,Qttl^o  j]|^;wKtheoc7»cy  he-  ha4  called  lntf>beingr*'bui''a%K>  ^tts 
ilOOi^ ^  $MW  t)Mvt  h^idid  hbt€oinprehe&d'its^plrit,ti|»  bewdidd 
have  ,(iojne„  hud.  he  lived  later.  His  days  -were  Dumbercd  'Thftse  iii 
ppwerfw^  hfe  iwrds  and -wor^,  whion  gave  him  miprehie  influencd 
Qn>Qt^g  ihe  peoplq. .  Tlio  priests  and  Rabbis  had  failed  id  their  plo<a* 
ftgiiiti^li  hihi,  but  what  they  could  not  themselves  do,  thejf  w^re!  cnii 
fcpi^^bleio  effe^cttliroughoflc  of  ereater  power  for  evil*  v 

jphnpecms. latterly  tb^navo  moved  from  place  to  plaoe,  along  bo%h 
bunks  of  the  Jordan,  both  north  and  south.  .  How  long  bo  cOritiisued 
tp,l<tbmir  4^  ^ot  Jin^^wn,.  but  he  mm  still  baptizing  nfter  Jesus  hfcid 
^guijSi  J^is  i^iiniatiiy, ,  at  the  marriage  feast  of  Oana.  The  populririt V 
9f,7fl$^]B.}^idrp]U9edith8  jealousy  of  the  disciples  of  the  Baptist;  aim 
^i^  eyep  ,.V?ci^t©  angry  feeling.  A  dispute  with  a  jJewMikbly  a^di^ 
^ipJevPtVJ^uSfT^reaiiecting  baptis^i,  brought  matter  ta  li  criawj '  "Hfe 
ti(idi>.iLP$>^'*^t^)^>  claimed  for  that;  of  Jesus  a  higher  power  of:  d^sttttj^ 
ii^pi]A,i|i^  guilf  of  sin  y^i  thatof  their  master. « Irritated  arid 'ftnho^^e^ 
JpJi^'jI^jbflQ^ers  returned  and  told  him  hQW  He  '  *  v^ho  had  been- witl> 
hli|4,h)^ 

tMti^ifli^n,  were  now  coming  to  Him-  *'  The  news  otily  se^rned*  ik 
btu^  (he  gTEipd  humMijty  pi  the  iBaptiit  mom  prominently  than  leveir 
ij^t^-yle^^r-^^^fdipwed.hii^  to  bet  above,  any  selfi^^  br  petlsy  thduglit?: 
fl^;^n)^  io  whbia  the^iU-  of  Godwaa  the  abiding  law.'  VH&  tiiusb 
i|^pl^8^,'.'".flaiid  he/  »'*  hut  Imuat -decrease,  lor  He  is  the  Ghri&t  theBrtde?-! 
gf()piS<,iJ  rejoice  greatly  ^bi^ar  His  voice.  .He  is  froth  aboT;'ej^atifl;r 
thj^'^t^re.  atK> ve  all;  I  am.  on  Jy  of  the  ^^arth ,  ■  and'  speafc  as  stiohi  ^H»i 
'  "^  f^i^^ed  tihe  ijeijU  heaven;  He' has  the  po^pwr  of  life  tjH^Ai 

t:  Jae  is  thd  beloycdv son,  intoi whose  hand  the^'athwr  hascomi-it 


^jiigJWi  muatgi-pwdim  ana  expire. 
.)lb^  oWed  his  imprisonment  to  Heixad  Ao^ti^s,  in  whose  tcrrltbjpi^ 
hj|,.h^d^  ^Ji#it  safety,,  and  tlw^  oppoatunity  pf^  carrying  OU'  his  ivotkr: 
iUtJpil^oe.  The  cause  assigned  bed^  the  people  lof  his  arresiifwidi 
t^Si^hx^  Jjai  iteutured  to  'reprove Herod <  for  his  unlawful  marriago? 
"«m^;P<^-dal^,  but  pQliticalf ears:  had,  probably  ,ijn  rcalityynKyre^  «dd^ 
\vitfc  tt./^H^i:i^d,fW|tlj  the  crafty  cunmng^  for-whieh  Jesus  af^^^Wtttdi.: 
spb&<5,piE'hlU3i  da,  •*  the  fo35,"  was  afraid  that  John  mightturii  his*  wider 
ppj>ulatii^  to  political  account,  and  head  a  religious  risings  peHiapS' 
like  that  of  Judas  the  Galilsean,  for  all  men  seenaed  ready  for  anything  * 
he.migm  adyifee.  He  held  it»  therefore,  better,  says  Josephus,  toan«^ 
tipipale  aby.  attempt  at  reivolution,  by  imiflrisoning  him,  and,  If  needs^ 


Mj^0rijB,  oil  his. Sfttitherii;  border,  in  Perea.    In  him/the  hiersr^hy^ 


TBfi'  £if8'  oi^  Udiiiifff. 


Ill 


^  ehirii  tHe  xinUMtised  teatifaer  ^o  eb  fieely  botdkriiii^A  tliMb',  'iHA 
had  T&.gi«at  a  hold  upon  the  people;  Pilate,  ever  fcttrfal  M*  an;jr 
popular  movement,  tnnr  have  demanded,  at  their  craltjr  inMigatidn, 
that  action! should  betaken,  and  these!  hmuence^,  added  to  the  appre- 
hensjionaof'  Antipas  himself,,  brought  matters  to  a  crisis.  Bleinduig  k 
band'of  soldiers  and  police  northwards  to  the  Jordan,  a  dtotan^  of 
from  six  to  eight  hours,  they  appiehended  the  Baptist,  likely  by  night, 
-whehvthe  peoj^le  were  not  astir,  and.  binding  the  defencele^  tnftn,. 
hurri^l  him  on  to  the  fortresi^  Machaerus. 

;  .Tills  castle,  known  as  "  the  diadem,"  from  its  crown-like  seat  Od 
the  loftv  ipckfiv  and  as  "  th«  black  toiver,"  lay  oh  the  east  side  of  the 
Dead  »Mii  almost  On  a  line  with  Bethlehcim.    It  was  the  southern 
stronghold  of  Perea,  a«i  thti  Macedonian  colony  of  Piella^as  th6 
noHhem.   'Kature,  herSisIf;  liad  here  raised  a  stronghold;  as  she  had 
^at  of  Masada,  on  the  other  side  of  t^e  Bead  Sea,  a  littl^  fiirth^r 
stotfa..  :It  lay  abovd  the  de^jpgor^e  that  divides  the  moimttttii^'Cff 
Abarim  from  the^rangeof  Ksgah,  m  thew*ild  rerion  where,  ftomi  liHi*; 
memorial  tradition,  the  Jewssodght  ihe^avo  of  Moses.    A  feWihfl^' 
to  the  norths  in  a  d)dep,  rugged  Valley,  lay 'Calliirhdei,  famdtts  fortts 
wurm  battis,  where  the  dying  HetbdhiKl  sought  relief,  and  hod  n^^f 
Qiebhis  death.i  Its  hot  springs  bdrstat  dlie  spiot,  from  the  Tbbksm. 
the  bottom  of  the^o^ge,  and,  near  them',  others  pb 
the  ioiesti  coldness,  wMe^  the  hillsf  round  'wer^  hi 
With  mines  of  sulphur  and  alum.     The  tdrrent,  o 
sixbdinff  between  wallsdfbadalt,  tod  rpdi  br6wn,  and  bladk,  YOtet^i^ib 
thffj  ru^es  through  the  ravine/  oter  a  ehauhd  of  hiige  rdc^/^ibi' 
the  uplands  of  Perea  to'the  east  shdre  of  the  D^  B^.    A,t  a^bt^: 
di^nce  douth;!the  Wady  Z'gara  ttins  east  and  west,  Mn  pro^dilhiil^. 
govge.'vHthjpreoipitQus?  sides,  at  some  paiis  eight  hundted  n^t  h|gh,'' 
cleaving  Its  wild  way,  by  IcapSf  down  Ihrber^thoUsand  'dt^ht  hmi<m4^ 
feet,  to  the  Dead  Sea.    A  parallel  valliey'  succe^dsraTonf  tfie  'hdUAW^ 
of  fwhlch  rati'  the  old  Roman  road,  joining  Macha^rus  with  CalUr-y' 
rhcye,  and  with  the  great  road  from  Petra  to  Damasciis.    Bisfii^  ftt)m'- 
this  ravine,  the  tortg  mountain  ridge  of  Attaroth  stretches,  hi  heiftbed-i 
up  confusion,  ten  mifcs  to  the  South-west,  and  on  ihie  hi^eit  pomtoi; 
this,  where  it  sinks  sheer  down  towards  the  Zerka  Ma*iii,  fee  fUtirisil 
of  t  Mftchaerus,  in  great  mitsses  of  sttuared  stone,  still  b'^erhang  thet 
prof  wind  depth  below.    At  the  foot  of  th6  isolated  cliff  onDfrhich  theF^ 
fortress  was  built,  and  Separated  from  it  by  a  deep  and  narrow  VaUey^f 
npt  quite  a  mile  across,  lie  the  ruins  of  the  town  of  Machiaerus,  cqv-.| 
ering  niore  than  a  square  mile,  showing  in  the  remains  of  aT^tnplej 
of  the  Sun,  that,  along  with  the  fanatical  Jewish  poj^iilation,  it  musi| 
have  had  many  heathen,  that  is,  Greek  or  Roman  citizens,  who  were  ^ 
allowed  to  practise  .their  idolatry  in  peace.  '       x 

^he  first  fortress  had  been  built  here  by  Alexander  Jann^u^.  but  il4 
WAS  <ift^i*wa^s  dfjstroyed  by  Gabiniits,  in  his  war  against  AristdbiiitUer.!^ 
Wh<Sfeeli^red  cixde  «6  be  Idn^,  however,  hid  keen  eye  saw  the  ^reagdi 


;, 


m 


T^'lJPi  OF  cHrirslT. 


'9 


ofitlK^-pofdtioitf  Atid  ha determiaed  to.fi^btUld  the  tuBtit  k^ h  f^t!^ 
de^0p9Q  Agttiait  the  Ambs.    SusTOUiulii^;  a  lafge  space  wtth  >vdl]s  niid  , 
towera,  (he  buiH n  cijtV  fivmi;  which  a  path  led  up  to  th6  dtadel,  on  the  r 
ton,  of  the. Midge.    The  citadel  ittielf  was  at  one  end  of  ^  )a9tt6^ 
ridgeiHevriytft  mile  in  length  from  casjt  to  weat,  and  fonntid  h  lii^ . , 
retreat  in  ease  of  attaokj  out  it.wasnot  enough  for  ^is  hiti^ifltient", 
ideaaf   At  the  other  ead  of.  the  ridge^  he  built  a  great  wall^  encloMQg  |J 
the  summit  oi^  the  hill^  with  towsers  two  hundred  feet  ^igh  at  ^h^  cor 
'ners»  andin  the  space  thus  gained  built  a  grand  pali^ce/Wlth  ybws  of . , 
coliimas  oif  rii  fiioglo  stcme  a-piece,  halls  lined  with  mahy'-cdio'ured , ' 
nnirhieSii  mAgniflcentibaths,  and  all  the  details  of  Roman  Itii^iy,  nbt 
omititiAg  hiUge.; cisterns,  bracks,  and  storehouses,  witli  tii^i^Wtig^ 
needisdjlor  diatence  in  case  of  siege.    The  detached  citadel  Wti^' the 'J 
scjsnfiiO^/ John's  isiprisonment;  astern  and  gloomy  keep,  with  uncter-'; 
grpuftd  dtmi^ns,  still  visible,  hewn  down  mto  the  living  to'ck.'  Tl^^ 
f ortivsaiiml^,!  at  the  rother  end  of  the  fortifications^  at  the'timi^'tii^r 
ros^dffiMfe  of  lAntipas  and  his  retoiners,  was  merry  witli  theif  f^^V'cilrt',.. 
bmlfflie  <duAgeoik  of  John  lav  in  midnight  darkness.    Frcin lii^  WiQ'  { 
dcywA  Ant3p«0  jbAdainagnincent  Tiew  of  the  Dead  8ea,  flie  ^hoV^; 
eoursQ  olf  t^  Jprdno,  Jen]salcm»  Hebron,  the  frowning  f drtr^fei^  6i: 
liR80d»t  the  Dvrole  of  .Jord^n^  snd  the  cliffs  of  !Engedl,  oii  the  'w^l^^ 
a^d  *<tl;^het  i»0Uiitfiins  of  OHcad,  Tisinff>  beyond  tke  wild  tielght^  ot  . 
— *■  o»<t]iie  Oit^h;  but  his  captive,  thechild  of  tthe bbiwdfess.wnt; 
^^iiwdia  perpetual  night.  '  '  -'^'^^^^^"^^^ 


Ihilhia'  stiongfaold,'  perched  on  the  top  of  the  hi^hek lliliibikjlt 
of  'theifwildi  region,  tJ^tall^seank  in  unscalable  pre,ojpicee>(^i^ 
sidei^  torsi^ch  ade^thlhat  Jbiephus  is  well-nigh  excised  for  thDblui^ 
thiit»vtlb#  eye  could  not  readi  Iheir  bottom^  The  fourth  side  -Vfdsd^^ 
a  liitlQ  lefsi Jei^ibie.  WiM  desoktion  reigned  far  lit|id  uear,^il1l  i^^^ 
hiddeOf  h^klMry  of;  somo>  f*of  the  gorges  were  lu^^riant  with  t)alfli^^^ 
oliseii^tfa^dt  vine^  und  superstition  believed  that.  amOzfg  Other , -^oti- 
d^rs,  thefCTgrewin-  them'a  plant,  fery  red  iU  colour!,  "alpd  j^headipj^ 
rays^^iiam^  intltOreveuing,  which  had  power  to  ejroet  demons  aj^a 
h«»l  ^isea^S^  though  c»ly  to  bo  pulled  at  the  cost  of  fife.  .  S^zen,  a 
QeirmMii traveller,  ^^ho re-discovered  the  site  in  1607,  has;lefl?^*vfvjd 
niolUTe  'ofi  the  ]andeli[^ape  round.  HaFses  of  lava,  hrown,  red,  mp, 
mHOkiaue  varied  with  piomice  store,  or  black  basalt,  in  hiigtetito^^4| 
raa»s€S>?or.pei!pendicular  cliffs,  resting  on  white  limestone;  aiid'thj|u,: 
a^n.darki^broM^  rocks*^the ironrcouLtain of  Josephus.  Thenish-, 
ing.  stream,  beneath  is  overi^'own  with  oleanders  and  date-palms,  wil-' 
lows,^plars,  and  tall  reeds,  while  hot  s#phur  springs  gush  fro^^thjb' 
clefts  -of  the  rocks,  isending  up  a,  thick'  mist  of  s^am.  >  i  V/ 

In.  this  wild,  warlike  place,  lay  John,  cutoff  from  the  i*«xrld,.'frpm 
Israel,  and  from  the  grand  work  of  national  regeneration  of  wj^ 
hf'lltas  the  soul^in:  the  midst  of  a  population  of  soldierk,  bist|'ba|it|ns,^ 
AwUi^  Idnmeani^  ^itnllaritGSv  and  Moabites^  Who  ran  nojH^Hiqf  l^e^ 
iilfectod  by  his  words.    Periiaps  he  was  favoured  beyond  Otfier  prts-' 


.It, 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST.  ••I., 

onero  by  beins  brought  from  his  undergroiu^  vault,  after  a  time,  t# 
softie  cdil  of  tfie  comer  towers,  to  be  near  his  captor.    If  to,  lie  could  • 
lo6k  tt6m  his  lonely  height  orer  the  regions  of  the  Dead  Betr  snA  Ibe 
JordiB^n,  where  the  years  of  his  desert  eonsecratioil,  and  the  moiitbi 
of  Ids  great  work,  had  fken  spent.     Yet  he  was  no  mere  sliadow  of 
the  pflSt,  but  6tilt  a  living  power.    No  stromj^haiid  had  protected 
hitti}  no  miracle  had  been  vouchsafed  by  Ood  for  his  delivettonce*  and 
there  was  no  hope  of  a  rescue  by  the  people,  however  they  might 
regret  him,  or  murmur  at  his  fate.    His  prison,  unapproachable  on 
three  iiides,  ahd  reached,  on  the  fourth,  only  Inr  a  bridle  path,  tlurough  : 
nUihierous  fortified  gates,  made  escape  impossible.   Nor  could  he  hope 
to  have  support  from  any  within  the  castle  itself,  for  its  motley 
population  of  Arabs,  Edomites,  and  Moabitee,  cared  nothing  lor  the 
prvuiise^  of   Israel.     The  i^ikhs  of  the  wandering  tribes  around 
wentbut  and  in,  the  troop»of  tlie  garrison  were  reviewed  ahd  drilled; 
orlbUnged  round  the  battlements,  and  the  courtiers  of  th[e"'hau)^ty  ^ 
Hei^iftstlashedhitherandthithei' in  their  bravery,  through  the  town:  > 
the  hot  springs  of  the  valley,  and  the  bracing  air  of  tlie  nftountain-  ^ 
tQp.  gave  new  tone  to  the  nerVes  of  the  healtb-seekeis  frequenting  • 
theht  from  all  parts,  but  the  Baptist  lav  unheieded  and  helpleise.  Apfltrt  r 
fifom  politicar  reatons,  it  was  so  healthy  a  place  that  Antipa»  might: 
well  be  fond  of  it.    "Provisions,"  says  Josepfausi  '^vemamed' eood  \ 
for  a  hu^dM  ye^rsin  the  fortress  of  Mafoda,  on  the'Otliersidec^  ^ 
tl^e  Bead  Se^,  for  the  air,  at  the  great  heif^ht  of  ihe  castle;  iKpurified  v 
ffom  every  earthy  or  hurtful  exhalation.^'    Yet  there^was  no-  grevt  > 
l^ustie,  for  the  place  wad  too  out  of  the  way  fbr^muchiintenouiKto 
ViUk  itj-.Teatbouisand  people  lived  in  the  ton^'ii  b^low,  but- rounds 
jpbn  yvere  only  rough  soldiery,  drafted  from  the  nei^bouritg^triJlMfl;^^ 
and'thcatteiidahts  on  Herod,  of  whom  Jesns  speaks  ad  -^'tliej^pic 
gdr^pusly  appareled^  ^hd  lived  deHcatdly,'' as  Income  thbae>  iiithe - 
cbtu^'bf  kings.    Yet  the  natipn,  with  unbroken  faith,  kl^  watoh' v 
outside  the  gates  of  the  prison,  and  the  breath  of  (Jod  fitilli  unoyed^ 
aikiong  them  like  the  soft  wind. ihrou^h  the- leaves. of  summer.       cn-ii^ 

Anupals  had  liiid  hands  on  John  with  the  intentibn  of  putt^idniT 
to  ^eftth,.and  there  were  those  round  him  who  judged  him  eaeh  <. 
(^'b  life,  but  fear  of  the  people  kept  "the  fox"  from  hisi  purpoaeijj 
ftfr  a  tipae,  as  a  similar  dread,  on  the  part  of  the  hierarchy  at  Jerusar  r 
1^,'aftetwards  protected  Jesus.  Yct^  his  prison  was  no  mere  dcten- ; 
tibn^'for  prisons  in  antiquity,  and  especially  in  the  East,;  had  na; 
r^lStii^ii^ents  of  mercy.  The  words  of  Christ-r^" They  did  to  Mm-. 
i^h^tsc^yer  they  pleased,"  are  signifloaait,  and  point  to  tortuce^inaull^i; 
ahid  iiKtreatment.  The  spirit  that  called  for  the  blind;  Samsoo:  to  boix 
brought  from  his  {ffison,  to  make  sport  before  the  X^liatinei  lordsi  i 
was'Stillitt' full  ■vigour.-'     *    '.>>*>oi..:ii9\'jj:A^\.^z,i'j>_iiL:.U:j*:^^iiiiLCiii  . 

But  John,  though  defenceless,  had^ u'  kiUglnr^iviui^t^  triitiil«did ; 
flfobdn^ss,  thai,  lor  a  time,  Itedgjedi  him lonnd  from > death.  Breiuglit! 
o«IOi^  iAintipas^  once  and-  again^  to  be  shown  off  to  tihfi  crowd  MJiiiL 

"■'—'■  iO Jjii-,ri^iV/..^,ii  fet^Bi-i'isi^'-i,      ,rAjia^'(  hill    (\llrj\-::}'.}'iilk 


1'I 


la: 


.•i.  , 


THBiUFE  PFdlVSItT 


V 


tabK  iMYBmAlned  lo  oompktaly  himiolf,  that  the  l^rmnVlor  theniCN/. 
iMiit,  becMD*  tht  oonquMfc  of  (he  helplese  priaoner.  Feelinir  howr 
wMpA  gDodaeM  ii»  he'**ieered  John,rknowing  that  he  was  aiighteoui't 
and  hwy  man^aBd  kepi  him  doeoly;  and  whon  he  heard  him*  he  waai 
T^  aiixiouff,  and  heard  him  gladly/'  £v<A  he»  ior.Uie  instant,  -. 
looked  torwarda  Ood  and  heaven!  Uneaey  conscience,  superstiti<9P,  ai) 
natural  Indiipotition  to  violenoe,  and  tlie  slow,  cruel  defies  o£  sBastc>rn<i 
justiee,  left  John  alive.  He  was  even  allowed  to  have,  interconwutt 
w4th  lonie  of  his  people,  whose  love  braved  peraonal  daacer,  awJki 
IbVoughl  them  to  bis  prison  to  visit  him.  PerhapSr  as  with  Dt.  Pa<*l,^ ) 
wiien  a  prisoner  at  Ciesarea,  tbirty  years  later,  itwaa  formally  ]^crr.! 
netted  th^  *' he  should  have  liberty,  and  that  none  of  hiaacquamt*.) 
aaoe  should  be  forbidden  to  minister  or  come  unto  him;"  or,,  vetyn 
likely,  the  loose  ways  of  the  East,  so  different  from  strict  Bomamt 
praotlcQ,  left  access  to  him  possible.  His  disciples  came  and  wenti^ 
nrcmght  him  news  from  the  outer  world,  and  told  bim  of  the  preftjching;  [ 
of  the  khigdom  that  had  begun  in  GolilceT-^perhAps  shared  his  ImprjUtf. 
onuent,  in  turn,  listened  to  his  instructions,  nnd  -went  forth  on  inetti.i 
s^iigeaeonneoted  with  his  great  work.  Antipus  had,  however^  notiiiog; 
to  fear  in  atl  this,  and  the  Baptist  had  as  little  to  hope.  HisdiaeipltSi 
had  held- badly  together,  since  their  head  was  taken  from  them.  Theya 
eking  firmly' only  to  the  external,  ascetic  side  of  his  teaching, >8a<r 
n^ght  hov^heen  expected,  striving  to  outdo  tlie^  Fbarieeee  in -v^ah^tj 
inisand  fasts^  and  they  went  about  sad,  because  the  Bridegroom waio 
tiqienfrom  ^m.  Perhaps,  some  of  them  still  preached  :the  comfidAg;^, 
of  the  kingdom,  and  baptized  penitents,  but  the  crowdsifellrofiF^  inir 
great  part,  after  John's  imprisonment,  ami  flocked  to  the  mW  propbelrr 
whom  he  had  himself  baptised.  '       •  ■.■,,  i    .         ..  ■■  n -n^^  ■  ..-''n 

To  men  trained  in.  Jewish  ideaa,  there >  was.  much,  that' aeemedii 
stpiange  and  doubtful  in<  the  teaching  that  had  tjius  superseded  t)^a«^ 
of  John.    The  works  of  Jesus  were  mighty,  but  tiis  disoiples.didroolv 
fyiig^'-  The  £Uiah  sternnesa  of  the  prea^Jhing  i«  the  liFiIdemesSi  of 
Judea^  was  not  found  in  that  of  the  shores, of  tlie-itaXe  q£  iribeKiaft(ji 
There  was  no  word  of  any  open  assumption  of  the  !of|ce*of  Mef^iah, :;; 
nor^any  slgna  of  the  •approaching  erection  of  •  a  purified  tUeocraey<ix> 
There/ were  no  preparations  for  the  triu^p^  of  Israel,  and  no.9yjoft>pni 
toi)»of  the  wrath  of  God  breaking  forth  on  their  oppr^esore.-.  !As)a" 
Jew,  John  must  have  shared,  more  or  less,  m  the  universal  bciiefi of  j 
his  nation,  that,  howevei^  pure,  the  kingdorab  of  the  Messiah  wasHto^ 
•be  an  earthly  dominion  over  Ismol,  when  it  had  been  delivered  from 
tkyfi^  polluting  presence  of  the  heathen,  and  bad  been  marked,;  oncer 
mo^ros^tha  people  of.  God,  under  Him  alone.    The JQews.brotfghtf^ 
^  hiiga  seems  to  have.made  him  alqn^t  waver  in  lus  belief  ai^Jem»^i9a 
the  Messiah  thus  expected,  for  the  human  mind,  in  loneliness,  di^apt: 
pbintmenty  and  imperfect  knowledge,  is  prome  to  iiY;ad>tlidya^^byj.the : 
duIMighVoithb  present,  rather  than  by  the  evidence  of  thejptsftt.s^^jLo: 
miOaiontfiCl^weMUiesft  an|d  despondeivp^^  itt  i&^^  to  l^4nk,'tbiitxOMrj 


TIIK  UtE  OF  CHRIST. 


9^' 


whoIo>  life  XaA  boen  a  drefim,  and  our  fondest  hopes  ^ere  illiMioiiatf^^ 
Th#  OoBpels  Mom  to  point  at  such  a  momentary  depl^Mftldii  in  tliei ' 
miad  bf  John.    A«  if  hb  bad  been  lost  in  thought  over  iMhat  he'had  • 
heava  from  his  visitora,  h4  sent  to  Jesus  for  a  soihtion  of  his  dodbfli*^' 
*'.Nefw,  when  John  heard  in  the  prison  of  the  works  of  fhetnirlslk' ; 
fdr  they  had  told  him  concerning  all  these  things/'-^he  miracIe"of  ' 
tha  Mnturion^s  servant,  and  of  the  young  man  iust  tais^d  from  tb^ 
bier  at  Nain-^<' Imvinff  called  unto  him  twb  of  his  discipllos,  ho  sent, 
through  them,  to  the  Lord,  and  said  to  Him,  '  Art  jThoU  the  Cdminr 
One,  or  must  we  loolt  for  another? '    And  the  men  came  to  Him,  and 
said/  'John  the  Baptist  has  sent  us  unto  Theo,  saying,  *' Art  Tliouithe^ 
CMming'  One,  or  must  we  look  for  another  f'  'In  that  hmir  i. .  U^ied 
m^y  of  diseases,  and  plagues,  and  evil  spirits;  and  Unto  minnr  blind 
H&graiited  sight    And  He  answered,  and  said  unto  tliem,  'Oo  and 
tell' John  what  ye  saw  and  hdard,  that  thO' blind  receive  sight,  €hd  : 
lame  walk»  the  lepers  are  deansed^  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  -Are  raised^* ' 
and  the  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached  unto  tliem;'"'amlthen'Ho' 
added,  as  if  to  bring  John  back  from  his  doubts,  "and  blessed  is  ke^< 
i«h6soever«  shall  not  be  offended  nt  me.  '*    The  whole  answer-  showed- ' 
at'fiiltilment  of  tlie- words  of  Isaiali,  respecting  the  MesaSabV^idh 
m^  have  sunk  deep  into  the  heart  of  one  to  whom^thdt  great>  proph^  ^ 
waiBatf  anticipator y  Gospel. '  John  woiild  remember  thatia  one  pfcioifr  ' 
it#aa  wtitten-^"  Your  God  will  come  and  save  you.  >'  Tkeh  this  by^ ' 
of' the  blind  shall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  tlia  deaf  shall  bd^uil^  - 
stopped.    Then  shall  tne  lame  manleapasahartyand^thefdnjnidof 
tha  diimb  singf  and  In  another^^The  Spirit  of  Che  iLb|;d  Go^  i^^ 
ui^)()h<itl&;  beean^  tlie  Loird  hath.anointed  tte  to  lureadi^ood  tidihg^  i 
tmto  the  meek;  to  bind  up  the  broken-hedfted,  toiproolaim''fibehrt|y^-'^ 
t1i6*<ftiptiv^;>and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  thenk  ^hatare  Mund, 
to '  {Proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of '  the  Ldrd.'*  ' ^^Teilus  c^«0d>'hii1^  ' 
given^iim  ho  prodf  liaore  touching,  that  He  was,  indeed,  the  Mefe£lia!ii.^  < 
iThis^^WaS  the  summcrof  John^  captivity;  but-  the  ■^inyr  wiis  f al«  ^ 
a{mr^a<ihinff^    AntipaS,  and  perhaps,  Herodias,  ^nd-4lve -local'  c<yaH> 
asiwell^'had'beeri  cirrious  td^  sw  and  hear  tho  ^dai^  'A^ho  had- placed  sd ' 
greartifti  pa»t.^    At  flrst^  mere  idle  curiosity,  like  *  that  which^alterwards  I 
mKdife  hiin  anxious  to^ee  Jesus, — ^though  he = ended  Irfd  lnte*vi<^w  by  ■ ' 
"'settirig  Him  at  nought  and  mocking  Him,'"^made  him  have  ^ohn 
btougkt  -beffore  him.      Perhaps  the  mingled   motives  whii6h' l^d  • 
AJj^^)pa  II.,  Berenice,  and  I>nisilla,  to  have  Paul  brought'  into  th'e.ir  ^ 
pwsenoe, 'led  to  his  being  called -into  the  palace.    To  herir  anything  • 
un^ourtly  ffotnone  in  their  power  was  hot  to  be  iihagined.    The  • 
si|^t;t«>f  him  Would  break  the- monotony  erf  an  afternoon;  and  giVc  ■ 
8(Mne<^njg  to  talk  abont  ifor  the  eveniiiff.    But  John  was  no  man  for 
kinpiy  courts.   'Llfowas  too  real  for  him  to  deal  in- smooth-tongued 
llftt^iies  and  deceits.    He  hiadedn  impressfon^on  the£Ourt,thOUj^  > 
itf^as  itotoO  proud  and  trifling  tO'thMk't>f  lii^^ftig  so^l^'ati ' 
MftontAiicei^'pkeBt.  Paul- bofoKlV^^ And I^ 


% 


396 


T^E  UFE  Of  CHRIST. 


anoUier  mode,  he  was  a  preacher  of  dghteoiusness,  temperdnce,  and 
iudginent,  though  in'bonas.  "It is  not  Jawfii][  for  thee  1o  have  (h^ 
hroiher's  wife/' said  the  fearless  man, -r-in  the  grand  superiorijiy  of 
reli^us  zeal, — to  him  who  had  his  life  in  his  hands.  Periiaps  Anti- 
pas  had  wished  to  know  what  he  must  do  to  secure  an  interest  in  the 
approaching  political  kingdom  of  God,  and  was  thus  told  to  prove  bis 
sincerity  Ipy  breaking  off  a  life  of  sin.  In  the  reproof^  John  set  himsjelf 
on  the  nrm  footing  of  the  Mosaic  Law^  which  bound  Herod,  as  a  Jcwv 
ish  prince;  though  the  cowardl^r  ailcnso  of  the  hierarchy  had  allowed 
him  to  trample  it  under  foot  at  his  will,  without  censure.  ' '  Hercdias, " 
8ay-s>Josephus,  "took  upon  her  to  confound  the  laws  of  onr  country,. 
and>  having  divorced  herself  from  her  husband  while  he  was  aJivO/ 
married  Herod  (Antipas),  hpr  father's  brothenr  by  the  father's  side.'^ 
The  liaw  had  repeatcaily  forbidden  marriage  with  a  living  brother's 
wife,  as  a  scandal  against  which  childlessness  was  threatened,  and  it 
made  no  difference  between  brothers  and.  half  Jbrothers.  Jn  the  case 
of  Antipas  the  transgression  of  the  Law  was  the  greater,,  as  John  saw 
and  pomted  ont,  for  his  mamage  had  only  been  effected  by  adultery 
on  the  part  of  both  wife  and  husband.  Moreover,  it  had  been  brought 
about  by  the  most  heartless  outrage  on  the  hospitality  of  a  brothier.. 
To.  make  the  whole  still  more  revolting,  it  was  not  needed  that  John 
should  tou<^  on  the  relationship  between  Antipas  and  Herodias,  for 
the  Law  did  not  take  notice  of  this,  and  ithe  Herod  family  had  Ichg 
disregarded  such  objections.  ,,   :  -  7    •  i    r.',,  ^T^i^j^^v' 

The  disgraceful  story  dated  back  to  the  first  or  secooiid  ye^'ol 
Pilate.  In  the  year  26,  or,  more  probably,  27,  the  whole  family  of 
theHerodshad  ^thered  together  to  a  feast  in  Jei-usalem.  To  this 
act  of  piety,  as  it  was  held,  they  had  given  a  still  higher  value^  in 
popular  opinion,  by  their  action  m  a  m^itter  which  lay  near  the  heart 
of  a  population  zealous  for  thei  Law.  Pilate,  to  prevent  an  ihsurrec;. 
tion,  had  reluctantly  withdrawn  the  standards,  with  their  &uppo&ed[ 
idolatrous  emblems,  set  up  in  the  year  26,  before  the  Castle  Antonia. 
But  his  offended  pride  had  not  forgotten  the  humiliation,  and  he>. 
now,  to  efface  the  remembrance  of  it,  had  hung  votive  tablets  on  the 
palaoe  in  Zion^  They  were  golden  shields,  dedicated  to  Tiberius, 
like  those  everywhere  hung  up  in  the  temples,  in  honour  of  the 
gods^  as  acknowledgment  of  some  deliverance^  or  signal  ble^siu^ 
in  health  or  f(5rtune,  received  at  their  hands.  They  got  their  name 
from  having  been  vowed  beforehand,  in  case  a  divine  favoui', 
earnestly  desired,  should  lie  vouchsafed.  On  those  he  now  hurg 
up,  Pilate  inscribed  only  his  own  name  and  that  of  Tiberius,  but 
the  Jews  denounced  them  as  idolatrous,  and  raised  a  great  clamour 
to  have  them  removed.  The  letter  of  the  Law  might  not  condemn 
them,  but  they  had  homage  paid  them,  like  altars,  and,. hence,  were 
an  abcHuinaAU^)'  1^^  ^^^  ^^^^  of  Herod  took  up  the  defence  of  the 
Law,  thus  oUtamgcd  in  spirit,  and  on  Pilate  referring  the  matter  to 
like  Empeiot,  to  escape  a  second  humUiation,' a  deputation  waa  sfnt 


1 


off:toHoi 
at  the  tim 
jouriiey  a 
gbtte  in  si 
While  affe 
^j' Among 
feast  was 
Hariamne 
iii  Alexai 
honour  of 
miarriijd 
Miariamne 
sons,  Th 
strange  in 
feast,  Her( 

petite  cbnq 
himself  en 
brj^her,th 
till  it(Bighb< 
eonterminc 
H^i^odias  1 
^oethos,  oi 


ji'odbhing 
latbiertfess  1 
had,  as:  her 
ieiratichof 
liJTei'Hetod 
flVe,  01'  pel 
seldom  bee 
Was  pl'ayin 
T^e  Vicis  in 
of  his  siste 
nature.  H( 
i)Ut  had  be€ 
tlie  plot  of 
nllicant  life 
rfous,  ambii 
croWned  pi 
to  him,  as  s 
that  Antipa 
Antipas  i 
carried  out 
though  he,  ( 
the  daughtc 
shehadspai 


ve  xU^jL 
>riiy  of 
5  Anti- 
;  in  the 
ove  his 
tiiinself 
aJewv  . 
Jlowecl 
cdias," 
oimtrj',. 
i  aJiv^y 
i  side.": 
rotber's 
,  alid  it 
lie  case 
to  «aw 
dulteiy. 
bropght 
jrothier- 
it  John 
lifls,.foi* 
ad  loB^ 

ye^r  of 

mily  •  of 

To  tWa 

ftlue,  in 

le  heart 

ifeurrecj 

pposecj 

otonia. 

md  h^ 

on  the 

berius, 

of  the 

►leasing 

name 

avoui', 

hurg 

[U8,  but 

amoui" 

ndemn 

were 

of  the 

Itter  to 

SfBt 


THE  LIFE  OF  dHRIST. 


m^ 


off  Ho  ifcih^.    It  happeiied  that  Antipas,  also,  had  business  at  Rome 
a;(the  time,  and  as  he  set  out  on  it  presently,  the  people  saw  in  his . 
joiiriicy  a  furthei*  proof  of  his  piety,  as  they  never  doubted  he  had 
gotte  in  support  of  their  cause.    But  he  had  adultery  in  his  heart 
While  affecting  zeal  for  religion.  \ 

'Among  the  members  of  the  Herod  family  present  at  the  family 
feWst  was  Herod  BoCthos,  the  son  of  Herod  the  Great  and  the  second 
lyiariamne,  the  famous  Jerusalem  beauty  of  her  day,  whose  father, 
{(n  Alexandrian  Jew,  Herod  had  raised  to  the  high  priesthood,  itr; 
honour  of  the  alliance  with  his  daughter.    This  Herod  Bo&thos  hadf 
married  Herodias,  the  grand-dauj^iter  of  his  father  and  the  first 
Mariomne,  and  daughter  of  Aristobulus,  one  Of  Mariamne's  murdered^ 
sons.    The  uncle  had  thus  maiTied  the  niece,  but  this  wasnothinfj' 
strange  in  the  Herod  s.    When  Antipas  came  to  Jenisalem,  to  tlid 
feast,  Herod  Boethos  made  him  his  guest,  as  hife  half -brother.    Never 
•^a$  hospitality  worse  repaid.     '  ';^'' 'f'f'  "  :' -^lufii^'j ;  vhn.p 

'The' fair,  impetuous,  ambitious,  Herodias  presently  made  a  doni-^' 
l^fcte  conquest  of  the  weakj  unprincipled,  Antipas.  He  soon  fouhci 
himself  entangled  in  an  intrigue  with  the  wife  of  his  hospitable 
btidfther,  though  he  had  long  been  married  to  the  daughter  of  a^owet'j; 
fill  tieighbour,  Aretas,  king  of  the  Nabiateans,  whose  dominions  i^'^r^ 
conterminous  with  his  own;  on  the  south,  with  Petra  for  capitatll 
Herodias  had  been  married,  by  her  grandfather  Herod,  to  Herod 
!P|o^thos,  or  Herod  Philip,  as  he  was  also  called,  now  a  man  ap- 
nt'oafching  fifty, — to  mitigate  the  misfortunes  of  her  family,  left 
fatbieriess  by  nis  cruel  murder  of  his  son  Aristobultis!  She  had 
had,  ajS  her  only  child,  a  daughter,  Salome,  now  married  to  Philip,^ 
tetrahihof  tturea,  the  brother  of  Antipas,  who  was  now  in  middief* 
life;  'Herodias,  herself,  being  a  woman  of  thirty-four  or  thirty-! 
five,  01  perhaps,  some  years  older.  Divine  and  human  laws  have 
seldo^,  been  ihore  fehamelessly  violated  than  by  Antipas,  while  ho- 
w;as  playing  the  part,  in  public,  of  a  zealous  defender  of  religion.' 
Tfe  vice  in  Herodias  ran  in  her  vciins  with  the  blood  of  Herod  and' 
of  his  sister  Salome,  for  their  worst  qualities  ^ere  revived  in  hot 
nature.  Her  husband,  who  had  once  been  named  as  Herod's  heir^l 
feiit  had  been  blotted  from  the  Tvill  when  his  mother  was  detected  iU' 
tlie  plot  of  Bagoas,  tlie  eunuch,  seems  to  hh,ve  led  an  idle  and  insig- 
nificant life  as  a  private  man,  much  to  the  discontent  of  his  impc' 
rfous,  ambitious  wife.  She  was  ready,  therefore,  to  intrigue  with  a> 
croWned  prince,  though  her  brother-in-law,  and  promised  to  como 
to  him,  as  soon  as  he  returned  from  Rome.  It  was  agreed,  however,' 
that  Antipas  should  first  divorce  his  wife,  the  daughter  of  Aretas.  ' 
Antipas  set  off  to  Rome  with  this  arrangement.  It  was  to  bff 
carried  out  as  soon  as  he  came  back  again  to  his  palace  at  Tibcriaa, 
though  he,  doubtless,  looked  for  trouble  in  effecting  his^ivorce  from- 
the  daughter  of  the  Nabateau  king.  To  liis  satisfaction,  however^ 
she  had  spared  him  any  diflidulty.    The  treachery  which,  from  of  o*dp 


m 


'li'Jl.: 


5  I; 


hftd^reyailed  in  tile  cotirts  6f  the  Herdds,,  fead  reYettled  her  liii^baiiil'ii 
rcfetipns  to  Ilerodias,  and  she  resolved  to  leave  him.  She  asked  no 
more  than  permission  to  virft  tlie  border  fortress,  Macha^rus,  ^w^ich; 
had  formtTly  belonged  to  the  H6rods,  but,  at  the  tirde,  was  in  her 
fathcr'a  hands,  perhaps  as  the  purchase  price,  in  Eastern  fashion,  of 
his  dati<^litcr.  Its  hot  springs  were  in  great  repute  as  a  Iiealth  resort. 
Arctas  at  once  took  steps  to  carry  her  farther  off.  Conducted  bjK 
Arab  shcik!is,  she  was  led  to  her  family  palace  at  Petra,  and  her 
fathier  declared  the  marriage  annulled.  Antipas  received  MaclVa'erus 
back;  Trlicther  by  treaty,  craft,  or  force,  is  not  known.  Perhaps  the 
Arab  fccircd  the  tctmrch,  ds  one  Tiigh  in  the  Emperor's  favour;  per- 
haps Antipas  exchanged  the  fortress  for  other  concessions.  Iii.any 
case,  the  peace  was  not  disturbed  for  the  time,  and  Herodias  left  her 


husband,  and  came  to  the  palace  of  TibeHjis. 


i;;: 


m. 


,UV 


The  v/hole  shariieful  transaction  had  been  (^airtebW^fe'tiiJii^fi^ 
region 'of  John's  earlier  ministrations,  and  had,  doubtless,  creatied  a 
great  sensation  in  the  districts  nearest  the  Arab  kingdom^  Public 
policy;felt  it  a  mistake  to  have  repudiated  the  daughter  of  a  dari^er- 
ous  noighbour;  the  Law  and  its  representatives  denouhced  as  a  crtmo, 
the  tndrrlage  With  a  brother's  wife.  Even  in  his  6w,n  fattiily,  tlie 
hateful  maiTiage,  with  its  double  adultery,  wrought  division,  cuttihg 
Antipas  off  from' all  his  blood.  ItAvas  the  weak  point  of  his  other- 
wise cautic''is  r^ign,  which  had  guarded  against  offending  the  reii^- 
i<J;us  sensitiveness  cJf  the  people,  and  it  left  his  frontiers  expoasd  to 
the  anger  of  Aretais,  in  revenge  for  the  insult.  ', v%ir ^ '"'{f^^i^-:-'^- 

il  is  possible  that  John  may  h^vesj^oken  of  a  mM(5r  sb'wicl^ljr 
mooted  ambng  the  people,  before  ho  Was  carried  off  to  Machaerus. 
Biit  the  Gospels  expressly  inform  us,  that  the  fearless  iiriaii  reproved 
Herod  respecting  it,  face  to  face,  perhaps  beforfe  all  his  court,  if  lii^ 
had  been  brou^li-t  for  a  show;  and  let  loose  this  shaft  at  the'  sleeping 
cotiscichce  of  Antipas,  befere  his  partner  in  guilt  and  the  gay  p^'a- 
eites  round,  no'sceniil  could  have  been  more  dramatic.  But  the  tnan 
v/ho  had  sj3oketi  such  words  could  not  be  allowed  to  live.  Heroaitjife 
was  determined  he  should  pay  for  his  rashness  with  his  life,  md  lofet 
no  opportunity  of  ^frorking  on  Antipas  to  give  the  comixiar.d  for  hia 
e^ieclilion,  "^^^^(,"  :ri^-  '      V  ^       i'^!'^-- ^'f^i j£^f 

;,-Tiie  bivtet  fruits  of  the  marriage  were  already  sj^rihging  uj^j  td 
poison  t^e  tctrarch's  i*emaining  years.  The  curse  of  clitldlessn6s8, 
denounced  by  the  Law  on  such  a  crime,  was  fulfilling  itself.  TUd 
father  of  his  repudiated  wife  threatened  war  for  the  insult  to  hi  ^ 
daughter,  and  Antipas  was  engrossed  by  efforts  to  prepare  for  it,  if 
he  could  not  prevent  it.  Long,  fierce  wrangling  passed,  after  a,  titiic, ' 
into  open  hostility,  and  Antipas  was  so  shamefully  beaten  that  he  had 
to  appeal  to  the  Emperor  for  aid,  and  kept  his  throne,  for  the  time, 
only  by  his  support.  Perhaps  Jesus  referred  to  this  uneasy^  time 
when  He  asked,"*"  What  king,  goin$  to  make  wat  against  anbther 
kiiig,  will  not^et  sit  down  aiid  consult  whether  hb  is  able,  Mth 


THIi  I4FE  OF  CmRIBT. 


^; 


1(>,0Q0,  to.meet  hinji  ibat  comei*  against  him  with  20,000?  Otherwifa*^ 
while  he. lis  yet  agreat  way  oflf,  havinff  seiit  an  embassy,  he  asks  conr.. 
ditions  of  peace."  To  make  his  condition  still  more  unhappy,,. Tohft. 
hild  touched  his  conscience  to  tlie  quick  by  his  reproofs.  Should  hQ,| 
put  hitn  to  death,  and  thus,  at  once,  avenge  such  9,  liberty  with  onq-^ 
who  wore  the  purple,  and  put  an  end  to  all  fear  of  political  trouble,,  r 
through  the  bold  man's  influence  on  the  people?  Herodias  seduloualj* ' 
k^pt  alive  the  struggle  in  her  husband's  breast,  between  conscience 
ana  fear,  and  passion  and  pride.;  She  herself  was  doubly  touched,  v 
for  John  had  recalled  her  violation  of  her  first  duty  as  a  wife,  anq  j 
tlie  ghastly  fact  that  she  had  been  the  virtual  seducer  of  him  whom 
she  now  had  in  her  power.  But  Antipas,  for  once,  would  nor  ^ivi^  ^ 
wiiy  to  tlie  murdqrous  wish  of  Herodias.  Ho  spared  the  baptist's, 
life;  protected  him  from  the  snares  of  his  unscrupulous  enemy,  BAft,! 
even  majcle  his  irapriaohment  bearable,  as  far  as  was  possible,  It  was 
no  friendly  feeling,  however,  that  moved  him  thus,  but  the  involuu-. . 
tary  homage  of  even  a  bad.  nature  to  the  unbending  truth  and  m^oriii ' 
grandeur  of  his;  prisoner— a  homage,  akin  to  fear — which  made  him  i 
tremble  hereafter  at  the  report  of  the  mimcles  of  Jesus,  in  the  beUef;, 
that/it  was  John  risen  from  the  grave, ,clo.the^d,  Yit;h  the  supernatural^* 
ppweta  of  the  other  wdrld^       .  ^^^i^^^v*.Jil.     ,  ,  id^fil^ 

:**  Herod,  llibugh  in  his  palace,  surrblinded  with  his  royal  guards^A'^ 
feared  hipi.    He  knew  the^aptiat  was  stronger  than  ho,  for  truth-  iiV" 
miti|l}ly,  and  mightily^  prevaileth:  and  bein^  already  consciQua^ol  hia' 
onehdihgs,  tmd  havmg  enough  to  do  to  keep  down  the^  voices  Qt  • 
ci^iine  and  transgression  within  him,  he  feared  this  righteous  ma^, 
whose  words  gave  such  edge  to  his  self -accusations,  such  ppint  to  hi^ 
reiijjpr^e,/.  Unarmed,  the  Baptist  daunted  him  more  than  an  army  pi 
in($»i,jan  embattled  city,  or  a  fenced  tower,  pr  any  other  source, p^r 
pji'ybioal  and  outward  force.    It  reminds  me  of  the  saying  of  t^o 
first  James,  when  Knox's  daughter  can>e  to  petition  for  her  husband  , 
Welsh's  pardon.    The  monarch  asked  her  who  she  was;  slie  replied,  ,' 
*  The  daughter  of  John  Knox.*    \Knox  and  Welsh,'  said  he,  •  tliat  is '. 
a  fearful  conjunction  of  bloods.    And  had  your  father  any  sons?.!. 
'  Np,  only  three  daughters.'    *  Had  his  three  daughters  been  thre^  , 
sons,'  said   the   conscience-stricken    monarch,  'I    would    ill   Irav'e 
brinked '.  (enjoyed) '  my  tliree  kingdoms  in  peace.    He  may  retuiTi,  il 
he  will,  consent  never  to  preach  again.'    '  Sooner  than  he  should,, 
consent  to  chat,'  said  the  godly  and  heroic  woman,   'I  wonld  kep' ' 
(catcli  as  it  felLfrom  the  block)  'his  bloody  head  here,' — stretching 
out  tjie  matronal  apron  in  which  she  was  attired."  ,      ,.  •   ,,  <ii. 

That  Antipas  thus  stood  between  his  prisoner  and  the  Jezebel  who 
thirsted  for  his  death,  and,  even  protected  him,  in  a  wild  bprde^ 
district  wherci  human  life  was  held  in  no  regard,  was  a  noble  tribute 
tp  the  greatness  of  John,  fpr  np»e  but  a  lofty  soul  could  have  madp 
such  an  impression  on  the  weak,  selfish,  seiisual,  knavish,  being,  ia 


:!^hiEffeyeT:ii  h^d  of  good,  to  a  struggle  wit^  overpowering  eril.  It 
Tiirw,  iilmostV  the  tftlsfng  df  >  ^off^f  Abtodiii  frt>W  thej  "gi;<^s^of  "t^ 
ivi)($erness.  rpie  tyi^pVs  &\anla,  n^^d  want  of  fe8(^uti'o2i,  hie:  doiiMiol^ 
tekfi,.  of  ^ilt,  and  iiivoltiiitai^  awe,  feiiced  Toutid;  the'  life  , of  the 
Baptist' for  the  iinfie^  till  the  ftirious  woiiian  whdi^e  disnils^  John  Ihfl^ 
denaandedi  af  t0r  vallilV  tiyliiig  to  gain  he t  end  by  wild  revenue,*  Reached 
lt,atSwt,bycrtrft.'^-    ""'/':■-    '  ■  ■,     :    ''\'''^-''  -" 

Antipa^  had  had  the  good  f brtilne;  by*  no  means  common  w?  th'  the 
Vai^s  of  Tibeifus,  to  keep  his  throne  for  oyer  thirty  years,  at  d,'  !ike 
his  father,  had  been  accustomed  to  celebi'ate  the  annlversaiy  -^f  Mh 
itc^ei^on,  each  suliiiherj  by  Pi  banquet.  The  time  for  this  hrfd  n^i^ 
tetumed,  and  an  invitation- tb  a  graiid  festivity  on  the  occasiou' waji 
given  to  the  oMcers  in  attendftbce  at  Mai6ha6rus,  th£l  sheiklis  of  the 
neighbouring  tribes,  and  the  high  socie^  within  reiich,  including 
the  rbrds,  chief  tttptftius,  and  first  men  61  Galile(i.  I'ersiu^,  the  Ro* 
man>  satirist,  has  left  us  i  hotice  of  ^ch  iif^uitftt  tM  "Heri 
6d*s  ^y,'-Of  someof  til6  family,  perhAps,  of  AritlpasV  H6  shows 
ti3  tlifi  palace  M^udows  brilliantly  illUt/iinated  ttnd  lititog  with  |ga!r^ 
laftds  OT  flower^;  the  taljle^  spread  with  e^'^^erV  o^entatfoti  oflu^i 
Biy,'fl»d  the  wine  Hb^iiig "freely.' ;  On  this  occasion,  tjtie  mirth  arid  lie- 
jo^ping  ran  high.  Plerodias,  nereelf,  was  not  ^ire^ut.  for'  it  is  ^not 
the  oustom,  even  nbW/inthie' East,  foi"  the  women  to  take  ^art  li.  the 
festivities  of  men.  Btit  to  do, hotiotir  to  tlie  day;  and  to  the  company] 
her  daughter  Salome,' the  childless  wife  of  the  tc^trarch  Philip;  liiia 
bro^^  through  the  rule  of  sttict  s?chi8lon  from  the  othei^  s^,  aftd 
hj^d  cohdesicended,  thou^  !a  t  rincess,  knd  tho  daU|,hter  of  kin^;  to 
dance  before  Antipas  ahd  hfs  guests.  The  ddhcin^  tl^«  in  Vo^ 
hqth  in  Rome>  and  the  provinces^  f  rein  its  i>opultirity  tmder  AU^usumt- 
1f«s  very  like  that  of  o.ur  modern  ballet,  liie  ifJancet'  did  not  ipeiak, 
bnt  aCt^d  a0m§  story  by  gestures,  Imbvementi^/^ndhttittides.to^^^'i^^ 
i^ui^d  of  music.  Ipiasks  were, used  in  all  cases,  to  c^nceal^  the  fea^ 
tures^  but  all  other  parts  of  the  body,  espec^lly  ^ne  hands  and  kM^, 
were  called  into  action,  and  a  Skittiil  pantomimlsf  could  express  "fil- 
ings, passions,  and  acts,  with  surprising  effect.  The  subject!^' of'the 
dance  were  always  mytbologiea),  and  thus,'  an  abhorrence  to  strict 
Jews,  as  essentially  heathen.  The  dress  of  the  performer,  like  that 
of  the  dancers  in  our  ballet,  was  planned  to  show  the  beauty  of  the 
^gure  to  the  greatest  advantage,  though  it  varied  with  the  characters 
represented.  In  the  days  of  Antipas  there  never  was  more  thj^n. one 
dancer  at  a  time,  even  when  the  piece  intrbduced  both  sexes.  "V^omeh 
never  performed  thus  in  public,  in  these  earlier  times  of  the  empire 

but,  as  in  "' '   '  "^^ —    ^^-"-  ^'^  --^  ~ ^   -       -   -  -» — n-n-^. 

parties  of 

Salome' 

ttt|d  the  weak  head  of  Antijms^  likely  made  weaker  by  wine,.w{^ 
fairly  turne^.  He  could  not  g^ve  alvay  the  humblest  village  witjiout 
peFmi«Si(>n  from  Tiberiusvh#.  fbrgotlui  of  this,  h^VVo^ed, fini  tiHie 


otm& 

•edched 

id  ii^^ 

of  the 
;ludiflg 
the  Ro- 

I  ihbws 
th^gttri 
of  lu^ti 
aiidiie' 

tikihe 

l!p,iiSd 
}ex,ana 

tspdak, 
$,totne 
the  fea- 

^^oT'the 
0  strict 
ke  that 
r  of  the 
iractepg 
lan  otie 
V^oBQeii 
empire, 
pntyate 

larmed, 
ineyWfts 
without 
ip^Jiiie 


THBr  LIFE  OF  CSiaST. 


m^ 


Ijkstehi  ei^geratibD,  to  do  an^lhing^  the  dataoer  asked,  If  it  were  to 
gisr^  to  hanof  his  kingdom.  Seizing  the  chance,  she  was  yet .  to<> 
cautious  to  speak  off  liahd,  but  retired  to  considt  her  mother. :  Hero- 
d(as,  clutcliing  the  opportunity,  had  no  hesitation  iu  her  anjsrwer^ 
f  i^iU  the  head  of  Jblm  the  Bapttet."  Retiuning  at  once,  slie  made 
the  bloody 'request.  Chagrined  at  the  advantage  taken  of  hitn,  and 
alarmed  at  its  probable  results,  he  yet  had  not  the  moral  couragip  to 
ireiEuse  it.  ms  honour,  he  fancied,  was  compromisedt  for  he  had  'put 
himself  in  Salonie's  power,  before  the  company.  Motioning,^  thene^r 
fore,  to  a  spldier  of  the  ^uard,  he  commanded  him  to  bring  JOhn*» 
head,  '  Tli^re  was  no  warning  si ven :  the  entrance  of  tb.e  messenger 
y^fik  the  sigiml  for  execution,  ai^  the  head  was  presently  brought  iti: 
on^^salyer  and  given  to  Salome,  who  took  it  out  as  a  wQcome 
present  to  her  mother.'  The  mutilated  body,  cai'ed  for  by  Ioyjhigd!$i» 
ci]^  was,  perhaps  the  same  night,  laid  in  a  tomb.f'^'  ;^;  1,;0-  ''^f 
^tjisaiweirdand'ghastly  story,  bi^t  one  quite  in  k«^eping'w)th  the 
almost  grbtesq^Uely  horrible  incidents  recorded  of  the  half  barbarous 
courts  of  J^he  Biak,  and  even  of  that  of  Hptne Jn  this  savige  age*' 
^irodotus  tells  the  story  of  the  demand  mtide  by  Amesttisy  wif e  of 
]|verxes/«n  abirt^djay  festival  of  hjer  husband,  that  he  shotild  give'U]^ 
the  wife  of  Masistes  to  her  jealou4  rage,  find  how,  on  her  |>em6tihgl 
l^e  f9iipied  he  cpiild  not,  on  that  day,  refuse.  No  entreaty  of  the  titt- 
fOitii^^/pX^Bi<^®  0^  fo^  his  wife,  whom  he  loved;  Xerxd^ 

having  once  commanded  her  to  be  given  iip  to  he*^  tiv^.     llor  %3  th^ 

fim  parallel  to  the  fury  of  Herodias  wanting,  for  the  spearmen  of 
elites  were  forthwith  sent  by  the  frantic  Amestris,  and  cut  her 
rival  to  pieces,  throwing  her,  in  fragments,  to  the  dogs.  ' '  '  j '  ;  ";"''J 
t^  the  year  B.C.  53,  after  Che  battle  of  Itarrha,the  Pai^m&ii'm% 
Orodes,  was  celebrating  the,  marriage,  of  his  "Son.  Pacorus,  w|ien  the 
actor  who  played  the  part  of  Ag^Ve,  iii  the  Bacchae  of  Euripides, 
brought' ia  the  half  washed  head  Of  Crassus  on  the  i^t£^e;ftUd  the 
chorus  repeated,  %ith,  loud,  triumphaiit  rejoJcmg,the  Woll-knoWi^ 
atrcwherr-  .  .-^    .  :  >  .-      •■';■ 

'  nU  r:'   •         •    .  "We  bring  from  tjie  momrta^ife''  ■  ■'  rifmUi.  trtvf/  ^  JOiu^h  [ 

Borne  to  our  Bome,  rv  '^i  -    '         '  . 

,^^^^  The  roya^booty^  the  Weeding  iqxirt;''^'!'^'^"^;^ 

IPfOif'yas  Bome  itself  less  savage.  Caligula  often  had  men  put  to 
toiture before  his  euests  at  his  feasts,  and  swordsm^,  skilled  iube- 
li^ding^  amused  the  table  by  ,  striking  off  the  head^  of  prisoners 
broUglbit  in  from  their  dungeons,  to  let  them  i^ow  their  skill.  At  a 
public  feast  at  Rome,  he  ordered  the  executioner  to  strike  off  the 
hands  ol  a  slave  accused  of  having  taken  a  silver  plate  from  one  of 
th(6  couches,  jandmade  the  poor  wretch  go  ^und  and  rotmd  the  tables 
with  his  bauds  hainging  on  hi£f  breast,  from  a  string  round  his  neck,  a 
bb4i*4  b^ing  cariiea  bd^Or^  l^m,  inscribed  with  hi9  offence.  •  ;'  C  >'  I] 
Aftei:  the  death  of  the  Baptist,  AntlpM  teturh^d  to  Tlbeii8ai>liilU»ejft 


THBi  IWFB '  OF'  CHItlST 


by  the  I«i0iem|)ei»ace  of  his  vMmw  Salome  went  4)«ck  to  her  dcterQr 
tludband,  who  had  already  built  a  tomb  for  himself,  in  Juliae  B^th^ 
^da^uimd  did  not  long  Hurvive  his  marridge.  Balome,  lelt  a  wi^w, 
<jnce  mone  returned  to  Uer  mother  .     n  .  t  ,     ,    .  rr 

The  marriage  had  l)een  a  speculation  of  Herodias;  who  hpp^d  thtis 
to  gethdld  of  the  territory  of  her  neighbour  and  son^in-la^.'-'Btit 
the  acheme  failed,  tot  the  tetraBOkiy.  ^as  forthwith  incorporated' With 
the  province  of  Syria.  Antipus,  however,  still  hankeredD  after  it,  and 
tiurned  wistful  eyea  towards  it,  from,  his, palace  at  Tiberias, till^  at 
last^  it  Iu;ced  him  and  Herodias  to  ruin.  (;">v  31U  <ji  a  v^-  ^^;^';  t^,^* 

'  'f  The  Baptist  had  done  the  : Almighty  good  ^ervice-^he  ha^-i^| 
tm:ned.ibacli«oh  anv  occasion,  from  his  jserilous  duty-^-hehad  kepr^ 
hisiKa^ante  ritual^  both.in  body  and  sji^rit,  sustaining  the  one  updii 
the  i^niplest  meat,  and  the  other  upon  th«  hardest  Goudilit)D8. '  The 
Almighty  heard  tlie  ,  voice  which  he  spoke  always  for  His  "W^l- 
beloved  Son}  He  saw  that  hei  spoke  truth,  and  held  hh  integrity 
steadfast  unto  the  end.  And,  poreeiving  in  His  servant  sueh  noble 
an^i  excellent  qualities,  He  itisolved  to  perfect  him  for  a  high  placs  in. 
heayen,  and  so^dlrected  his  footsteps  to  the  fiery  furnace  of  a  coiifrty 
that  th9  temper  of  his  truth  and  piety  might  be  purified  manifolif/ 
4iid  ih  the  ^ry  furnace  He  walked  with  His  servant,  to  thaft  hi^ 
Bl^it  was  not  harmed;  and  having  thus  annealed  his  nature  to  the 
utmost  which  this  earth  could  do,  He  took  him  hastilyi  A«^iy;l^d 
placed  him  among  the  gloifified  in  heaven."   rA,un: ;  -  'A  / '  '^  *^^n 


CHAPTER  XXVU. 

The  baptii^  of  Jesus  in  the  Jordan,  and  His- consecration  iiiimedi- 
ately  after,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  were  tiie dose  ofHis  iirivatCj  and  the 
inauguration  of  His  public  life.  Hitherto  He  had  been  the  unki^own 
and  obscure  villager  of  ]S>zareth:  henceforth  He  entered  on  Hia 
divine  mission  as  the  Messiah,  or  "Anointed"  ol  God.  The  begifa- 
ning  of  His  ministry,  arid  the  heavenly  equipment  needed  to  sustain 
Him  in  It,  are  always  referred,  by  the  apostles,  tlicmselyes,  to  this 
cdtical  moment.  AVith  them,  His  commission  and  special  <6hd6W' 
ment  for  His  mighty  work,  dated  from  His  baptismi  ''Yefknch^,^ 
says  St.  peter,  **  what  was  spoken  of  throughout  all  Judea,  beginhlng 
from  Galilee,  after  the  baptism  which  John  preached,  con^riiinfi| 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  that  Goa  anointed  Him  with  thoHr  i)  r^piriti  ana 
with  power;  who.  went  about  doing  good,  and  curing  ^U  that  were 
overpowered  by  the  devil,  for  God  was  with  Him/'  A  mysierioUS 
dighity  imparted  by  thiE  heavenly  "anointing,"  filkd  Mins;  eon^idU^* 
ly,  with,  supernatural  powers  He  had  iM>t«  hitherto,  displa99eldi  and 
laiited  Hith^ftotii  the  subordinate  and  passiTt  Mb  Of  KakbroUlk^^dihe 


THK  LI^  OF  CMRIgHPl 


li' 


Betb- 
idow, 

(       I ' '  - 

Bui 

iwim 

'i,.-^  .■''ill 

i  ke^ 

jupoii 

The 

tegrlty 

llaoeia 

:p;  (fid  vol 

jtiniedi- 
mdtbe 

Dn  Hia 
begiii- 

Biistain 
t<>thi9 

■iti  iina 

iierioiis 

and 


)^kiofflG0  of  'tMesMngerof  the  Co^iettaiit,"  'UhfrHeMlah 
.ti)»tfrefa*bets.'-*  ■  •',,■  •' '-^ 

vrliP^tMe  thirty  years  of  His  lif«  in  Nfizareth,  Jestis  had  d<>ii<6-  lio 
iniracles,  and  had  assumed  no  authority  or  publie*  8tandittfl[  a$  it 
te^oh^r.,  On  the  contrary,  He  had  so  withdrawn  into  the  shirae  of  a 
studied  iohscurity >  and  conformed  to  the  daily  life  of  thos^  around,* 
that  no  one,  apparently,  suspected  Him  tb  be  more  than  the  humbl^ 
yUlager  He  seemed.;  c  M:  v  .■:  •      ■■  ^.>  ,^.v|  ;.,*-'./.,     ,i:.  ,.hi  ^y^'H'-'^^'/i;  -■■ 

-The  baptism  in  tlie  Jordan,  wlthits  irnyst«ri<i^rac^tii]^Mfm^t»^ 
tlie  heavenly  dove  and  the  voice  of  Gkid-^marked  the  dividing  line  iit 
His  life.    With  such  credentials,  and  such  endowments,  His  0all  a«. 
the  Messiah  was  no  longer  doubtful.     We  know  nbthing  of  His 
8{^ritual  history  while  at  Nazareth  beyond  the  fact  that  His  thottj^htd 
expanded  with  His  years,  for  His  "  keeping  oh  increaiiinig  in  wisdom** 
can  mean  nothing  less.    Presentitnents  must  have  often  risdd  in  His 
mindy^buft  He  may  have  had  no  assurance  that  they  were  trustri^brthy,' 
— tfor  His  Divine  nature  is  a  mystery— till  formally  **  andinted  With ., 
tj^e  Holy  Spirit^  and  with  power. "    After  His  baptism;  we  can  i^eadli#j 
fancy  Him,  during  His  stay  at  the  Jordan,  listening  intently  to  tlifgi^ 
pifeaohing  of  John,  and  wa^ehiag  the  excited  multitudes,  till  th^  con- 
viction forced  itsdf  upon  Him^  that  the' Law  coilldiio  longer  be  the; 
channel  efr  salvation  to  the  sin-stricken,  repentant  crc^wds.    The'gift^^ 
of  .itiie^  SpJHt,  &^  the  words  of  the  heavenly  voice, ^onld  co^flrflijC 
tfiisleotiviction,  and  make  it  forever  certain  that  theiptfthintdSrSibli' 
John  was  introducing  his  converts,  could  not,  by  itself,  lead  to  the 
fulness  of  truth,  and  abiding  peace  of  heart.    The  opened  heavens 
revealed  anew  relation  of  God  to  man,  which  must  be  proclaimed; 
and  in  the  holy  symbol  of  tl*e  do vi&^ihe  pledge  in  Noah's  day^  that 
wrath  had  turned  to  mercy— the  chosen  emblem  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
— a  vivid  lesson  was  given  thait  peace  could  be  won  b|E^;kM~$^ 
troublsdfSOttls  and  thesoul  itself  renewed,  only  by  th6  sdft'A^d'ggistle  ^ 
inpueoce  of  heavenly  grace.    Set  opart,  by  so  august  a  consecratiotf^^j 
aaid^'8*nointed,  the  i-egenerAtion  of  the  race,  aM  the  reconciliatibn ,, 
o^j^rth  and  heaven,  were  henceforth'  entrusted  to  His  hkiids.  ,  jjt^;| 
had,  till  now,  been  silent)  but  forthwith  began  to  woclaim  that  th§~!^j 
kingdom  of  God  was  no  longer,  as  John  liad  taught,  near  at  handii 
biiij^  already  come,  and  at  once  assumed  and  exercised  the  highest'  ^ 
kingly  a.uthoritjrj  as  its  Head;  worfcing  miracles  as  a' proof  of  Hi^,. 
superhuman  dignity;   bearing  Himself   in  the  Temple  as  in  Hid^^ 
Fatl^r's  House;  discoursing,  as  the  Messiah,  with  Nicodemus.    Bjs  ] 
ev%itook  to  Himself,  from  this  time,  the  name  of  *•  The  Son  of  Man;'* 
derivdpid  from  the  vision  of  the  Messiah  in  the  Book  of  Daniel,  andj  ^^ 
universally  accepted,  from  that  source,  as  the  symbol  of  Messianic  ,7, 
rank*     His  baptismal  consecration  was  presently  followed  by  HWj 
taking  His  place  as  king  in  the  new  theocracy;  ruling,  and  legislating'/ !- 
and  displaying  All  kingly  power  and  dignity;  h^ceft)irth^,a$  tlw  Mei?;'  ;. 
lial^^ijGod^imself  Divine.  :  '^^^  =  ^'^  -"■  '  -''    "'  "''' 


If 


■ji  I  s 


m 


TI|»  LIFE  OF  .CHRIST. 


I'! 
-ii 


Hm  bapttisip  tfa0»  thud,  the  birth-koilr  of  ChriBtianity.  Croi^dii^ 
sunk  in  national  ttnd  spiritual  degradation,  thronged  the  bankd  of  tlie 
Jordan^  roused  by  the  ne^  Elfas  to  1 6ensd  df  their  wants,  hut  left  to 
expectancy  for  their  future  Bfttisf action.  They  loneed  f (ht  a  last  need' 
ful  word«  Dut  John  was  tinable  to  add  it^  He  could  speak  of  the  ap^ 
proach  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  but  be  wds  onlyit^  herald^  and  could 
not  act  as  its  bead.  The  Messiah,  !who  was  to  give  it.  life  and  form, 
was  yet  to  come.  His  work  was  a  mighty  movetnent,  with  no^  ade- 
quate^nd:  his  converts  ft  mi|^ty  host,  without  a  watchword  ;iys  ex- 
hprtatlons  excited  a  deep  yearling,  wbicb  they  left  unsatisfied.  8ucfa 
ft.6pectacl^  must  have  stirred  the  soul  df  Jesus  to  its  lowest  depths. 
Even  before  His  consecration  as  the  Messiah,  He  must  have  pozJdered 
th^e  eofiditlon  of  His  people,  and  longed,  with  <iU  the  love  of  His 
Bivifie  uature,  to  heal  their  troubles.  It  nlust  have  been  s<)  even  in 
I^lizaretii.  The  consecration  at  the  Jordan  (Wily  stamped  with 
heavehly^  approval  the  purposes  that  had  been  ripening  in  His  btreast 
froi;a  Bis  earliest  years.  We  cannot  thinkof  one  like  Jesus,  feopro^ 
fom^dly  religious,  and  so  divinely  compassionate'  as  at  any  tinie  in- 
dmeirent  to  the  supreme  question  of  the  reconeiHtitioU  of  ^an  to  Qod. 
The  da^s  fmd  nights  passed,  in  later  years,  in  solitary  prayer,  in  the 
wttd^rness,  dr  in;  the  mountains,  were,  doubtless,  only  the- repetition 
of  tSif  eJO'lier  communings  with  His  Father,  and  with  His  own  soul.  Btit 
the  divine  certainty;  the  impetaUte  ii^n^,  that  He  should  arise  and 
^rd  Hhnsell  to  the  mighty  task  of  wmning  back  the  world  to  Ood: 
we  awful  summons  for  which  He  waited  with  hushe<l  stillness^,  He 
first  read  in  the  sights  and  revelations  of  the  Jordan  baptisni.  The 
heayenly  consecration  WAS  the  divine  sanction  of  His  longKsherished 
but  dirtily  reahjjed  pui^se.  The  accoropaniinents  of' His  baptism 
made  Him  the  head  of  the  new  spiritual  theocracy,  and  laid  on  Him 
til»e  burden  o£  ^ving  Himself  whqlly  to  its  establishment 

feyerytjjing  arojind  corroborated  the  indications  of  the -heafvenly 
vision!  The  events  predicted  as  inaugurating  the  advent  of  the  Mes- 
siah,, were,  realijsing  themselves  before  Him,  for  had  not  Elias  e<^e 
ag^in^  in  the  person  of  John,  and  had  not  ttie  nation' conse^^ratied 
it^eif ,  in  pteparation  for  the  Messiah?  He,  only,  was  wanting,:  whom 
ttie  times  themselves  could  not  ^ve:  the  Coming  OnEj  whoeliould 
i^etup,  in  its  fulness,  the  Divine  Kingdom  already  begim.  No  wonder 
that  John,  as  he  daily  announced  both  the  Kinguom  and  Ibe  Messiah, 
with  unwavering  faith,  and  searched  each  gi'oup  that  came  before 
lu$i,  in  hopes  df  finding,  at  last,  the  chosen  of  God,  fixed  his  eyes 
wltii  a  settled  and  clear  conviction  on  Jesus,  as  He  for  whom  he  was 
looking.  The  attitude  of,  the  Baptist  towards  Him,  was  a  corrobora- 
tion of  all  the  rest.  His  own  consciousness  of  being  the  Eternal  Son 
of.Ctod;  the  spectacle  before  Him;  the  longings  of  His  pity  and  holy 
love  J  the  wants  of  the  times;  and,  above  all,  the  voice  and  sign  from 
£Le(^yen«  ipade  it  ^Imt^  thatt  ' *  lowly  in  heart"  an  He  ips.  Ho.  was 
nevertheless  the  Mei 


^oi 


-j!'  ■ 


rni 


ie  eiM 
nessandf: 
sion.  Be( 
plaqe,  jfroi 

limitation 
begimiing 

scattering '. 

heart,  raisi 

and  bearin 

It.  is,  of  < 

raised  by  s^ 

committed 

bear  the  sin 

theoppositi 

conception, 

last  to  die  t 

an  awful  it 

might  welt, 

teadernesSj 

Avas  drivetf 

collect  itsel; 

planning  its 

anyijgreat  ej 

lt%  la  i^etiri 

M0,  tha^i  w 

soliitucfes  of 

of  creaUng  J 

to  enter  on  i 

sion,  withdr 

make  ready. 

its  sacred  qu 

Jes^. 

To  what  p 

the, vivid  no 

the  idea  of  ev 

chamber  of  i 

tonsjo  c(mcen 

was  to  have 

plead  for  in 

He  escape  gr 

less,  atteinpt< 

points  like  aa 

be  pujfc  to  the 

clearness,  po^ 

imply  that  th 

triumph.     "W 

entertained  Vi 


THE'  £lFE  OF  fclhllJiiC 


t  i-i*  1 


1%6  earliest  diaptersof  the  Oosp^ls  show  \dth  Hvl^aW^jl^sn^^ 
neas  $n,d  dignity  the  ^yiour  rose  to  ^e  height  6f  ihlk  j^eat'commik^ 
siQQ»  ^ecoi^i^ipg  Jonn  a8,a  noble  servaAt  of  Gfod,  i|c  yet  tboli;^]^ 
plape,  f ron^  the  iirst.  ^bove  him.  John  stayed,  behi)^  in  l^is  Jci^i^ 
litditationa,  leaving  the  great  work  imperfect,  bui  J'esUk  frdm  tlib' . 
begii^ning.  ^topd  a  j^ing^over  the  soi^ls  of  men,  dispcbsln^  pi-pmlies, 
scattermi;  heavenly  ^ifts,  calming  feiars,  satisfying  the  criiyinga  oi  thp 
heart,  raising  an  i^visibli^  aoddeatlhless  kingdom  in  the  liiu4an  spirit, 
and  beariag  Himself  as,  at  ,once/G6d  and  pan!  '      ' 

It  ia^of  cowrse,  w^Qily  beyond  us  to  conccivQ  the  meiital  ^fm^lo 
raised  by  such*  ppsition,  when  it  first  opened  before  our  Lbjrd.tt 
committed  Him  to  meet  "and  overcome  the  Prince  of  parj^ness,  to 
bear  the  sins  of  the  wo;;ld.  as  the  spotless  jLamli  of  Ood^,  to.'VtHnistani^ 
the  opposition  a»4  hatrecj  p|  men,  theiif  indift^rence^  pi6ckety,.mik 
conception,  apd  insensibility  of  h^art;  to  eii(iure,'in  fact,  the  !^fo,  ah§  ki, 
last  to  die  the  de^h,  of  a  martyr.  Still  more.  It  opened  toore  ffl' 
an 
mi 

tenderness,  witn  oviESTpowepng       ,  ^      ,      „,_ 

was  driven  by  the  Spint  into  the  wilderness^/  The  mind  heedaitq[, 
collect  itself  to  sm'vey  the  ground,  and  gird'itself  iip  to  lis  taSk,^^ 
plaoinhig  itsi  edorts,  and  guarding  i^gainst  {ailurie,  before  ent^tih^6i][! 
any)j|reat  e»terpi:fee,  aucT  Jle  was  ''ii^a^rt^Wgs  like  His  brcithreo/ 
ItB  m  retiremeut,  and  sacred  pomn^uniqn  with  God  aind  ohes  .otv*^ 
soul,  th*t  we  refresh  ourselves  f m*  pur  greatpst  tasks,    tt  was  iii!  tliqi 
s6lijl;u(|es  of  the  mountains  that  Moses  prepared  himself  for  the  ^prk 
of  creating  a  people  for  God.    The  pa^tist  came  fr^m  the  wilderness; 
toenteronhis  work  as  aHpiFormer;  and  St.  I^aii),  afier  his  conver-' 
sion,  withdrew  himself  for  thuee  years,  no  one  knows  whither,  tp; 
make  ready  for  his  comjmission  to  the  nations.    TheAyilderniess,  yi\th! 
its  sacred  quiet  and  '*e9l?wton,w?u3fdone  fitted  for  the^  ffetiTement  p^ 

Tp^vbM  p&  iSeMarew  iihii^i*%^m^d- M'fer^ajf  ^?^^ 
the,  vivid  note  that  He  w'a^  "with  the  wild  beasts,'*  which  ekclud^s 
the  idea  of  even  scattered  human  population.  In  this  vast  ahd  IpHely 
chamber  of  meditation  and  prayer  He  remained  for  forty  days,  111  in- 
tonsio  ccmcentration  of  soul  on  the  work  before  Him,  Tobealohe 
was  to  have  every  tho^ight  rise  in  turn;  to  have  human  \ireaknes3 
plead  for  indulgence,  and  human  fears,  counsel  safety,  liforpoul^ 
He  escape  graver  trials.  The  Prince  of  I)arkness  had  often,  doubt- 
less, attempted  before  to  overcome  Him,  for  '*  He  was  tempted  in  all 
points  like  as  ^e  are.'*  It  was  meet  that  tlife  Anointed  of  God  shoutd 
be  put  to  the  test.  The  struggles  through  which  the  soul  comes  to 
clearness,  power,  and  decision,  are  themselves  temptatioils,  fqr  ihev 
imply  that  the  jp;iind  has  not  yet  emerged  into  t|ie  calmness  of  settlea 
triumph.  We  cannot  conceive  of  Jesus  escapit:^  Suggestions,  t^ 
entertained  which  would  have  been  fatal.    Temptations  iriu^i  nee(£li 


"■1 1 


vo^oe 


o^M-tln^E  ^  cMs^T. 


ettler'fbe  flmeBt  and  holiest  soul'/ else  it  cattnot  he  sdld  to  h6  tct^ijted 

at  all.    They  are  the  mpf  e,  inevitable  the  ^eater  the  toslc  to  pid  mmer- 

i^^Bba,  and  s^nre  the  hlgti  ^nd  of  separatfh|(  it  fi-bni^Asible  error. 

To  let  Satan  do  hi«wors^;wai^  the  needfiil  jprelirtiiii^ril^tbtne  lliial 

overthrow  6t  his  kibgdoni,.for  succeaa  at  .fiomi'b  atth^  flbt  st^lde- 

tiifinlned the fature.*^•7'^^•'''^^••;::  ''*'^r '   ' '<■ '  '      '  u.' " '  T    ' 

'The  ppedflc  temptations  recorded  th.  the  (Jos^ls' "belong  to,tlie  last 

^^i  of  our  Lord'i  seclusion,  for:  as  the  dulminatloh  pf  iSatan's 

Hdktilts,  ther  were  subtllely  reserved  ^U  natiiird  Aviii  ArfeH-nfig^^fex- 

haust^d,  and  the  power  of  resistance  weakest.    But,  thbugh  critical 

hoti¥9in  life  may  justly  he  regarded  ns  especially! tiines  of  Itempt&ftfpn, 

an  existenpe,  like,  purs,  which  is  a  constant  diofcb  hetWccin  gppfl  iind 

etil,  is,  throughput,  a  probation.    "We  know  little  of  the  stdritual 

Woi^d,  and  capnofc  say  how  f ar  6ur  actipns  ai^  determined  for  pVil 

l^j' <iurselves/6r  hot)r  far  actiVe  Batanio  influenceis  luaV  atfect  lis^  f or, 

M in Otii^ Abetter,  iio in  our  guilty,  acts, jtlie  inindis cbnsciotis of  ii'dc- 

■    liberate  freedom  of  will.    Kike  Adam,  We  feel  that  We  are  **  suttipient 

fo hiiVd ^t66d.  tlibugh  free  tb^'fall."    Oui*  charactct  is' but  the  st^p 

6ti  duir  6ohls  df  the"  free  choice  of  good  pir  evil  wto  hdve  inide^^hrotlgh 

life.    From  cliildhppd  to  the  gi^vc,  the  road  is  Pi)en  to'us  ajl,' on 

^ithfe^  side,  from  the  Btfaight  path  of  right.    Norare  the  bnlV'ffUlm'es 

i  thbsbof  open  act.    The  6bui  is;  in  if  self,  a  world!  and  evil  ihb^ts 

f   tpiint  as  ^ctsWith  the  Eternal;  if  hpt  at  bnce  tej^)elled.  '  Y^t*  they 

*^   mtist'rise  at  ^yery  mcmenV  f bt  the  choice  pf  right  imjpllfesfr^bm 

to  chooiife  the  opposite.    MiTtoii  id  tnio  to  nat'ui'e  ilvhen  he  _  ni^es 

Satan  tell  the  Saviour  that  he  had  heard  the  fof^Ms'  sougiit'BeihlelieEm, 

.  jfi  1 '  oH'  '*hiK}imFrt>ta  Ihattlme  s«adohi  hdve  I  ceased  to  6ye  s?"  i  •'^  ^fmmm 
''-/i-;i'-hi(^'MVH  B''*"^^^**^*'^' *'*^y®'*^*^^**<'<*' ^*^***yyo«tn,'      '  •  •>  '  '^yMy 

•<l3;e:wti^i  ia^  aadj^ih 
like  another  child,  into  mature  manhood,  str'uggling  with  tue  tempta- 
tipns,  and  spoiling  the  tt^mpters  pf  each  etagc  pf  life: "  The  probation 
pf  the  desert  was  pnly  an  putburst,  morie  tliaii  usually  viplent;  of  that 
whifch  had  attended  Ilim,  all  thrpugh,  as  aconditipnpf  His  humanity. 
**  There  are,  lipwever,  supreme  moments  pf  trial,  victcry  in  Wliich 
decides  the  cplour  pf  pur  life,  and  breaks  the  fprce  pf  f i^ure  ti^mpta- 
tipns  in  the  same  directions,  and  such  was;  that  ci  the  wilderness  re- 
tirement. It  is  part  pf  the  discipline  pf  God,  tp  make  Jlis  servahta 
perfect  through  suffering,  and  the  Son  of  Man,  the  ideal  of  humanity, 
could  not  be  made  an  exception.  Retirement  was  indispensable  ior 
preparation.  He  needed  .to  survey  His  great  commission  in  ail  its 
aspects,  to  determine  the  course  to  be  iDursued  in  carrying  it  out,  and 
realize  the'dilficulties  and  dangers  He  aad  to  expect.  The  transition 
from  tlip  fife  of  Nazareth-^private,,  calm,  contenii)hitive.  Unknown, 
hidustriouB  in  H  lowly  v6e^tion--to  that  of  a  public  teacherp  aid, 
itiU  niore,  #  sent  from  God,  raised  a  mtiltitiide  o< 


f^^hlm  op  cie^t. 


V 

#07 


!! 


tlieiast 
Batiin's 

Cnttcal 


opCl  iind    • 
jtdritual 
for  cVil 

of<cie- 

10  s%[ip 
tWotlgh 
LS  ajl,  on 
rfauures 

fr^dbm 
e  iiiakea 

8  natgre, 
5  teinljta- 
)r9batioii 
t|-  oftliat 
umanity. 
Ill  wMcli 
stqmpta- 
irness  „re- 
iseryajita 
umanity, 
sa"blc  lor 

in  all  its 
out, , and 
Taiisitlou 
;iikn6wn, 
^er,  aid, 
Itltade  ot 


ifUtp  \viiif^  limTi«4  ^^vi  ivw4iy  to  solitude,  m^  ai#4«  Ui?i  lo?get. 

^0  time,  «VQ|ii  tbqfwant9  o|  natui-^ 

.^^^^.^  ,th^  commoiioQ  of  ^Q  bosom,  confi^tin^r  roso^uUons  luid,  iCpuirscs 

,  ji^u^j^  MvQ  rear^iiy  Qpmmeojded  them«el  voa.    la  tlW  Spripturos  tlysm- 

,  l^lvoSir  opposite  cUaracteriotics  of  the  Hf^a^jali  might  seem  to  present 

themselves.     Tho  future  Saviour  was  pictured  in  one  ppgo  as.  triumph- 

...  jDg^t  ^u  m)Q^her„a9,  Ipwly  and  suffering.    Maa  >^aa  to  oaxn  his  bread 

^^y.  .the  s^eafi  ,of  liis  broMr,  but  Israel  had  hem  fed  with  ma^qa, 

.piiiiBCulously  s^ppii^.    ^Qgels  were  promised  t  o  proteot*  the  servants 

.<^  Qod,  but  it  was  forbidden  to  tempt  the  divine  gpoduesB,    The 

]ij7orl4  ^^  promised  to  the  ^rieiid  of  God,  an(l»  on  the  other  haj|(d>  ^1^^ 

,|n«fe  of  tfu©  gQdUne?a  was  humility.  r  \p. 

, ,  f  Jjoreov^r,  had  not  Closes  been,  appointed  ,by  JGkwi  as  the  I^wtgiyer 

'qi  Israel?  h^d  not  the  constitution  of  .the  nation  as  a  UieQ<^a<cy,  ,with 

its  Temple  service  and  8acrifi|ce9>  been  divinely  instituted?  ,  llad  not 

.a^hosen  priestliood  been  set  st^t  by  God,, and  were  potibe.pvcunises 

llif I?  an4  proa|per|it^  iinkqd  witb  the  observauct^  of  tj^  Mosaic Xfiw? 

tas,  not  tbe  proo^isecl  Saviour  described  in  Scripture  as,  a  }^al 

,,  erg,  ii\fho, would  r^toye  the  gipry  and  powe?  of  tbeilioi^se.o|  i^avid, 

and  as  a  conq,ueror  and  ruler  01  the  nations? 

;,,8^cb,  tl^owKhti^  niu^t  pot  only,  havQ  raided  temptations,  and  dis- 

t^iujt^OQ  m  the  mind  of  Jesus:  they  necessitated  iEIia^  breaking  away 

u|ter)y  from  the  traditional  interpretation,  of  ^riptm^  QUi^i-ient  in  Uis 

,((|ay,  .and  forced Jpfim  to  take  a  position  of  direct  antagoi^ispH)  *3 

~9g^rd^d  it,  to  tbo  whple  body  of  the  Rapbis,  and  ^pf  th^  dpiuinant 

ai^^^  V  ^chopls.;    There  was, ,  thus,  no*  other  way ,  than ,  to  ^p^wite 

[imseli4h  spirit  from  the  theocracy,  and  prepare  for  a  life  and;dQ|^th 

struggle  with,  the  ecclesiastical  authorities; of  the  nation.    He  must 

take  a  position;  injconceiyably  painful  to  a  lowly  and  pure  soul  like 

His,  which  exposed  Him  to  the  appearance  of  sinning  against  God, 

jSfl^pfnwilful  dispbedipnce.^p  His>  ^rdaiued;  repre^efttatlv/^, ,:  On  the 

one  hand,*  J^ebad  before  Hipa  the ,  allurements  of ,  a  c^reei:  pf  sijp^ss 

and  bpnpur,  with  wpaJth,  power,  and  fam^-  on  the  other,  He  would 

lie'  br^i;iaed  as  Qpiuilnal  and  blasphempus,  and  gaii>  only  shame, 

poverty,  and  death.    But  through  all  these  cjpuds,  pis  spirit^  likeythe 

si^,  held  on  in  its  triumphant  course,  to  emerge  m  full  glory,  and 

scatter  them  from  its  patlL    .    ^  .^j      .        . 

It  was  clear  that  tb.o  theocracy  had  served  its  day,  and  could  not 
be  made  the  vehicle  qf  the  gi^at  work  Jesus  was  to  inaugurate. 
Religion  had  outgrown  it,  ana  demanded  something  loftier,  more 
spiritual  and  more  universal,  and  this  Jesus  hod.  come  to  supply. 
Instead  of  forms  and  outward  precepts,  He  was  aljout  to  anpounce 
the  grand  'Conception  of  a  new  kingdom  of  God — a  kingdom  in 
wbich,,tbe  heart  would  be  supreme.  Winning  it  over  to  Gpdaud 
hbjujes?,  He  wouldi  by  it,  transform  man  into^wie  image  oif;Godt  and 
carta  i«to  that  cif  hegtven.  Itwastobeareignof  ho^fevji^the 
)iW!ekt,4ft^^d(pf  ,^wo3rthlesg  ^yip^  of ,  i-ifcea  ^^  fotma^xM^gmir 


TUB  lilFB  OF  cnRtfiT. 


dflurof  luo)|  Ml'  Idoal  it  to  knposribto  adequately  to  roaliee.  Till  then, 
outward  priesthoods,  looa^  templet,  the  slaving  of  sacriflees,  pompoui 
ritea  and  ceremonial  law  had  been  deemea  essential.  But  tne  oenso- 
cratioB  of  Jesus  as  theflessiah,  not  of  the  Jews  alone,  but  of  mankind, 
made  the  whole  obsolete,  as  incompatible  with  » universal  religion. 
No  wonder  His  soul  was  well-nigh  overpowered.  He  must  stand 
alono  against  the  world  t  must  pass  sentence  on  all  its  religious  wisdom, 
vand  must  oKato  a  new  world  of  spiritual  thought  The  grand  origi- 
nality of  soul  which  this  required,  if  we  may  use  the  word  withoni 
irreverence,  luls  nothing  approaching  it  in  the  history  of  our  race.  M 
'  Bo^ast  A  conception  must  have  raised  endless  questions,  doubtil, 
and  struggles,  the  more  it  was  pondered,  and  the  more  all  it  invollred 
-was  perceived.  But  a  lofty  spiritual  nature  like  His  must  have 
raised  Him  wholly  above  all  the  human  littlenesses,  which  turn  the 
soul  from  great  undertakings.  The  thought  of  self-preservation,  in 
the  prcispect  of  immeasunible  danger;  would  not  affect  Him.  Ho 
-Who  forgot  hunger  and  thirst,  in  communion  with  €k)d,  and  tali^ 
'that  to  he  ready  to  lose  one's  life  was  a  fundamental  condition  of  In- 
terest in  the  divine  kingdom,  had  no  craven  thoughts  of  His  own 
safety. 

He  was  infinitely  al>ove  every  consideration  of  personal  interest. 
Xeither  the  pleasures  of  life,  nor  the  delists  or  dutied  of  His  i^t 
<woi1c,  coula  make  Him  value  life  for  the  sake  of  enjoying  wem. 
£ven  at  the  approach  of  death,  the  only  regret  ^at  escape  Him  is 
that  Ho  loaves  His  disciplea  The  tenderly  human  shadow  tlmt  pass^ 
over  His  soul  at  Oethsemane  aud  Calvary,  was  only  the  inevitable 
tribute  to  huuum  weakness,  which  all  must  yield.  The  greatness  of 
His  task  alone  weighed  Him  down.  He  stood  single  against  spirito^ 
and  worldly  powers,  against  a  people  who,  from  the  days  of  Mbaes  to 
the  last  prophet,  had  shown  themselves  hikewarm,  obstinate,  and  slow 
to  move,  caprieious,  fretful,  and  spiritually  dead.  The  revival,  under 
Johni  like  many  before,  promisecl  to  be  a  mere  ilre  of  thorns.     '  / 

Even  what  wo  may  call  the  details  of  His  great  work  must  have 
weighed  heavily  on  JCsus,  in  these  momentous  weeks.  Milton  makes 
Him  wander  far  into  the  depths  of  the  desert —  li: 

'  ■        .  ■  ,,      '  ■'.•'•/  n-^ 

I  **  MuHin?  and  much  revolving:  in  His  breast. 

Sow  "best  the  mighty  work  E;e  might  b^in 
f  BavioiU"  to  mdnklnd,  and  which  way  first 
Publidh  His  God-Uke  oiBce,  now  mature." 

The  popu.ar  Jewish  belief  that  the  Messiah  would  be  an  earthly 
king,  found  no  reBix>nso  in  Hi»  bosom,  and  this,  in  itself,  darkened 
His  future. 

i  He  had  seen  the  pressure  put  by  the  Rabbis  on  John,  to  force  him 
to  their  side.  Would  not  His  own- opposition  to  them  cause,  at  least, 
indifferenee  jmd  neffleot,  perhaps,  even  hatred?  He  could  only  be  a 
spiritual  Havk)ur :  they  wished  a  political.    He  had  no  ambition;  and 


.11 


it  leslst, 
lybea 


TMB  XIFE  OP  CklniBT 

WHitemiied  cartWy  pcrtnsr.  E^«ft  if  the  people  refhmd  to  li^r,  He 
must  Blill  witnoM  to  the  trath.  Then,  Bhould  His  kingdom  be  niifled 
bf  human  ttgcncy,  or  hy  the  aim  of  God?  Might  not  the  Almighty 
tuink  it  meet  to  overthrow  all  oi^[)otiition  of  thelPrince  of  Darluiesti, 
Homo,  and  the  Jewish  hierarohy,  and  cBtablish  the  new  divine  king- 
dom by  irresistible' foroe?  But  Ho  was  not  led  away  by  such  sogges- 
tioBS,  however  speciousi  Discarding  all  thouj^ht  of  playing  a  groat 
part  among  men;  He  chose  lowllnoss  and  obscurity  for  liinwetf,  >«nd 
4h6  emallest  lieginninga  for  His  kingdom,  lotting  It  win  its  way  slowly 
by  the-conquasft'Of  single  souls,  as  was  demanded  by  its  vei^  nature. 
It  waa  to  rest  on  loyalty  and  love,  which  must  rise  spontaneously  in 
2faidi<vidua]  breasts.  Suoeess  and  results  were  only  eulx>rdinate.  His 
work  lay  clear  before  Him :  to  live  and  to  die  as  the  Lamb  of  God — 
'the  incarnation  of  infinite  k>ve,  attracting  humanity  by  its  holy 
tttunrms,  'His  life  an  example,  Hia  death  an  atonement.         urdiii. urni  i 

•Thit  was  the  great  result  of  His  long,  still,  wilderness  retiremenfCi  \ 
He  had  surveyed  the  whole  ground:  had  communed  jnnch  with  His 
own  thou^t»,  and,  abovo  all,  with  His  Father,  and  came  back  to  the 
world  again  in  victorious  serenity,  to  proclaim  Himself  as  coming  in 
the  name  of  God.  with  no  lingering  fear  of  His  task,  or  of  any  spirit- 
ual or  huHian  opposition. 

'  The  ihental  struggle  of  these  weeks  must,  in  any  caao,  have  been 
iiitense,  but  it  became  unspeakably  harder  by  the  presence  of  the 
powers  of  evil,  who  sought  to  overcome  Him  face  to  face.  Nor  is 
ttda  only  metaphor.  Jesus,  Himself,  always  assigns  temptation  to 
the  direct  action  of  evil  spirits  on  the  soul.  A  subtle  and  mighty 
persohidity  is  always  presupposed,  ruling  a  mysterious  kingdom  of 
e^rilv  from  which  he  can  only  be  cast  out  when  bound' by  one  ctrongeir 
than  himself.  As  the  MesiBiah,  Jesus  proclaimed  Himself  como  to 
destroy  the  power  of  this  great  enemy  of  O  d  and  man,  and,  through- 
CHit  all  Hia^  ministry,  constantly  assailed  liis  kingdom,  casting  out 
devils  from' the  possessed,  as,  at  this  time,  lie  bound  and  suUii^ 
Boftan  himself . 

'  :ljt  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  an  outward  and  corporeal  presence  of 
the  arch  enemy.  He  is  never  spoken  of  as  visible,  except  when  Jesus 
saw  him  fall,  as  lightning,  from  heaven.  He  is  invisible  when  he 
tempts  us,  which  we  know  he  does,  for  he  deceives  the  whole  world, 
and  there  la  no  i  ^  to  suppose  that  he  was  present  otherwise  with 
our  Lord,  than  by  luiAiiig  suggestions  in  His  sinless  mind.  To  act 
upon  the  thoughts  may  have  been  the  mode  of  Satan's  attack,  with 
Christ  as  with  ourselves. 

The.  three  instances  of  the.  great  enemy's  attempts,  recorded  in  the 
Gospels,  illustrate  the  subtlety  of  his  advances.  Worn  with  hunger, 
Christ  is  approached  with  the  suggestion  that  if,  indeed.  He  were 
what  Heclauned  to  be,' the  Bon  of  God,  it  was  surely  unnecessary  to 
suffer  as  He  did,  when  by  a  word  He  might  command  that  the  stones 
Df  the  detert  around  Him  should  be  made  bread.    To  iK>ssa8s  uq- 


m.-. 

51 


810 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


I, 


\ 


limited  power  for  specific  ends,  and  refrain  from  using  it  to  onr  oiwm 
advantage,  even  in  a  pressing  and  itpparentiy  innocentclEise,  Is  an 
ideal  of  virtue  wliich  it  would  be  vain  to  expect  in  any  ordinary  man. 
No  temptation  is  more  difficult'  to  resist  than  the  prompting  to  do 
what  seems  needful  for  self-pres^vation,  when  abundant  means  are 
in  our  hands.  But  Jesus  dia  not,  for  a  moment,  allow  Himself  to 
question  His  duty.  The  miraculous  gifts  newly  conferred  ou  Him, 
had  been  given,  not  for  His  private  use,  but  for  the  glory  of  His 
Father;  not  as  a  human  convenience,  but  as  spiritual  aids  in  His 
work  as  the  Messiah.  As  a  man,  He  was  dependent  «ai  the  cai'e  and 
love  of  His  Heavenly  Father,  and  to  use  His  miraculous  powers  as 
the  Messiah,  for  His  personal  benefit,  would  be  to  take  Himself  out 
of  His  Father's  hands,  and  to  show  distrust  of  His  loving  care.  But 
His  sublime  trust  in  the  infinite  goodness  and  power  of  God  repelled 
the  temptation.  God  had  brought  Him  hither,  and  would  bring  Him 
thence.  Bread  was  not  the  only  means  by  which  Hb  could  aiiptk>rt 
Him.  His  word  could  create  what  means  He  pleased.  Othsrs.  diad 
been  preserved  by  Him  in  unforeseen  ways.  The  tribes  in  thcwilder- 
ne^  had  been  fed  by  manna.  Moses  and  Elrfah  had  been  sustained 
in  the  desert,  though  bread  was  wanting.  It  was  not  for  Him^  to 
think  Himself  forgotten,  and  to  take  His  life  into  fiis  own  hands,  as 
if  unsafe  in  God's.  He  would  wait  till  HE  gave  Him  what  He  chose, 
in  the  way  that  pleased  Him.  ^i  > 

The  second  temptation,  following  the  order  in  the  third  Gospel, 
was  no  less  subtle.  The  luugdom  of  the  Messiak  as  then  understood, 
and  as  Jesus,  ho  doubt,  had  from  youth  been  taught,  was  to  be  an 
universal  temporal  dominion.  In  the  solitude  of  the  desert.  His  mind 
fiUed  witli  the  thought  of  His  mysterious  consecration  as' God's 
Ahointedi  the  thought  was  insinuated  by  the  great  enemy,  that  He 
might  well  ponder  what  course  to  pursue.  On  one  hand,  the  path 
led  to  supreme  honour,  and  unequalled  glory.  Had  not^the-  Psalmist 
hknself  spoken  of  the  princes  of  the  earth  as  subject  to  the  Messiah, 
and  did  not  the  prophet  say  that  the  Gentiles  should  come  to  Hi'j 
light,  and  kings  to  the  brightness  of  His  rising,  and  that  the  wealth 
of  the  world  would  be  brought  to  Him?  On  the  other  hand,  the  way 
ledtlirough  shame,  poverty,  neglect,  derision,  insult,  and  suffering, 
in  all  probability  to  an  ignominious  death.  1  he  dream  of  ambition 
and  splendour  would  have  shone  with  inconceivable  attractions  to 
ordinary  minda,  against  such  a  backgi'ound.  But  it  was  not  left  to 
mere  vague  suggestions.  By  that  mysterious  power  which  spirit  has 
of  acting  upon  spirit,  the  adversary  raised,  within  the  soul  of  Jesus, 
a  vision  t'ue  most  seductive,  to  enforce,  his  subtlety.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  desert  vanished  from  around  Him,  and  that  the*  tempter  and 
temi)ted  One  stood  together  on  a  high  mountain,  from  whose  top  the 
kindled  fancy  appeared  to  see  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and 
their  glory.  Mihon  paints  the  vision  with  matchless  power.  Fair 
rivers,  winding  through  rich  pastures,  and  fertile  oom-fields;  huge 


cities,  hig 

tlte^conqu 

Did  not  tl 

God'flMes 

But  if  < 

wide  cmp 

coushesSi  1 

of  God.  to 

unknown, 

and  bre'lu 

at  the  lieac 

played  Hii 

divine  poM 

the  sea  ar 

prophet?  !  I 

promiseilti 

stool,  and  t 

His  wrathi 

of  manj&Ia 

Itriafimi 

Feelitig  tha 

and  conso|< 

inipportedr 
in  using  foi 
Avlthmiraci 
seem  as  if 
had  risen  t 
But  Batan 
iriQlf-restrain 
visi<>ttv    Do 
force;  with 
rather  thim( 
come,  not  U 
i^iiiticiiloufl 
Father,  trus 
Ilia  unfailin 
be  used  onU 
As  a  man,  I 
Messiah  woi 
Milton,  w, 


*-i 


THE  UF$;  Of  CHRIST. 


811 


i-i' 


rowm 

is  aa 
rin»n. 
f  todo 
msAro 
sdf  to 
I  Him, 
of  His 
itv  His 
u'eoad 

!V«TBaS 

self  out      ' 

1.    But 

spelled 

xgUim 

iupjlort 

srsliftd 

.\riMei;- 

igt€dDed 

Him^to 

mds,  as 

B  chose, 

Gospel, 

»8tood> 
:obean 
ismin^d 
s  <3od'8 
lais  He 
le  path 
salmtst 
iessiah, 
e  to  Hbi 
wealth 
the  way 
iflering, 
mbition 
tions  to 

left  to 
Dirit  has 
f  Jesus, 
led  as  if 
)ter  and 

top  the 
.rid,  and 
r.  Fair 
is;  huge 


cities,  high  towered,  the  seats  pf  mightiest  monarchies ;  regions  beyond 
tlte^conquests  of  Alexander  to  tho  east,  and  far  as  Rome  to  the  west. 
Did  not  tho  prophets  say  that  the  rightful  Sovereign  of  all  this  was 
God's  Messiah?  .1 

But  if  so,— 'the  foul  suggestion  continued,— how  was  this  world*, 
wide  empire,  in  which,  as  God's  Anointed,  Ho  mi^ht  reign  in  rigl?.t- 
cousneaSj,  blessing  the  nations,  and  fiUiiag  the  earth  with  the  knowledge 
of  God,  to  be  gained?  Great  enterprises  treed  great  means.  He  was 
unknown,  without  friends,  of  humble  birth,  the  son  of  a  carpenter, 
and  bre.lup  in  poverty  in  a  Galilajan  village.  Why  not  put  Ilimscli 
at  the  liead  of 'His  imtion,  which  was  ready  to  follow  If  im  if  He  clis- 
playeit  Hifl  glory,  and  lead  them  against  the  heathen,  using,  His 
divine  power  to^  shatter  all  opposition?  Had  not  God  (if  old  divided 
the  sea  and  tlie  rivers,  to  make  a  patH  for  His  people*  led'by  Hiii 
prophet?  Had  He  not  rebuked  kings  for  their  sake?  Had  Ho  jool 
priOtniseil  that  the  enemies  of  His  Anointed  should  be  made  His  foot* 
stool,  and  that  H6  Hihiseif  would  be  at  His  right  hand,'in  tliedav  of 
His  wrath;  to  make  Hiini  reign  over  the  heathen,  a^d  smite  the  peoplo 
of.manj&ilands?  '        ;■'_..■.-■.■'    '■■'■■i,..^^'  ..'■     .  ■.     •.  .    ;■■'■/'.•■■., 

It  da f  impossible  to  conceive  a  temptation  more  difficult  to  resist. 
Peeliag  that;  as  the  Messiah,  He  was  destined  to  universal  monarchy^ 
and  conscious  that  His  rule  would  be  the  happiness  6f  the  world; 
r»\ipported^  apparently,  by  the  voice  of  prophets,  speaking  for  God, 
in  usin^  force  to  estabhsh  this  licavenly  empire,  and  Himself  instinct 
with  muaculous  power,  which' would  make  resistance  vain,  it  might 
seem  ai-  if  He  cbidd  hardly  fail  to  yield  to  it  Judas  the  GalUsban 
liad  risen  tims  a,  fevv  years  Ijefore;  and  his  memory  was  revered^ 
But  Satan  had  spread  Iris:  subtlest  temptatipns  in  vain.'  With  the 
self-restraint  becoming  a  sinless  nature.  He  resisted  the  dazzling; 
visitor  Dfilibefatoly  rejecting  the  thought  of  basing  His  empire  otfV 
force;  with  a  lofty  grandeur  of  soul.  He  chose  to  found  it  on  the  love,; 
rather  thlm  on  the  fears,  or  compelled  submission  of  mankind.  Having 
come,  not  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  saVe  them,  He  would  use  His 
niintciiloup.  power  oiily  for  good  to  man,  and  for  the  glory  of  His 
Father,  irustinr^  Jlimself  to  Him,  without  othet  defence  or  care  than 
Ilia  unfailing  wisdom  and  love.  The  heavenly  gifts'  He  held  should 
bo  used  only  where  they  brought  no  personal  advantage  to  Himself. 
As  a  man.  He  was,  anclwoukl  remain,  meek  and  lowly;  His  gifts  ai 
Messiah  would  be  used  only  for  spiritual  ends. 

Milton,  with  striking  force,  has  made  Him  say—  " 

"  Victorious  deeds 
Mamed  in  thy  heart,  hei:oic  acts—one  wiiilo 
To  rescue  Israel  from  the  Roman  yoke ;    , '  - 

Men  to> subdue,  and  quell,  o'er  all  the  earth, 
BrutA  violeuco  aud  proud  tyrannic  iwwer. 
Till  truth  were  freed,  and  equity  restored; 
Yt^t  KypW  it  more  humane,  more  heavenly,  dvaik      • 
By  \vinning  words  to  conquer  willing  heaits, 
juid  mako  persuasion  do  the  work  or  fear.'* 


812 


THE  LIFE  OF  -CHRIST. 


.  From  first  to  last,  Jesus  refused  to  exercise  His  supernatural  power 
to  establish  His  kingdom  by  outward  means,  and,  indeed,  it  was  be- 
cause of  Hi«  persistent  refusal  to  do  so  tlirtt  His  nation  rejected  Him. 
Assent  to  the  temptation  seemed  to  Him  like  ^n  act  of  homage  lo  the 
Prince  of  this  world,  His  adversan',  for  force  and  violence  arie  char- 
acteristics of  Aw  sway.  As  the  Piince  of  Peace,  He  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  strife.  The  temptation  lost  its  power  as  He 
uttered  the  words  "Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan,  for  it  is  written;  Thou 
Shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  Oiily  shalt  thou  servci:'*^^ 

He  had  now  been  tempted  by  hunger  and  by  ambition:  there 're- 
mained another  possible  opening  for  the  enemy;  tht-ough ,the  tiVenti^ 
of  epiritual  jxride^  Earthly  glory  had  had  no  attractions  for  Hirn, 
but  He  might  be  vain  of  His  newly  acquired  Messialiship,  ahd'wH'lltig 
to  display  His  supernatural  |)ower8  for  mere  empty  effect,  and' to 
flatter  His  own  self-love.  To  disguise  the  aim,  a  sacred  gloss  was  at 
hand.  Instead  of  evil, -^compliance  would  only  show,  in  another 
form,  that  absolute  dependence  upon  God^  by  wmchHe  had  repelled 
the  appeal  te  His  Batural  wants.  The  Arch  Magieian.had  broiight 
before  the  eye  of  His  mind,  perhaps  also  of  His  body,  the  pom^  ffnd 
glory  of  the  world.  He  had,  before,  wrought  upon  the  natusal  clcsiro 
there  is  in  all  men  foP'  fame  and  dignity;  but  the  vast  illusion  had 
been  treated  as  an  idle  show,  unworthy  of  regard.  Would  a  proposal, 
however,  to  inaugurate  His  Messiah&hip  by  what  would  justify  Hin 
utmost  claims,  be  as  firmly  turned  aside?  Jesus  was  no  angel,  "of 
mere  spirit  withouti  human  desires.  It  was  of  the  very  essence  of  Ills 
being  to  be  touched  and  moved  by  all  that  influences  men  ht  large, 
a&dxtothing  could  be  more  natural  than  ixt  oncelovindicftte  His  rank 
andauthopity,  and  open  the  way  for  His  ministration's,  by^Romo 
startling  miracle.  Ko  place  was  so  well  fitted  for  such  a  demottsthi- 
tiou  as  Jerusalein,  the  holy  cHy,  and  no  spot  in  it  so  suited  as  the 
Temple,  the  centre  of  the  national  religion,  and  the  chosen  dw^il|hg- 
placo  Qf  God.    Milton  makes  Satan  bear  our  li&sd 

c^do.]  ij-.a:.-.jVitl*'  /.••-        .  ,;  ■'.'■■  ■    -■■     '' 

I  !f  3Yif  1  -imtj  '/*.?(' ft*  Over  the  wiHerness,  and  o'er  tho  nlain; 

J[ill,  underneath  them,  fair  Jerusalem, 
The  Holy  City,  lifted  high  her  towel's, 
And  hii^ner  yet  tho  glorious  temple  rear'd 
Her  pile,  far  off  Appearing  like  a  mount 


,  Of  alabaster,  topp'cl  with  golden  spires; 
There,  on  tho  highest  piunaclei,  he  Bet 
TheSonofGod-^ 


Borne  famous  spire  of  the  Temple  buildings  must  bo  intended, 
though  we  are  no  longer  able  to  explain  the  allusion.  It  may  bo  it 
was  some  pinnacle  of  the  great  three-aisled  Royal  Porch,  which  ran 
along  the  southern  side  of  tho  Temple  area,  overlooking  the  valley  of 
Hinoom,  from  a  dizzy  height.  Perhaps  it  was  the  season  of  one  of 
the  great  feasts,  when  countless  pilgrims  were  gathered  in  Jerusalem, 
.  who^'ouid  ca^iry  the  report  of  tiny  miraculoas  display  throughout  the 


earth.  1 
ofl^ce,  Bjk> 
seem  nati 
it  should 
height,  tc 
It  is  not  I 
roof:  the 
andacces 
a  mpimenl 
hand,  for 
cerning  1 
Shakespej 


fBa3sanid*{ 


Butwhate 
wps  vain, 
bstentatio] 
extrieirie  c 
using  niiri 
to  employ 
He  dream 
notihe  sai 
safed  aid  ( 
prescribec 
lessly  as  t 
soul  of  Jet 
down:  isi 
brief  sen 
tempt  the 
Mysteri( 
with  its  fi] 
an  iaevita 
ourHeive.=j, 
victory  iu 
all.    J>for 
Him  as  Ih 
His  bretlii 
tions  03  n 
Him,  or  at 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRtSt. 


918 


earth.  That  the  su^estion  raised  in  the  mind  of  Jesus  to  glorify  His 
oflflee,  and  lighten  HiJ9  great  work,  jy  an  astounding  miracle,  might 
seem  natural  and  specious,  is  only  to  suppose  Him  human;  and  that 
it  should  take  the  form  of  His  castings  Himself  doWn  from  an  airy 
height,  to  alight  in  the  distant  valley  tK'neath,  might  seem  no  less  so. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  conceive  of  a  bodily  translation  to  the  Temple 
roof:  the  true  place  of  temptation  is  the  soul,  in  which  all  the  scenery 
and  accessories  of  any  prospect  can  be  created  by  the  imagination  in 
a  mfvnent.  To  make  It  more  attractive,  a  text  of  Scripture  was  at 
hand,  for  had  not  God  said,  "  He  shall  give  His  angels  charge  con- 
cerning Thee,  and  in  their  hands  they  sliall  bear  Thee  up?"  So, 
Shakespere  makes  Riphard  of  Gloucester  twist  the  sacred  text— 


:->iliQfljQ.ji| 


- ;  rf 


*'  Bat  then  I  sigh,  and  with  a  piece  of  Scrlptiii€, 
Tell  them,  that  Ood  bids  us  do  good  for  evlL 
,^.r„„    ,  Y  And  thus  I  clothe  my  naked  villany  u 

V^^^i^rM^    With  <dd  odd  ends,  stolen  forth  of  Holy  Writ;    .  -    i 

rBia3siajild*3  Words  never  had  a  more  fitting  application-^ 

'.''^[■'-    --■     -•■■■'"             '        .■'■  "Inreligldif  -.-.■..,,■ 

r  -                     What  damndd  error,  but  some  sober  brow  , 
.Will  Wess  it,  and  approve  it  with  a  text, 

'       t,                   ffiding  the  grossnesa  with  fair  ornament  ?'V.,,"  ,,,/.„^,.. 

!But#hateT'6r  hope  the  ^eat  enemjr  may  have  had  in  thjs  last  attempt 
was  vain.  To  the  perfect  humility  of  Jesus,  any  idea  of  display  or 
ostentation  bad  no  charms;  nor  coiud  He,  who  would  rather  bear  the 
extreiiie  of  liunger  than  seem  to  distrust  His  Heavenly  Father,  by 
using  miraculous  power  in  His  own  behalf,  be  for  a  moment  tempted 
to  eroplogr  it  for  any  mere  personal  honour^  Nor,  moreover,  would 
He  dFcam  of  claiming  miraculous  aid  from  God  for  iliat  which  had 
not  the  sanction  of  His  command.  His  promise  of  protection  voucL- 
safed  aid  only  When  the  danger  to  be  averted  rose  in  tlie  discharge  of 
prescribed  duty.  The  appem  to  spkitual  pride  or  vanity  fell  o^.horpi- 
lessly  as  the  temptations  already  tried.  It  had  been  wliispered  to  tlio 
soul  of  Jesus,  aa  the  vision  rose  before  Him~"Go  and  cast  Thyself 
down:  is  it  not  written  that  the  angels  shall  bear  Thee  up?"  But  one 
brief  sentence  turned  the  wizard  gold  to  di'osa— "Thou  shalt  not 
tempt  the  Lord  thy  God."  ;- 

Mysterious  in  some  aspects,  the  wilderness  retirement  of  our  Lord, 
with  its  tires  of  temptation,  putting  Him  to  tho  utmost  pro^'i,  becomes 
nn  inevitable  passage  in  His  life,  when  we  think  of  Himas  amau  Jlko 
ourHeive.s,  though  sinless.  His  soul  could  reveal  its  beaiity  only  by 
victory  iii  a  life-lo!ig  struggle  with  temptation,  siicli  ai  happens  to  us 
aU.  ;  ^or  can  we  tliink.  oi  a  Messiah,  v/ho  should  drfi/ail  men  to 
Him  ay  th«  ideal  of  Ijumauity,  except  as  treading  the  fc.iir.e  path  a.3 
His  brethren.  It  is  a  vital  eiror,  therefore,  to  represeht  thefle  tempta- 
tions as  mete .  outward  piptures  of  the,  imagination,  playing  .bef ore 
Him,  or  as  mere  emotions  of  pleasure  or  aversion,  wliich  k£t  ttis  will 


\  i 


iii 


814 


THE  LIFE  OF 


CHRIST. 

T' ■•;     ;;-vi-r 


If  i 


unassailed,  and  were  dissipated  or  quenched  in  a  moment,  on  tlieir 
rising.  It  is  no  less  so  to  regard  themi  as  mere  iliusioiti  of  tlie  senses, 
passing  like  clouds  over  His  mind,  and  leaving  His-inner  being  wholly 
undisturbed;  HTVXJ^-    ^l'f''i    VI 

If  there  had  •been  no  more  than  this,  there  could  have  been  no 
struggle,  no  pause  and  p.gony  of  soul— that  is,  no  real  temptation. 
The  Gospels  know  norjiingot  such  an  unreal  probation.    Theyehow 

'  us  temptations  tliroughout,  plying  His  will;  and  seeking  to  paralyze 
it,  even  to  the  length  of  suggesting  a  withdrawal  from  His  work  as 
the  Messiah.  What  else  can  have  caused  His  prayera  and  nupplicar 
tlons,  with  strong  crying  and  tears,  or  the;  touching  outbiurst,  *•  Now 
is  My  soul  trbubled;  and  what  shall  I  say?  Father,  (»ave  Me  £rom 
this  houv:  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  thisJtour."  He imras  proved 
and  tried,  from  His  youth  to  Oethsemane,  and/  like  us,  might  have 
yielded,  though,  in  fact,  offering  a  transceadent  contrast,  in  His  un- 
broken victory  over  all  temptation.  < 
■  The  episodo  in  tlie  wilderness  was,  indeed,  subtler  in  its  seductions 
than  is  needed  for  grosser  natures  like  burs.  Hc  had  to  repel,  as 
evil,  what  to  TJthers  might  have  seemed  the  ideal  of  ^godd.  It  rwaaunb 
irresolution,  from  pi  ide,  or  vanity,  or  fear,  that  troubled  Him^  His 
soul  was  oppressed  by  the  greatness  of  His<diviD*  office;  Hla  lowly 
humility  was  like  to  sink  under  its  burden.  With  us,  there  needs  a 
distinct  prQli|bition  to  make  acts  sinful,  and  at  very  step  we  hesitate  to 
reject  whete  there  seems  room  to  doubt.  With  Jusus  there  waai  mo 
such  waving  Une  of  compromise.  To  deviate  from  the  direct  com- 
mand of  God^,  for  any  end,  however  holyj  was,)to  Him,  asim  The 
contrast  of  Divine  and  human,  or  Satanic,  rose  before  Him  with j^eh 
a,  dear  decision,  that  the  least  divergence  from  the  express .  letter;  of 
Hip  Father's  will  was  instantly  rejected.  >  He  turned  away  from  wrhat 
the  iioble$t  souls  before  Him  had  cherished  as  holy  visions,,  aa  frdm 
temptation,3  of  the  Prince  of  Darkness.  He  not  only  triumphed, 'but 
showed,  in  His  perfect  ob(*lienc©to  His  Heavenly  Father^  an  imiAge 
of  the.  ideal  and  stainless  holinesa  required  from  lis  all.         i   ,  i  "  m 

:^  'This  divii^  puvity,  inflexible,  unswerving,  moving  ever  directly 
forward,  acknowledging  only  The  RiGHTi'— rejecting  all  else;  and 
11  ndlng  peace  only  in  complete,  loving  submission  to.the  will  of  God, 
rests  with  umque  glory  over  all  the  life  of  Jesus,  but  especially;  over 
Ilii!  temptation  in  the  aesert.  It  gives  the  supreme  beauty  to  Us  life, 
and  v/as  its  strength  and  power.  There  could  be  no  hesitation  where 
all  was  thusKimpTilied:  where  only  God,  or  the  world  and  the.  devil, 
Ixiokoned  onWards.  '        r  fa>  j  i^ 

Through  life,  as  in  the  wilderness,  His  choice  was  instinctive  and 
instantaneous,  between  God  and  sin.  Good  and  evil  were,  to  Him, 
light  and  darkness,  and  it  was  vain  to  tempt  Him  even  to  approach 
the  cloudy,  doubtful,  dividing  line.  The  desert  had  served  its  pur- 
pose. The  crisis  had  passed.  Yielding  Himself  into,  the  handa  of 
God,  it  was  ej^changed  for  the  joys  of  angel  ministratioxL 


tlieir 
enses, 
rholly 

len  no 
tation. 
rehow 
anlyze 
c»ik  as 
pplicar 

e^  £rom 
pioved 
it  have    . 
iis  un- 

a  ■ 

uctions 
epel,  as 
niimaino 
mvHia 
3  lowly 
Deeds  a 
sitate  to 

;ct  c6m- 

n.  The 
ithsuch 
Btterof 
imwhat 
m  febm 
ied,5l)iit 

■'".■'', 
directly 
so;  and 
ot  GoG, 
illy  over 
His  life, 
n  where 
le  devil, 

ive  and 
o  Him, 
j^oach 
its  pur- 
landaof 
.-.■  p 


:1.03:«^ 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  RETUBN  FROM  THE  WILDERNESS. 


His  seclusion  in  tb©  desert  had  been  the  turning  point  in  the  life  of 
Jesnsj.  He- had  left  Nazareth  to  visit  John,  an  humble  Galiliean  vil- 
lager. He  returned,  the  consecrated  Messiah,  no  longer  oppressed  by 
the  responsibilities  and  difficulties  of  His  great  office,  but  ready  to 
come  before  Israel  a^  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  should  take  away  the 

U'jBins  of  the  worldu  t  r. 

;» \  Can  we  picture  to' ourselves  the  personal  appearance  of  the  Saviour 
Ji*  Uiis  momentous  point  in  His  career?  We  know  that  He  was  still 
.in  the  glory  of  earlv  manhood,  but  can  we  realize  Hirai  more  closely? 
I  It  is  fattu  to  the  hope  of  a  reliable  portrait,  that  tlfie  Jewish  hon*or 
CKf  images  as  idolatrous^  extended  to  the  likeness  of  the  human  face  or 
form.  No  hint  is  JEriven  of  Christ's  appearance  in  the  *New  Testament ; 
,^(1  the  earljr  Churchy  in  the  absence  of  all  guiding  facts,  had  to  fall 
haok  Oh  imagination^  Itself  sorely  oppressed,  it  naturally  pictured 
its  foiinder  through  tlie  hiedium  of  its  own  despondency.  Had  he 
beenah  illustrious  Roman  or  Greek,  the  Grecian  love  Of  beauty  would, 
doubtless,  have  created  an  ideal  of  faultlessperfectioUi  but  in  its  first, 
dark  years,  the  sorely-tried  Church  fancied  their  Lord's  visage  and 
form  as  "meirred  more  than  thoso  of  other  men,"  and  that  He  must 
have  had  no  a*ttraetions  of  personal  beauty.  Justin  Martyr  spealcs  of 
.Hiin  as  without  beauty  or  attractiveness,  and  of  mean  appearance. 
Ciettient  of  Alexandria  describes  Him  as  of  an  uninviting  appearance, 
jiHd  almost  repulsive.  TertulUau  says  He  had  not  even  ordinary 
human  beautj%  far  lesis  heavenly.  Origen  went  so  far  as  to  say  that 
He  was  *'  small  in  bodjr  and  deformed;  as  well  as  low-born,'*  and  that 
".His  only  beaiity  was  in  His  soul  and  life."  About  the  same  time, 
however,  the  Christian  Gnostics,  who  had  not  such  an  antipa;thy  to 
heathen  art,  began  to  make  likenesses  of  Him  of  another  type,  in 
paintings,  gems,  or  metal,  and  small  statues  of  Him,  which  they 
clowned  and  honoured  in  the  heathen  fashion.  The  features  were 
said  to  have  been  copied  from  a  portrait,  fancifully  thought  to  have 
been  t-iken  by  order  of  Pilate.  The  ideal,  however,  prevailed  more 
and  more,  for  the  half -heathen  sects  who  used  these  likenesses  had 
the  Greek  feeling  tha^  the  gods  must  needs  be  divinely  beautiful.  In 
the  third  century  the  conception  thus  invented  found  its  way  into  the 
private  chapel  of  the  emperor  Severus,  by  the  side  of  illustrious  kin2:3 
arid  emperors,  and  of  "the  holy  souls,"  of  Abraham,  Orpheus,  Apol- 
iontus,  and  other  worthies.  It  is  possible  that  degrading  caricatures 
of  Jesus,  which  had  become  common  among  the  hea,then,  Jpd  to  this 
nobler  conceptton  of  His  beauty.  fnl^H-vnrr 

The  triumph  of  Christianity  bvec  heathenism  fouhd  a  partial  rcven^ 


IllHi' 


816  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. . 

in  the  footing  gained  iu  the  Church  for  a  more  Kindly  estimate  of  "what 
liad  now  lost  its  rcllgioiw  nowcr.  Thp  flrtt  Christian  art  bearing  on 
Jesus — that  of  the  catacombs — was,  however,  purely  Bymbolicai.  The 
figure  of  a  llsh  stood  for  His  name,  from  the  significance  of  the  Greek 
letters  in  tlic  word  that  expressed  llio  idea,  or  He  \v?s  represented  by 
the  syralK)l  of  a  lamb,  or  of  ii  bheplierd.  After,  a  time,  the  further 
ideal  of  a  teacher  of  manliind  was  added,  and,  gradually,  in  the  fpuftu 
century,  lie  was  pictured  as  a  child,  after  which  it  was,  an  easy  step 
to  portray  Him  on  the  Cross.  With  the  general  introduclipn  of  siich 
likenesses,  the  idea  of  any  repulsive  appearance  was  necessarily  ir- 
reconcilable. Eusebius.  oi  C^sivrea,  describes  a  statue  whjlcl)  he  him- 
self saw>  at  fanias,  or  Cossarea  Piiilippi,  the  reputed  birthplace  aiid 
rcsideince  of  the  wq|pan  whq  was  healed  of  the  issue  of  blood.  *'J^t 
the  gates  of  her  house,"  says  he,  "qn  a  raised  pedestal,  etapds  a 
brazen  image  of  a  woman  on  her  bended  knee,  with  her  hands  sf  retched 
out  before  her  like  one  entreating.  Opposilo  }\ct  is,  an  iipiage  of  a 
man,  erect,  of  the  sam^  materials,  in  a  luIl,  pallium,  stretching  oui  ii^s 
hand  to  the  wqmaii."  "  Before  her  feet,"  he  adds,  "and  on  the  ^Jiic 
pedestal,  a  strange  kind  of  plant  grows,  which  rises  as  high  as  the  J^pi 
of  the  hrazen  garment,  and  is  an  anlidote  to  all  kinds  of  disease^. 
This  statue,  they  say,  is  a  statue  of  Jesus  Clirifet."  ynfortunate]y,.i^o 
credulity  which  beheyed  ip  tlif  miraculous  plant  is  a  pool"  ^uai;^tep 
for  the  worth  of  a  vague,  popular  fancy  as  to  the  statue.  It^'v&s. 
doubtless,  a  relic  of  Grecian  art,  transformed  by  a  forid  r^yerexicc.iiifo 
a  meniorial  of  Jesus.  ,  There  can  be  no  doiiht,  lio^'eyci*,  that  piunjfc- 
ings,  claiming  to  be  actual  resemblances  of  ou'v  Xord,  pf  Pptei,  a/id  P^f 
Paul,  wei^  to  be  found  in,  the  time  of  i^usebius,  'for  lic}  says  tbat  lie 
himself  had  seen  tl  f?m,  and  thought  them  old  thanks-meriiodajs  dt 
devout  heathen  who  ha^  reverenced  Christ  and  hpnom-ed,Hini.i^|mS 
way,  as  they  were  accustomed  to  honour  their  own  gods.  \  J'  ,;  * 
The  old  conception  of  the  appearance  of  Jesus,  boiTpwed  from!t]b!e 
words  of  Isaiah,  had  now  finally  given  place  to  pne  which  exalted 
His  beauty  to  the  utmost,  as  tlie  natural  outward '  expression  pf  the 
divine  purity  and  perfection  of  His  inner  being,  Gregory  of  Kys«i 
applies  the  imaj^ery  of  the  Song  of  Solomon  to  His  person,  no  lej^ 
than  to  His  doctrine.  Jerome  embodies  in  his  words  the  gloripus  ideal 
which  Chrisftian  art  was  afterwards  to  develop,  basing  tl^c  thought  of 
Him,  no  longer  on  the  description  of  the  suiferiug  "servant  of  God," 
in  Isaiah,  but  on  the  words  of  the  forty-fifth  Psalm— "Thou  art  fairer 
than  the  children  of  men."  "Assuredly,"  says  he,  "that  splendour 
and  majesty  of  the  hidden  divinity,  whieh^  shone  even  in  His  liiiman 
countenance,  could  not  but  attract,  at  first  sight,  all  beholders.  Unless 
he  had  had  something  heavenly  in  His  appearance,  the  apostle^  wou)d 
not  immediately  have  followqcl  Him."  Chrysostom  tells  us  that  "tlie 
Heavenly  Father  poured  out  on  Him,  in  full  streams,  th^t  personal 
beauty  whicli  is  distilled  only  drop  t)y  drop  iipo'n  mortal  ruah;^  bud 
Augustiuei  with  his  wonted  vigorous  eloquence,  says,  that  "He  wa« 


beautjf 

bfe&utifj 

glowini 

words 

are  wlu 

ing  to  t 

distinct 

perfect! 

did  not, 

ously,  a 

paintiT3| 

andria  \ 

beyphd, 

theu  pr( 

which  t( 

a^pearai 

\  'Image 

it  seeme( 

human  : 

ffrst  to  i] 

b|;6ught 

ifeanctioa 

legends-^ 

the  Savic 

trpversy 

icbnbclaj 

legend  w 

t^rite,'  ki 

pbrtr&it, 

Savibbr'f 

spirit  tha 

tfpthwit 

garus*. 

Ab^arus, 

Justin  M 

pnly  as  a 

.f  iNotto 

this  ^pn( 

who,  si3Pi 

v/ith  the 

bail  and  ^ 

said,  the 

of  Har  Lp 

saddened 

tvhple  bo( 

had  been 

i^to  the  p 


THE  LIFE  OF  dlRIST. 


817 


;^  bud 
[c  waiB 


beautiful  in  His  mother's  bosom,  beautiful  in  the  arms  of  His  parents, 
bfeiiutifpl  on  the  cross,  and  beautiful  in  the  sepulchre."  But  mat  this 
glowing  language  was  only  metaphor  is  beyond  dispute,  from  the 
words  of  Augustine  himself.  "Of  His  appearance,'*  says  he,  "wo 
are  wholly  ignorant,  for  the  likenesses  of  Him  vary  entirely,  accord- 
ing to  the  fancy  of  the  artist."  Different  races  had  alreaay  created 
distinct  and  different  ideals,  in  harmony  with  their  local  standards  of 
perfection.  The  old  conception  of  His  being  without  form  or  beauty 
did  not,  ho  T3ver,  at  once  loce  its  power.  St,  Basil  clung  to  it  strenu* 
ously,  and  the  monks  of  his  order  are  said  to  have  reproduced  it  la 
paintings  so  late  as  the  eighth  century.  The  austere  Cyril  of  Alex* 
atidria  went  so  far  as  to  maintain  that  He  was  "Hieah  in  appearance 
beyond  all  the  sons  of  mtsn,"  a  proof,  in  its  very  contract  with  the 
then  prevailing  concepition,  that  there  was  no^tei^orical  portrait  to 
which  to  iippeal,  nor  even  a  traditional  ideal  r6sj[)ecting  our  Lord'^ 
appearance. 

Images; of  Christ  met  at  first  with  earnest  opposition.  j)artlybecatia8 
it  seemed  impi6ssible  adequately  to  represent  thq  glormed  Saviour  iili 
human  forni,  and  partly,  no  doubt,  because  heretic  sects  wdre  tho 
fJrst  to  intrbduce  them.  Cyril  of  Alexandria  is  cr^lted  with  having 
b|;piight  them  intp  the  service  of  the  Church.  Once  in  some  measure 
(Sanctioned,  thei'r  use,  Especially  in  the  East,  spread  far  and  wide,  and 
legends  were  invented  to  support  their  authenticity  ^  likenessps  of 
the  Saviour.  John  of  Damascus,  in  his  fiery  zeal  in  the  great  con." 
tit)Versy  bn  the  use  of  images,  sought  to  parialyze'the  oppo^iuon  of  the 
iconoclast  emperor  Constan tine  Copronymus,  by  brihging  forvvar'd  Vk 
legend  which  we  first  meet  at  the  close  of  the,  fifth  century,  that  Ab- 
^^rtte,  king  of  Odessa,  had  once  sent  a  painter  to  Jesus  to  tstko  His 

Ebrtr&it,  but  the  artist  failed,  frorii  the  dazzling  brightneS3  of  tho 
aviiiyur's  features.  Jestis,  the  legend  went  on  lio  say,  h'baouring  the 
spirit  that  had  prompted  the  attempt,  irnjj^fessed  His  likeness  on  the 
troth  with  Vhich  He  was  wont  tb  wipe  His  brow,  iind  sent  it  to  Ab. 
gaVns*^  Snt,  though  a  letter  of'  Abgarus  to  J^Stts,  .rind  of  Jesus  to 
Abgarus,  are  noticed  as  early  as  the  rniddle  of  the  second  century,  by 
Justin  Martyr,  this  wondtous  story  Of  the  miraculous  portrait  appears 
only  as  an  addition  of  centuries  later. 

'  lNotto.be  outdone,  the  Western  Church  created  its  O^n  version  of 
this  wondrous  legend  in  that  of  Veronica,  a  fabled  saint  of  Jerusalem, 
who,  seeing  Jesus  pass,  on  His  way  to  Calvary,  His  face  strcamin<5 
with  the  blood  of  the  crown  of  thorns,  unbound  Jhe  ctotli  of  her  tur- 
ban and  gave  it  Him  that  He  might  wipe  Hid  brow.  In  return,  it  i<3 
said,  the  loving  disciple  received,  on  the  doth,  an  imprinted  likeness 
of  her  Lord,  not  calm  and  peacef  ill,  however,  like  that  of  Edessa,  but 
saddened  by  pain  and  sorrow.  A  third  miraculous  likeness  of  Christ's 
Whpki  body  Was  averred  to  have  been  left  on  the  linen  in  which  He 
haci  been  "vVrapped  in  the  sepulchre,  and  it  was  said  that  this  passed 
i^tb  the  pbftses^ion of  Nioodemus,  and  then, tb  the  Chri3timi9ol  Jeru- 


i 


* 


ai8 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


salem,  {rom  whom,  after  poaslng  throu^  wpndierf ul  fortunes,  it,  was 
brought  at  last,  In  the  year  lp78,  to  Turin,,  ^here  it  now  is.  yerpril- 
ca's  cloth  is  now  in  St.  Peter's,  at  Kome,  though  Milan^  in  liortlierii 
Italy,  and  Jaen,  in  Spain,  hotU  hoast  that  they  have  the  authenii^ 
relic!  .  , 

The  earliest  images  of  Christ,  as  has  beesn  said,  were  those  intifq^-" 
duced  amon§  the  Gnostics,  ajad  of  these  two,  ^t  l^ast,  wi,th  some  claim 
to  authenticity,  urie  still  extant.  Jiike  the  images  of  Pythagoras' 
Plato,  AristotlCj,  and  other  pges,  wliich  these  strange  sects  consecrated 
along  wit^  that  of  tie  l^av^our,  they  are  small,  and  rather  medallions 
than  busts.  The  due  is  pf  pi6i^e»  tyjih  a  hea^  of  Clfiist,  ypung  and 
beardle^^,  i]^  profile — the  name  ^pi5rp5(Chnst6s>in'Greekcharac,ters^ 
and  the  gymboTiical  fish,  belpw.  Tjhe  ,ot|ier  is  a  kind  of .  medal,  repre ;  \ 
senting  dnrist  withTlis  hair  parted  over  His  forehead,  covering  tlie 
eai's,  and  falling  down  on  the  shoulders.  It  has  the  name  of  Jesus, ^n 
Hebrew,  below  itj,  l^erhf ps ,  it  w^  the  work  of  some  Jewish  Ohris- 
taan.  Ii^  the  fifteenth  century,  ihe  ^istprian  Nicepliorus  ventured  oir 
a  fuller  sketch  oi  the  person  pf  Christ  Cnan  had  beeii  previou^li^ 
d,y^n,  and  it  mavi)e  well  to  miote  it»  if  oply  to  |ceprodi;ce  the  conc^^ 
tion  for,m«i,  by  the  ,Churchj9i  the  Middle  Agps,  '**.!  shall  describe, *f 
says  Ipcephorus„  "the  appearance  of  our  Xprd,  m  handed  down  to 
us  from  aijtiquity.  |Jc  ^'vas  yeiy  beauuful.  pls.height  was  fufl^^ 
seven  sp^ns;llis  hair  bright  aximitp,  a^id  not  top  thick,, arid  waa 
^clined  to  Tvav^^,  in  soft  cui'13.  His  eyebrows  were  black  i^ud  arched" 
a^d  His  e^e^  seemed  to  shed  from  theni  a  gentle  golden  Ijj^ht,  They 
•iyiere  very  beautiiuj,  Iljsn^se  \y^  prpminent;  ^is  Wraloyely^^^^ 
not  very  long.  ,  ,He  wore  His  hair,  oh  the  conf raiy,  .veiy  Idn^^^  for  h^ 
scissors  had  ever  tovrclied  it,  nor  any  human  liahd,  except  tfhat  oUHls 
mofh^r  y^heu  ,sh^: pl^od  with  it. in  His,  childhood.,  He  stpp^d "* 
^tt^biit  1^8, h94yw^  well  fp;rn>ed.  Hi$,c^tni>lexibn  wd^  that  p' 
the.  ripe  brpwn  whe4^,  ar^d  Hi^  facje  ip^e;  His  ngbther's,  i'aiher  6v/^ 
tlijan  rPifrid,,with  p|^Iy  a  Jlttlo  rjBd\lh  it.biit  throti^h  it  t}iere  shot 
dignity,, ijatelJLigence  of  soul,  geutletiei^s,  aiid^q,  cklmfte§aof  sfiirit  lietiei: 
disturbed.  Altogether^  He  was  Vei^y  like  His  diyine,  and  imthacti!a't,i6 
mother:"'   ""  "      "^      :'-■     '    '  .  .'  \j,:'"-    ;,;.;/   /''V. ^ •'."'':' 

Wlxat  the  imaginary  description  of  Christ'  by  Kicephorus  hasb^^if 
in  the  Eastern  Church,,  that  of  tli^  fictitious  letter  of  Lehtiilus  tb  t|ie 
Roma.n  Senate  liias  been  to  the  Western.  Ijt  first  appeai'ed  &!t,  the  clo§te 
of  the  fifteenth  century,  \y hen  the  works  of  J^n^elm  were  collecled 
and  printed,  itnd  is  the  forgery  of  some  monk  yv'lip  pought  a  good  end 
by  one  of  the  pious  frauds  then  very  widely  in  favour.  The  internal 
evidence  alone  shows  that  it  is  a  mere  fabrication,  and  as  even  Nice^ 

Ehorus  makes  no  allusion  to  it,  its  date  may  safely  be  assui!ned  as 
iter  th^n  l^ip lifetime.  ''There  has  appeared,"  says  Lentulus,  " and 
still  lives,  a  man  pf  ar^atyirtue,  palled  Je^us  Christ,  and,  by  His 
di&qiples,  the  Son  of  Ipod.. ,  ^^  raises  t|ie  ,de^,  and  liealsL  the  ^iic^. 
&ls  a  msh  Wm  ^ta^yti^;;h6bie  ih  'appeamce/^Tth  a^ 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


819 


oouptQpancc,  which  at  ooce  attracts  and  keeps  at  a  distaixce  those 
hj^lioldin^  it.  His  hair  is  waving  and  cufly;  a  little  darker  and  of 
richer  brightness,  where  it  flows  down  from  the  shoulders.  It  is 
divided  in  the  middle,  after  the  custom  of  the  Nazarenes  (or  Naza- 
Til,es),  His  brow  is  sinooth,  and  w^ondrously  serene,  and  His  features 
iuiye  no  wrinkles,  i;ior  any  blemish,  while  a  red  glow  makes  His 
checks  beautiful.  Ills  uoao  and  moiitli  are  perfect.  lie  has  a  full 
mddy  beard,  the  cplovir  of  Hij  hair,  not  long,  but  divided  into  two. 
Hi^  (Ejyes  are  bright,  andsocm  of  different  colours  at  difterent  times. 
Heis  terrible  in  His  threatenin^s;  calm  in  His  admonitions;  loving 
and  loved;  and  cheerful,  but  with  an  abiding  ©ravity.  No  one  ever 
sa^w  J^im  smile,»jbut  Hie  oiten  weeps.  His  harias  and  limbs  are  perr 
t!^(f\.  ,  He  4s  gfiyely  ^loqvient,  retiring,  and  modeet,  the  fairest  of  the 
sonsofinen."  .  ,  ,        , 

.;  It  mg^y  be  interesting  to  add  to  these  older  ideals  that  of  a  writer, 
ojf  the  nre^^nt  day.  **  Our  eyes  were  restlesslv  atti  ^ted  to  Him,** 
says, Deiitzsch,  in  oi^e  oi  h^ beautiful  stories,  ''for  Ht  was  the  centre 
Q^  thegr^^p.  He  wf^  not  in  sof  t  ctotliing  of  byssus  and  silk,  like 
the,  courtiers  of  I'iberias  or  .Teru^em,  nor  dijd  He  wear  long  trailing 
rgbei^  1\^q  some  of  the  Pharisees.  On  His  head  was  a  white  kfiitfiyeh 
■m^  sqju^e  of  linen ,  doubled  so  that  a  corner  fell  down  on  each 
i^o>ild,^r,  an4  on  the  back;  a  fillet  or  ^^r&i^;  rpund  the  head,  keeping 
iVijiiits  pkpe.  On  Ilis  body  He  wore  a  tunic,  which  reached,  to  Hii 
-^irijists  ana  tp  His  feet,  and  over  this  a  blue  tallith,;  with  the  prescribed 
t^^lS)  ojf  bliie  anicl  yi^hite,  at  the  ^our  coyn^rs,  hung  dpwii  so  that  the 
mme^  garment,  wliich  was  grey,  striped  witli  red,  was  little  seen.. 
His  it^et  shod  with  sandals,  uptshpes,  were  only  visible  now  And  thcui, 

JJ- jke  walked:  or  moved.".  "^  ,\    .  v^i-t^^'fc-i^'- "  "^  :':^:'';C^' 

^^'V^jWasanianpf  middle  size, -^ith  youmful  Wauty,  6till,  in  Hi^ 
fa^  and  iform. ,  The  pi^rity^  and  charm  of  early  manhood  blended  io; 
]^^  cpui^t,^aance  with  the  ripetiesiiJ  of  mature  years.  His  complexion 
TBV/as  foirpr  than  thatpf  thpsp  aroupfj  Him»  fojr  they  h^4  njpre  of  the 
bronze  colour  of  their  nation.  He  seemed^  indeed,  even  pale,  under 
the  white  sudar,  for  the  ruddy  glow  of  health  usual  at  His  years  was 
^^^ijvnting.  The  type  of  His  features  was  Ixardly  .Jewish,  but  rather  as 
i^  that  and  the  Greek  types  blended  into  a  perfeci  beautjr,.  which, 
^Uile  it,  awakened,  reverence,  filled  the  l^eart,  still  more,  with  love. 
Ilia  eyes  looked  on  you  with  light  which  seemed  broken  and  softened, 
arS.if  by  passing  through  tears.  He  stooped  a  little,  and  seemed  com-, 
muuing  with  His  own  thoughts,  and  when  He  moved  there  was  no 
ai]£ectation  as  with  sonie  of  the  Babbis,  but  a  natural  digTiity  and 
gvaee,,  li^e  one  |||I^  fe^ls  niinsel|.  a  .king,  though  dTr^ssed  in  lowl^ 
robes.".    V.    ■^■' '■■        .' ;  f  .    [[   .    '...■ '\. '':..■"     \     -.'  \ti''     '  ■  ' '- 

.W^pwc  oiy  knowledge  of  the  period  ijnme^ialcly  following  the 
TfBnikptatiou  to  the  narrative,  of  the  fourth  Gospel,^  written  after  the 
©tji^?»  The  splendour  qt  the  later  ministry  in  Qalilee  seems  to  have 
overshadowed'  tiic  humbler  beginningg,  of  the  earlier  peridd,  in  thi^ 


•*■  i 


m 


THE  LI^E  6F  CHRIST. 


::!.•:' -'' 


other  Gospels,  bo  thnt  they  are  fl,lmo9tpasse{f  over  by  tliein.  HAppUfi  * 
however,  John  preserves  for  \is,  in  comparative  detail,  the  incidonts 
of  these  silent  months,  in  which  the  public  life  of  Jesus  was  slowly 
opening  into  full  flower.  How  much  would  have  been  lost  hnd  his 
record  uDt  been  given?  There  is  a  peculiar  charm  in  the  glimpses 
they  supply  of  uie  early  spring-time  of  the  Saviour's  ministry:  ia 
tender  fragraiice  all  their  own. 

The  first  great  crisis  of  His  life  being  over,  with  its  forty  days  of 
temptation  and  proof ,  its  I6ng  fasting,  its  great  victory,  and  its  minis- 
trations of  angels,  Jesus  returned  to  the  Jordan,  and  mingled,  u^ 
noticed  and  unknown,  in  the  crowd  round  the  Baptistr  X%  was 
apparently  the  early  f^pring;  at  least,  a  fine  tradition  of  the  early 
Church  would  have  it  so,  perhaps  to  link  together  the  opening 
spiritual  year  with  the  beauty  of  the  reviving  year  of  nature.  He 
may  have  held  communion  once  and  a«^in  with  John,  but  He  lived 
apart  from  him,  silently  passing  to  ancl  fro  iamong  the  mtiHitVtdesv 
Oialy  the  day  before  His  arrival,  Jbhn  had  renewed  his  homage  to 
Hlin  in  His  absence,  before  a  deputation  from  the  ecdesialsticia,! 
authorities  of  the  Temple,  sent  to  investigate  his  own  teaching  fitid 
authority.  *'  Was  he  the  Christ?  or  Elijah?  or  the  expected  propheli, 
Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  or  soth^  other?'*  The  nobly  humble  man;  though 
at  the  height  of  his  glory,  with  the  nation  looking  up  to  him„in 
reverence,  as  a  prophet,  had  no  thought  of  hesitatioh  in  hia  answer. 
Jestis  was  unknown,  but  John  yields  Him  the  first  place,  and  pro- 
claims himself  unworthy  to  petiorm  the  lowliest  offices  for  One  ^ 
exalted.  "  I  am  only  he  df  whom  Isaiah  speaks;  as  ia  voice  drying  in 
the  wilderness,  •  Make  «traight  the  way  of  the  Lord:'  - 1  only  baptisie 
with  water,  but  there  stands  among  you  One  whom  ye  know  not-^Hje 
who  is  to  dome  aftef*  hie;  I  am  not  worthy  to  kneel  before  Him  to 
looHe  the  thong  of  His  sandal; "  The  symbol  of  servitude  and  subjei^- 
tidn  offered  by  a  slave  to  a  new  master  was  to  untie  his  shoe  add  bmd 
it  again,  but  even  thii^  was  too^eat  on  honour,  in  John's  opinion^  to 
be  perLiitted  him  to  pay  to  Christ.  h';  u^^-kj  ji'/rV^/ /fi  V\t  HHw 

H^  had  often  bornie  similar  testimony,  lifting  tip  his  voicfe  iand 
cryilig  aloud,  in  his  addresses  to  the  people,  to  make  knotvn  ihe 
speedy  manifestation  of  the  Great  Expected  One,  but,  now*,  lie  was 
able  to  bear  witness  to  Him  in  His  presence.  As  he  was  standing  the 
next  day  among  his  followers,  Jesus  Himself  Approaclied,  doubttess 
to  i^eak  with  hini  on  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  which 
both  were  so  entirely  engrossed.  He  was  still  unknown,  unrecognized, 
and  unnoticed,  and  He  would  not  reveikl  Himself  by^finy  act  of  mW- 
assertion  on  His  own  part.  But  the  very  end  of  John'«  mission  from 
God  was  that  "  He  should  be  made  manifest  to  la'ael,''  and  the  hour 
had  now  come  to  draw  aside  the  veil.  Pointing^  to  Him  while  He 
was  yet  at  a  distance,  he  proclaims  His  glory  in  words  which  must 
hiive  thrilled  those  Who  heaidtMm:'!*  Behold  tiiE:Jbi«to.of(^^^ 
takes  %way  the  sin  of  the  worlds    This  is  He  of  whom  I  -said,  *  Aftcv 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


891 


me  comes  a  Mon  who  is  preferred  before  me,  for  He  was  before  me.' 
A)id  I  knew  Him  not  (aa  the  Messiah);  but,  that  He  should  be  made ' 
nliinifest  to  Israel,  therefore  am  I  come  Imptizing  with  water.  I  have 
seen  the  Spirit  descending  as  a  dove  out  of  heaven,  and  it  abode  upon 
Him.  And  I  knew  Him  not  (as  the  Messiah);  but  He  that  sent  me 
to  baptize  with  water,  the  Same  said  unto  me,  '  Upon  whom  thou 
slialt  see  the  Spirit  descending,  and  remaining  on  Him.  He  it  is  who 
baptizes  with  the  Holy  Spirit.'  And  I  have  seen  and  Jl)orae  witness 
that  this  is  the  Son  of  God." 

It  is  possible,  as  Milman  suggests,  that  flocks  of  lambs,  intended 
for  the  Temple  sacrifices,  then  passing,  from  the  riqh  pastures  of 
Porea,  to  the  ford  beside  which  Jolin  was  baptizing,  may  have 
suggested  the  name,"  Lamb  of  God,"  by  which  he  consecrated  to  the 
Church,  for  ever,  that  niost  cherished  symbol  of  the  Redeemer. 
Jbsus  was  meek  and  gentle  like  the  lamb,  but  there  was  m^P^^  more 
in  the  use  of  such  a  name  by  the  son  of  a  priest— a  Na^suritc,  and  a 
prophet^  like  John.  The  idea  of  sacrifice  was  natural  andinevitabb 
to  him,  in  connection  with  it.  The  nation,  indeed,  in  Christ's  day, 
had  80  little  idea  of  a  suffering  and  dying  Messiah,  that  Jonathan 
Ben  Uzziel,  the  contemporary  of  Christy  while  he  sees  the  Messiiih  in 
the  "Servant  of  God,"  of  Isiiiah's  prophecies,  ingendously  explains 
His  sufferings  as  meaning  those  of  Israel.  But  thejiumber  of  passajgqs 
Which  spoke  of  the  Messiah  as  suffering,  even  then  arrested  attention. 
And  raised  the  difficulty  which  the  Rabbis  of  a  later  day  tried  to  solve, 
by.  assuming  that  there  would  be  two  Messiahs — one,  the  son  of 
Josepli,  who  should  differ  and  die;  the  other,  the  son  of  David,  who 
^ould'live  and  reign.  Even  then,  the  Rabbis  saw  in,  the  words  of 
Zechariah,  "-Tliey.  shall  look  on  Him  whom  they  have  pier<K'ed,''  and 
iii  the  words  of  Isaiali,  in  his  fifty-third  Chapter,  a  relerence  to  the 
Messiah,  and,  hence,  the  Jew,  in  Justia'f  diald^6,  /writton  i  about  a 
htindred  years  after  Christ,  saw  nothing,  surpif i^ing  in  ,the  idea  of 
^6  Messiah  suffering,  though  he  revolted  from  tli/e  thought  of  His 
4ylng  iua  way  cursed  by  the  Law,  like  crucifixion,  a  difScidty  met 
with  by  St.  Paul  himself.  . 

1^  John,  who'had  studied  Isaiah  so  deeply^  and  was  so  penetrated;  by 
his  spirit,  could  not  have  overlooked  those  verses  whichspeak  trf-  the 
*•  Servant  of  God,"  as  "brought  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,"  ttad  as 
^' bearing  the  iniquities  of  many,"  and  "making  intercession  for  th3 
transgressors, "  nor  the  words  of  Zechariah,  which  even  the  Rabbis 
referred  to  the  Messiah.  But  his  language,,  after  the  return  ol  Jesus 
from  the  wilderness,  shows  a  strildng  ccyitrast  to  hia  previoup  tone. 
Before  that,  he  spoke  of  the  Messiah  only  as  having  the  fan  in  His 
hand,  and  as  laying  the  axe  at  the  root  of  the  tree,  and  as  baptizing 
with  fire  as  well  as  the  Spirit.  Now,  he  sees  in  Him  only  the  meek, 
piure,  and  patient  Lamb,  destined  by  God  to  sacrifice.  'That  He  was 
to  "take  away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  leaves  no  question  as  to  the 
in  whicaJohu.Aawia  Him  tlie"Lanib  of  ^od."-   I9<^.  had 


f 


'"  if; 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

■    ",v  'IQ 
painted  "  the  Scrvftnt  of  Ood"  as  making  peace  for  the  people,  bv 
His  vioarioMS  sufferings  foi*  them,  and  this  "Servant**  John  sees  In 
Jesus.    Fitly  typified  by  "The  Lamb,"  from  HIr  gentle  patience,  H(j ■ 
is  still  more  so,  as  the  Antitype  of  Old  Testament  sacrifloe.    To- 
exclude  the  idea  of  expiatory  suffering,  Is  to  trifle  ^ith  the  words  of ; 
the  Baptist,  and  the  ingenious  fancy  that  Unds  an  allusion '  to  the 
pastoral  imagery  of  the  twen^-third  Psalm,  is  even  more  arbitrary. 
John  saw  in  Jcs\i8  the  propitiation,  which  was,  even  then,  bearing 
and  carrying  awuy  the  sin  of  tlie  world.  ,',"* 

How  was  it  tJint  John  realized  so  much  more  clearly  than  iftfj^  " 
ftround  him  the  true  ideal  of  the  Messiah,  as  the  sacrincifd'  Lahib;'^ 
appointed  of  Qod,  on  whom  had  been  laid  the  sins  of  a  gtiilty  wOrld?' 
It  can  be  explained  only  by  remembering  that  his  very  mission  wfli^ 
Ho  reveal  Him  to  the  world.     For  this,  he  tells  us,  he  had  been  fe*ittt,i 
and  his  commission;  therefore,  implied  a  disclosure  to  him,  hot  only' 
of  the  person,  but  the  true  work  of  the  Messiah.    Vili  know  th^t 
ri)velation  from  al)0Vc  pointed  out  Jesus  to  him  by  a  heavenly  sign, 
and,  from  the  same  source,  we  may  assunte,  he  learned  the  great'truth 
thiit,  as  the  Messiah,  He  would  expiate  the  sin  of  the  world,  by  HiS' 
sufierings.    It  may  be  that  Jesus  Himself  talked  with  him  of  "  His 
decei\se,   which  He  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem."     But  this, 
itself,  would  bo  a  revelation.    Only,  however,  by  communicatron 
from  a  higher  source,  could  the  i  lea  have  been  formed  of  a  suff^rfdg 
Messiah  -  an  idea  so  ajien  ta  the  conceptions  of  the  day,  though  ditiily ; 
realiafed  by  individuals,  like  the  aged  Simeon,  or  Zacharias,  to  whotti^' 
a  propheilc  insight  had  been,  for  the  moment,  given.    **We  have' 
heard  out  of  tlie Xnw,"  said  tlie  people  to  Jesus  Himself,  "thht  the' 
Christ  ablde^h  for  ever"— that  is,  siiould  never  dife~*'niid  how  ettyesi 
Thou  "Dfciaon  of  4an  must  jbe  lifted  up?'    AVho  ib  this  Son  off  , 
Man?      uwnu  in  the  face  of  such  a  universal  contrast  of  thought;'' 
that  John  announced  the  great  truth,  with  clear  and  precise  distinct-' 
ness,  noting  eVen  its  having  already  liegun,  and  its  future  worM-' 
embracing  greatness.    The  more  novel  the  conception  of  ia  stiff dfiu]^' 
Messiah  to  the  nation ;  the  more  difficult  it  proved  to  bmng  it  hotnti 
even  to  the'  disciples  themselves;  the  more  it  heeded  t6  be  slowly 
developed  by  the  laets  of  Christ's  life  and  death,  to  6ecUre  its  Mng 
nndet^tood;  the  more  Justified  is  the  thought  of  a  special  rov'clatfon, 
throwing  light  into  the  Baptist's  soul,  on  the  full  moaning  of  ancient 
prophecy.  hfjp  ;)i 

It  must  not  be  thought,  however,  ^that,  with  all  these  heavenly^ 

reveTatiohs,  the  knowledge  of  John  was  as  minute  and  defined  as  ^at 

of  those  whoso  minds  the  teachings  of  Jesus  afterwards  iiluminafgd' 

from  above.    A  generation  later,  sohie  disciples  of  John,  living  at 

Ephesus,  when  asKcd  by  Paul,  "If  they  >»^d  received  the  Holy  Ghost? 
,..^i^_^«      ,*„  ^ .,    ...      .    ,      .  ich  as^  heattl- 

day  thought 


efl^ncf 
and  the 
John 
dottbtles 
with  a  8' 

to  a  tjlte 
whiQh  hf 
nation — 
SibyUine 
had^  for 
thus,  tibe 
heard  it 
appointee 
ItvMeui 
heo^di  it> 
some  hea 
Joltn  was 
was  again 
on  Hfrn, 
Go<^^'  ,  II 
the  p^mei 
wasgiyoij 
antf  they : 
Johhiitof 

Jjean?.  l 
to  r^eive 

of  Itazajrei 
T^teai 

ablciiift  W 
absen«tfl»>  I 
undented] 
dutie#;Of,t 
the  imystei 
my^pcies 

a  gjmp  of 

for  fkimbl 
andjeven.t 
one  study 
Tali^Ad,  t 
the  sibgec 
is  wjUten, 
the  Quston 
Theiwo 
of  auohio] 
group  :ofc 
assiaHiiiits  j 
might  gatl 


•.^■v 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.  838 

efilxionce  of  (lie  divine  power  and  j^ce,  and  wc  owe  it  to  the  Gospels 
and  ttie  Epistles  that  wo  now  liave  clearer  con' cptiont. 

John  l^d  pointed  to  Jesus  m  "the  Lamb  of  God,"  and  had  thus, 
dottl^tless,  fixisd  the  attention  of  those  around  him  on  one  associated 
with  a  Bjmboi  sp  sacred  and  tender.  •  But  he  did  not  confine  himself 
to  a  tUie  not  yet  famiiiar,  as  addressed  to  the  Messiah,  and  added  one 
wl^oHhad  already  beei^  appropriated  to  Him  in  the  literature  of  the 
nation — "  I  saw,  and  bare  record  that  this  is  the  Son  of  God.*^  The 
SibyUinjB  yerses,  the  Book  of  Enoch,  and  the  Fourth  Book  of  Esdras, 
haql  for  geinerations,  applied  this  title  to  the  expected  Messiah;  and, 
thua,  (there  could  be  no  misapprehension  in  ttie  mind  of  any  who 
heard  it  given  (o  JesUs.  It  was  His  formal  proclamation  mr  the 
appqintea herald)  vtil.m  >tiii'^'iJf  .nWyii  »    ,*:'.>.•(  -n^^  ^i.i-',>i^  f> 

It  seemed  as  if  Uiia  wondrous  testimony  had  b^i^  1o6«  (fH  thbs^  who ' 
heaicd  ity  buj^  tliOugh  the  multitude  took  little  heed  of  It^  there  were 
some  hearts  in  which  it  found  a  worthy  response.  Tlie  nejtt  day,  as 
Jolm  wasr  standing  with  two  of  his  disciples,  Jesus  again  passed,  and 
was  again  proclaimed  in  the  same  words.  Fixing  his  eyes  eartiestly 
on  Him,  John  called  on  his  companion^  to  '*be)iold  tib  Lamb  of  ' 
Go<jL  I  It  lyas  enough.  They  might  not  realize  the  full  import  of 
the  ji^mef  butt  they  felt  the  divine  attractiveness  of  Him  to  whom  it 
wasgiyoo..-  /]CIiey  were  waiting  wHh  anxious  hearts  for  thfe^ MtfiSsfah, 
and^thdy  heard  John  proclaim  that  Jesus  was  He,  and,  forthMth/tefj; 
Johhj  i  to  follow  Him  whom  he  thus  honoured.  . t  um  't>f ii  7m  i  >>  » 

Jj^US.  Jdimself,  now  about  to  begin  His  public  ministry;  wft^i^ttdy' 
to  r^oivA;disciples.  He  had  permanen  tly  abandoned  His  obsciirb  lira  '. 
of  l^az^^thi  and  watt,  henceforth,  to  he  a  Rabbi  in  Im*{ieS. 

Ti^  teachers  of  the  day  had  round  them  an  Inner'cifelQ'bf  disciples, 
able.inaoipe  measure,,  to  represent  them  in  •public,'  in  thell*  owtt 
absenfffl,!  by  speaking  in  the  synagogues,  »neweriAg'"^«^tiotife,  '6r 
undfsnta^ng  missionary  journeys,  tand  these  were'  to  be  the  'fecial 
dut|«9iof,the  disciples  of  Jesus.  They  wore  to  be  trained  by  Him- fu 
the^O^aterles  of  the  Kingdom,  as  those  of  the  Rabbis  W6re  in  the '. 
my^puies  of  the  Law.  .No  teacher  assumed  his  office  in  Israel  ^Hthout 
a  grimp  o5  such  followers  round  him,  for  it  was  reckoned  a  grave  slix 
for  f^iSUbbi  to  be  at  any  time  without  some  one  to  instrubt  in  the  Jjaw, 
and^etyen.t^ir  scholara  Were  Required  to  converse  habitually  bn  this 
one  study  of  their  lives.  "  When  two  Scholars  of  the  wise,"  says  th<B 
Talip^dv  fare  making  a  journey  together,  and  do  not.  ihake  the!Law 
the  .gml^ect  of  their  conversation,  they  deserve  to  bO  burned  alive,  as 
is  wjrMitea  in;  a  Kings  ii.  11."  It  was,  therefore,  only  ail  adbptlon  of 
the  Qustom  of  the  da^  which:  Jesus  now  followed:  ' 

Theiwo.Who  now  joined  Him  seem  toTiave  hfthertb  formed  part 
of  auohtan  inner  circle  round  John,  mid  werb  the  beginning,  oi^a 
group  lof  trusted  fiiwids, .  with  whom  3e  could  a^ociate,  wid  of 
assiaitjivits  in  Hi6.«Kreat  woit|:;  white*  alio,vaeQritre.r6tind  which  ol!he^ 
might  gather.     Ho  drew  thorn  to  Him,  however,  in  a  way  new  and 


THE  iil 


.ii 


OF  CHfilSf. 

10^     . 


i 


§ig«iflcaht/  for  Ho  did  not  wait  till  they  ask6d  leavo  t.>  fblTOW  Hli5i» 
add'did'iKyticoutt  their  aid,  but  CftlM  6r\  thferii  to  follow  Hira,retais- 
ing,  thus,  a  r^Iiition  of  superiority  even  in  tills  detail;     '■  -f  '*  • '  '  *  '  •  '^ 
iM  cdiiW,  hehco;  Bibre'ffbdy  bdrtiit  them  to  the  most  cndectingnnd 
familiar  intimacy;  and  speak  5f  them,  hef ore  Ion?,  ftsHi8fricndf«,  HiJ^ 
bretbrei],  aiid  even  Hi*  children  and  little  ones;  thoug^h,  also,  His  fcr- 
vants.    He  had  ehosen^em,  tiot  they  Ilim;  and  thus  Ho  could  tlie 
j)t  Iter  train  theiA  to  bb  teachers  in  His  owii  society,  alluring  t*is' 
world  tO'  it  by  the  example  bf  their  lives,  or  fipreading^^  it'  by  their 
mimstratloniS.    Standing  totvards  them  in  a  relation  so  di^ifiedJ  they 
■weretat  once  His  frieuTO;  and  the  eervarita  "vvhofe*  Ho 'coul^etnpFoy  h$i ' 
diligent  fishers  of  mcb,  ahd  labourers  in  the  great  vineyard  of  thft* 

Idngdflllh  ^  God.     ■■'    r«;;s  m.      :•,■     ,:;><.;:       .::.!-  -:^   iM,  • ','.!;i-;- ;.;5'i' 

Though,;Tike  the  Rabbis,  a  teacher  of  the  nation,  inillilofetre^ts/'iii; 
the'liottsesj  wjd  in  thfrfycuarognefii  as  the  c<wtoin  of  the  day f required, 
Jesus  did  tiot  try  to  gain '  liis  immediate  fdlloWers  from  their  order, 
or  from  their  disciples;  for  He  had  little  sythpathy  tHtli  them;  ffc 
rather  sought-bimiple' ishildren  6f  the-  ptiople,  f^e;  as'far  as  powibte; 
from  prejudice-and  self '^fficiencyj  and  mar)!fM-©hly  hf  th^irsiU' 
cerity,  htinlMity,  intellectual  shrewdness,  ■  and  religious  sensibility;^ 
ThiB  lesst  Ifcey  itiiew  of  the  schools,  the  less  they  would  havo  to  un- 
learn; the  more  they  derived  from'  Him,  the^m^r^  undoubting'  tfeoir 
loyalty  to  Hbnr:  He  fotind  the  Chf»  Ho  wanted,  mostly  ih  loivrly 'fl^* 
erBJenaftd-OOUtrtrjtocPl^  -A'  ■^^■■■■''''  •■'■    'v;.':;  uav  o.  jm:*  .,:vi  '-,!  ioi-^r 

Of  the  first  two  discipled^the  on^1^fts^And!pefW>,'ailsheifman:tft^nft 
•Bethsaida  on.  tlie  Lak^- of  iGalilee;  tlie  either;  doubtless,  was  John; 
hiiripelfi  a  nativdof  the  same  toWh^thoughj  withliis  wonted  i6od«ftty;^ 
b?  withholds  his  name.  No  Wonder  he-«remfembered  every  incident 
of  hi^  Introduciloii  to  dhridt,  so  tt»ittUt«lyi  after  many  years,  for  it  was- 
the  birth-hour  of  his  religious  life.  "Very  probably  the  propofettl-to^ 
join  tb'ene^  teacher  came  from  him,  and^  if  60;  he  was  th^'tifst  tb: 
'fallow  J^susi,  tisj  ho  was  the  last '  to  leave  Hin^.  The  two  had '  beaM 
H|ni  ahnonflced  as  the  Lamb  of  God,  andas  stich  they  sought  i  Html: 
CJan%er  wonder  that  the  name  becaime«uch  a  favourite,  with  hlfflf;^  w*id, 
hereafter,  was  ^ the  beloved  disciple,  that  we  find  it  iri  his  iH^rltSni^ 
alotwp;  di^  th^^t* he  repeats  it  in  th6  Apocalypse  more  than  thirty  times? 

The  two  foHowed  Jesus,  anxious  to  speak  to  Him,  but  )U  n^odest 
diffl  culty  ^K)W^ '  to  approach  Hini .  lilieir  embarrassmeiit,  hdw^ver, ; 
was  brief,  for  Jcsus<  hearing  their  footstepsi  behind  Him,  atid  jildging, 
with  thjB  quick- instinct  of  sympathy,  that  He  Was  bfeing;  sought  for 
the  first  time,  turned' and'  spoke  to  them.  "Asking  theiii  what  they 
seek,  He  is  answered  in  their; confusion,  by  the  fcounter-ijuestion,^ 
* '  TJabbi,  where  dwelleidrTh'ou '?'*  "  The  multitudfes  atteiiding  ^  such 
gatheringi^  as  John's  preaching,  were  WotiVto  run  Up  tenfitppmvy 
booit^  ox  "wattlcd  boughs,  withp  4;  striped  abba,  or  outer  cloal$^  thrown 
ov^r,  for  cover,  >and  some  one  had  giv«n  Jesus  a  sh!^  iti  such  a 
shelter,  for  it  iB  not  likely  that  tliere  w^re  houses  tiear. '  Babbis  mm 


their;  lou 
gardea  af 
even  to  J 
Jevusalen 
apd.tbQ 
them  on; 
evident  ] 
Jewish  ti 
schools  o 
tipCi)  tl^ 
title  of  Bi 
but  even*, 
The  sin 

open  ^he 
more, /of  \ 
The  day 
stretchea 
discourse, 
thought^i 
away*  .ft 
nized  in 
neithier  w 
All  day  1 
tened  to  \ 
B^jUiier^  ai 
putsitrr-* 
cpntained 
hadabi^oi 
tliereforo, 
amatt^f^c 
of  di^ipl 
Qtheivtha 
there-  long 
chiicacter, 
1^1.  the.  iu 
hear  Him 
any  shioul 
steadlastl 
(^aracteri 
fiimness  c 
G^JliisBaa 
w^hich  ma 
found  in  1 

manTK^h<)># 
aU.;ehaugi 

¥fpuld^»e^ 
son* of  Jq 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST; 


825 


;  .11 


tljett'JQunwys  weiQ  always  w^k^pnfiQ  to  lioigpitaKty,  and  He  waa  »-' 
gardea  as  one,  hy  at  least  a  lew,  already.  The  title  had  been  ^ven 
even  to  John,  as  it  now  was  to  Jesus,  for  altliough  the  authorities  at 
Jerusalem  discountenanced  it;|iQse  who  had  not  studied  i  a  the  schools^ 
and;  the  people  MU  dis^i^st^ii  any  teaching  which  did  not  address^ 
tlicna  onisclipol  a-uthpritj^,  the  recognition  wag  never  withheld  where 
evident  knowjedge  of  £lie  JUfcW*  or  worthinoss  to  teaoh»  was  seen. 
Jewish  traders  and  QaUiajau  teachers,  who  hctd  no  diploma  from  the 
schools  of  Jerusalem,  wcive,  accepted  .(IS  iBab.bifl  in  Rome;  and  in  Palo 
tipe^tlie  dignity  and jyisdoni  of  Jesus  drew  forth  towards  Him  the 
title  of  Babbi  and  T^aiQher,  not  only  from  the  people  and  the  <^ciple3» 
butieven  from  tlH3  Pharisees  and  rtabbis  themselves. 

The  simple  words  of  invitation,  "  Come  and  see,"  were  «nou^  to 
open  the  relationship  between  Jesus  and  hearts  so  eager  to  know 
moreiof  |Iim,  and,  pr^aently,  t^ey  weiie  with  Him,  where  He  dwelt. 
The  day  passed  quickly,  for  they  did  not  mark  the  hours,  as  the^ 
stretched  on  from  noonj  iwhen  they  had  come,  till  towards  night.  His 
discoiv'^e.  His  teaching,  and  His  whole  Being,^  excluded  all  other, 
thoughts^    If  any  doubt  respecting  Him  had  remained,  it  soon  passed » 
away,  .Bjatjii;were,Jiehccforth,  His  folio wers^  and  both  equally  feoog-, 
nized  In  ^ui  tiie  promised  Jlijlfssiah,    The  night  approaclied,'^  but^ 
neither  wa^wllliDg  to  leave.    They  had  found  rest  to  their  souls. -^ 
All  .day  long,^  and  into  the  .quiet  watches  of  the  night,  they  had  lisV 
tened  to  His  first  opening  of  His  great  message  of  mercy' from  the. 
!EPttth«rt>andt  they  would  lain  t^ear  still  more. .  But,  as  Jeremy  Taylor 
puts , itrrr"  in  accidents  of  the  gi'eatest  pleasure,  our  joys  cannot  bo*, 
cpntamed  within  the  Uniltei  of  the  possessor's  thoughts."    Andrew 
had  »  bw)Uier, .Simon, and  ionged  to  bring^  him  to  Jesus.    Kctiring,- 
tliecefore,  fori^  tinie>  l^e  soon  returned  with  him  in  compainy.    It  was. 
amattor  of  the  gmve§t  moment,  on  the  one;  side,  that  a  right  choice, 
of  disciples  slioujd  ])q  Knade,  air^d,|t  ;was  no  less  momentous  on  the 
otheiv that  there  should  b^e  no  self Tdeception;, but  on  neithei^  side  wo* 
therelonghevsitationfOr  cautious  .inquiry,  or  demand  for  ievidence  oi 
chjiiractca:,  or  crafty  wariness,    jiverytlung  was  simple  and  direct,  ia 
fl^l  the  i!ulness  of  mutual  confidence  and  trust.    To  see  Jesus,  and 
hear  Him  speak,  \y  as  enough,  and  He,  on  His  part,  "needed  not  that 
any  should  testify  of  man:;  for  He  knew  what  w^^as  in  man."    Looking 
steadfastly  at  Simon,  He  saw  in  him,  as  in  John  and  Andrew,  the 
characteristics  He  reqiured  in  His  followers.    The  rare  unbending 
fiimness  of  purpose,  the  tenacious  fidelity,  the  swift  decisiveness,  the  > 
GaJiiaaan  fire  and  n^anliness,  end  the  tender  rdigiousncias  of  spirit,  . 
which  marked  him  to  the^nd  of  hi^  life,  were  read  at  once.  Jesus  had 
found  in  him  His  flrinest,  most  rock-lik^  sermnt  and  oonfessor;  the 
mAnnn^ho^  from  this  first  moment— except  for  one  sail  instant— amidst 
all- chaugpS;/»nd  triais,  and  the^Yer-growing  storms  of  the  world, 
Would.ney!|r\jjeiunii:iig.t<L.feM!»,  .  "TlS^Mt.  art  .Simon/V8iM«l  He,.*?.the 
mn  iSS .  Jonas.  ^lencef piftu  thou  shjilt  ^  called  '  The  Kock. ' "    Kb 


ii|:i 


IIL., 


■'B'  >l 


: 


■wonder  that  he  is  best  known  as  Cephas,  or  Peter,  the  Aramaic  end 
Greek  «qui\ial6&td^  6i  t]^ia  hohotiratAe  dktlricilion;  Tfib  'DfanstieAa 
Church  wais  already  founded  in  these  three  cfisciples.  .    ■ ; 

With  the:  fine  ihodesty  of  his  nature,  John  say^  nothing  of  h!ms6lf 
in  relation  V>  a  day  so  eventful  -^in  his  history.  The  ki»^ly  sOtri  Of 
Jesus  evidently  enchdined  hinrat  once.  Hepceforth;  he  was'  a}tD<- 
gcther  His,  though,  for  a  time,  dismissed  to  jhis  home.  Buti  buce 
more  permitted  to  follow  Himj  he  is  ever  f omod  at  His  aide,  for^^tting 
himsdf  in  his  loYo  for  liis  Master,  and  lost  in  the  contemplation"  of 
Hiff  life  aiid  words.  "We  do  not  ka^w  the  stages  by  which;  from  this 
moment,  onwards,  his  faith  in  the  Saviour  grew,  till  it  reached  that 
blending  of 'ak)ul  with  soul,  in  inmost  love,  which  made  him;  to  the 
end  of  his  long  life,  the  ideal  disciple.  Writing  last  of  all,  h^  allows 
himself  to  be  seen  on?y  twice  in  the  story  of  his  Master^^no'rtr,  wlien 
he  caihe  with  Andre w'i  as  the  first  to  join  Christ,  and  at  the  clobe,  oii 
Calvary,  When  he  lifts  the  veil  for  a  moment  from  the  unique  relation,' 
in  Tdiich  he  stood  to  his  Lord.  f!   -^^'^^i^v 

>  llie  eiEirliest  traditidns  join  his  brother  James  with  Johnja4''o!i^'df 
the  very  fir$t  disciples,  for  though  Jo]hn,i  from  Xh0'  same  delicacy  «jf 
shrank  from  speaKing  of  himself,  does  not  mention  his  breftber's' 
narne,  the  other  thtee  Gospels  always  munber  him  with  .thd  earlieigft' 
adheirents  of  Jesus.  There  can  be  little  question  that;  as  Audrey 
went  toseek  his  bi-other  Simon,  Jolin,  also,  brought  Jilnies  to  Jesiig. 
TB^  intimation  that  Androw^ent  first  on  his  ^rrand  of  loycj  seeioslto 
lew^e  us  to  infer  that  hq  himself  went  next.'  .       '        ' 

The  four  disciples  bad  it  in  common  that  they  belonged  to  thfe'sfcind' 
town,  Bethsaida,  that  they  T^cre  of  the  fisher  j>opulation,  and  ^wti 
both  famili(3s  were  in  tt  comparatiyoly  prosperous  position.  ^  WeflcnGrw' 
nt/M  J6t  the  father  of  Andrew  and  ^mouj  but  James  and  John; 
were  the  spnsof  onevZftbdai»  and  we  know,  from  comparison  of  teartd,' 
that  their  mother  was  Salome,  so  honourably  mentioned  in  tlic  €Ws- 
peis.    Writers  so  acute  ii^Ewald  have  seen  m  hera  sister  of  iliary^ 
the  mother  of  Jesus,  and,  if  so,  John  and  JameS  were  coiisins  M  iimt' 
Master.>  If  it  be  correct  lo  honour  Salqme  thus,  she  was  present  ^iHth 
Mihry  at  the  crucifixion.    In  any  case>*she  belonged  to  the  fiulnb^r^f ' 
pious  souls,  ready  to  accept  a  Messiah  such  as  Jesus,  and  beuc®  ber 
song  must  have  received  the  priceless  ble&Hicg  of  a  godly  training  and 
example.    It  seems  as  if  weeould  almost  trace  the  beloved  disciplein 
the  character  of  a  mother,  Atho  "ministered  to  Jesus  of  hersubstanee" 
■while  Ho  lived,  and  did  not  forsake  Him  even  when  Ho  hung  on  tfee*^ 
cross.  ..  ^        ■  , 

To  begin  His  public  career  in  a  way  eo  humble  and  nni)stentd-Uous, 
was  in  strict  keeping  with  the  work  and  character  of  Chri*t.    It  -was' 
easier  for  Him  to  train  rrfjf^v;  and  gradually  raise  them  to  the  high 
stahdard  required  m  His  immediate  foUow^s.    That  Hig  first -Itdher^t 
^n'^.wf^f^t^teu  only1)y  religioufi  consideratloaSj  tended  to  guttr^; 

tQ  toitt  Bitti  wito  Vf9T9mtm^Y9^:ttJi:rSJios»Mm 


some  imp 
Jesiks  ai 
full  of  na 
out  a  friei 
tbatfaehai 
\tft£ftie— Je 
fewnfiM 
n6i;t^.  fo  Nt 
"Oawiany 
Jesus  h 
that,  by  It 
hini,'befoi 
suiJerhum 
pdoached, 
\vasno  §:« 
whose  sin 
of  thetru 
wandered 
more,  and 
the  fig-trei 
from  all, 
thee,"  sai( 
The  first  ^ 
gone,  whe 
in^thom^ 

tiUlt^Jl 


T]^,XjFI5  OF  OHRI^'f^, 


837 


;fti 


larue  spiritual  sympathy — itself  the  pledce  of  their  fitnes^for^disciples. 
'Jo  have  drawn  aroutild  Him  great  mtiltitudes,  hjr  a,' disblay  of  super- 
natural powei-s,  would  havfe  destto^ed  rtll  His  plans, 'for  He  could 
have  fiiund  no  such  sympathy  In  ctowds  thus  gathered.  Saving, 
therefore,  begun  with  the  lowly  band  of  four,  Jle  tuthdd  His  thoughts 
once  more  towards  h6ih<&,' and  8€}t  out,"wi1Sh'them,  to  Galilee,  next  clay. 
A  fifth  diiciple  joined  Him  oil  the  home^^v^ardioutno^— Philip,  atowno- 
man  of  the  othere.  Nbfhingis  told  of  the^circinmstarices,  tlioui^h  thcro 
iJan  be  no  doubt  that  he  had  heard  Of  Jesus,  cither  from  the  Baptist, 
to  whom,  like  the  others;  lib  seems- 4(y have ^ne  out;  ot  from  the  four, 
as  they  travelled' with  him  on  his  'bwn't^turn;  The  simple  words 
•/Followme,"  sooftcii'tftteited  af terwards,^erc  ehoiigli  to  ddd  him 
tothe:others.'    ■'•■^'  i-^ --  ».  ^'         '.^    ".'■'"'.'     ■.;;"";■     '■ 

The  family  of  MaVj';  in  ■\^'hich  "We  no  longer  .heai^'^lf  mention  of 
Josepfc-i-now,  apparently,  dead!  for  a  nuitiber  of  yeati^H^m  at  this: 
time  to: hayii  left  Nazareth  foir  a  short  sojourn  at  Oaha,  a  villa^  ^. 
few  miles  directly  north  of  their  own  town,  on  the  other  side  oir  the 
hHls^ behind  it.  ^  A  little  later," Cap'emarimwaS  chpsen  instead,  built' 
was  t^rCatia,  not  NazatistbJ  thitt  Jesiis  returned  fj^dp  the  Jordan.  It 
lay  upon' an  almost  iijolalted  hill,  ifslng  pr6udl^  above  ^e  pasture- 
land  of  the  little  Valley  of  EI  Battdiif,  and  was  afterwards  a  place  olf 
some  importahce,  in  the  l?tst  Jewish  war,  froth  its  strong  position*  ;  -- 
,  Jts^  ahd  His  companions  had  scarciily  reached,  ft,  t)efore  PhiUp,v 
fall  of  natural  Joy  at  hife  discovery  of  th^  M^sslahj  in  Jesus, 'sought 
out  a  friend  wno  lived  in  Cana,Nathaii&el  byname,  to  let  him  know 
tbatfaehadfdufidHim  '*of  i;^hoihMosi^siti  theX^\^,  ind  tli^  prophets^ 
WtfrtJe-'-Jesus  of  Naza"reth,'^tlie  Son  of  Jo^ieph, '*  l^a?8(reth-  ^s  only  i  r 
few.TcfiM^oflF,'l)ut  so  phvately  had  Jesus  livea  in  it  tliat  the  name  was 
nevtr.io  Nathauad,  and  the  town^  besides,  b&da  qu6istiOnable  litux^r 
**Oa»unv  good  thing,"  asked  he,'  •^come  eutt^Nazarethf'  r  - ' 

Jesus  nan  won  Peter  by  the  greeting  which  had  hMide  him  feel, 
that,  by  a  knowledge  beyond  huhidn.  He  iiad^readj'fixedl  Hiaeye  on. 
him, 'before  His  coming,  as  a  ftltm^e  disciple.  A  similar  display  of 
superhuman  knowledge  how  Kindled  faith  in  Nathahael.  As  he  ap- 
ptoadied,  Jesuit  greetM  him  as  "  an  Israelite  ittdeed,  in  whom  there 
Was  no^uile."  A  glance  had  been  enough  to  show  that  he  was  one 
whose  simplicity  and  uprightness  of  spirit  marked  him  as  a  member 
of  the  true  Israel  of  God.  Nathanael  felt,  that  he  was  known,  but 
wandered  how  Jesus  could  have  learned  abont  him.  A  few  words 
more,  and  he  was  won  for  ever.  He  had  been  sitting  alone,  under 
the  fig-tree  before  his  house,  or  in  his  gatden,  hidden,  as  he  thought, 
from  all,  when  Philip  spoke  to  him.  '"Before  that  Philip  called 
ih^e,"  said  Jesus,  "v/hen  thou  wast  under  the  fig-tree,  I  saw  thee." 
The  first  words  had  struck  him,  but  these; 'recalling  the  moments  just 
gone,  when,  very  likely,  in  his  fancied  seclusion,  he  had  been  ponder- 
m^  the  misery  of  Israel,  and  longing  for  the  Great  Dellvereri-^-^howed 
tuaDt'ldlsiia&Mt  soul  bad  bMh,^QLl  the  wMte^  op'eu  to  the  ey#  of  Jesiis, 


•I  ■! .  m 


828 


tHE  LIFE  OF  CimiST. 


;l 


and  completed  the  conquest  of  liU  soui.  "Rabbi,"  said  uc,  "Thou 
rat  the  Son  of  God;  Thou  art  the  King  of  Israel."  He  felt  that  the 
heart  of  the  Messiah  of  Go4.]Aa4  turne(]L  tenderly  towards  him,  even 

before  they  had  me*.     .  ■]'^^-^^^4  :^^^''^'^^^^:nu';r}rn^^'r^-^'' 

The  6iinplQi^j^row|>trf£^it^;dll^a<^ 
liian  honouring  to  himserf.     There  was  something  so  fresh,  so  fervent, 
soiiill-bearted  in  tlio  Word^  n<ytv  at.  the  very  beginning  of  .Chrisrs 
public  worfc,  thatt^eywon  a  reply  alike  gracious  and  sublime.     '*Bc' 
caiisd  I  [^id  unto  thee,  I  saw  thee  under  the  fig-tiee,  beUevest  tliou? 
Xiioii,  shajt  see  greater  things  than  these/'/    Far  higher  .grounds  of 
faitj^  W)yid,  hencelorth,  be  granted,  for,  from  this  time,  "  the  heavens  • 
would  be  seen,  as  it  were^  open,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and 
des<pcnding  Upon  tJieSori  of  Man/'^-the  name  consecrated  to  the  Mej- 
siajli  from  th6"  days  6f  Pianitel— and  now  permanently  chosen  ob  His 
ej^J%,   When^  He  begins  His  work  in  its  full  activity;  there  wil|  be  no 
Ipjcj^ief  a  njomentaiy  Oldening  of  heaven,  as  lately  on  the  Jordan,  but 
a  cQp^itant  Ihtercourse  between  it  andi  earth,  as  of  old  in  the  vision  of 
tfatcb^;  hea^eply  ministrations  bringing  countless  blessinj^s  dowjf^  and 
bearing  back  the  tidibgs  of  the  Work  oi  mercy,  in  reconciling  man  to 
God.    Xaipguage  lifce  this  is,  of  <&9iir8e,  mctaphotied.    It  maybeaui- 
derstood  literally,  in  on6  or  two  eases,  m  the  Saviour's  history,  but 
Hc!  cannot  have  referred  to  these.    He,  rather,  spoke  of  tl^  connec- 
tion between  eafth  and  heavfen,  w^ich  He  had  opened.    They  would 
l^  no;  ipngef  isolated  fiffytt^  each  6ther.    Intercourse  between  thisin 
Wtt^  henceforth  renewed,  neref  again  to  cease;  intercourse,  at  first, 
bctwei^n  Him  and'  His  Father,  but  gradually  spreading  over  the  earHi,  - 
as  &en  4iaught  Hid  image,  and  reproduced  His  spirit.    The  angels  de-. 
ac^ndui^'itom  heaven  witli  gifts  lor  thoSon  of  Man  to  dispense  to  His 
brethren,  would  be  yitdblp'ti)  all  who  saw  tlie  results,  iaIlLil{%g^m 
over  the;  earth.  '   •  '^  r '^f-i,-  ••.....    .  \  ^  .,.'■.■  ,;.p'fci?p 

;  Katl^acael's  name^oes  ttpt'  o^cur  in,  the  list  of  the  apost^esi  but  it 
has  been  assumed  froni  the'  earliest  times  tluit  he  was  Bartholomew, 
who  is  always  iiaihed  next  to  Philip.  It  was  a  Jewish  cu.^toni  to 
chejDgQ  tj^e,  nanrie  wnen  a  public  profession  of  religion  waa  made. 
"Four  tilings,"  says  ll.  Isaac,  "have  power  to  change  a  raaa's  des- 
tajoy-rralms,  pripiyer,  change  of  heart,  and  change  of  name. "  We  have 
instances  of  s^ch  change  of  name  in  Simon,  who  is  KlsCTindifferantly 
mentioned  as  l^ter,  and  as  the  son  of  Jonas,  and  in  Barnabas,  i!\rhose 
proper  name  was  Joses.  Nathanael  may  have  been  the  personal 
name,  whue  Bartholomew  was  simply  an  allusion  to  bim  as  the  son 
of  Taimai 


- « 


1^  i\U.?  ?.-■.. 


i!Xj;COi   nOVt> 


.!}  m: 


0i4^''.tJl 


■St^ 


-w 


■#i" 


but  it 

om  to 
made, 
^'s  dea- 
e  have 
•rently 
Vhose 
rsonal 
lie  BJbn 

\.\  ijiiriiq 


u 


iW^^ 


'rf.-i 


.Wi-'-' 


C: 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

•?^^rJ,.v        THE  OPENIHG  OF  CHJCIBT^S  FtTBMC  MU^AtfrKY.  ; 

"^Trarfe'tymin  of  El  Battauf,  on  a  hill  in  which  rose  the  vIUa^  dif^ 


atm,  now  utterly  forsaken,  strti'tches  out  in  9  pleasant  rolling  green 
s^a»  etnbayed  in  a  framework  of  softer  or  steeper  hills!  On  the  south, 
the  wliitewashed  tomb  of  a  Mohammedap  saint  ^arks  the  top  of 
the  hill  behind  Kazai??th,  and  a  little  to  the  ^est  of  this,  the  roined 
tdwer  of  Sepphorid  lises  from  a  lower  ridge.  Entering  the  plain 
f rorii' the  north,  the  first  village  is  Kefr  Menda,  with  its  &ep  spring,^ 
thelbvater  of  which  is  Carefully  kept  for  use  in  thehotsumtner;  ram 
water;  c<>Uectod*  in  an  oi>en  pool,  being  used,  at  other  tiroes.  The 
fltttroofs  of  many  of  the  poor  pottages  show  fr»il  e^elters  of  wattled 
wands  and  I  wigs,  the  sleeping  places  of  the  inmates  below,  in  the 
sultry  summer  nights.  They  are,  doubtless,  the  cpunterpurts  of  the 
bootiis  of  branches  of  olives,  pines,  myrtles,  paints,  a^d  other  Urees,- 
which  tlie  undent  Jews,  in  Kebiemiah's  day,  made  on  their  house^ 
rot^  in  Jerusalem,  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles.    : ,f  •  ■^'^■TfiltJ^^c^-'v^i 

The  plain  undulates  in  alternate  gra^s  <ind  giBihim^lasV  oerir^n^ 
tiro  and  thfee  tniles,  from  Kefr  Mcnda  to  Seiuriyeh,  the  ai^eient' 
capi<jal  of  Gblitee,  the  ■'*  bird-liite'*  Sepjdioris.  Several  broad  caravan 
rcHsd^,  whicli  lead  to  the  fordi*  of  the  Jordan,  cross  it;  groves  of '^ga 
and  olives  fringe  the  southern  "edge,,  and  parts  of  the  slopes,  of  the 
MllMMi  which  Ssfuviyeh  stands,  One  overtakes  aas^s  bearing  he^vy 
loads^of  rich  gras9  to  the  village,  some  of  them,  perhaps,  with  an  eiir 
ca!»|4>ed  6ft',  the  penalty  allowed  to  be  inflicted  by  any  peasiint  who. 
has  cauglit  it  feeding  in  his  unprotected  "patch  of  grain.  SefuriyeU 
iii  fivtn- *:till,  «  large?  and  prosperpus  village,  stretching  out  oh  the 
"vyiestern  »iJd.»duthera  Blopps  of  its  hill  A  haW-fallen  tower,  of  great 
anticinity,  cwwns  the  height,  andlrpmits  top  th^  eye  n^iges  over  a' 
pleasant  landscape— the  soft  green  plain;  the  fig'and  olive  proves 
frtriging  it,  Kefr  Menda  to  the  north,  Oana  of  Galilee  a  little  rurther 
east,  and,  to  tlie  soutl><east>  the  white  tomb  on  the  hill  of  Nazareth  ;j 
a  Southefrn  sky,  with  its  deep  blue,  overarching  all.  It  is  a  delight-' 
fui  idyllic  picture,  on  the  small  scale  that  marks  everything  in  Pales^-^ 
tine.'.-^-'  ■"■■.'■,.  ^    ■■ .  -;;'■'      "' 

.' CanftHrthe  reedy  place— a9,  no  dpubt,  the  first  settlers  Jfound  the 
plain  below  it,  before  it  was  drained  and  cultivated,  is  now  so  utterly 
desolate  that  it  is  the  favourite  hunting  ground  of  the  neighboufhood ; 
even  leopards  being  shot  at  times  among  its  broken  houses,  while  the 
wild  boar  and  the  jackal  find  haunts  in  the  thick  jungle  of  oak 
coppice,  on  the  slopes  of  the  wadys  around.  The  houses  are  built  of 
limestone,  and  some  of  them  may  have  been  inhabited  within  the 
last  fifty  years.    Bepp  found  the  whole  space  on  which  the  TiUag9 


'i 


880 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST; 


I 
I 


r    ;! 


il 


ii-9 


!>:  !i 


seemed  to  hare  stood,  only  about  a  hundred  paces»  ewh'miy,:  ?I 
met,"  says  he,  "not  a  living  soul;  not  even  a  do^:  the  :watchinan 
oiie  never  misses  in  Palestine  was  not  tl^re  to  give  a  sound.  My 
step  echoed  through  the  deserted  little  street  and  open  square^  as  u 
in  the  dead  of  ftight;  only  flies  held  their  marriage  rejoicings  in  the 
Bupa^ii^j;  .while  »splei|d^d  l^^ii^Vpw  stretched  Qver.theruiniLi  tower 
of  Sepphoris." 

'  It  was  very  different  m  tho  ^Ifiys  when  Jpsus  icame  to  it  from  His 
yisit  to  the  preaclung  of  John,  on  the  Jordan.  A. marriage  was  afoot 
in  the  circle  of  Mary's  friends;  possibly  of  her  connections.  That 
Mary  and  Jesus  were  invited  to  the  usual  rejoicings,  and  that  they 
dcQwte^  th&  iQyi^tion,,  piar^s  the  worth  of  those  who  hsd<  i  giv$n  it, 
foi'tne  presence  of  thq  s<^%  i^other  ai^4  her  $on  ^  such  a^timo« 
are  a  please  that  t^ll  tliat  was,  ,innoceut  and  beautiful  oharactevited 
th^fjBstivities.. ;  .  .     .   •■  ,,    .      ■:  ,,  ,■  .  •■■-.-./^  ,■..•■ 

4-  luarriage.  in  the  ^ast  has^nlWays  been.a  ,time  of  great  rej&icing. 
The  bridegroom,  adorned  and  anointed,  and  attended  by  hisgroomsr. 
men>,  "the  so^  of  the  bride<;h^nber/'  went,  of  old,^  as  now,,  on  .the 
mani^^  [  4^y« ,  to  the,  house ,  of  thp  bride,  who  awaited  him,  veiled 
from  head  to  foot,  alike  froip  Easteiirn  ideas  of  prop-ietyr  ajid  as  a. 
symbol,  of  her  pubjectioa  as  *  ,wif e.  A  peculiar  girale;--th(e  *  *.  attine^ ' 
whiph  a  b^de  cou^  not  forgei^^was  al\y^ays  part  of  her  dxess,>andia 
wreath  pf  myrtle  leaves,  either  ;i'cal,  or  of  gold,  or  gilded  woirkrr4ike 
our  wreath  oJc  orange,  blossopmsr^was  so  indispensable  that,  it  came 
to  1^  iised  as  a  term,  ^or  the  bride  herself.  Her  hair,  if  she  had  not. 
been  mariri^d  before,  was.  left  flowiimp ;  hj^r  whole  dress  was  petf  umed, 
and  &h^  guttered  with  as,  many  jewels  as  the  family  boasted,  os^iii 
popr,  cbula  borrow  for  the  occasion.  Her  bridal  dress,  her  ^spedial. 
omamepts,  t'be  ointment  apd.  perfumes  for  her  person,  ajad  pireeeuts 
of  ii-^it  and  other  things,  (md.lJceQ  sent  in  the  earlier  pair!  of  theday 
by'theibridegroo^;  the^Mride,  on  .her  i)art,  sending  him,  as  l^er  pte-i 
scribed  gift,  a  shroud,  which  lie  kept  and  wpre,  as  she  did  hers,  on 
each  New  Te^r'^  pav^nd,  Day  .of  Aton;(^ment.  The.  Rabbis  had 
fixed  Wednesday  as  tue  day  on  ^hjch  maidens  should  he  man'ied, 
and  Friday  for  widows,  so  that,  it  th^  bride  at  Cana  was  now  9n;va,rried 
for  the  iSrst  time,  we  know  the  day  of  the  week  on, which  the  cere- 
moqy  took  place.  ^  She  n^ight  bo  very  young,  for  girls  become  wives 
in  the  East  when  twelve  or  fourteen,  6r  even  younger.  The  bride* 
groom  and  hride  both  fasted  all  ^y  before  the  marriage,  audi  oon- 
fessed  their  sins  in  prayer,  as  on  the  Day  of  Atonement.  When  the 
bride  reached  the  house  of  her  future  husband's  father,  in  which  the 
marriage  was  celebrated,  the  bridc^oom  received  her,  ;stiU  ■.  deeply 
veiled,,  and  conducteid  her  within,  with  great  r&joicii^s.  Indeed,!  he 
generally  set  out  from  his  father's  house  i^  the  evening  to  4neet<her, 
with  fiute-{>lay^s  or  sipeers  b^oro  l^jpi;  his  gvocpsmen.  andothers, 
witli  ilari^  torches  or  ^pips,  escorting  hi]|i  amt4^  1(^  jre^oicipg* 
whicH  ^Qse  stlU  liigiivr  a{f,iie')c(l  l^cr  1m^.    Z^eighboiirs  tihronged 


In^  the  J 
tbertyrdce 
friends  o 
The  Tain 
bridbshiai 
the  brideg 
this:^ 

''  yfkfWkFr 


^^ »  ri'i' 


*;..  i 


Iti  the 
the  hbme 
prbvided; 
was  an  ess 
day,  "ton 
celebration 

The  brie 
amop^  the 
uffse^,  as 
in'thefesfr 
wife  wferef 

Meainn^hl 
provided  at 
seten  da^s, 
oft^n  of  flo 
islaiid,  **li 
the  day  of 
priest,  In  hi 
"adorned  > 
riddles,  Imd 
while  the  f 
itsdfibut,  tl 

It  was  to 
fivfe  disciple 
be  spread  m 
all  ^bright  ^ 
rejoibitt^s  li 
followers.' 
harmless  fer 
asceCic-^the' 
Ilehad  i^pei] 
sioni  haddi 
apart  from  1 
ideal.of' relij 
uaUaetheli! 
80  a^tD'  ei^t 


li-'-! 


'^  •/^ 


^ 


Tflfi  LIFE  or  CATtlfft. 


m 


iiito  fhe:«tre6ts.  I'^ltitei^  (ind  drums  a^d  shrill  cries  filled  the  air.'nfiSj^ 
tberinrbeeffiioii.  wa$  'dwelleid  fts  it  passed  on,  hy/i  ti^in  of  miifdcni^^'' 
friends  of' thfe  )>ride  and  bridegroom,  who hiEia  been  Raiting  |br it.!; 
THe  Talmud  has  preserved  a  snatch  of  oh^  of  the  fbnigs.  sup^byth^'; 
bridfesinaids.  4nd  girls  as  they  danced  before  the  bride,  on,the  way  tq-' 
the  bridegroom's  house.  In  a  freie  translation  it  hm^  something  Uk^ 
this:-— 

;iilmm>;  ••  Her eyeUds are  not  stained  with  bhie^'^'^:' 

*.iqrtr>"  '  Her^redch6)sksardhm-own; 

ii-rrf  Her  hair  hangs  wavinK  as  it  grew, 

jji,|j;fc'  4v  Bergrape  were  weaJth»  alone  l" 

in'  th)9  jibuse  of  the  bride^'oom's  father,  whi^h  was,  for  a  time, 
the  httofe  Of  the  y^ting  CoujMc,  things  went  mernly,  for  a  feast  Wa#. 
prbyided;  to  which  all  the  fnends  and  neighbours  were  inVite^.  U 
was  an  essential  part  of  the  ceremony,  for  even  so  ^arly  as  JacQbfa 
day,^*t6rm8tke  a  fc^st**had  become  the  <?ommon  expression  for  'tlie(. 
celebration  of  a  mari-iawe.  4. 

The  bride  did  not  sit  at  this  feast,  however,  but  reniiain^  apart,?' * 
anlKvni;  the  wotnen,  shrouded  in  the   long  white  veil  of  betrotha(;i : 
uffse^,  W  yet,  even  by  her  husband.     Nor  did  she  take;  any  fi^rt. 
in'the  fesfivitiss,  or  appear  at  all.    It  was  only  when  hui^and  f^Q^ 
wife  wfere  finally  alone,  that  the  veil  was,  for  the  first  time,  remove^^;' 

Meaft^hile,  the  ftimily  rejoicmgs  went  on  apace.    Tl]ie  f ^i3t  waaii 
provided  at  the  cost  of  the  bridegroom,  and  continued,  usually,  for 
seVen  daj^s,  Hvith  the  greatest  mirth.     The  bridegroom  wore  a  crown^ 
oft^n  of  flowers— the  crown  with  which,  in  the  Song  of  Solomon,  \^'{ . 
is  'Iftiid,  '^his  niother  croWued   him  in  the  day  of  his  es^poiisals,  J^- * 
the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart,"— and  sat  **deckea,  like  A. 
priest,  in  his  ornaments;"  the  bride  isitting  apar^  aiiipu^ ,tlie  woniedt,  ^ 
* '  adorned  with  her  jcwdiS. "    Singing,  niusic,  and  dancing,  mernr  ^  ^ 
rjdiites,  tod  the  play  of  wit;  amused  tl^e  hotise,  night  after  nigm,    ' 
wlrile  the  ffeast  was  prolonged,  and  it  was  only  after  it  jbad'  wor?^:. ; 
itselCbut,  thai;  life  settled  down  again  into  colourless  monotony. , ,  /  '' 

It  vms  to  s6me  such  festivity  that  Jesus  had  been  invited  with  Hli^f  ^ 
fivfe'digdp'les.    The  earthen  floor  and  the  ledge  rduM  the  wall  .woiUd,^': 
be  spread  with  carpets,  the  walls  hung  with  garlands;  the  spirits  or  ^.' 
all 'bright  and  Cheerful  as  the  decorated  chamber,  and  the  liijodest"' 
rejoibiiif^s  Iti  no  Way  clouded  by  the  presence  of  Mary's  ^n  ;ahd  His 
followers. '  Theng  was  no  ifexcess,  we  niay  be  sure,  but  the  flow  pf 
harmless  fentertjiinment  bri^hten^d  fell  faces.    John  ha4  t?een  an. 
asoetiiC--th(ef  highest  form' of  religious  life  hitherto  known  in  Israel  * 
He|iadi^peht  his  days  in  penitential  austerity  ahd  wilderness  seclu- 
sion; Kacr  drunk  no  wine, .had  eaten'  no  plea^afet  food,  and  had  ^tept;; 
apart  from  human  affairs  and  relationships.    But  a  new  and  hi^ef' 
ideaI.of' religion  was  now  to  be  introduced.    ^eiBUs  caniie  to  smrii>. 


uaUae  thcliumiblb^  duttes  of  Iif6,  and  sanctify  its  sinipiest  incia^^s,  ^ 
80  aft  iio  Gtooble  it'  'ds  a  wtiolb;     Hebcef6M;  pte^tes  and  enjoy^' 


<-- 


ii 


THil  LIFE  fOF.cnmgJF.: 

Hientswere  not  to  be  shunned  as  unholy;  religion  wasj(^t  tp.^r^e 
o!b:  thenibrtiflcation  of  every  human  instinct,  and  jthe  re^T^^qnii^i 
creH'  fehfeerf  u|  emotion.  It  ivould  mix  with  the  cto wd  of  men,  i^^ct 
n!6  singularity,  take  part  in'  the  innocent  festivities  pf  l)|e,  jnterpst 
itself  in  all  that  interested  men  nt  large,  and  yet,  amidst  jvU*  reiffl^ 
ctiiMccratcd  ahd  ^tiB;'in  the  world,  by  sympathy  and  04?f,ive  brother^ 
h^tfclv^but iibt^/  it;  Imni&Q'  in  its  outward  form,  but  heaivcnlx.]i^  )Jt8 
cjevation  and  spirit., '-*<;! j/^U   '  ::^^t^{ 'U'.'':>oH\--^'i<;hy^)Vw' 

The  rejoicings  had  b6i  tinned  for  soinc  evenings,  when  a  misfpr' 
tune  happened  that  tlireotened  todiseraoe  the  tnddcgroom  and  his 
l^mily  for  life  in  the  eyes  of  tlieirneighbours.  The  supply  of  wine  rain 
out.  As  in  all  •wine-growing  countries,  the  population  wer^  not  only 
tenjpei%t(i,'but'sinip1e  ifi  their  whole  living,  beyond  what  the  n^iyes 
of  a  colder  climate  can  imagine.  'Yet  wine  was  their  aymliol  of  ipy 
abd  f^WVity. '  Jotham;  in' the  far-back .  days  of  the  Judges>  ijad 
Bjiii^ed'it  ks  "•che^riVig  God  and  man,"  and  among  other  pas^agefli*  i|^ 
Psiiliti  had'^bken  of  it  as  making  glad  the  heart,  though  Its.  i^mi^dr 
ci^te  use  had  been  condemned  in  many  Sco-ipture^.  I'/W.in^  isj.^e 
lbi?St  bf  alljittiedidnes,"  isaid  a  Hebrew  proVerb:  "W^here  wine  is  want:. 
int;'dbctolrs*  thrive."  "May  there  be  always 'wine  and  life  i«,.th? 
itiotfth  bf  the  Rabbi,*  was  one  af  the  toasts  at  th6ir  festivit^ies.  ,3ut, 
"#.lthal,  this  rfefeited  onljr  to  it*  moderate  use.  AmojQg  the  p^rab)^^ 
in  #hich  the  people  delighted;  one  ran  thus— **  When  Noah,  pl^nlj^d 
hjfe  vih^yard,  Satan  came  and  asked  him  what  he  was  doingl  ".l^lipiiit-, 
ittj^a  vine^rd,'  -w^as  the  reply.'  'What  is  it  for?'  'Its  fruits,  gr^n 
oHhHr,  ar^'j^eet  ^ird  pleasant:  we  make  wine  of  it,  whichrgfeq^^R? 
ihtmitttj*  ' ''  I  sJmUldltke  to  have  a  hand  in  the  planting,,'  said  Sgianj 
'0o6d," 'implied  NoOh.  Satan  tlien  brought  a  lamb«  a  lion,  a,  wWj  m4 
a^  am,  killed  them  in  the  vineyard ,  and  let  their  blood  run  ya^to  lij^i? 
>*o^»"iofth'6  vines.  F^  this  it  comes  tliat  a  man,  before,  h^i  j^as 
tfi(k^  winW  i^'si'm^^  as  a  lartib,  which  knows  nothing,  and  is  ^l^n^jb 
before  its  shearers;  wbe^  he  has  drunk  moderately,  he  grow^^^  li4p^ 
ahd  thinks  thei'e  is  not  his  likeV  if  he  drink  too  much, , he  tijitjqs  a 
swi^e/aiiidwallbWs  ill  the  mire;  if  he  drink  still  more,  he  be<?oictefiba 
liUlnr  ape,  faffing  hitJier  and  thither,  and  knowing  nothing.ot'^lhai 

The  gobd  Ahd  thfe  e^l  of  wine  wer«  thus  familiar,  but  we  Jmy(^ 
certifti  that  only  its  l)6tte'r  side,  as  enjoyed  among  a  people  fk^i^W 
S!(inpl6  iand  sober,  wha  held  exciess  in  abhorrence,  and  m  a  hou^el^ftjd 
w-hiere  license  was  riot  to  be  thought  of— was  seen  at  the  mf^rri^  in 
Ciiiia,  arid  this 'temperate  use  of  it  Jesus  cheerfully  sanctioned.  Stfti^, 
wfth  her  gentle  womahly  feeling  for  the  shame  of  seeming  inhiigspi- 
talitji"  that  threatened  the  host,  indulged  the  hope  that  lie  whose  mys- 
teifious  blHh,  honoured  by  a  spe<;ial  star,  and  the  songs  of,angels»  apd 
rWhbsb  chahjsed  look  and  bearing,  since  His  Jordan  vjUlt,,  could  |¥9t 
haV^'iosca^a  her,  would  now  put  forth  the  hidden  powers  jshftiiMffht 
woli  believe  Him  to  have;  to  bnghten  th6  f ^)y  <i]ffile»  la  ^U^^^ 


th£^^f08t^ 
gentle  rebu 
Ipst  in  a  hi 
age' in  the  i 
implied  so 
jDfihehbUr 
'*wdman," 
last,  tender 


, ., .  \ 


lieagw't.- 
aH^mtichii 
caJV  of  iriy 
allllie  wor 
*♦  Whatsoe- 
fmawer^— fo 

TPhe  Sup 
JewSf  macM 
sknt  waslii 
Waging  thi 
for  sandals 
ai  host's  flc 
a^  the  Tall 
jakof  stoE 
tliie  floor,  o 
^rcfewleavel 
waiteV#bti3 
flltedthem 
of  thefeasL 
His  mother 
aiid  ih^  fre 
chief  inah 
of  .the  ffuei 
tfte  briaegi 

The  "gl 
SOT  ll,  in  th 
it  iii  a  new 
as  was  flttii 
bHghten  th 

svErtpathn 
ships.  He 
phases,  m« 
siMfeof.G 
roan€r"'oT''< 
or  as  in  ai 
fatn^d  thr4 
BQs  ^higher 

aoknown  t 


•nm  LIFE  OF  CHRtST; 


U<l>v 


ten,  flpQct 
II,  xem^ 

a  misfpr' 
1  and  his 
wine  riiin 
!  not  only 
)(Bn^iye8 
ol  of  ,jpy 
iges,  ^ad 
B8^age«^  j|i 
si^mpd; 

B;.i8,i!?an^, 
ife  Ifl.tli^ 

p^raW^^ 
its,  m^ 

id  Sfttasr 

lW.tP;|,jh|B 

J  tUjRQs  a 
e<?o^e8^a 

rriagp  in 

inl^ftspi- 
osemys- 
ge}8^  ^nd 
ould  iwjt 

iJl':»dkl]t 


tUWt(^Bt  wa6  80  groat  an  event.  Slie  iiad,  liQwever,  ^  learn,  Vy  <^ 
gehtie  rebidce,  that  His  human  rehitlon  to  her  w^  now JQterged  ana 
Ipst  in  a  higher.  Using  an  everyday  form  of  wor<is,  ot  iromemoji^li 
age  in  the  nation,  with  a  look  of  loVo  and  tenderness,,  He  v^f^yed  iiec, 
impUod  solicitation  asido-T-"  Woman,  what  is  tt^ere  to  n|ic  and  Uicet! 
[SiHiie  hotiir  is^ iiot  yet  come."     Tljere  was  no  disrespect  ip  ttic  word. 


aw  much  more.  My  divine  powers  are  only  fqr  divine  ends:  .i^t  th^ 
caji  of  my  Father  alone,  for  His  glory  only,,  He  fixes  ipy  .hour  for 
all -the  wotkt*  He  wills  me  to  do,  and  in  this  ca^  it  hasjjot  ye^  comk"^ 
'♦Whatsoever  He  saith  unta-you,..do,  it,"  sjiiid  JVtary,  pn  hcarjli^  Hi^ 

aiWer^for  H  had  no  harshness  to  her..|  :*-^t;^,,.  ,;3,,ai;n  f/  lov*Sii 
^  ^^he  superstitious  d^ead  of  ceremonial  uhcTiBanness,  ao^png  Vm, 
JewSf  maoe  ample  provision  heceesary  in  every  hpiisehoj^,  fop  qpn? 
9l)ant  wasliiiigs  of  vessels,  or  of  the  person.  Kp  one,  atq  )viUjouti 
waging  the  hands*  ei^ch^uest  had  his  feet  washed  on,  his  arrjfya),, 
for  ■  isiindala  were  left  outside .  and  •,  only  nailed  f^et  allowed  to  touch 
&' host's  floor;  and  the  washing  of  "cups,^nd  jugs,  and  hottl^,** 
ay^  the  Talmiid  tells;  U3,  "went  on  the  w^ole  day;"  Six  great 
j^fe  Pf  stone,  therefore j  for  such  purifications,  stood  ragged  butsiie 


filled  them  tP  the  brim,  "Draw  out,  and  takcvsupplies  to  th0  go^crfipr 
of  ffi6  feasi. "  But  the  wate^  was  now  glowing  wihP.  His  words^^ 
His  mother  and  the  servants  had  been  unnoticed,  by  the  j^ompany, 
a'^d  thP  fresh  supply,  ^rlien  tasted  first,  as  tbei  f^shioiji  :wa9.  }^  ^^ 
chief;  inah  of  the  feast,  oh  whom  it  feUtp  see  to  th^Cj  en^^l^ainmeM 
66\lhe  guests,  was  found  so  good,  that  he  gpp|^i^Qj*rea^^/i^ 
^  biiaegrQom  on  keeping  tte  best  to  the  iait.  v  *.  *  *  Vi ,.  'i>^4r.]r,'f 
^e^"  glory"  of  Jesus  had  always  shone*  to  those  wbo  |iaid  eye^,  to 
see  lit,  in  tlie  spotless  beauty  of  His  lifp,  but  tins  was  a  revelation  6f 
it  in  a  new  form.  It  was  the  "beginning"  ojftisini^acles,  wroU^Jit, 
as  was  fitting,  in  stillness  and  privacy,  witiiout  display, — fo  chejer,ana 
l>righten  those  around  Him.  His  presence  at  such  a  feast  showed  His 
sVEnipHthy  witii  human  joys,  humaiv  connections,  and  human  relation- 
ghijis.  He  taught  l^y  it,  for  the  fiist  time,  t^hat  cpmmpn  life  in  ali  its 
phafes,  may  be  raised  to  a  religious  dignity,  and  that  ^e  loting 
siMfe  olOod,  like  the  tender  blue  above,  l^ks-down'on  the  whole 
roancTot^ existence.  He  had  not  l)een  invited  as  the  chief  gttest, 
or  as  in  any  way  distinguished,  i(X  He  was  not  yet  1-he  Teacher, 
famed  thrx>ughout  the  land,  nor ,  had  I^is  miiracles  bpguu  to  reyi^l 
Eds  higher  claims.  But  He  to»k  the  place  assigned  ^iiu  as  one  amp^ 
1^  mauy^  as  natui^ry  aj3  the  lowliest  of  tl)ie  cpujpanyj  s^igr^^"^  - 
tiok^viln  till  j^rdivmcgloj-y,  reviewed  ftint   ,^        '  _        '*  ' 


i'ii['^ 


H!i 


;iH 


'f:  11 


11" 


984 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


! 


HU  min^sulous  power,  indeed,  wns  only  one  ^pcct  of  thfa  *'  L  „ . 
In  a  far  higher  eetase  it  ^s  ••manifested"  in  His  Pcr^n.  "KWais, 
dottMess,  ftmasiing  to  pos^ss  ^uch  pbwei^,  biit,  iHat  One  wh'^sfe' ^0|-d, 
OTTjacre  wiir,  could  command  the '6i)edien,cd  6f '  rtatiire.lshotikrtn^ir^lc 
ais  a  friend  in  an  humble  marilage  festMty,  a  itian  amongst  men,  was 
still  more  T^onderftii;     Notliing  cbulfl  belttcr  illbstrate  Hib  berfcct 
manhood,  than  His  idfehtifying  Himself  thus  whh  the  hujifibw  inci- 
dents of  a  private  circle.' ^  He  had  grown  up  under  the  cotiimbri' prdi- 
nances  of  human  existence,  as  a  child,  a  son,  a  l)i-ol'licr,  a  fi^cnd'and 
£L  pdighbotir.  Asti  Jew,  He  had  shared' In  tlic  soddl,  6ivil,  And  ^Hfefous 
life  of  His  nation.    His  presencie  nt'thia  liiaitia^e,  showed  i^ipHc  . 
contiDiled  the  same  familiar  relations  to  His  fellov^-itiei,  aftet  His 
cohsejration  as'befottj  It. ;  NeltlicrHis  nntionality,  nor  cduciiiHon,;^br 
mcntiiil  characteristics,  rtoV  hattlnil  temperament,  narrowfed'  His  sym- 
paJthies.    Though  burdened  with  the  higli  coibtnissiotii  of  the  l^essmh^ 
Ife  retained  a  vivid  iiitertest  in  all  things  human.    Wi^^  us.  ihy 
supreme  pre-occtipatidn  leaves  only  apathy  for  btlier  thinjgi^. '  But  in 
Cmist,  ho  one  faculty  or  emotion  appear^!  in  excess.  '  fils  f nlhess  Of 
nature  suited  itself  to  'e ver^  occasion.     Strength  arid  '^ace,  wisdom 
and  love.'cbutagte  ahd  purity,  "whicihare'  the  one  side  of  Oiir  being, 
w6ro  never  displayed  so  harmouiousl;}^,  apd  so  pc!r!fecjtlj^,'as  in  ffim; 
hut  tlie  incidents  of  Ihi^  hiarriag<^  feast  fehow  that  the'6thcr  j^ide^  the 
fcmihine  genileneiBs  and  purity,  whicli  arfe  the  id^al  virtues  of  WoMii, 
were  no  less  His  chaifacteristics.    Th^  throw  light*  on  the  ii^btds  of 
St;  Paul,  *•  In  Him  Is  neither  Jetv  nor  Greek,' bohd  nor  f  red,  mate  nor 
female."    lie  <k)tttd^suMtre  Pilate  by  Bid' balntdignrty,  but  fie  afeb 
rtiiiistcred  to  thft  happiness  of  a  Villtige  festival.    Hfe  botild '  -wji^h- 
staiid  thb  strUffgli3  with  the  Prinde  of  Dtofkhdfes  in  the  wilderness;  and 
throt^  life; '  but  ^9'  wept '  V>vi^i'  the  grave  of  Lazarus.    He  tculd  it  t 
the  rich  young' ruler  golds  way  to  perish,  if  he  v^ould,  biit  fid  sighed 
as  Ilti  healed  the  rain  that  Was  dumb.    He  pronounced  the' <J^I%  of 
Jerusalem,  ivith  ft  lofty  std^iiess,  but  He  wept  as  Hd  jthbtight  hbw  i't 
had  neglected  the  thin^  Of  its  peace.    H6  ti-aved  sym^athv,  iiiid  He 
sUoWed  it  with  eqtial  tenderness:  He  was'  calm  anfiidst  tne  wildest 
popular  tumult,  but  He  sought  the  lonely  mounts  fbr 'midii^^ht 
prayer.     He  sternly  rebuked  Peter  for  hinting  a  temptation,  biit  lie 
])lamed  His  sleep  in  Gethsemane  on  the  weakness  of.  the  fleslL    He 
[:ave  away  a  crbwh  when  on  the  cross,  but  He  wa4  exceedingly  stir- 
rowf ul  'unto  death  in  the  garden.     He  never  used  His  miJKicUldtis  • 
pbwers  to  relieve  Himself,  but  He  provided  for  the  miiiTtitiide  iii' the 
^vildemess.    Jlis  judges  quailed  before  Him,  but  He  forgot  His  '^iing 
rgbnics,  to.  commend  His  mothdr  to  the  Hfelbng  care  of  a  friend.;  ^  He 
rebuked  death,  that  He  might  give  her  son  back  to  thef^idolv/ tliid 
Jle  took  part  in  thercjbicingsof  an  faUinble  marria^^  that  TO  mi^ht 
elevate  and  sanctify  hUiiian  jdysi     In  the  fullest  sense  He '  "^as  d  ihah ' 
but  not  ia  the  sense  in  WMch^mahiy  Virtues  aife  bppbsdd  to'thii^em 
Wbmativ  for  Ho  showdd  naless  the  gbntlciicss,  purit^,f|Qi^  tendtltiesi 


of  the  one 
thfi$onof 
as  IV  "^hole. 
Aulndi^ 
baa  b^cn 
with  earth 
the  4oubt^] 
stili  kpbcl  t 

dr»n]t  fr^J 
gtfts  ^t  pi 
exhortation 
ea|lh,,npne 
which  tHesu 
-^onderf  i4 
its  pelng  f;i 
1^  vfftlljto  re 
^jc^Tpise;  in 
"?^  per^ap 
at¥f9rJf,8^c 
qip  stopie,  ^ 

4^c&,other,, 
bi^tfh^QWJU? 

conunand  o 
^t  Christ,  di 
^mtwjagipgl 
^ijifp^  coQSte 
Oft  t^^  bo?i 
create,!  hntj 

rpupfj  .sky 
moimtf^ins, 
of  itiveif"  in 
tfci^t'tliey  s^ 
ture  at,  ffs 
ip^tercalaUo 
are;no  mor 

li^ysteryof 

The  begi 

joyful  as,  a 

litlyimaTke 

diSerent  ft 


()8b#ord, 
kl'ta/ir^Ic 
men,  was 
[*«  berfcct 
rtbfe  inci- 
nbn'ordi- 
icnd^  and 

^licious 
I  IhS  He  . 
af tet  His 
tttlon,;^pr 
Hiis  sym^ 

l^essmh/ 

Fiitness  df 
,  wiisdoni 

BhiHTm, 
'i^ide;  the 
f  "WdmAii, 

mHiiie  nor 
t  tie  Mi) 

riess,  aud 
cicuid  let 

Wi 

It  how  it 
,  ahd  He 
e  wildest 
nidmut 
/btttHe 
!s^.  He 
n^Jf  s'dr- 
)KictiI6tis  • 
e  iri'  the 
[isdjiDg 
id.  He 
>w- tlHd 
G  mi^h't 
laiiiaih^ 
;ht^:o[f 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.  0 

■  *    * 

of  the  one  ac3f,  thamthe  s^ei^h  and  nobility  of  the  other.    He/vtfais 
thfi  $oq  of  Han,  in  the  grand  sense  of  being  representative  of  huinanltir 
a9  A;^hole.    Man  and  woman,  alike,  have  in  I^im  their  perfect  ideal. 
Afijindutn  apologue  tella  ys  that  a  Brahn^ip,  one  of  whose  disciples 
had  pccn  perplexed  respecting  miracles,  ordered  a  ^Q^ve^-pot  filled, 
with  earth  to  be  brought  hin;i,  and  having  put  a,uec4  into  it  before 
the  4oubt^r,  ca.i^e4  it  to  spripg  up,  blossom,  and  bear  fruit,  while  ho 
still  stpod  by.     "  A  nairacle,"  cried  the  young  man.     "  Bon,**  replied, 
tl>9  Bf^li^in,  "  what  else  dp  you  see  done  here  in  an,  hour,  than  nature* 
dpef  ii^9fe. slowly  roi^nd  the  year?      TThe  wine  which  the  gues^td  had. 
djruD]t  from  the  bridegroom's  bounty,  and  ppssibly  from  the  added: 
gma  0f  fjTi^i^ds,  had,  been  slowly  matured  from  the  yine  by  myst^pou^ 
(Hi^boratipQi  from  light,  ^ud  heat,  ^nd  moisture,  and  the  salt^^pf  the, 
eaf!l|h,  ,none  of  whicii  had,  more  apparent  fifflnity  to  it  than,  the  watet- 
which  Jesua  transformed     The  miraclj9  it^  .n^tur^;  w^^  not  jess  reaj  or, 
^onder^iijl  tihan  tliat  of  the  marriage  f qast^  and  strifies  i^  1^,  only  hj/t 
its  peliig  f;wni/iar, ,  4^  .^^^  threshold  of  Cljnstis  mij-aculpii^  works  ft; 
^  weiltjto  realize  a  fact  so  c^ily  overlooked,    A  njiracl©  is  oijjy.  an) 
^^Tpise',  in  a  ney(  way./of , the  A)^»ighty  power  We  ^e  .c^eaJy  prpducs. 
ujig;  peri^api^  the  sanw;, results, in, nature.    Li^nitely  yarded, iorce/9  ar©i 
at  yf^rif,  acouhd  i^s  ^yery  moment.    jFropii  ;the  ?un  to  the  atom„  froQV 
Uipk  ston^Jq  the  thinking  brain  and  beating  heart,,  they ,  circulate 
s^iejJiessly,  tliroughall  tlui»g9,  for,  ever.    As  they  act  and  re*ct  pii^ 
^^c£ptiier,  the  ^mazing  result  is  produced,  wyph  we  ki)o\f  .9$  mtvi^v 
bHtfiipw'mivuy  mysterjlpus  inter-relation^,  of  which  we  know  npthtngi-^ 
j^^  cJl&Jr^^Bssly  varied  means  for  prpducing  specifle  eiids,  at  th<5^ 
coBMnand  Q^  Grpdf  Nof  is  tl^ere  anything  mpre  amazipg  Jp  the  woi^ 
(jlChp^ttaaniin.. the  daily  phenomena  of  patwre.    The  vast  uqlv^rsoia 
c(mi»ia9i|[ig  heavens  aboyia  heavens,  .stretching  out  ilitp  the  In^nitCr-tr 
yr^i  constellations  anchored  911  tl^e  yastexpaiijiso  liKe  tiny,  ieileiqluBterSf' 
ofl  ith^  bojiujicifes&bceah^  iaone  1^1^^  mlr^qlq.,  JX  wgs  wonacpf ul  .tg^■ 
clreateJ,|h^t  w^iistain  ci^eation  is,  itself,  to  create  awe w,  each  momoatl, 
Skpif  and  pj^if^s,liying  creatures  in  tfeir  .endless. races^  all  that  tihe 
rjOupfJVskif  of  eacn  planet  cpvers— seas,  air>  sweeping  yalli^ys,  lofty 
mpuii^ii:^,  and  the  million  wqpdevs  of  the  braip  aud  heari  artd  life, 
of  itl^eif  ijoAUJuerable  populations,  have  no  security,  each  moment, 
th^ttlieys^iali  commence  another,  except  in  the  continued  expendi- 
ture otfpj^sl^,  cj^eatiye ,  energy.    Miracles  are  only  tlie  monientary 
intercalation  pf  unsuspected  laws  which  startle  by  their  novelty,  but 
are  no  more  miraci^lQiu^  tha^t^ep^ost  common  iucideut>  of  the  great 

mysjery.of  nature,  n'.,".-'  ''i:.^,-.;  .,.,..,'.. 

The  beginning  of  the  public  career  of  Jesus  as  Hessiah  at  a.  time  so 
jpyfiil  asa household  festival  was  appropriate.  IJis  bounteous  gift 
litly  maTked  the  opening,  of  ^}&  kingly  work,  .like  the  fpuntapi^  flow- 
ii^g  wi|h  winejat  the  coJronation  of  earthly,  kings.  But  a  king  very 
different' from  earthly  nfionarchs  was  nq^y  piit^erin^  oja  ^is Jr^igh*  .  K9 
•Utward.^rejparaUpn  19  niade;  He  hM  no  wprldlyvwciUth  or  tii^. 


ij  :  11 
•i      i»' 

880 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. . 


1 


: 


provltilon  to  Invish  away.  Yet,  though  He  has  no  wine,  water  itaclf, 
at  His  word,  becomes  wine,  rich  as  the  fhitv^t  \1nta$e.  Till  Hi*  Tw)ur 
has  come,  Ho  romains  paflsive  nnd  Mslf-restraihcd,  n^v1>iting  the  rctiritictii 
divinely  appointed  for  His  glory  shining  ptit  ainonf^  mzti'. '  Orico 
cora«,  the  slumbering  power,  till  now  "ilnrevailtd,  bw'aUn  fcHh,  rfcvrr 
to  cense  its  gracious  work  of  blessing  nnd  hcnlinr^,  till  iii6  kingd6th 
,Ho  came,  to  tound  is  triumxyiiant  in  Ilis  death. ' 
- !  The  age  of  Jesus  at  His  en  tranche  on  His  public  work  has  bcciircry 
TartouHly  cstinuitod.  Ewald  supposes  that  lie  was  about  thirty-four, 
fixing  His  birth  three  years  before  the  dtath  of  Herod.  WiesdWi*,  on 
tilic  contcury.  supposes  Him  to  have  been  In  Hi$  thirty-first  year, 
setting.  His  ulrth  a  few  months  before  Ilcrod'sf  dtnth'.  Bunsctf.  Antcr, 
■yVinor,  Schttrcr,  and  Renan  agree  with  this:  iLichtfehstein  makes  li'fei  * 
thirty-two.  Hautirath  nnd  Kleim,  on  the  other  hand,  think  that  lie 
began  Hla  ministry  Ih  the  ;^erir  a.d.  84,  but  tliicJy  do  nbt  dvo  W 
QUppOsod  ddtc  for  His  birth,  tI)DUgh  if  thot  of  Ewald  be  taken  Hi  ii 
modiimi,  Ho  must  now  have  been  forty  years  old,  whiW,  if  W!es<Jit!f  s 
dftlte  be  preferred,  He  W6'ild  pnly^  have  been  thirty-scveii.,  The 
citatcmcnt  of  the  Gospel,  that  He  was  "  tibrhit  thirty  ycat^  of  ago  When 
Ho  begun"  His  public  work,  is  so  indefinite  a^  to  aftow  free  conjeettirc. 
In  any  case,  Ho  must  havte  been  thirty-one  at  His  baptism,  firom  Kfis 
paving  been  born  before  Herod's  death.  It  whs  evcp  siityposiid  by 
IvenaDUs,  from  the  saying  of  the' Jews,^"  1  hftu  art  ndt  vet  flftv  jrears 
0ld,"Apd  from  His  allusion  to  thcJfbrtyiSixj'varsdiiring  which:  the 
Temple  had  been  building,  that  He  Wab  between  forty  arid  fiftV  fet 
Sis  acaih.    Amidst  Bucli  difference,  cxar^tni^ss  li  impossible'.' sihd  n 

5cems  safest  to  keep  to  the  generality -of  Si.  Buke;  bj  thiriking  of 
jesus  4s  ab&tit  tliirty— though  not  younget-^at  His  baptrsnt.  ^^n-^^^-^^ 
i  The  stay  o*  Cnna  ^eems  to  have  bceti  short.  It  ihay  have  bdt'lS  MirV 
aii^mlly  visit,  O'ltmy  have  been,  that,  from  iome  catise,  Mary*ii$ta 
gone  for  a  time  to  live  there!  brtt,-fn  elth^  case;  Jesus  veiysoon 
amoved  from  a  locality  so  litile' suited  to  His  work;  frorii  it*i"idola- 
tion,  and  remoteness  froto  th^'centrcb  of  life'dtl^  pbpulatron. '  Ho 
had  resolved  to"  make  Gaiileef,  Ifi  tvhich  Hewas''at  fioine,  tht!  cliifef 
scene  of  His  lobotirs.  He  ivn^,  moreover,  i?afei  thfere;  than  Mlhtel*  lii 
Jadea  or  Pcrca,  for  the  hierarchy  could  reach'Hiiri  1416^6  easily  in  tlie 
one,  and  the  tyranny  of  Antipas  was  less  restrained  in  tli^  ^vild  ter- 
ritory of  the  other.  The  kingdom  He  came  to  set  upmiiJjt  ffi^ow 
silently,  and  by  slow,  peaceful  degrees,  like  the  mustard  stied,  to 
wjdch  he  compared  it,  and  it  could  not  do  so  in  any  part  so  ^ell  as 
in  Galilee.  Far  away  from  turbuleht'Jtidea,  He  escaped  the  ei^citc- 
ments,  more  or  less  political,  the  insurrections,  and  wild  dreams  of 
national  supremacy,  evei^  fermenting  at  Jerusalem,  arid  avoidie'd  ei'cit- 
ing  suspicion,  or  having  His  spiritual  aims  perverted  "by  the  revoltr- 
lionary  violence  ot  the  masses.  His  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world, 
like  the  Messianic  dominion  fondly  expected  br  th^  nation,  but  the 
pa mlghtior  reiih  of  '^The  Truth* '^         .:^iv^<  i  -liii^  it^^ii  ^yi  autj  /riu. 


C^lilee 

T|*lift  m9rp 

and  affect 

Ellsha.  H< 

had  been  < 

for  tlieir  h 

a  byroad  pr 

contemnec 

though  the 

and  of  mai 

Zealot,  hu( 

apostle  Pa 

Kut  hatred 

Itiflhan 

arose,  but, 

mustrathci 

of  the  Hou! 

round  him 

Jerusalem, 

David,  and, 

by  the  han(3 

for  thesiris 

♦ook  a  deiin 

in  the  Njevjr 

mayliaveb? 

from  the  pr< 

that  the  Gal: 

hi^h-spiritec 

than  oth(9r  J 

re^undlea  th 

ofjph^i,  had 

expectatiori  ( 

had;  ai^n6un( 

for  Hjis  earl] 

spite  of  all  k 

clajimsdby  t; 

tUe.  prophet  ( 

Nazareth, : 

tion  for  Ohr 

drawback,  pf 

humble  prlvi 

wards  exp>«s 

out  honour,  s 

fe](ow  tpwna 

orie-^hpselo 

them  tli'roiigh 

greater  degn 


r  itaplf, 
l^Tibur 

'  Oi^co 
I,  rfcVrr 

jctiTciy 
-ty-four, 
scl^,  on 
i-st  Vcttr, 

iM- 

thdt  lit 
ffen  dd  a 
It.    the 

iVofti  His 
pos<id  by 

Iftvyears 
,'hicli  the 
d  fifty  tt 

riking'qf 


tl!E  LlriS  OF  CHRIST.  -811 

-.11    ^..'t:it~f.-ir 

Qfllilee  was,  however,  in  some  respects,  nn  unfovourable  centiv. 
l^e,  mQrps'j  and  self-sufficient  Jarusalemites  ridiculed *ita  papulation, 
and  affected,  to  tliink  that  no  prophet  bad  risen  in  it,  U^ough  Elijah, 
Klisha.  Hosea.  and  Nahum,— the  first,  the  ffcentost  ol  the  prophet^,— 
had  been  Quiiloeans.  The  wits  of  tlie  capital,  moreover,  ridiciikHl  them 
for  their  speech,  for  thoy  ^ubHtituted  one  letter  for  another,  and  had 
a  bjToud  pronunciation  Their  culture,  and  even  their  capacity  wcro 
contemned,  though  to  inany  prophets  Imd  risen  amongst  thorn, 
though  they  could  brast  of  Barak,  the  conqueror  of  tlic  Canaanltes, 
and  of  Riany  famous  Rabbis,  and  thouj^h  the  high-minded  Juda!<i,  the 
Zealot,  had  shed  honour  on  them,  In  Chribt's  own  day,  as  the  great 
apostle  Paul,  sprung  from  a  Gischala  family,  was  to  do  heix^aftor. 
But  hatred,  or  lealausy,  like  love,  is  blind.  »  tit 

It  is  bard  to  know  how  early  the  Rabbinical  fancy  of  two  MessiaK^ 
arose,  but,  it  it  had  already  taken  any  shape  in  Chriat's  lifetime,  it 
n^ust  rather  have  hindered  tfiln  helped  His  great  work.  The  Messiah 
of  the  House  of  Joseph  was  to  appear  in  Galilee,  and,  after  gathering 
round  him  the  long-lost  tcni  tribcft,  was  to  march,  at  their  head,  to 
Jerusaleni,  to  receive  tj^e  submission  of  the  Meashih  of  the  House  of 
David,  and»  liaving  united  the  whole  kingdom  once  more,  was  to  die 
by  the  hands  of  Gog  and  Ma^og,  the  northern  heatbon^  as  asaeriflcft 
for  the  sids  of  Jeroboam,  and  of  the  nation  at  large.  But  these  lanciea 
took  a  dehnite  form  only  in  a  later  age,  and  we  mid  no  trace  of  theiA 
111  the  Njew  Testament.  Who  can  tell,  however,  how  old  their  gevma 
may  luive  u^cn?  They  show,  at  least,  what  the  application  of  passagel 
frpm  the  prophets  to  Christ's  first  appearing  in  Galilee  also  implie^r 
that  the  UaUlSBans  cherished  the  great  promise  of  the  MesslalL  Frank; 
hi^h-spirited,  ai^d^  comparatively  unprejudiced,  they  were  more  ready 
than  other  Jews  to  listen  tp  a  new  teacher,  and  the  thousands  whohaa 
re^ndleit  their  zeal  on  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  under  the  preaching 
of  Johu,  had  already  on  their  return,  spread  around,  them  the  excited 
cxpectatloii  of  a,n  immediate  advent  of  the  .Messiahs  which  the  Baptist 
had,  announced.  But,  thougl^  the  soil  was  thus  specially  favourable' 
for  H^is  earlier  work,  the  fame  of  Jesus  was  hereafter  to  spread,  in; 
spite  of  fliU  local  prejudipes,  till,  at  last.  He  should  hear  Himself  pro*, 
clafmsd  by  the  multitude,  even  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  as  Jesus,) 
the  prophet  of  Nazareth  of  Galilee.     -  ' 

l^^zareth»  itself,  like  Cana,  lay  too  far  from  the  centres  of  popula- 
tion for  Christ's  great  work,  and  there  was,  besides,  the  inevitable 
drawback,  pf  its  having  known  Him  during  the  long  years  of  Hiar 
humble  privacy.     He,  dovbtless,  felt,  from  the  first,  what  He  after- 
wards expressed  with  so  much  feeling,  that  "a  prophet  is  not  with-. 
out  honour,  save  in  his  own  Country,  and  in  his  own  house."    Ilia^^ 
fel^w  townsmen,  and  even  His  own  family,  could  not  realize  that  V 
ohe^vfhpse. lowly  ppsitifin'apd  im.marked  career,  they  had,  had  before^ 
them  mrbiigh  Iiie,  coUid  be  so  much  above  them.    It  was,  fuinJlRitie^i 
greater  degree,  the  same   pettiness,  and    inability  to  estimate  thA 


•    '!.    v 


It 

If 


¥ 


;!;i 


i 

!t  '■  . 

it    "" 

■I.  .; 

i* 

k. 

T;PS  LIFIi  OP  CHRia*r. 


hiorelahd  |)^asaht9  tfiiiiK  Wotdswbrth  a  f opl.   lii  fior;rowd|ile,  Soiitliey 
is  not  KnioWti  to  exi^t'.    I  tnet  feti  nieii  in  E[4|wicl^  tvhb  46  ,;ioi*  iiijiik 


lie  cliose  for  His  futuriB  liome  the  Chores  of  the  tm^  of  GaHIbk  at 
that  titoe  tli^  riibfet  pbjiiilcJus.'as  th^y  are  sljn  tjli.e  mo^t,  jlqlighlful, 
paH  of'PaIestiii6.  HencefoM.  the  "jewel"  of  its^'anks^p^tperii^Mm. 
~1Sxeeaitte^*His  oT^'n  city,*'  and  for  a  tiiiie,  at  least,  H|s  liiothctT  aod 
His  "brethrQn"  seem  ^Iso  to  have  made  it  their  l^oind,  thoi^gh  a  little 
later;  "vv^e  find  J^stis  Iftiii^'permaiiiBntly  as  a  guest  in  ifhe^  Jjou^  of 
Pet6f,tli'i^  iVief  hdd  bnce  mt^i^  left  i^  and  i-etwrned  to  Nazaretli. 
Fitwii  thib  centre  His  future  work  was  cai'ried  ,pn.  Tfovni,  }p  Ife'  $et 
out  on  His  missionary  tourbeys,  aind  Jf6.r^tuiih6jd  to  It  .from,  thdpc^  to 
flna^atj^itetJmeand-ahpttie.  -^''^  ^'-.-'if^-v.,  i..  v.-,n,,.n»',T..^.  ~-nr ^ 

CapeHiaum  latbnthcA^estern  shc^re,t)f  tlie'$ea,M 
ej)Ot,  a  little!  %ay  fVom  the  head  of  the  Lake/^heije  we  shore  r^j^^^^^ 
in  ia  mdre  Westerly  arc,  formihg  a '  small:  cap^,j  froni,  which  the  yi^W 
emlmices  th6  whoW  coast,  in  evciy  dlrbctjoii,  It  coiild  ney^r  Jjaye 
been  Very  liareej  ftti*  JoaephUs  only  once  nientionja  it,  as  a  ymage  to 
whitdi  he  ^s  cairfed  hy ' his , soldieris,  -^hen  hui-t  Uy  a  fall  iropnt^jhjs 
liorsc, Which  hfed'stWck  in  tefna^^  at  tUeiiead  6t  the' take,  .fhe 
name  does  not  bcrcfar  in  the^Old' Tfesf4ment^^^^  C^  tfee 

boundary  town  between  the  teititpty  tjf '  Philip  jind  Antipas^,  an^,  as 
takeh;'  hiia'  a  'ciistpm-fepuse  rinft,  ia'  gaitison. '  '  Qne  of  'the  jo'ftcim  sj^a- 
A-._^ .J  *_ J  t  ^^^^  .jj  it,  a  f drdigner.  and,  dbuMess,  a,'  vtci^i^jiejhm, 
dhy,  biiHt  a'fiiife  synigpgUe,' ^d  ii,  mark, fH  once  of  n 


tioned  foi'  ft 
in'  Christ's 


s 


iieu  in  uuiwuera,  iicre  anu   iiiere,  uver  i,«j?.     tJigiiuuur^iuufi,  amu,  g^ives 

t*te  ground  a  dark  ii^eaninc^  whenf  th0  tttll  ppring  ^^ass  has  withered 
and  left  it  barie.  The  synagogue,  however,  was  Pt  white  limestpne. 
Great  WOcks  of  chiselled  stone,  finely  carVed.  bnce  its  friezp,  archi- 
trave, and  cprnices,  still  lie  am^pn^  thV  waving  thistids,  where  the 
town  oncc^  stcidd.  The  Walls  are  npw  tf early  level  With  the  surface, 
mbst  pf  the  pillars  and  stpnes  having  been  carrj^edcff  to, build  into 
house  walls,  or  bum  for  lime,  though  sortie  pf  it^  once  dpuble  rpw  pf 
columns,  hewn  iii  bne^  block,  and  pf  their  Cprinthian  capitals,  apd 
mai^y  i^destals,  still  speak  of  its  fprmer  splendotiT;.  {fouh^  the  syn- 
agogue, and  stretching  up  the  gentle  slope  behind,"  stretched  , the 
streets  and  "squares,  eovcTOig  an  area  of  Ji^^f-a-nule  in  length,  apda 
quarter  itt  breadth,  the  ihfdn  street  tmniiQS  fioj^    td^the  n^&h^M^'- 


w'J*rf*--  ■ 


.  At  the 
Ifmestone 
labbui-  in 
ground,  If 
apbarentj 
h^  too  ne 

"liighwa^ 
biit  still  It 
through  i 
kets  (M*  th< 
and  viney 
The  town 
seefti'the 
cttai;^bf 
broils  ent€! 
Oil'fts  stej 
memiiix^ 
It^8(s  ii 
fisher-pepj 
yas^'esaiit 

mm.  li 

-vitbil  iats'^ei 
centdriOn, 
iotistt^'ss  ir 
'^hbtU  tin 
iiibcle;:the 
Jkiljaffaii 
':  i^S  hout 
ih'A{)iil,  a 
B'bmtl^eti 
tile  liake  i) 
tdt^^f-bun 
bkdk  buff 
piii^es,  up 
iita^iers,  th 
seeh  these 
are  not  use 
fri'e  :sbrtietii 
Merbm.  '] 
in  shape,  tl 
indeed,  it  j 
ifrom  the  k 
^ix  and  tl 
twelve.  1 
^ofty  prec: 


TUB  UFE  OF  CIIUJST., 


8S0 


MA 


Titjs,  thftt 
so;  Ipre- 
he  We$t. 
,  Soiitliey 
[lot'tlijtik 
fa^riiaii. " 

j^alitee.  at 
sligmiiil, 

jh  a  little 
bou^  of 

Ijt  Ije  $et 
},t%^  to 

U,Si  m^ 

ih0.  vi^V 

Ml/  !Pe 
,  vas  tlie 

Sfjm^,  as 

mm, 

:e  of  Jjja 

with6?:e.d 
inesto^jie. 
10,  arcjii- 
here  the 
surface, 
aild  into 
erpw  pf 
tals,  aptl 
tlie  syn- 
;bed  the 
;li,  apda 


.,  At  tbe  north  end  pf  the  town,  t^yo  tombs  yet  remain;  one  built  of 
If ttiedtone;  *nii4^rffi'6und,' ih  an  exeavfttibh  hollowed  but  with  eroat 
labbui*  in  the  har^  I^Et^lt;  the  other,  a  rectangular  building,  smote 
^rouni^Jf  lar^  enbtigii  to  hold  a  great  number  of  bodies,  and  once, 
ap^arisntl^^j  whitewashed,  t^  warn  paasers  by  not  to  defile  themselves 
h^  too  neair  an  approach  to  the  dead. 

Qjiperpaum,  in  Christ'^  day,  was  a  thriving,  busy  town.  The 
"'highway  to  th^  Sea,"^from  Damascus  to  Ptoleraus,— now  Acr^, 
but  still  known  by  th^  foi*iiier  name,  in  thie  seventeenth  centiuy,— ran 
thrpufh  it,  britiging  ho  little  local  traflSc,  and  also  opening  the  mar* 
kets  OT  the  coast  to  the  Wch  yield  of  the  neighbouring  farms,  orchards, 
and  yineyai*ds,  and  the  abtjndant  returns  of  this  fisheries  of  the  Lake. 
The  townsfolk,  thus,  as  a  rule,  enjo^r^d  the  comfort  and  plenty  wo 
see  ill  the  Jiotises  of  \Pet6r  and  Mattliew,  and  were  even  opien  to  the 
cnaijgc  of  being  * ' wihebibbers  and  gluttonous, "which  implied  gen- 
erous'eiitertainnierit.  Th^y  were  proud  of  their  town,  and  counted 
pri'fts  steadjjr  growth  and  unbounded  prosj^erity,  little  dreaming  of 
itiie  iliiii  Which  would  one  day  make  even  its  site  a  questi(Hi. 
'  It  '^^sis  in  this  town  that  JesUs  settled,  amidst  a  mixed  population  of 
fisher-people,  grain  and  fmit  agents,  local  tradesmen,  and  the  many 
blas^'es  arid  occupations  of  a  thriving  station  on  a  ^at  line  of  caravan 
ifeffi'd.  It  Was  a  point  that  brought  Him  in  contact  with  Gentile  as 
Ti^ll  iis'^ewish  life.   Hotiseholds  like  that  of  Peter,  proselytes  like  the 


|itcle;jlhe  citiketis  as  a  whole  were  too  much  engrossed  with  their 
d^Ijj' affaii^s  to  piay  much  heed  to  Hiiii.  ,; 

,'  :]Mi  how's  walk  behind  the  town  leads  to  gentle  hill  slopes,  which, 
in' Ai)ril,  are  thinly  covered  with  crisp  grasses,  and  stalks  of  weedis. 
Jn'om  their  top,  the  eye  follows  the  course  of  the  Jordan  as  it  enters 
the  lials^e  in  two  streams,  through  a  marshy  delta,  the  favourite  paa- 
'^tjl^^f'dund  for  hdrds  pf  huge,  ungainly,  fiercie,  and  often  dangerous 
ibkdk  buffatbes,  which  delist  tO  wallow  by  day  in  such  marshj 
p(4i^es,  up  to  the  nebk  in  water  or  mud,  ard  return  at  ni^ht  to  their 
mai^tiers,  the  Arabs  of  the  Jordan  valley.  Jesus  must  often  have 
seeh  these  herds  luxuriating  idly  in  this  swampy  paradise,  for  they 
atfe  riot  iised  for  labour  in  the  district  round  the  Lake,  though  they 
aii'e  [sbrtietimes  set  to  drag  the  plough  in  the  parts  near  the  Waters  of 
Mierbm.  The  Lake  itself,  stretched  out,  north  and  south,  like  a  pear 
in  shape,  the  broad  end  towards  the  north ;  or  like  a  lyre,  from  which, 
indeed,  it  got  its  anciont  name  of  Chinneroth.  Its  greatest  width, 
ifroiri  the  apci^ht  Mag^ala  on  the  west  side,  to  Gergesa  on  the  east,  is 
^ix  atad  three-quarter  miles,  and  its  extreme  length,  a  little  over 
twelve.  Ther^  arO  no  pine-clad  mountains,  no  b^d  headlands,  no 
fefty  precipices;  the  hills.— except  at  Khan  Minyeh,  the  ancient 
T^felusd,  a  little  below  Capernaum,  where  there  is  a  small  clifl^-— 


i 


III 


If:- 


i:ii! 


,»iS. 


;;<j^i' 


840. 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


riae'gradually;  in  a  'dull  ui^ifosn^  brownv  from  tbe  Lakei^or/frbBtra 
fringe  of  I  plain;  on  this  south  and,  ;e.ist^  to  about  l^OOOfeet^  cm.tlic 
nortk-west  toabout  500.  ^  No  prominent  peak  ibreaks  the  oiitdiae,  but 
the  eyerohanging  iiightsv  and  the  rich  tints  of  Bunriee  and  sunset,  pc- 
yent  monotopy.  From  the  south  of  the  Lake,  the  top  of  Heniaon, 
of  ten  white  withjsdiow,  Btands  out  ehaip  and  clear^^  in  the  briglifceUv, 
n»  H.closent  hand,  and,  towai'^s  the  north,  the  twin  peaks  03=  Hattln 
cw»vu  a  wiW^orge,  a  little  vay  below  Cupermium.  ,,  On  the  eafiteni 
side  the  hills  rise  in  a  barren  wall,  eeanied  with  a  few  deep  ravipee, 
blbck  braalt  predominating^  though  varied  here  and  ihero^  b}r  thq 
lighter  grey  limestone.  No  trees,  no  village,  no  spots  of  cuUiYartod 
Innd,  tbniak  the  desolation  >vhjbh  spreads  like  a  \\\m0  death  overt  Ihe 
lahdsoape,  except  along  tlte  narrow  stripe  of  green,  about  ax|uarter.  of 
a  mile  in  breadth,  tluit  fringes  the  Lake<  It  was  among  tnc^ei.vf^astc 
andilojoely  hills  that  Jesus , often  retired  to  escape  the  crowda  which 
often  oppressed  Him.  The  hills  on  the  western  side  slope  more 
^ntly,  and  rise  and  fair  in  rounded  tops,  such  as  .mark  the  J<)fter 
hmestone.i.  The  Jinc  of  the  ehore,  in  tiie  upper  pa^t  of  the  Xjake^  is 
brc^en  into  a  series  of  Uttlo  ,bays  of  exquisite  beauty. . ,  ^ :  ■  : ,  ^u 

r  Thei^abbiswere  i^out  to  my  that  Giod  had  made  setvena^u;  in  the 
land  of  Canaan,  but  bad  choe^n  only  one  ior  Himself — the  tteaof 
Galilee.  Josephu^  rightly:  jjalled  the  land. on. its  boi-ders,  "the  crowai" 
of  Palestine.  The  flaia  of  Gennesarcth  begins  at  Khan  Hinyeh, 
about  two  miles,  ibelow  Capernaum,  filling  in  the  bowrlike  j'c^css, 
which  the  Inlls'make  from  that  point  to,  Magdaila.  It  is  as  romantic 
as  beautiful,  fop  the  rayine  tat  its  southern  end  leads,  At  a  short  .dis- 
tance, to  the  towering  limestone  cli£ls  of  ^Arbela,  on  whose  heighls 
nunierousei^les  notir  wild,  among  the  airy  caverns,;  jonce  the  foitress 
alternately  of  robbei^  and  patriots,  to  w^hom  tlie  valley  lofiercidiaway 
to  the  Xake. .  Gfinn&saneth  was  the  riehesti  spot  in  Palestine;  ftve 
streamlets  from  the  neighbouring  hills  quickening  its  rich  dark  vqI- 
(canie  soil  into  amazing  fertility.  It  measures  only,  about  t^o  «j»d:  a 
half  miles  from  north  to  south,  by  about  a  mile  in  depth,  but,  in  the 
days  of  Christ,  it  must  have  been  enqhaDtingly  beautiful  '  f  Its  ^ilj " 
says  Josephtis,  "is  so  fruitful  that  all  kinds  of  trees  grow  in  it. 
Walnuts  flourish  in  great  plenty;  there  are  jpalm-tr^s  also,  which  Re- 
quire heat,  and  figs  and  olives,  which  require  a  more  temperate  air, 
Nature  seems, as  it  were,  to  hayedone  violence  to  herself,  Uicmse 
the  plants  of  different  lands  to  grow  together.  Grapes  and  figs  ripen 
for  ten  months  in  the  year,  and  other  fruits  fill  up  the  other  months." 
No  wonder  the  fruits  of  Gennesareth  put  to  shame  all  else  in  the 
markets  of  Jerusalem.  Its  soil  is  still  fertile  in  the  extreme,  and  it 
lies  betweeu  five  and  six  hundred  fcet  below  the  lifediterranean, 
iwhich  makes  it  \Try  warm..  Wheat,  barley,  millet,  rice,  melons, 
icrapea,  th«  commou  v/eg^tables^  tobacco,  and  indigo  flourwh,. and 
4ttte;palaaSi,fig»,. citrons,  and;  oranges,  ^^  ^ot ,  lyantiqg,  Oenne«di>e<di 
melons  arc  exported  to  Damascus  and  Acre,  and  are  greatly  prized. 


The  oU 

rraak  lu: 

^When  tl 

^would  h 

is  so  mi 

the  oth( 

.^ennesa 

^^nt  the 

summer 

sleep  in, 

months. 

^ot^s,  and 

hiu^vest  i 

''charming 

'  moist  hei 

^nd  som( 

''varioiisi  k 

i'Thesh 

cwbichth 

and  the  s 

each  ^la^ 

^hole  Idn 

the  sliore 

fisheries, 

South  of 

T<ikwii,."-J 

the  Roma 

had  to  see 

refuge  in^ 

Tiberias^ 

iwd.Betbs 

soutii  ros< 

^i«id"'-4lO^ 

Tiieneami 


jrearsiei] 
Iftidtiley,  bu 
^To  the  nor 
named,  it 
sephus  as 
on  tbeotlK 
ro'oulU,  an( 
the  hands  ( 
lay -Gerges 
Thelandsc 
almost  de«» 
smiill  and  ( 
i/(rhite  towt 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


841 


roixi  ift 
«,-tlic 
le,  but 
(t^pie- 

iteliY, 
Hattan 

•afitGni 

by  tliQ 
tipikocl 
perjtlfe 
urter.of 
J;  waste 

3  more 
>  «)i:ter 


Tke  oleanders,  and  "vild  figs,  palms,  &c.,  rise,  here  and  there,  in 
-raak  luxuriance,  and  tu'^re  can  be' no  doubt  that,  in  farmer  times, 
iwfhen  tlie  wliole  soil  waa  carefully  tilled,  few  semi-tropical  j^nts 
-would  have  Tailed  to  grow.  The  climate  of  the  lake  shore,  generally, 
is  so  mild  even  in  winter,  that  snow  seldom  falls.  In  sumnner/on 
the  other  hand,  it  is  oppressively  hot,  for,  except  at.  the  plain 'of 
Qennesareth,  which  enjoys  cool  breezes  from  Lebanon,  the  hiUs  shut 
out  the  west  windr  which  almost  alone  abates  the  inteoBityjof  the 
summer  in  Palestine>  and  hence  the  peopi-^  of  Tiberias  are  glad  to 
sleep  in;  shelters  of  straw  or  leaves  on  their  roofs,  during  the  hot 
nlonths.  Melons  ripen  four  weeks  earlier  than  at  Acre  and  Dannas- 
'.OTis,  and  though  wheat  is  not  so  early  ripe  as  at  Jericho,  wl»re  the 
harvest  is  in  Jjilay,  it  is,  ready  f or  the  fiickle  m  «}uue.  A  spot  so 
"i  charming,  could  not,  however^  escape  some  drawback.  TbissQltry 
:«tnoist  heat  causes,  along  the  marshy  lake  edge,  a  preTalesice  of  fcTer, 
^and  sometimes  brings  the  pestilence,  and  pphthalnua  and  uckness^-of 
variousi  kinds  are  only  too  common,  i  '-<  jtiji  i,]:u^-'.:>^'<cr  ■  t;  jilis*? 
•■'■' The  shores  of  the  plain  ai^  white  with  myriads  of  littld  sfaeUs, oTer 
which  the  transparent,^  crystal-like  waters  rise  and  fall]  with . th^  wind, 
and  the  side  next  the  bills  is  shut  in  by  a  fringe  of  deaiMlers,  rich, 
ii&oh  May,  in  red  etadk  white  blossom.  ^Inthe  days  of  Christ  the 
cwhole  Idnd::»cape  was  full  of  life.  Busy  towns  and  Tillages  <»K>wdeid 
the  shores,  and  the  <  Waters  swarmed  with  boats,  employed  in  the 
.fisheii^s,  which  even  gave  their  liames  to  several  of  the  towns. 
Bouth  of  GftperBJium  lay  the  busy  eity  of  Taridhcea,  or' *  ■  Picklltog 
Town,'" — the  great  fish^curing  port — ^which  had  boats  enough  to  meet 
the  Bomans^a  generation  later,  in  a  deadly  sea-iight  on  the  Lake^«nd 
hiad  to  see  eight  thousand  of  its  ''litizens,  and  of  those  who  had  tah^i 
refuge  in  it,  siain,  and  nearly  forty  thousand  sold  as  slaves.,  it- and 
Tibei^s  were;  the  two  ports  in  which  the  fishermen  of  O^pcrnaum 
iihd.l^thsaidA  found  a  ready  sale  for  their  freights.  A  little  further 
souiii  tose  the  houses  of  Magdala,  or  Mi£;dal-El^'*the  Tower  of 
Cki4"'-4iow  Medschel,— *the  h^fiae  of  *he  Mkry  nrho  bears  its  name^ 
Tlyen.came  Tiberias,  with  its  splenc^d  tpcdace,  grand  public  buildings, 
hugear^nsd,  and  famous  baths,  glittering  in  the  bi-ight  sunshine;  its 
Imotley,  busy  population;  iand,  beyond,  rose,  still,  town  beyond  town. 
:To  the  north,  on  the  slope  of  the  hills,  a  sliort  way  off ,  l»y  Chorazin, 
liamed,  it  might  seem,  from  the  "  Corficih"  fish  mentioned  bv  Jo- 
sephus  as  found  in  its  neighbourhood.  At  the  head  of  the  £ake, 
on  the  otlier  side  of  the  Jordan,  Bethsaida— "  the  Fisher's  Town"— 
robultt,  and  re-named  Julias,  by  the  tetrarch  Philip,  was  fresh  from 
tl»e  hands  of  the  masons  and  sculptors,  and  along  the  eastern  shore 
lay  Gergesa,  Giimala,  Hippos,  and  other  swarming  hives  of  men. 
The  landscape  is  now  very  different.  The  thickly  peopled  shore  is 
almost  de8ei-ted.  Tiberias,  then  so  magnificent,  has  shrimk  into  « 
smttll  and  decaying  town,  like  everyplace  under  Turkish  rule;  the 
^Mte  towns  aad  villa^St  once  reflected  in  the  waters,  havO'disi^ 


i4: 


8^ 


rim  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


'  I 


peared^  the  fleets  of  fiBhinff  boats  arc  now  replaced  bv  one  solitary 
craey  boat;  the  ricUljriarooded  hills  are  base;  the  paradise-like  plains 
are  oyeigrown  with  thorn»in4  thistles.  The- «^?e,  varied  by 
streCchesiof  sand,  intervala  of  '^hite  tiny  shells,  Single  with  larger 
c^ells«  here  and  there,  and  great  beds  of  black  basMi,  which  show 
the  volcanic  nature  of  the  district,  as  do;  also,  the  warm  baths  at 
Tiberias^  is  silent.  Next  the  water,  reedsi  and  itish^  grc(w  in  long 
rcsu}he>Sy  in  the  flatter  swampy  parlfr— a  favourite  haunt  <^  the  peli- 
can, (jid  many ^ other. birds,  but,  above  all,  of  the  turtledove— the 
bii4ideaj*e8t  from  <of  old  to  the  Jew.  The  whole  must  hav^'been 
beautifnJ^  however,  in  formier  days,  to  mal^e  the  Emperor  Tit  as  coiii- 
pane  it  with,  the  Lake  of  Neuichatel,  in  Switzerland,  though,  nowar 
days,  tlie  comparison -seems  fanciful.  .  • 

it  was  in€apemaum  that  Jesus  diose  His  home,  in  the  midst  €»f 
this  UCo  andJbieauty,  beside  the  gleaming  Lake,  einl)osomed  deep  on 
this,  its  western  shore,  in  soft  terraced  hills,  laughing  with*  friiitful- 
ness;  iiie  higlier  hills  of'  Upper  Galilee  rising  beyond,  an4  the 
majestic  Hermun  clo»ng  the  ^orious  landscape.  The  view  ovet  the 
wai^rsi  showed  t^e  steep  sdopeSj^-i-now  yellow  limestone,  now  blaf:k 
bafialt,-H>vhich  led  up  to.  the  Gaulqmtis  country.  Capernaum  was 
the.townpf  His  three  chief  apostles^ Peter,  John,  and  James,  and 
also  of  Andrew.  Here  He  healed  the  centufton's  slave,  and  raised 
the  daughter  of  Jairus;  called 'Matthew  from  the  booth  where  )]^e 
took  tlie  customs  dues,^  aild  healed  the  mother-in-law  of  Peten  IVbm 
a  bcNEit  nefUT'the  shore,  close  by,  He  preached  to  the  crowds;  and  it  w;|s 
in  the  waters  off  thie  town  that  He  vouchsafed  to  Peter  and  hi^ 
brother  the  miraculous  draught  of  fishes.  ;  •  .  ,  * 

The  whole  neighbourhood,  indeed,  U  sacred  to  the  memory'  of 
Jesus.  The  Lake  of  Galilee  had  been  cI'osenbyGod  for  Himself, 
and  honoured  above  all  seas  of  the  earth,  in  ii  sensie  whidk  the  I^abfois 
little  dreamed.  The  men,  the  fields,  the  valleys  round  it,  are  immor- 
talissed  1^  their  association  with  tpe  Saviour.  Tliere  were  the  ting- 
^ards,  on  the  hill  slopes,  round  i^hich  their  lord  planted  a  hedge,!  and 
m  which  he  built  a  watch-tower,  and  dug  a  wine-press.  There  were 
the  suany  hills,  on  which  tlio  old  wine  had  grown,  and  the  new  was 
growing,  for  which  the  householder  would  take  care  to  provide  the 
new  le^er  bottles.  The'  plain  of  Gennesareth  was  the  emmaelled 
meadow,  oh  which,  in  spring,  ten  thousand  lilies  were  robed  in 
more  than  the  glory  of  Solomon,  and  where,  in  winter,  the  grass  was 
cast  into  the  oven.  It  was  on  such  pastures  as  those  around,  that  the 
shepherd  left  the  ninety -and-nine  sheep,  to  seek,  in  the  mountain?, 
the  one  that  was  lost,  and  bring  it  back,  when  found,  on  his  shoulders, 
rejoicing.  The  ravens,  that  have  neither  storehouse  nor  barn,  daily 
sailed  over  from  the  cliffs  of  Arbela,  to  seek  their  food  on  the  shore 
of  the  Lake,  and  from  the  same  cliff s,  from  time  to  time,  flew  forth 
the  hawks,  to  make  the  terrified  hen  gathar  her  ciiiokens  under  her 
wings     The  orchards  were  there  in  wmch  the  fig-tree  grew,  on  which 


the  dressf 
which  the 
fowls  of 
hills  of  Gi 
the  weatlu 
text  for  tl 
slgr  is  red 
plowing,  li 
in^  from 
would  b* 
seen  drivii 
hours  ,wan 
saifingnor 
of  coming 
many  of  tl 
of  Jesus, 
thte  rich  tn 
loniancari 
way  to  the 
aaddressei 
in  Julias, 
beriaa,  at  tl 
M  called'! 
Salome  live 
atidtheinti 
the  all-obse 
^B  wus  th 
Antipas,  oi 
of  theLaki 
Jfesrts  select 
with  His  r 
already  gat] 
ently^set  oi 
return,  He 
th.  town,  ii 
andhismot 
shore  of  the 
fisherman's 


TJIE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


848 


the  dresser  of  the  vineyard,  in  three  years,  found  no  fruit,  and  in 
which  the  grain  of  mustard  seed  grew  into  so  great  a  tree  that  the 
fowls  of  the  air  lodged  in  its  branches.    Across  the  Lake,  rose  the 
hills  of  Guulonitis,  which  the  idly  busy  BaDbis  watched  for  signs  of 
the  weather.     A  murky  red,  seen  above  them  in  the  morning,  was  a 
text  for  these  sky-prophiets  to  predict  "foul  weather  to-day,  for  the 
sky  te  red  and  lowering,"  and  it  waS  when  thehanm  saqk,  ved  and 
plowing,  behind  the  hilW  in  the  west,  tliat  the  soletnu  go3sips,  return- 
m^  from  their  many  prayei's  in  the  synagogue,  m^e  sure  tliat  it 
would  be  **'fair  weather  to-morrow."    ft  was 'when  the  seanploud  wa^, 
seen  driving  over  the  hill-tops  from  Ptoletnais  and  Carmel  that  neigh- '^ 
bours  .warned  each  other  that  a  shower  was  comitig,  and  the  cloud* 
Bsdiing  north,  towaj*ds  Safed  and  Hennon,  were  the  accepted  earnest 
of  Coming  heat.    The  daily  business  of  CapeiHaura,  itself,  8Uppli<s4' • 
many  of  the  illiistratidns  so  frequently  intrcKjuced  into  the  discourses'^ 
of  JesuiB.    He  might  see  in  the  bazaar  Of  the  town,  or  cmjtbe  streeti^ 
thfc  rich  travelling  merchant,  who  exchanged  a  heavy  load  of  Baby- 
lonian carpets  for  the  one  lustrous  pearl  that  had,  perha|«,  found  ij^ 
way  to  the  Lake  from  distant  Ceylon;     Fishermen,  aod  publieans^r' 
and  dressers  of  vineyards  passed  and  re-passed  each  moment.    Ovei^- 
in  Julias,  the  favourite  town  of  the  tetrarch  Philip;  b^low,  inTi-*^ 
beriais,  at  the  court  of  Antipas,  lived  the  magnates,  who  delighted  to?- 
1)^  called  "gracious  lords,''  and  walked  in  silk  robes.    The  yoijng^? 
Satome  fived  in  the  one  town;  her  mother,  Herodias,  in  thfr  other; 
atid  the  intercourse  between  the  two  courts  could  not  have  escaped^ 
the  all-observing  eye  of  Jesus,  as  He  moved  about  in  Capernaum,     i ' 

^ Jt  w»8  thid  town,  on  the  border  between  the  districts  of  Philip  and 
Antipas,  on  the  great  highway  of  commerce  aiid  travel,  by  the  shore' 
of' the  Lake,  in  the  midst  of  thickly  sown  towns  and  villages,,  ttiat 
J^srfs  selected  as  His  future  home;  He  seems,  at  first,  to  hav^  lived 
with  His  mother  and  His  brethren,  and  the  few  disdples  He  had 
already  gathered,  but  Itis  stay,  at  this  timte,  was  short,  for  He  pres- 
efttlyset  out  on  His  first  Passover  journey  to  Jerusalem.  On  His 
return,  He  appears  to  have  made  His  abode,  as  often  as  He  was  in 
th.!  town,  in  the  house  of  Peter,  who  lived  with  his  brother  Andtew 
and  his  mother-in-law.  It  had  a  courtyard  before  it,  and  was  on  the 
shore  of  the  Lake,  but  it  Was,  at  best,  only  the  home  of  a  rough^handed 
fisherman's  household. 


m 


tJ^- 


^h 


'^iH '  1- 


rf 


V     .;  '  f- 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

VISIT    TO    JERU8ALKM. 


>!jin;V 


,K^i]nmHf^W>.'<!fc'jir 


THfe:  choice  of  Oapornaum  by  Jesus  as  His  future  centre  was  sig- 
nificant. John  had  chosen  the  ' '  terrible  wilderness, "  with  its  ' '  yipca's 
and  scorpions,  and  droucht."  Jesus  selected  the  district  spoken  of 
as  "jthe  garden  of  God,^'  and  "Paradise."    johin  had  Jived  ajniitet . 

,  the  silence  of  desolation:  Jesus  came  to  a  centre  of  buiuness  pnd 
travel,  to  live  amidst  mcn^  John  kept  equally  aloof  from  priest, 
prixLC^,  or  governor,  from  Rome  and  from  Jerusalem;  Jesus  scttjed  in 
a  garrison  town,  noted  for  business,  and  near  Tiberias,  with  its  Idu- 
mean  prfnee,  the  future  murderer  of  the  Baptist,  and  its  gay  courtiers. 
Tlie  contrast  marked  the  vital  difference  between  His  work  and  i that 
of  If  is  herald.  He  was  to  wear  no  prophet's  mantle  liker  John,  but 
the  simple  dress  of  other  men :  to  lay  no  stress  on  fasts,  to  enforce  no 
i6(^ati()n  from  any  class,  for  Ho  came  to  all  men  irrespective  of  class 
or  nation.  m   '  u   , 

Jc^iis  had  come,  in  fact,  to  preach  a  Qospel  i  of  which  the  gloriovs 
panoi-itma  around  Himwasthe  tit  emblem..   The  "  old  wine"  of  Juda- 

.  ism,  \yhic!&  had  in  a  measure  characterized  the  spirit  of  John,  wa«  to 

,  be  replaced  by  the  "new  wine  of  the  kingdom  of  God."  »Tohtthad 
sought  to  establish  that  kingdom  anew  on  a  Jewish  foundatiem,  by 
trying  to  blend  together  the  spiritunl  and  the  external.  While  break- 
ing away  in  some  respects  from  the  old  theocracy,  he  had  fiought  to 

,  build  up  a  new  outward  constitution  for  Israel  alone^  and  had  imposed 
it,  with  its  burden  of  fastings,  washings,  and  en dleso  legal  rcQuirc- 
i^Vents,  in  part,  on  the  nation  at  large,  and  in  all  its  severity, .on him- 
self and  his  dis(;iplos.  He  had  proposed  to  Leal  thet  wounds  lOf  maw- 
kind  by  an  unnatural  withdrawal  from  the  world,  and  by  the  austerities 
of  ascetic  observance.  For  this  religion  of  endless,  hopeless,  struggle 
after  legal  puritv,  which  carried  with  it  no  balm,  for  the  Iwart^and 
enforced  morbid  isolation,  Jesusi  by  His  settling  in  Capeiinaum,  flub- 
stituted  that  of  peace  and  Joy,  and  of  a  healtl>y  intercounse  with  man- 
kind, and  citizenship  in  the  great  world.  The  religion  of  Joim  was 
national,  local,  and  unsatisfying,  and  marked  by  the  spirit  ol'*cas|l<e: 
that  of  Jesus  offered  the  splendid  contrast  of  a  faith  which  rose  high 
over  ail  that  had  hitherto  been  known.     Suited  alike  for  the  peasant 

.and  the  prince,  it  caretl  nothing  for  outward  position,  or  the  changes 
of  states  or  nationality,  but  sought  onlv  to  meet  the  wants  and  long- 
ings of  man,  in  the  inner  infinite  world  of  the  heart  and  spirit,  which 
no  Herod  could  reach.    Recognizing  all  good,  wherever  found,  it 

gladly  drew  to  itself  all  that  was  true  and  pure,  ani  rejoiced  to  ally 
itself  with  the  gifts  which  dignify  human  nature.  The  f'riend  of  man, 
it  saw  in  every  soul  a  pearl,  hidden  or  viaible,  and  ennobled  every 


isonoui 

lifted  E 

it  was 

Ural  m 

reconci 

religion 

trouble 

religion 

the  ple< 

guese  i: 

terrors, 

hushed 

of  the  » 

in  the  s 

Star  of 

^Thes 

had  resc 

to  do  so. 

could  hf 

lections 

message 

the  towi 

this  rcsu 

fitted  be: 

to  beop< 

now,  at 

centre  at 

commissi 

capital,  a 

The  mi 

W'as  eatei 

covered^ 

hills  lit  u 

volvulus, 

glories,  f< 

here,  was 

Off  at  the 

in  the  Ian 

air,  and  t 

Jerusalen 

sheep,  g<jt, 

the  Jorda 

from  "th 

Mount  of 

ing  away 

charge  sai 

alone,  wei 


-THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 

T\OQOurable  human  calling  by  enlisting  it  in  the  service  of  God.  It 
lifted  men  above  care  for  the  world  or  inclination  to  seek  it.  because 
it  was  not  a  religion  of  outward  forms,  of  harsh  legalities,  or  unnat- 
ural »(f If  infliction  and  isolation,  but  the  religion  of  peace  and  joy  in 
reconciliation  with  God,  ardthe  calm  of  jarring  nature  within — a 
religion  which  gave  caln--  s  amidst  all  want,  and  reflected  the  un- 
troubled image  of  heaven  .^^  the  soul,  amidst  suffering  and  triaJ'—a 
religion  which  laid  the  agitations  and  cares  of  the  bosom  to  rest,  by 
the  pledge  of  divine  love  and  pity.  The  ey/eet  fancjr  of  tlie  Portu- 
guese mariner,  who,  after  rounding  C\po  Horn,  amidst  storm  and 
terrors,  found  that  the  ocean  on  which  he  had  entered,  lay,  at  if 
hushed  asleep  before  him,  and  ascribed  its  calra  to  the  glittering  form 
of  the  southern  cross  shining  down  on  it,  wa?  to  bf3  turned  into'faot, 
in  the  stillness  of  the  hitherto  troubled  soui  under  the  light  of  the 
Star  of  Bethlehem. 

The  stay  of  Jesus  in  Capernaum  at  this  time  was  very  short.  Ho 
had  resolved  to  attend  the  Passover,  and  only  waited  till  it  wad  time 
to  do  so.  No  details  have  been  left  up  of  this  earliest  ministry,  bilt!it 
could  hardly  have  been  encouraging,  for  even  at  a  later  date  Its  recol- 
lections waked  painful  though^.  The  determination  to  darry  Hii 
message  beyond  the  narrow  and  ungracious  circle  of  Capernaum,  and 
the  towns  around,  to  a  wider  sphere,  would  be  only  strengthened  by 
this  result.  Jerusalem,  with  its  schools  and  Temple,  was  the  place 
fltted  beyond  all  others  for  His  working  with  effect.  Hfe  did  npt  wish 
to  be  openly  recognized  as  the  Messiah  as  yet,  but  it  was  imperative 
now,  at  the  opening  of  Hia  ministry,  that  He  should  visit  the  gteat 
centre  and  heart  of  the  nation,  and  unostentatiously  open  Hi&  great 
commission.  The  whole  country  looked  to  Jerusalem  »s  ite  relii^o^s 
capital,  and  am  impression  made  there  would  react  everywhe*«6i  'J^^ 

The  month  of  April,  on  the  eve  of  the  15th  of  which  the 'Passover 
was  eaten,  was  the  bright  spring  month  of  the  year.  The  plains  wcife 
covered  with  rich  green,  for  it  was  the  "earing  month,"  and  the  gfey 
hills  lit  up  with  red  anemones,  rock  roses,  red  and  yellow, — ^the  con- 
volvulus, marigold,  wild  geranium,  red  tulip,  and  a  hundred  other 
glori0,  for  it  was  the  ''month  of  flowers."  The  cuckoo,  unseen,  as 
here,  was  heard  around:  our  thrush  mid  sweet-voiced  blackbird  flew 
off  at  the  approach  of  a  passer  by:  the  voice  of  the  turtle  was  heard 
in  the  land:  the  song  of  the  lark  flooded  a  thousand  acres  of  unpur 
air,  and  the  pastures  were  alive  with  flocks  and  herds.  The  roaus  to 
Jerusalem  were  already  crowded  when  the  month  began.  Flpcks  of 
sheep,  goatSj  and  cattle  from  Bashan,  dally  passed  over  the  fords  of 
the  tfordan,  towards  the  Holy  City,  and  shepherds  with  their  flocU!?, 
from  "the  pastures  of  the* wilderneHs,"  between  Bethany^  oil  the 
Mount  of  Oliv^Sj  and  the  Dead  Sea,  or  from  the  south  country  stretch- 
ing away  from  Bethlehem,  were  in  great  fsxcitement  to  bring  thek 
charge  saffely  to  the  Temple  market,  for  one  hundred  thousand  lambs, 
flrlotie.  were  needed,  besides  thousands  of  sheep  and  oxen.    The  roada 


I  III 


VR 


fHiET  LIFE  OF  OHRliST. 


ahd  brii^^e^  6ii  the  riailtL  lines  of  travel  throtigh  th«  -^vhole  cbuiiltjr 
Md  been  repaired;  ftH  toilibs  whitcMrashed,  to  (^^wd  those  coming  to 
tb^  fijast  from  defilembht,  by  tinconsdous  approach  to  them:  the 
fields' examined,  t6  weed  6ult  Whatever  illegal  mixtures  of  plants  de- 
filed  the  land:  and  the  8t)rings  and  wells  cleansed  forth©  wants  of 
the  pilgrims,  no  leiSs  than  to  secure  their  legal  purity. 

Jerusalem  was  in  its  glort.  The  whole  popnlatidU  iifUM  astir  from 
the  carlibst  mortiing,  to  enjby  th6  cool  of  the!  day  and  the  cTcfcitem^^nts 
of  llie  ^e»s6ni  The  hillis  of  Moab  were  hardly"  purple  with  the  dawn 
beforfe  th6  Temble  courts  -Wete  cr6wded,  and  by  the  timfe  the  isrtiii 
fog©' from  behind  thef  Mount  of  OliVei,  leaving  the  morning  clouds  to 
flOAt  off  ahdldse  tilienl^lVes  in  the  dee^pf  Valley  6f  thte  Dead  Stea,  tb© 
bti^fn©s8  of  thb  drfV  had  fully  bfegun:  The  golden  roof^  and  marble 
walfe  of  the  T^m^fe  reflected  a  dliffillrig  brigMnftss;  th©  King's  PooL 
beyond  the  Tyropoeon,  seemed  molten  silvei",  and  the  palms,  'ijyprfessesi 
olives,  and  tigs,  of  th6' palace  gard^ny,  tfhd  Aniong  the  mansi^jns  (tf  the 
rich,  oh  Son  arid  round  th^  city,  beUt'ih  the  soft  air.'  The  cohcouw© 
at  the  hour  6f  morningjrimyei'  was  immehsie,  but  It  giSew  even-greatet 
ag  the  day  advanced.  The  ^i^ets  ^©re  blocked  by  the  drowds  from 
all'parti^j  Who  had  to  make  their  way  to  the  TemMe,  past  flocks  6f 
sheep,  airtd  droves  of  cattle;  ^es.^!ng  on  in  the  sunken  middle  part  Of 
each'fltteet  r©8erv©d  for  thena,  to  prevent  contact  and  defilement; 
Selien^  Ot  all  possible  wares  besiet  the  pilgrims;  fbt'  the  great  feast.^ 
Wer©,  as  hfc«b©©n  s^id,  the  harvest  tith©  of  alltradefef  at  Jerusatem,  Just 
as,  at  Mecca.,  even  at  this  day,  the  time  of  the  great  concourse  of 
wot-shlpf  erer  at  the  tomb  of  the  Prophet,  is  that  of  the  biisdest  tr^de 
alttO^^  the 'metchant'pilgriuls,  who  form  the  caravans  from  all  piarts 
<&f  the']>!f<jhtonm«»dan^ wcWdL'^    ''s^'i-'"*^'':  >-  7  .u,f\u.iiu>i:~-hA<'i^isi>ii  '^\\ 

Inside  the  Tt m^©!  spk^d,  th©  nbi^  ^nd  t)1ffea5t3rfi&*^%©l^.  If  t^feslble; 
Wdtisief. '  directions  were  |)ost©d  up  to  kefep  the  right  or  the  left,  «s  in 
the  d^tiseBt'tho/oughfares  (if  Lohddh;  The  oiitei'  cburt,  which  others 
than  Jews  might  enter,  and  which  Was,  therefore,  ImoWn  as  the  Cburt 
of  the  Heathen,  was  in  part,  covered  >^ith'  pens  for  bheep,  ^ats,'alad 
tattle,  for  th©  feast  and  lliie  thank-offerings.  Selle!^  ShoUteA  the 
merits  of  thfeir  beasts,  sheep  bleated,  and  oxeU  loWed.  It  was.lii 
fact,  the  great  yeaWy  ^air  of  Jerusalem,  and  tlio  crowds  added' to  thte 
din  and  tumult,  till  the  services  in  the  neighbouring  courts  were  sa<Jiy 
disturbed.  SelleTs  of  dov^,  for  poor'women  coming  foi*  picrification, 
from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  for  others,  had  a  space  set  apart  for 
them.  .Indeed,  the  sale  of  doves  was,  in  great  measure,  secretly,  ii'iSllie 
handsof  the  priests  themselves:  llanhas,  the  high  priest,  especially, 
gaining  great  profits  from  his  dove  cota  on  Mount  Olivet.  The  rents 
of  the  i8h(iep  and  cattle  pens,  and  the  profits  on  the  doves,  had  led  thO 
prtestd  to  feanctibti  the  incongruity  of  thus  turning  the  Temple  itself 
mto'^anoi^tnarket.  Nor  Was  this  all.  Potters  pressed  on  the  pil- 
grimithei!»  clay  dishes  and  ovens  for  the  Passovet  Lamb;  hundreds 
of  'traders  recommended  their  woires  albud;  ^h.op»  for  wine,  oil,  salt; 


and  all 

pereona 

their  j< 

paying^ 

to  thecj 

for  gen 

thejfte 

tos^tui 

•  daya  be 

I'urohaf 

to  an  of 

they  go 

over,  w€ 

teen  che 

ter  how 

about  ei 

aupport' 

native  c( 

rent,  stn 

at  'the  SI 

_^tradega^ 

per  cent 

by  tricks 

bad  anai 

before  a  < 

j  Jesus^'t 

Father's 

He  had  n 

were  und 

ao  l*oIy, 

space^aiM 

could  no 

oQirds,  an< 

loanciUid  t] 

drove- the 

w^etallo 

llhe:  mon 

wew  ovei 

the  Temp 

viThftt  OB 

been,  due,' 

His  eyes, 

but  it  is  ii, 

tusssoi  a, 

supremee 

rl  fort 
cabteu 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


841 


m 


o&d  ftll  else  needed  for  sacrifices,  invited  customers,  and,  in,iaddi|.ion» 
pereons  going  across  the  city,  with  all  kinds  of  burdens,  shortened 
U^eir  jouvne^  hy  crossing  the  Temple  grounds.  The  proyision  for 
payiog  the  tribute,  levied  on  all,  for  the  support  of  the  Temple,  added 
to  ithe  distraction.  On  both  sides  of  the  east  Temple  gate,  staUs  had 
for  generations  been  permitted  foi*  ohanging  foreign  money..  From 
the  jfteenth  of  the  preceding  month  money Hchangers  had  been  allowed 
to  set  up  their  tables  in  the  city,  and  from  the  twenty-flrst,— or  twenty 
days  before  the  Passover,— to  ply  their  tradip  in  the  Tcmfile  itflelf . 
PiUrohasers  of  materialsfor  offerings  paid  the  amount  at  special  stalls* 
to  an. officer  of  the  Temple,  and  received  a  leaden  ctieque  for  whjich 
they, got  what  they  had  bo'ight,  from  the  seller.  Large  sums,  more- 
over, were  changed,  to  be  cast,  as  free  offering,  into  one  of  the  thir* 
teen  chests  which  formed  the  Temple  treasury.  Every  Jew,  no  matr 
ter  how  poor,  was,  in  addition,  required  to  pay  yearly  a  half-shekel-— 
about  eighteen  peiice— as  atonement  money  for  his  soul^  and  for  the 
support  of  U19  Tepaple.  As  this  would  not  be  received,  except  in  a 
native  coin,  called  the  Temple  shekel,  which  was  not  generally  cur-t 
rent,  strangers  had  to  change  their  Roman,  Greek,  or  Eastern  mopey, 
at 'the  stalls  of  the  money-changers,  to  get  the  coin  required,  ^ne^ 
trade  gave  ready  means  for  fraud,  which  was  only  too  common.  Five 
per  cent,  exchange  wa»  charged,  but  this  was  indefinitely  increased 
hy  tricks  and  chicanery,  for  which  the  class  had  everywhere  earned  so 
bad  a  name,  that,  lifee  th€|  puWipt^i;is,  theu:  witness  would  »9ln  ^  tjj^kfy* 

bef6rea-court.;rs'vi>i>  i^itr'?:v. MMfM'b'i  ..  ■"•5'^^n'^>'^'^Wf  *o'--:if; 

!Jesu»  was  greatly  trpubled  by  this  monstrous  desecration  of  Itia 
Father's  bouse.  He  was  a  young  unknown .  man,  and  a  Qalilfaant 
He  had  no  formal  authority  to  interfere,  for  tlie  Temple  ajrr9^3igeiiien.ts 
wore  und^  the  priests  alone,  but  the  £aght  ol  such  abuses,:in,a  pl$ce 
so  holy,  roused  His  inmost  spirit.  Entering  the  tpolluted  Templa 
spacey  and  gazing  round  on  the  tumult  and  manifold  dejSIements,  He 
could  not  remain  impassive.  Hastily  tying  together  som^^  small 
notrds,  and  advancing  to  the  sellers  of  the  sheep  and  ox<^  He  com^ 
iimnded  them  to  leave  the  Temple,  with  itlieir  property,  at  once,  and 
droA^them  and  Uieir  beasts  out  of  the  gates.  The  sellers  of  dovea 
w^e  allowed  to  take  their  cages  away;  but  they,  too,  had  to?  leave. 
The:  money-changers  fared  worst,  as  they  deserved.  Their  tables 
w€i?e  overturned,  and  tliey  themselves  expelled.  After  long  years 
the  Temple  was  once  more  sacred  to  God. 

iThat  one  man  should  have  effected  such,  an  amazing  act  may  have 
been,  due,' as  St.  Jerome  says,  "  to  the  starry  light  whic^i  shon^e  from 
His  eyes,  and  to  the  divine  majesty  which  beamed  from  His  features," 
but  Hie  not  necessary  to  suppose  such  a  miraculous  aid.  The  weak- 
nisss  of  a  guilty  conscience  on  the  one  side,  and  the  grandeur  of  a^ 
supr^ene  enthusiasm  oa  the  other,  account  r  for  it.  AU  were  under  a 
speU  lor  the  mon^nt.  It  was  an  act  such  as  Hattathias  or  Judaea 
Maecabeeus  might  have  done,  and  prophet-like  aajt  was,  in  sucU 


1i!| 


111 


I;< 


848 


THE  LTPE  OF  CHRIST. 


a  |)]Uic»,  fund  in  such  a  cause,  its  unique  heroism  secured  ila  tri* 
umph. 

Tlte  authoritiefti  who  were  Tcsponpiblo  for  the  abuse  m  aatouKidingly^ 
corrected,  were  no  less  paralyzed  than  the  multitude  at  large,  by  wo 
\oity  teal  for  ^od  aliown  thus  strangely.  Rules  of  a  strictnefis  l^iUii^rto 
un&nown  were  erelong  annouQoed,  and;  for  the  momeut^  put  in  forcc^ 
thouffh;  three  years  later,  thingahad  become  as  ba^  as  ever.  No  one 
could'  henceforth  go  up  to  "  tlie  hill  of  the  Lord"  with  a  statG^  ai^  h|0 
hadd,  or  with  his  shoes  on  his  feot^  or  with  monev  in'hjs  girdle',  or  witlji 
a'f4ck  on  his  shoulder,  or  even  with  dust  on  his  feet,  and  no  one  might 
cany  ^burden  of  any  hind  through  the  Temple,  or  even  spit^withia  tJie 
holy  pi«cincts^  It  was<felt  that  religion  had  received  a  deadly  injUiy 
by  the  evils  against  which  the  Galiltean  stranger  had  thus  signally  pro« 
tested,,  and  a  vain  effort  was  madi^,tOK?8^o.M^j^iI»Jie8tigo  theyjji^iil 
themselves  so  fatally  injured.         ^      f-'vr  i^ff  >  i    v  V 

jM'It  was  wholly  in  keeping  with  His  office  to  act  as  Jesus  had  done. 
As  His  Fathers. House,  the' Temple  wa,ft  supremely  under  His  care, 
and  Heonly  exercised  His  rij^ts  and  duties,  as  the  Messiali,  in  cleanis- 
tugitasHedidj  It  was  a  sign  and  commencement  of  the  spiritual 
cleansing  He  came  to  inaugurate :  a  note  struck  which  disclo8e4  the 
character  of  His  future  work.  Zechariah  had  said  that  in  the  days  jof 
the  Messiah  "  the  trader  would  no  more  be  in  the  House  of  Jehovah," 
and  thus.even  the  prophets,  whom  the  nation  honoured,  s^em^d  to 
endorse* His 'act.v  .;-j4|4..-,^fiV'  \i.\r-'.   .'!,.-^':'-'.f..^'AM'fft^'  r;'Wi<;^'i'f''v^ti /m 

The  priests  could  say  nothing  condemnatory,  but  could  only  raise  the 
question  why  i^To  ^loiikl  have  taken  it  upon  Him  to  assume  authority 
whieb  they  claimed.  They  were  irritated  beyond  bounds,  and  doubt- 
less indulged  their  scora  at  a  "  prophet,"  who  tookon  Himself  the 
duties  of  the  Temple  police.  Yet  the  people,  by  their  silence,  diowed 
that  they  approved  the  &Qt,  though  it  implied  condemnation  of  the  higH 
piiest  and  his  colleagues^  and  bad  attacked  a  custom  sanctlon^dby 
age»  established  by  formai  authoiity,  and  identitied  with  the  interests 
of  the  Temple  and  its  services.!  The  crowds  of  pilgrims  also  honoured 
the  act  of  the  young  Galilaean^  of  wlu^n  strai^  rumours  had  r^a()Ued 
them  from  tlie  Jordan,  instinctively  feeling  that  it  was  right.  Jestv) 
had  made  His  entrance  on  public  notice,  in  a  way  4hat  struck  the  popu- 
lar imagination,— as  a  true  prophet,  who.witnessed  fearlessly  foriGrod, 
against  the  desecration  of  HLs  house.  The  feeling  towards  Him  >Vas 
half  enthusiastic,  half  respectful;  His  enemies  were  confused  a,^d 
paralyzed.  Hewas  the  valiaiit  soldier  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  jt 
might  have  seemed  . a#> ;  Jl;  ithe  wiyr  to  m  f^y  tr^umj)^ , , w^r©  fe  h^*' 
expected  forthwith.  ..  :.r.-s7tV:,v-:-;' //;    :•;;■'■  s,f  i.  '.I''.     .,.  "-;  v  ^,',;;,/,^V.;^r! ' 

But  He  and  the  people  had  wholly  different  conceptions  of  the  pmpe 
of  the  Messiah.  He  had  acted  as  He  had  donefrom  no  perspnalend. 
His  disciples  saw  tlrat  it  was. consuming  zeal  for  His, Father's  glory, 
that  bad -animated  Him;  a  welling  up  of  holy  indignation.  H«  had 
exercised  the  prophet's  office,  of  striking  for  the  true,  and  the  pure; 


It  right 

tilted  n 

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unreflei 

earnest 

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It  was 

streets. 

h^el» 

have  b€ 

were,  p 

had  He 

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pom  of 

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tp.attrai 

or  i&au| 

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of  truth 

Th0:a 

selves' TV 

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l^njgmati 

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;}M'  It' 
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^.-^F^.cVJ^i.fiW^T- 


,■  ^n\ 


jofflfiq 
pure; 


840 

k  right  which  has  been  used  in  all  ages,  by  lofty  natures,  when  insti- 
tuted means,  and  the  low  morality  of  the  times,  fail  to  stem  gmrwtng 
corruption.  Such  an  act  could  not  bo  done,  without  orcrpowering, 
uijireiiecting  earnestness,  and  zeal  kindled  intd  a  flame,  but  this  divine 
earnest  zeal  was  not  unworthy  of  the  purest,  for  ^v4thout  it,  in  faction 
times\,  nothinff  greit  can  be  dohe.  Yet  He  was  the  Prince  of  Peace. 
It  was  not  Ills  nature  to  strive,  or  to  make  His  voice  heard  in  the 
streets.  To  have  taken  the  tide  of  populai*  feeling  at  the  fUU,  would 
hfltve  led  Him  to  triumphs  for  which  He  had  no^  desire^  and  wonhl 
have  been  fatal  to  His  views,  instead  of  advancing  them:  Numbers 
WCTe,  perhaps,  willing  tb  have  believed  that  He  might  be  tlie  Messiah, 
had  He  announced  Himself  as  silch,  but  the  Law  had  beengivcn  of 
old  amidst  thunderings  and  lightnings^  and  they  expected  the  King^ 
qomof  th6  Messiah  to  be  procliaimea  >vlth  equal  sublimity.  Unos- 
tentatious illustrations  of  divine  ^ower,  such  as  healing  the  sick; 
opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  .or  the  ecirs  of  the  d^f,  were  not 
enough.  They  desired  publifc  and  national  miracles,  which  wotild 
^brify  Israel,  and  astonish  the  world.  But!  is  was  no-  part  of  His  plan 
to  attract  the  wdnder  of  the  crowd,  or  to  minister  to  national  pride, 
(it  inaugurate  a  dispensation  of  fedr  or  force.  His  Kingd<^m  was  td 
the  hearts  of  men,  not  in  their ,6utward  suffrages;  in  the  calm  realms 
of  truth,  not  in  those  of  political  strife.    '  11  ' 

'-(ft'J'he;authorities  could  take  no  violent  irieasvires,  and  contented  them- 
selves'with  asking  Him  for  some'" sign,"  to  justitly  His  act  b^ its 
divine  authority,  and  incidentally  reveal  His  claim  on  their  homage, 
if,  perchande.  He  niight  prove  tiic  Messiah.  The  question  must  havo 
raised  the  sense  of  His  supreme  right  as  consecrated  Son  of  Oeid, 
and  involved  the  condemnation  of  those  by  whom  such; aiJfet Ate  of 
things  had  been  allpwed.  Wlty  had  they,  the  appointed  guiirdians  of 
the  Templfe,  been  so  powerless  or  negligent  against'  such  dtfsecratiott? 
H  they  had  thus  failed,  who  but  the  Messiah  alotie,  could  cleansei  the 
sarictuary,  not  partly,  and  for  a  time,  but  perf eotly;  and  for  «Ver ¥  He 
aiiswered  them,  therefore,  as  their  Rabbis  were  wont  to  do,  "^ithan 
^Mgmatlcal  sentence,  which  lie  left  them  to  unriddle  as  they  couldi 
/'i)estroy  this  Temple,"  said  He,  doubtless  pointing  as  He  did  so,  t6 
Ills  person, — that  Temple  6f  God,  pure  and  sacred  beyond  all  others, 
■7^- .'and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up."  The  sound  of  the  words  to 
a |J<bW,  and  their  apparent  meaning,  were  alike  audacious.  He  was 
landing  amid  the  long  and  lofty  marble  arcades  of  the  sacred  build- 
ing; Amidst  its  courts,  paved  with  costliest  stones,  and  rising  terriacb 
above  tjerrace;  its  vast  spaces,  tniilt  up  with  incredible  labour,  and 
eqinil  magnificence,  from  the  valley,  hundreds  of  feet  below ;  iti 
sanctuary,  ablaze  with  gold;  its  wonderful  gates  of  silver  and  gold-, 
and  Corinthian  brass,  which  were  the  national  pride.  The  very  ex- 
istence of  the  nation  was  identitied  with  the  inviolability  of  the  Tetn- 
p^i'  It  had  been  already  building  for  forty-six  years,  and  was  n«c»t 
yet  fhiished,  foif  dghteeh  thousana  Workmen  were  still  employed  oh 


,i 

Mi 

m 

% 

1 

i 

1 

Lli 

J 

890 


THE.14F»  OP  CHRIST. 


some  incomplete  parts  of  it,  thirty  vean  after  thin,  and  were  {)c4d  off 
wlien  thoir  work  Was  done,  onl V-  a  leW  years  before  the  deslruciion  of 
the  dty.  The  paaslohato  fanatloism  for  a  structure  so  splepdid,  and 
8o  bound  up  with  the  hopoe  and  pride  of  the  nation,  was  incrod- 
iblo.  It  seemed  to  them  under  the  special  protection  of  Jehovah. 
Antiochuft  Epiphanos,  its  great  enemy,  had  perished  miserably  and 
shamefullv  in  i^rsia.  Crassus,  wlio  liad  plundered  its  treasures,  had 
fallen  with  his  army,  amidst  the  thirsty  sands  of  the  desert.  Pom- 
pey.  who  had  intruded  into  the  Holy  of  Holies,  had  l)een  murderqd  by 
nn  £i|[jptian  centurion,  and  his  headleas  trunk  had  Iwen  left  exposed 
on  the  strand  of  Egypt.  To  totich  the  Temple  was,  In  the  eyes  of  the 
Jew,  to  incur  the  vengeance  of  the  Almighty.  Perverting  the  answer 
of  Jesus,  therefore,  into  an  allusion  to  the  building  wmch  they  jre- 
vered  with  such  a  zealous  idolatry,  they  tauntingly  reminded  Him  of 
the  years  it  had  taken  to  build,  and  scouted  His  supposed  proposal  to 
destray  and  restore  It  so  quickly. 

No  utterance  ever  fell  fmm  the  lips  of  Jesus,  of  which  He  did  not 
forsee  the  full  effect,  and  this  answer,  as  He  knew,  was  a  veiled  antiot- 
patlon  of  His  earthly  end.  The  cry  that  the  Temple  was  in  danger 
would  at  any  moment  rouse  the  whole  race  to  revenge  the  insult  with 
the  fury  of  despair,  or  perish  in  the  attempt.  •  The  resentment  felt  at 
Buch  words,  may  therefore  be  judged.  Three  years  later  it  was  l^y 
their  perversion  that  the  high  priests  sought  His  death,  and  they  wenD 
coarsely  flung  as  a  ta\mt  against  Him,  when  He  hung  on  the  Qrosa 
Nor  were  ttey  forgotten  even  afterwards,  for  they  were  made  an 
aggravation  of  the  charges  against  the  first  martyr,  Stephen,  asHis 
follower. 

But  they  meant  something  of  deepest  significance  to  the  Jews 
themselves,  llnotigh,  doubttess,  in,  their  direct  import  a  concealed 
announcement  of  His  own  death  and  resurrection,  they  had  wider  ap- 
plications. * '  Your  whole  religion, "  they  implied,  "  in  as  far  as  it  rests 
on  this  Temple,  is  corrupt  and  sunken,  but  He  js  already  here,  wkOt 
when  that  Temple  passes  away,  ss  pass  away  it  must,  wiJl  restore?' it 
in  unspeakably  greater  glory,  and  His  doing  so  will  be  the  sigUL  He 
gives.*'  All  this  lay  in  His  veiled  sentence.  "Do  you  really  wisji  a 
sign  from  me,  of  my  divine  authority  over  this  Temple?  You  snajl 
have  the  highest.  Destroy  this  Temple,  which  will  surely  one  day 
fall,  though,  while  it  stands,  I  wish  it  to  be  pure  and  worthy:,  destroy 
it,  if  you  choose,  and  with  it  let  all  ^our  corrupted  religion  periak:  1 
shall,  presently,  rebuild  it  again,  with  far  greater  glory  than  it  pan 
now  boast,  for  this  Temple  is  the  desecrated  and  fallen  work  of  men's 
hands,  but  mine  will  bo  pure:  a  Temple  of  the  religion  Of  Spirit  and 
truthi  which  will  he  established  by  my  resurrection,  on  ,t^e  lhir44*y»< 
and  will  be  immortal  and  indestructible."  1 '  vv  r,,  vrj. ,  iiv/ 

In  the  answer  of  Jesus,  indeed,  lay,  already,  the  whole  futiire  oif  Hia 
Church.  '  The  history  of  Hia  life  and  of  liis  work  is  linked  to  thisi 
earliest  ut^tieniuee.    The  magnificent, Temple  lie  that  day  cleansed  w^. 


%^nt 
fanatic 
in  flai 
stone, 
silent! 

MHls 

sense 

—the 

'true  8 

wucifl] 

in  thesi 

than  ai 

of  His 

'  With 

Was,  by 

'Ifreatne 

wonder 

into  thi 

pressed 

toi^nsm 

trust  H 

HehadJ 

this  c^u 

J^deai}] 

mhnn  to 

favoural 

and  exc 

«!lhoola, 

was  pre 

With  Hli 

weire,do 

whb  fe] 

t^rie^tly 

a  Romai 

ma«y,> 

r^feogroz 

^At  Jbl] 

made  oi 

tieius'ep 

^' He  did 

because 

aittan." 

welcome 

h^hrtSi  ^^ 

hutlatf  fi 

uid  may 


THR  t.IPE  OF  CHRIST. 


5r  ap^ 

)rq'  it 
Fish  d 

My ' 
kstrov 

len's 
and 


^floon  to  he  flwitroyed,  mainlr  throi»<»h  the  finillt  of  those  who  soiujht  so 
'femAticany  to  pffcservf)  it,  with  all  its  abuses.    But,  even  before  it  rose 
'in  dames  from  the  torch  of  the  Roman  soldier, or  fell,  stone  frum 
stone,  before  his  tools,  another  temple,  far  more  wonderful,  liad  risen 
silently,  in  the  spirits  of  men,  to  take  its  place — a  temple  pure  and 
'etemaii  which  He' had  now  dimly  foreshadowed,  at  this  first  moment 
'  of  His  public  career.     Yet,  even  the  Chui'Ch  was  in  no  such  hif^i 
Mnie  the  Temple  of  God  as  the  mysterious  person  of  Jesus  Himself 
'^^ht  holiest  tabernacle  of  God  amongst  men  ever  vouchsafed — tlie 
^true  8heklnah— the  visible  Incarnation  of  the  Divine.     After  the 
'cruciflxion,  and  the  resurrectioh,  the  exact  fulAlmcnt  of  His  words, 
in  these  two  great  events,  struck  the  Imagination  of  the  disciples  more 
thati  any  other  meaning  they  might  have.     '  *  He  spoke  of  the  Temple 
of  His  oody."    Tirue  in  other  senses,  it  was  pre-eminently  so  in  this. 
'  With  such  an  old-prophet-like  first  appearance,  followed  ^p,  as  it 
was,  by  f^jts  of  miraculous  power,  equal,  no  doubt,  in  character  «nd 
'fatness,  to  the  examples  elsewhere  recorded  in  the  Oosi)els,  it  is  no 
wonder  to  learn  that'  many  believed  on  Him.    Tet  He  received  no  one 
into  the  circle  of  His  closer  personal  following  from  tliose  thus  im- 
pressed.   No  Scribe  or  Rabbi,  no  wealthy  citizen,  not  even  a  common 
townsman  of  Jerusalem,.was  called  to  follow  Him.     "Ho  did  not 
trust  Himself  to  them,"  nor  honour  any  of  them  with  the  ccm'fidence 
He'  had' shown  in  some  of  His  Galilffian  disciples.     Nor  dH  He  relax 
this  caution  at  any  future  time,  for  though  He  gained  many  friends  la 
JMea',  fiS  We  discover  incidentally.  He  surrounded  Himself  with  Gali- 
Iffiftns  to  the  eiid  of  His  life.    The  people  of  Jerusalem  contrasted  «a- 
favourably  with  the  simpler  peasants  of  the  north :  tliey  were  curious 
and  eifdtable,  rather  than  deep  and  earnest,  and  the  wisdom  of  the 
SCihools,  which  flourished  especially  under  the  shadow  of  the  Temple, 
was  pre-eminently  unfitted  to  understand\  Him,  or  ally  itself  closely 
With  Him.    The  keen  glance  of  Jesus  saw  this  from  toe  first.    There 
we*e,  doubtless;  many  of  the  rich  and  influential  men  of  Jerusalem 
Whb  felt  the  shortcomings  of    the  prevailing  school-Wisdom  and 
^jrie^tly  system,  and,  fretting  uneasily  under  the  rule  of  aHerocl,  or  of 
.  ft  Romah'  governor,  Were  well  inclined  to  join  a  true  Israelitish  king; 
matiy,*p088iblyl  who  even  secretly  admired  Jesus,  and  were  ready  to 
rfefeogmze  tlim  ak  the  Messiah,  as  soon  as  they  could  do  so  sirfely. 
!^iit  Jbhn,  who  was  himself  a  Galileean,  and  knew  that  Jesus  ha^ 
made  only  GaliliBans  His  confidential  friends,  reveals,  in  his  senteii- 
UiOus'epigraTnihatical  -w^ay,  His  estimate  of  such  doubtful  support. 
*'Hedld  not  trust  Hitnself  to  thena,  because  He  knew  all  men,  and 
betsftiise  He  needed  not  that  any  should  bear  witness  respecting  Him, 
ailflaiii;"     A  cheerful  Witness  to  Him  as  the-  Son  of  God  He  always 
welcomed,  when  it  came  freely;  but  as  to  the  other — ^He  ki^w  men's 
h^rts.     He  could  see  that  they  were  willShgtK)  honour  Him  as  h 
htitlatt  kitrg,  iand  fha(,(m\f  frott  His  Won<}e^u1  works  and  miracle^, 
andflOlDy^  Unmistakably,  expected  a  human  kingdom  at  His  hands 


I' 


r.ch 
852 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Tq  mhf  nB^man,  t)Yer  meiii  it  wonld  haverHiccn  neodftil  to  Gcefc^tho 
support  of  the  powcrfulv  who:  would  fend  themselves  for  p^XBonal 
ends,  and.  act  on  mere  liuman  mAxim&  But  Buoh  men  would  be  tnd ' 
coufiBellors,  helpers,  or^  servants*  in  founding  and  epi^jadini^  lihc  Kini^- 
domof  Truth.  !  :.(    n      j,    ,, 

Among  the  upper  olaas  of  citizens,  howevier*  there  wras'  dne,  ibe 
representative  of  many  whose  names  are  unrecorded^,  who  wpa  deeply 
moved  by  the  words  and  acts  of  the  young  Galilican.  He  bore  tih^ 
Greek  name  Nicodemus,  and  wm  a  ruler,  or  foremoBt  man,  in  the 
religicKis  world  of  Jerusalem,^  a  meml)er  of  its  governing  cla8el,<  and:,  in 
sentiment  and  party,  a  Pharisee.  He  was,  moreover,  wealthy,  jutd, 
thus,  in  many  respects,  one  whose  suj^port,  at  such  a  time,  Would 
have  been  ea^j^erly  grasped  at,  had  Jesus  iTrop<*sedi  tof ound  a  kingdom 
in  which. the  aidsof  human,  expediency  were  admitted,  as  in  political 
systems.  He  was  a  man  of  advanced  years  and  high  positi«)tt,  and 
might,^  no  doubt,  have  done  good  service  to  Christ's  worldly  interests 
among  the  influential  classes,  and  have  even  helped  towards  a  ;coali« 
tion  of  the  priests  and  Pharisees  with  Him,  had  His  aims  been  national^ 
andreligio-political,  like  theiits.  There  was,  inevitablyya' Strong  prej- 
udiee  in  Jerusalem  against  a  m^^vemcnt  which  had  begun  in  (^ULee/ 
and  was  Supported  by  Galilseans,  and  Nicodemus  mi^'^hthavej  helped 
to  counteract  it.  It  was  a  condition  of  his  connection  with  Jesus, 
however,  that  it  should  bo  secret.  Constitutionally  timidi,  he  icoakl 
not  brave  the  social  proslcriptioa  and  ridicule,  whiili  would  follow  on 
oprai  adhetence;  for,  though  no  overt  hostility  to  the  New  Teacher 
had  yet  broken  out  in  the  class  to  which  he  belonged,  M  was  clear  tMt 
its  di.>JQg  ,<«)  was  only  a  question  of  time.  He  was  honest,  and  earnest, 
but  couM  not  yet  make  the  sacrifice  an  open  alliance  demanded.  In- 
deed, his  caution  clung  to  him  to  the  end  of  Christ's  life,  for  in  fthe 
only  t^o  ifistances  in  Which  his  name ;  re^appears,  his  V^eak  indirect- 
ness is  plainly  shown.  At  a  later  period,  when  the  rulers  had  deter- 
mined to  use  violence  against  Jesus,  we  find  him  trying  to  turntlueim 
aside  from  their  purpose,  by  a  general  question  which  did  not  conimit 
hims&ifv  and  when  all  was  over,  it  was  not  till  he  had  caught:  spirit 
enough  from  the  example  of  one  of  his  own  dass,.  Joseph  of  Arfma-. 
thea  that  he^venturod  to  io>vn  liis  reverence  for  the  dead  Saviour,  hy 
bringing  his  bountiful  gift  of  spices  to  embalm  Him.  At  his  ^rst 
interview,  he  did  not  vencure  to  visit  Jesus  openly,  but  eame  to  Him 
by  night. 

As  a.  Rabbi,  Nicodemus  was,  necessarily,  skilled  in  the  subtle  expo- 
sitions of  the  Law  for  which  his  order  was  famous,  and  must  have 
be^  familiar  with  the  Scriptures  throughout,  but  he  had  been  trained 
in  the  artificial  explanations  of  the  schools,  and  was  profoundly  lin- 
conscipu^  of  their  deeper  meaning.  Like  others,  he  supposed  that 
the  Messiah  would  set  up  a  theocracy  distinguished  by  zealous  ^Ifil-; 
ment  o£  the  Law ;  every  Israelite^  as .  such,  forming  &  member  .of ;  It. 
Greeting  Jesus  as  one  whom  he,  and  others  in  his  position,  ackn<pwi- 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


858 


jHi?x; 


y  vln- 
that 

of;  it. 

nowl- 


edged  to  be  a  Rabbi,  he  opened  the  interview  by  a  compliment,  in- 
tended to  Ifead  ito  the  point  he  had  at  heart.  Ajiy  question  as  to  his 
own  admission  to  the  Mesi^ah's  kingdom  had  not  crossed  hi£i  mind. 
The  Additions  of  his  brother  Rabbis  had  taught  him  that  while  "  the 
nations^oftlie  world  would  foe  as  tlie  bmning  of  a  furnace  in  the  great 
Day  of  Judgment,  Israel,  as  such,  would  be  saved;"  that  ** there  was 
a* pari;  allotted  to  all  Israel  in  the  world  to  come,'!*  OTi  in  other  words, 
iu  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  "God  had  sancti^d  Israel  to  Him- 
self for  ever,"  and  made  every  Jew,  as  such,  on  a  footing,  as  to  His 
love  and  favour,  with  "  all  the  Angels  of  the  Presence,  and  all  the 
Angels  of  Praise,  and  with  all  the  Holy  Angels  that  stand  before  Him." 
Hence,  he  only  wished  to  know  the  duties  required  of  him  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Messianic  kingdom;  which  Jesus  appeared  to  be  sent  from 
God  to  set  upi  Christ,  in  an  instant,  saw  into  the  speaker's  hearts 
So  far  from  making  any  attempt  to  win  him,  or  from  abating  His 
demands;  as  a  compromise  in  favour  of  one  whose  support  might  bo 
so  advantageoui*,  He  cut  him  short  by  a  statement  which  must  have 
thrown  his  whole  tlwughts  into  confaision.  Trufrting  implici^Jy  to  his 
being  A  .Jew,  as  a  divine  title  to  citizenship  in  the  new  theocracy,  and 
thinking  only  of  formal  acts  by  which  he  might  show  his  devotion,, 
and  increaso'his  claim  to  the  favour  of  God,  here  and  hereafter,  he  ia 
met  by  an  announcement,  tliat  neither  national  descent,  nor  the  utters; 
most  exactness  of  Pharisaic  obFcrvance,  nor  any  good  worksi  however 
great,  as  such,  avaiiisd  at  all  to  secure  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.  He  had  supposed  Jesus  a  Rabbi,  and  had  expected  to  hoar 
somornCw  legal  precepts,  but  ho  is  told  that  not  only  has  he  no  title 
whatever,  as  a  Jew,  to  share  in  the  now  kingdom,  but  that  he  cannot: 
liopeto  earn  one.  Jewish  theology  knew  nothing  higher  than  an. 
exact  equivalent  in  good  or  evil,  for  every  act.  "An  eye  for  an  eye,"- 
both  here  and  hereafter,  was  its  only  conception.  A  legal  precision 
had; a  right  to  heaven;  the  neglect  of  Levitical  rightcousnesB  shut  its 
gate&onl  the  soul.      s;    ■     :        •      '         fu  n  -mi 

^JoWisi 'broadly  toldhim  that  his  whole  conceptions  were  funda-*. 
mentally  wrong.     *vBvcry  man,  whatever  his  legal  stamling,  must  be 
bomjagiwn,  if  he  would  see  the  kingdom  of  God.    To  do  so  is  not  ».. 
question  of  outward  acts,  legal,  or  moral,  but  of  their  motive."    The 
idea  .of  bfeing  "born  again"  should  not  have  been  incomprehensible  to 
a 'Jewish  Rjihbi,  for  it  was  a  saying  of  the  ScribefT  that  "a  proselyte: 
is  likte  a  child  new  born,"  and  **  circumcision  of  tlie  heart/'  at.d  the^ 
"creating a  clean  heart  and  renewing  a  right  spirit,"  are  expres-sion* I 
that  must  have  been  familiar  to  him  in  tlie  Law,  and  the  Prophets, 
and  the  Psalms.    Bat  tlie  full  meaning  of  such  terms  had  been  lost  in  . 
the;  prevailing  externailism.     He  took  the  words  in  their  literal  sense* ; 
In  Ins  perplexity,  ho  -supposed  that  what  was  demanded  was  in  some 
way  connec;tcd  with  his  nationality,  which,  he  assumed,  already  opened  • 
an  tmquestioned  entrance  for  him  into  the  theocracy.  i; 

Jtesus  saw  his  embarrassment,  and  forth\nth  explained  His  meaning) : 


:i:. 

m 

m 


m: 


I 


854 


THE  LIFE  or  CHRIBT. 


r;r,f:y. 


I 


^1 


If 


mcye  fully.  V The  kingdom  of  God,"  He  tdld  him,  "was  none  the 
legs  a  true  kingdom  .that  it  stood  alobf  from  politics,  and  liad  ndne  of 
the  outward  chamcteristics  of  earthly  states.  It  had  no  civil  judges, 
but  it  had  its  laws,  and  by  these  all  its  subjects  would  hereafter,  be 
.tried,  beyond  the  grave.  It  had  its  conditions  Of  acceptance,  also, 
and  these  were  l^elief  in  Himself  as  its  Founder,  Legislator,  and  future 
Judge,  and  op^n  confession  of  that  belief  by  the  rite  of  Baptism^with 
which  Jificodemus  was  already  familiar,  froih  the  ministry  of  J6hn. 
,Thore  could  be  no  admission  of  any  one,  high  or  low,  at  a  secret  in- 
terview,, to  be  followed  by  concealment  of  the  relation  thus  fprined 
with 'Himself.  There  must  be  personal  homage  and  submission  to 
Him,  but  it  must  also  be  frankly  and  publiicly  avowed." 

Nor  was  Kicodemus  left  to  suppose  that  any  outward  and  formal 
act,  even  if  inclusive  of  these  demands,  would  alone  sutflce.  Baptism 
was  but  the  symbol  of  a  spiritual  revolution  so  complete  that  it  might 
wcU  be  described  as  a  new  birth.  All  men  were  by  nature  sinnil, 
and  needed  a  moral  transformation,  which  would  make  them  as 
naturally  seek,  the  pure  and  holy  as  they  had  sought  the  opposite. 
Citizenship  in  His  kingdom  was  a  gift  of  God  Himself;  the  re-crea- 
tion of  the  moral  nature  by  His  Spirit,  as  the  result  of  which  the 
«oul  hungered  after  good,  as,  before,  after  sin. 

Nor  was  Nicodemus  to  wonder  at  such  a  statement.  God's  influ- 
ence on  the  heart  was  like  the  flowing  wind— free,  felt,  and  yet  mys- 
terious. It  came  as  it  listed,  its  presence  was  felt  by  its  results,  but 
all  besides  was  beyond  our  knowledge.  '' 

^reaching  so  fundamentally  different  from  all  his  previous  ideas, 
and,  involving  conceptions  so  unique  and  sublime,  was  for  the  time 
incomprehensible.  The  startled  listener  could  only  mutter,  "How 
can  tliese  things  be?"  Nicodemus,  it  seems  very  probable,  was  one 
of  the  chief  men  of  the  religious  world  in  Jerusalem,  for  the  three 
ofiiccrs  of  the  Sanhedrim,  while  it  existed,  were  the  President,  the 
Vice-President,  and  the  "Master,"  or  wise  man,  and  Jesus  appears  to 
address  him  as  "Master,"  in  subdued  reproach  at  his  peipleiity. 
"Art  thou,"  He  asked,  "the  teacher," — well  known  and  recognized 
as  suchr— the  wise  man — even  by  title,  "and  dost  not  know  these 
things?  I  speak  only  what  I  know  and  have  seen,  in  the  efc^mal 
world,  and  you  hesitate  to  believe  Me.  If  I  have  told  you  thus  of 
what  is  matter  of  experience,  and  runs  its  course  in  the  human  heart 
during  this  earthly  life,  and  you  think  it  incomprehensible,  how  ^ill 
vou  believe  if  I  tell  you  the  higher  truths  of  the  kingdom — tl^ose 
heavenly  mysteries  which  concern  the  plan  of  God  for  the  salvation 
of  man?  No  other  con  reveal  such  matters,  for  no  man  has  ever 
ascended  to  heaven  to  learn  them;  but  I  am  He — the  Messiah,  fore- 
told, as  the  Son  of  Man,  by  your  prophet  Daniel, — who  have  come 
down  from  heaven,  and,  even  now,  have  there  my  peculiar  home  and 
Aeat.  Let  Mc  vouchsafe  you  some  glimpses  of  the  true  nature  of  'my 
kingdom.   I  come  not  as  a  triumplumt  earthly  monarch,  but  to  suffer. 


J  < 


AsJM 
belie^ 

Li  have 


The 


sahctic 

tlie  scj] 

a$  altoi 

Lawgii 

of  that 

ditions 

the  nev 

offer  hi 

He  mo 

dfiman( 

and  pr 

claims. 

seeking 

H|s  de; 

^.  alone,  a 

f;,r()yalty 

loBabbi,: 

njust  CO 

Ui  ,liig;icst 

'jv,.§y"il?at 

eternity 
y/%rnar: 
^'jj^uman 
[>,,jpresenc( 
,  a  highei 
.i(>ffi^n^^na 


9 


"^Tfr;'. 


!?;■> 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


805 


time 

How 
as  one 

three 
nt.  111© 
eat8  to 

exity. 
sjuzed 

these 
et6mal 
hus  of 

heart 
)W  ^ill 
— tl^ose 

vation 
IS  ever 

1,  fore- 
come 

aeand 

of  my 

STiffor. 


As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  to  save  those  who 
helieved  in  it,  so  must  I  be  lifted  up — how,  you  shall  know  hereafter 
—that  all  who  believe  in  Me  may  not  perisii,  but  have  eternal  life.  I 
hflve  come  to  carry  out,  as  a  suffering  Me&liah,  the  high  purpose  of 
God's  eternal  love  for  tlie  salvation  of  man," 

"You  seek  eternal  life:  it  can  bie  had  only  by  believing  on  Me. 
^T^e  yirho,  Q.p^3  s|o,  has  his  reward  even  here,  $A  the  love,  light,  and 
,«!^C|B  wiiich  flow  from  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  and  are  the  earnest  of 
;i^^i^'e  glory.  I  have  not  come  to  judge  men,  for  to  ju^^ge  would 
J(^'ve  beeii  to  condemn.  I  corue  to  save.  They,  who  reject  Me  &n\ 
Uijdee^t  ^Judged  aud  condemned  already,  for  when  I,  the  Light,  have 
cdiiie  to  thejn,  they  have  phown  their  character  by  preferring  the 
darkness  of  sfn.  Men  separ^-te  themselves  into  good  and  evil,  before 
^pd,  l)y  their  bearing  towards  Me.  The  evil  wish  not  to  be  disturbed, 
and  io.  be  let  st^y  in  moral  darkness,  to  follow  out  their  sinful  desires, 
but  he  who  seeks  tlxe  ti'uth  comes  to  3Ie  to  have  more  light.  Thus, 
tl]i^^vll  stand  self -condemned :  the  good  rej,(^C€!4u  their  growing  light, 
a^  at^.earijiest  of  heaven."  ^J,    \ 

„  The  astonishing  originality  of  such,  language  is  altogether  unique. 
Ajli  Hi^  first  appearance,  though  still  a  young  man,  without  the 
sanction  of  success,  or  the  weight  of  position,  or  the  countenance  of 
the  schools,  Jesus  befirs  Iliyuself,  with  calm  uncousciousness  of  effort, 
as  altogether  superior  to  His  visitor.  A,  born  Jew,  He  speaks  as  the 
Lawgiver  of  a  new  theocracy  which  He  has  come  to  found,  in  place 
of  that  of  Moses,  whom  they  almost  worshipped.  He  lays  down  con- 
ditions of  u^bcudipg  strictness  as  indispensable  to  an  entrance  into 
tlie  uew  community  thus  to  be  established,  though  He  has  nothing  to 
offer  but  privation  and  self-denial,. as  the  earthly  result  of  joining  it. 
He  moves  at  His  ease  amidst  subjects  the  most  august  and  mysterious: 
dfiituaiids  tlie  personal  homage  of  those  who  would  enter  His  kingdom, 
and  promises  eteraal  life  as  the  reward  of  sincere  acceptance  of  His 
claims.  Repudiating,  the  aids  to  which  others  might  have  looked, 
seeking  no  support  from  the  powerful,  or  from  the  crowd,  to  facilitate 
His  desi^;  lie  speaks  of  Hiitiself,  even  now,  when  obscure  and 
alone,  as  a  king,  and  shows  a  sefeue  composure  in  extending  His 
royalty  over  even  the  souls  of  men.  In  the  presence  of  a  f|,mous 
Tj^al)bil!  He  claims  to  be  tJie  light  to  which  all  men,  without  exception, 
njustcome,  who  love  the  truth.  His  first  utterance  anticipates  the 
higjlicst  claims  of  His  last.  An  humble  Galilasan,  easy  of  access, 
sympathetic,  obscure,  He  calmly  ajinounccs  Himself  as  the  Son  of 
Map,  whose  home  is  heaven :  as  knovviug  the  counsels  of  God  from 
jejermty:  as  the  only-begotten  Son  of  the  Eternal,  and  the  arbiter  of 
e|j}rnaf  Ijlf e  or  death  to  the  world.  It  is  idle  to  speak  of  any  merely 
human  utterances*  even  of  the  greatest  and  best  of  our  race,  in  the 
presence  of  such  thoughts  and  words  as  these:  they  are  the  voice  of 
a.  higher  sphere,  though  falling  from  the  lips  of  one  who  walked  as  a 
jj^n  aiU,ougst  men. 


c      -I 


'■■\  H 


CHAPTim  XXXI. 


.f>. 


Vitv 


tr7 


yROI^t  JEBtSALEM  TO  SAMARIA, 


THBJjstay  of  Jesus  in  Jerusalem  was  short,  for  He  had  come  un  only^n 
to  attend  the  Passover,  and  to  open  His  Great  Commission  m  thl«    < 
religiooa  centre  of  the  nation,  before  the  vast  throngs  of  pilgrlhwi;(' 
frequenting   the   feast.    Nor  were    the   results  disappointnig,  forjfr*' 
"  manybeiioTed  in  His  name,  when  they  saw  the  miracles  which  He      . 
did'' dming  the  week.    With  the  departure  of  the  multitudes,  liow- 
cver,  He,  also,  left,  to  enter  with  His  disciples  on  His  first  wide 
circuit  of  preaching  and  teaching,   for,   though  a  beginning  had 
already  been  made  in  Galilee,  it  had  been  on  a  much  smaller  scale. 

The  district  thus  favoured  embraced  the  whole  of  Judea,  which  . 
extended,  on  the  south,  to  the  edge  of  the  wilderness  at  Beershoba,  xl  • 
far  south  of  Hebron,  to  the  lowlands  of  the  Philistine  plain,  on  tho^ii'- 
west;  to  the  line  of  the  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea,  on  the  cast,  and,  omi  > 
the  north,  to  Akrabblm,  the  frontier  village  of  Samaria,  which  layyitc 
am(^ng  tM  hills,  twenty-live  miles,  as  the  crow  flies,  from  Jerusaleral.N  i. 
"We  have,  the  milhority  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  who  very  likely  sharedoiij 
the  journey,- that  it  extended  "throughout  all  Judea,"  but  we  haveiv 
no  record  of  the  towns  and  villages  thus  earty  favoured  with  the)iui 
Message  of  the  New  Kingdom.  iti 

How  lonigtho  tolir  lasted  we  do  not  know,  but  it  must  have  occn-iro'> 
pied  some  months,  for  Ho  "tarried"  from  time  to  time,  at  differentR'^;. 
pointSj  He  Himself  preaching  and  teaching,  and  His  disciples  Vapti/.^fiv^ 
mg  the. converts  gained.  It  was  not  fitting  that  Jesus  should  Himsclf<i^:2 
administer  the  rite  which  admitted  citizens  to  His  spiritual  kingdomj  •«!/ 
Baptism,  which  had  been  introduced  by  John  as  a  symbol  of  repenti)fit. 
ance  and  spiritual  renewal,  in  expectation  of  the  coming  Messiah;  if 
had  noi^  acquired  the  tar  grander  significance  of  a  profession  of  faitkraii 
in  Jesus,  aa  the  Messiah  already  come.  John's  baptism  had  implied^/i  ■ 
a  vow  to  live  in  the  strict  and  painful  Jewish  asceticism  of  washing^ liM 
fasts,  and  legal  observances;  that  of  Jesus  transformed  this  life  intcjuii 
one  of  divine  liberty  and  loving  joy.  The  material  baptism,  more-fbl) 
over,  was  but  the  symbol,  arid  might  well  be  left  to  His  discipled;/Y/ 
Himself  retaining  the  far  grander  ministry  of  the  dispensation  of  tlielu' 
Spirit,  which  cleansed  tlie  raoml  nature,  as  water  did  the  body.  They '3(1  ? 
had  the  euibJom:  He,  as  became  a  King,  kept  in  His  own  hands  tmiiz- 
Rwbstance  and  yoalily.  To  preach  the  Gospel,  not  to  baptize,  wa9l 
hereafter,  (sven  in  St.  Paul's  view,  the  special  commission  of  atisjo. 
Apositle.  Him) bier  agencies  could  be  left  to  perform  the  rite^  to  thebi  > 
higlicr  office,  Jesus  d  noted  His  liigber  rank.  wo  t 

l^e.intro(iucti<Dn  o    baptism  at  the  beginning  of  our  Lord's  minis-o':. 
try,,  iarmimtioncd  .only  by  St.  Jolm.    It  may  be  that  this  is  only  aiififi;\ 


instance 
examinatu 
with  the  o 
the  close, 
given  by  J 
without  ar 
custom,  ra 
in  abeyanc 
have^  baeti 
but;  more 
which  bro 

§rew  popu 
isatih  opi 
The  ecc 
had  reject* 
attended 
the^  had  i 
against  the 
with  the  I 
offence  wa 
authorities 
their  theoh 
nationality 
had  gone  e 
His  acts  ar 
course  wit 
assumed  gi 
whole  nati< 
fate  of  Job 
under  offic 
Jucjlea,  or  ( 
of  the  aut 
handed  ov( 
tlie  Jordan 
Pilate's  tre 
nnd  Rabbis 
deliver  hir 
With  f^uch 
calm  prude 
the  publici 
early  baptii 
It  is  H  ( 
made  any  t 
did  not,  alg 
communio] 
could  be  pr 
gained,  as  ( 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


857 


instance  of   the  omissions  of   the   Evangelists,  and   that   careful 
examination  would  find  indirect  indications  that  it  not  only  began 
with  the  opening  of  Christ's  ministry,  but  continued,  throughout,  till  • 
the  close.    Yet,  both  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Mark  mention  the  command 
given  by  Jesus  immediately  before  His  ascension,  to  baptize  all  nation.si, 
without  any  indication  of  its  being  the  continuance  of  an  existing 
custom,  rather  than  the  re-ihtroduction  of  what  had  been  for  a  tira6^ 
in  abeyance.    Possibly,  the  extension  of  the  rite  to  all  nations,  may 
havei  been  the  special  reason  of  its  being  thus  prominently  noti<^ea, 
but,  tnore  probably,  the  opposition  of  the  ecclesiastical  authorities,' 
whidh  broke  out  into  active  hostility  as  soon  as  the  new  movement 
grew  popular,  and  forced  Jesus  to  leave  Judea,  made  it  iicces.*»ary  to 
uisatih  opposition  by  suspending  the  practice. 

The  ecclesiastical  world  of  the  day— prieists,  elders,  and  scribes — 
had  rejected  tile  mission  of  John.  They  had  inquired  into  his  ciuims*,^ 
attended  his  preaching,  and  hold  intercourse  with  his  disciples,  but 
they  had  not  been  baptized.  They  ' '  rejected  the  counsel  of  God 
against  themselves,"  and  even  went  so^far,  in  order  to  discredit  John 
with  the  multitude,  as  to  insinuate  that  he  "had  a  devil."  His  reiil 
offence  was  having  stood  aloof  from  them — the  establisihed  religious 
authorities — and  he  had  shocked  their  self-complacency,  and  impeached 
their  theology,  by  declaring  the  worthlessness,  before  Go<i,  of  mere 
nationality.  But  Jesus  was  already  treading  in  the  same  steps,  and 
had  gone  even  further  in  independence  of  the  priests  and  Ral)bi9,  i& 
His  acts  and  teachings;  in  His  cleansing  the  Temple,  and  in  His  dis-^ 
course  with  Nicodemus.  Before  long,  moreover,  His  movement 
assumed  greater  importance  than  Jon  :''s,  and  threatened  to  draw  the 
whole  nation  from  allegiance  to  the  dignitaries  of  Jerusalem,  The 
fate  of  John,  moreover,  was,  probably,  in  great  part,  due  to  his  being 
under  official  censure,  and  it  is  not  improbable,  if  Saliin  wore  in 
Judea,  or  even  in  Samaria,  as  many  suppose,  that  the  machinations 
of  the  authorities  had  contributea  to  his  arrest,  and  to  his  being 
handed  over  to  Antipas.  He  had  fled  for  safety  to  the  west  side  of 
the  Jordan,  to  be  under  Roman  law,  but  it  is  wholly  in  keeping  with 
Pilate's  treacherous  nature  to  believe,  that  in  his  dread  of  the  prJesty 
^.nd  Rabbis,  ths  Roman  governor  consented  to  seize  the  prophet,  and 
deliver  him  up  to  death,  as  he  afterwards  did  with  Jesus  Himself. 
With ^uch  a  catastrophe  in  mind,  it  would  lia^e  been  opposed  to  the 
calm  prudence  with  which  Jesus  at  all  times  acted,  to  have  sought 
the  publicity  and  excitement  soon  developed  in  connection  with  Hia 
early  baptismal  gatherings. 

It  is  a  question,  besides,  whether  the  official  opposition  which 
made  any  action  inexpedient  that  tended  to  agitate  the  public  mind, 
did  not,  also,  compel  delay  in  the  outward  organization  of  the  new 
communion  which  Jesus  came  to  found.  His  spiritual  kingdom 
could  be  proclaimed,  its  laws  and  privileges  made  known,  and  citizens 
gained,  as  disciples,  in  detail,  but  their  ilnal  enrolment  as  »  distinct 


'!.  I 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


society  wouici  likolvh^vQ  resulted  in  the  iasta,nt,  an:^st  of  tlieirj^i^r. 
*.Tlie  air  was  t^oo;  lull  of  political  rumours,  in  comieQtjio^  with  a 
national  Messiah,  to  have  niado  that  ojrganization  practicable, /v^hile 
Jesus  lived,  which  was  at  once  announced  after  His  deatl|.  |f^this 
were  i^,  baptism,  as  the  symbol  of  entrance  into  the  new  s<)Ci^tj, 
migl^t  be  well  deferred  till  th(^t  society  was  actually  begioii,  on  the 
4ay  of  -  I-entecost, 

The  WdjOn  of  Christ'i^  preaching,  wUilc  jotime^ing  throughpnt 
Judea,  was,  no  doubt,  the  same  as  that  of  His  Gahlspan  .mipiBti-y  a 
little  later,  and  as  that  of  John's — "Repent,  for  the  kingdoila  pf 
heaven  is  at  hand."  The  time  had  not  yet  comie  for  His  openly  pro- 
claiming Ilimself  as  the  Messiah,  thqugh  He  acted  from  the  ilrsit,  as 
suclvwitliQutfoimally  assuming  t|ie  title.  Tp  have  done  so  would 
have  arresteid  His  work  at  once,  while  His. acts  and  wprds,  withpiit 
compromifiijcfg  Him  with  the  authoi^ities,  were  such  as  forced  mci^, 
and  even  the  spirits  He  cast  out,  to  pwn  His  true  dignity.  tii.dced, 
the  yery  natiirp  of  a  8i)iritual  kingdom  like  His,  founded  n?ceii^ar|ly 
only  on  the  free  conviptions  of  men,  not  on  assertion  or  ^ut^ority, 
demanded  this  reticence.  The  heart  of  man,  which  was  to  be  tlie  ^et^t 
f)f  His  empire,  could  be  won  only  by  the  spiritual  attritions  pf  JEIis 
life,.and,  wor4s.  Faith  and  loving  obedience  coulid  opiy  sprii^g  from 
sympathy  wit^  the  tri^th  and  goodness  His  life  an<^  words  displayed, 
and  *his  sympathy  must  be  spontaneous  in  each  new  disciple,  and 
wa§  oftei^  of  slo:vir  attainment.  The  kingdom,  to  use  Hi^  own  illus- 
trations, naust  grow  frpm  almost  unperceived  beginnings,  in  slov/ 
clevelppmMit,  like  the  mustard  s(?ed,  and  spread  by  silent  and  slow 
advance,  iike  le%veh.  It  was,  in  its  very  natu  .  to  come  *'  without 
obscrvaljor),"  unmarked,  fo;'  it  was  upt  political,  like  eartWy  kii?g 
dpmf,  but  the  inv;aiblo  reign  of  ti'uth  in  the  souls  of  mep— a  grQ>vth 
p|  opiaiopT^a  kingdom  not  of  tl)is  world. 

In  tUs,  opening  perjlpd  JphnstiU  pvmtinued  his  great  prepaFatory 
-worli.  He  had  cvpssed  from  the  eajitiQrn  tothc  western  side  of  Jordan, 
und  was  bapjtizin^  at  Enon^ncar  Salim—a  place,  the,  position  Pf 
wHchisnot  positively  known.  lie  had,  apparently,  expected  Jp^^s 
•po  begin  His  work  as  the  Messiah,  by  an  open  assumption  of  thp'title, 
and  seems  tp  havp  been  at  a  loss  to  account  for  s\.  compai:qitive,  privacy, 
(SO ,  different  from  his  autiuipations.  The  idea  pf  a  great  national 
moy?iwien,t,wit|^  Jesus  at  its  head,  was  natural  to  him,  nor  does  he 
Bpem  to  have  realized  that  the  sublimest  self -proclamation  our  |*oi?d 
could  make  was  by  the  still  small  voice  of  His  divine  life  andltvPrds. 
Pq,  was  Avaiting  calmly  for  a  signal  tp  retire,  which  had  not  yet  Ijeen 
mven.  Nor  was  it  a  superfluous  work  to  continue  to  point  ihe  mnlti- 
ludes  to  tUe  Lamb  of  Pod,  and  thus  prepare  them,  bv  the  weight 
of  a  testimony  tio  revered,  for  accepting  Him  to  whom  he  thus 
oirected  them. 

^  ^*jifpa|i  ^iturq,,  however,  is  always  the  same :.  ready  to  show  its 
TveaKucss,  even  in  conuection  with  what  is  most  sacred.    The  grand 


hiimility 
tp'-]jb  a  n 
C^ssbr. ' 

slon  600il 

hiad,  app: 
slioWn  th 
some  of 
baptism, 
call^,  as 
betw'een 
indeed,  tt 
tcrs  asa 
assumed 
abundant 
resulting 
champioi 
rival.    Ii 
relieve  tli 
J<^rdan,  t( 
given  a  St 
«^peared 
ias  John  hi 

•  ai3,  forme] 
-  The  grl 
strikingly 
sonal  sens 
of  Him  t( 

Him  from 

given  him 
*  I  am  not 

by  the  nai 

fl'eatly,  th 
esjis  by  s 
cjollhed  wi 
he  had  ret 
the  people 
human.  ] 
liumility  n 
kingly  sho 
butJHe  is 
leads  her  1] 
companiori 
her  lord, 
find  Jesus 
told  the  es] 
Ifingdom.o 
pS*omise. 


w 


■i^ 


'rttE  LIFE  OF  CHRISt. 


m 


'Mttiliiiy  of  John — inaccessible  to  4  jealous  thought— ^as  content^(l 
to  Iks  a  mere  voice,  sending  men  a#ay  from  hlihaelf  to  his  g;roat  lUC- 
0^ssbr.'  But  his  followers  were  hOt,  in  all  case^,  so  loWlV,  and  occa- 
Mon  fioort  offered  which  gave  their  feelings  expressibh.  A  Jew,  who 
had,  apparently,  attendea  the  ministry  of  both  John  and  Jesu£|,  had 
slboWn  the  conunon  bias  of  his  race  by  getting  iiito  a  di^us^ion  with 
some  of  John's  disciples,  about  the  comparative  value  of  their  master's 
biiMsip,  as  ameahs  of  puriftcatioh,  perhaps  both  morally  atid  levitl- 
cauj^,  as  compared  with  that  of  Jesus.  A  theological  controversy 
between  Jews,  as  between  Christians,  is  dangerous  to  the  temper,  and, 
indeed,  the  Rabbis  denounced  quietness  akd  composure  in  such  mat- 
ters as  a  sign  of  religious  indifference.  Wannth  arid  bitterness  were 
assumed  to  prove  zeal  for  the  Law.  Hence,  no  d^ubt,  th^re  was 
abundant  heat  and  wrangling  on  an  occasion  like  this,  the  whole 
tes^lting  in  a  feeling  of  irritation  and  jealousy  on  the  part  of  tlio 
champions  of  John,  against  One  who  had  thus  been  set  up  as  his 
rival.  In  this  spirit  they  returned  to  their  master,  and  proceeded  to 
tclieve  their  miinds  by  telling  him  that  He  who  was  with  him  beyoijid 
^(^rdan,  to  whom  he  had  borne  witness,  and  to  whom  he  had  thils 
given  a  standing  and  influence,  had  Himself  begun  to  baptt^.  It 
s^pejared  like  unfair  rivalry,  and  was  creating  just  such  a  sensation 
.  ias  John  had  caused  at  first,  for  now  all  were  flocking  to  the  new  Habbl, 
as,  formerly,  to  the  banks  of  the  Jordan.  . 

'  The  groatnesis  of  the  Baptist  cOuld  not  have  been  shown  more 
strikingly  than  in  his  reply  to  a  complaint  so  fitted  to  touch  his  per- 
sonal sensibilities.  "You  are  wrong,"  said  he,  "in  thinking  tnnis 
of  Him  to  whom  you  refer.  If  He  meet  such  success,  it  is  given 
Him  from  God,  for  a  man  can  receive  nothing  except  it  have  neon 
given  him  from  heaven.  You  can  yourselves  bear  witness  that  I  said, 
*  I  am  not  the  Christ,  but  am  sent  before  Him.'"  John  Was  regarded 
by  the  nation  at  large  as  a  iii*ophet,  and,  as  ^ch,  he  was  venerated  so 
gl'eatly,  thai,  even  after  his  death,  many  explained  the  miracles  of 
Jesps  by  supposing  that  He  was  John,  risen  ^gain  from  the  dead, 
clotlhed  with  the  transcendent  powers  of  the  spirit  world  from  which 
he  had  returned.  •  Later  still,  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  were  afraid 
the  people  would  stone  them  if  they  spoke  of  his  baptism  as  merely 
human.  He  was  now  the  foremost  man  in  the  laud,  but  his  splendid 
humility  never  for  a  moment  deserted  him.  "He  may  mhke  no 
kinffly  show,"  lie  continued,  "and  may  haVe  raised  no  excitenfuftit, 
but  JHe  is  far  above  me.  You  know  how  the  friend  of  the  brido 
leads  her  home  to  the  bridegroom — how  he  goes  before  the  choir  of 
companions  that  escort  her,  and  brings  her,  with  loud  rejoicing^,  to 
her  Jtord.  I  am  only  that  friend,  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  the  bride, 
and  Jesus  the  Heavely  Bridegroom.  The  prophets  of  old  have  fore- 
told the  espousals  of  heaven  and  earth:  they  are  fast  approaching:  the 
"kingdom  of  the  Messiali  is  even  now  at  hand,  and  will  fulm  the 
promise.    Let  us  be  glad,  and  rejoice,  and  give  honour  to'Hitti,  foir 


II'' 


m 


i 


TPB  .LIFE  OP  CHRIST, 


ij  x  x 


the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  His  wife  has  made  hewelf 
•ready.  The  friend  MstenA  for  tlie  hfidiccroom's  voice,  to  obey' his 
commands,  atid  promote  his  Joy,  and  rejoices  to  hear  it,  when  lie  has 
led  the  hrifle  to  liim.  My  joy  i6  fulfilled,  fn  having  stirred  ut>  the'  mul- 
titude to. flock  to  the  ministrations  of  the  Lamb  of  Grod,  una  I  rejoice 
in ,  His  .i)eing  BO  near  me  that  I  seem  to  catch  His  voice.  He  must 
increase;  I  miist  decrease.  I  am  but  the m6rning  star;  He,  the  rising 
sun.  Up  comes  from  above,  and  is^thus,  cibovc  all;  I  am  only  a  mart 
like  yourselves,  of  thp  earth,  and  speak  as  a  man,  what  I  have  been 
sent- by  God  to  utter.  He  is  the  Messiah  from  heaven,  and  si)€aki9 
what  He  has  rieen  arid  heard  in  the  eternal  world — speaks  fi-om  Hi» 
owA  direct  loiowledge.  I  only  repeat  what  may  be  revealed  to  mis, 
here  below.  Mymission  is  well  nigh  over,  and  I' now  only  finish  my 
testinlonv  before  I  fimilly  Vi»nish.  But,  tjiou^h  thus  worthy  of  all 
hohour,  lew  receive  His  witness:  it  is  an  evil'  genemtidn  that  s^eks 
a  Messiah  very' different  from  the  holj^  Messiah  of  God.  He  who 
believefe  in  Him  glorifies  the  friithfiilness  of  God  in  fulfilHnE;  His 
promises  to  send  salvation  to  man.  Fo^  the  Gospel  He  proclaims  is 
but  the  •  utterance  of  the  precious  words  of  God  the  Father  to  oUt 
race,  and,  thus,  in  believing  His  Son,  we  honour  Him'  who  sent  Him.  • 
Prophets,  and  even  I,  the  Baptist,  receive  the  Spirit  ohly  iti  the 
measure  God  is  pleased  to  grant,  but  God  pours  oj?t  ilis  gifts  on  Him 
without  measure;  -  "r!-  jr '•■■  ■  '    --'''  "^''^nq  .moi'Mjn  ■ 

Such  thouarhts  filed  the  speaker's  beart  With  teide^'MAi^tioSir 
which  eriibodiod  itself  in  closing  words  of  wondrous  sublimity. 
"You  may  well  believe  oh  Him,"  said  he,  "for  the  FiUher  has 
given  all  things  into  His  hand,— eternal  Hfd  and  outer  dariinc'ss.  He 
has  not  only  the  divine  anointing  of  the  Messiah,  but  the  awful  powen 
To.be  saved  by  the  worths  of  the  Law  is,  moreover,  hopetess:  faith 
in  Him  i^  the  one  SalVatlon.  '  It  is  momentous,  therefore,  that  yow 
redeive  Him,  for  to  reject  Him  is  to  perish.  Blessed  is  he  who 
believes  in  Him:  he  has,  even  tiow,  the  beginnings  in  his  soiil  of  tile 
divine  life  which  sui'vives  death  ahd  never  dies.  Woe  to  him  who 
will  not  hear  His  voice.  He  shall  never  see  life;  but  the  wiath  of 
God  will  burn  against  him  abidingly!"  ;     ^  t 'i  ur 

Jesus  had  now  remained  in  Judea  about  nine  months,  frote'the 
Passover,  in  April,  to  the  winter  sowing  time,  in  Dieceml^c^r  or 
January.  The  crowds^  that  came  to  hoar  Him,  though  rarely  t<) 
receive  His  "witness,"  grew  daily  larger,  and  His  fame  spi-ead  far 
and  near,  even  to  Galilee.  His  very  success,  however,  in  attracting 
numbers,  made  His  retirement  to  another  district  necessary,  for  in 
Judea  He  was  under  the  keen  and  imfriendly  eyes  of  the  bigoted 
religious  world  of  Jerusa'em,  who  saw  in  Him  a  second  rival,  more 
dangerous  than  the  Baptist.  His  bearing  towards  them  had  been 
seen  in  the  cleansing  of  the  Temple,  and  Hi^  miracles  were  likely  to 
give  Him  even  more  power  over  the  people  thim  John  had  had,  and 
to  lead  them  to  a  revolt  fiom  the  legal  slavery  to  Ktibbinical  rules,'  Jp 


which  the , 

as-  yet,  beej 

spiiit  of  Je 

and'  to  brav 

have  b€5ett 

called  Him 

butto  Jeinfi« 

B«t,  Bpj«r 

themselves 

Galilee*.     H( 

curiosity  thj 

He  had  num 

regarded  res 

the  stony  ph 

disciples,  tJu 

gained  migh 

locality  on  K 

but  l)y  the  p] 

The  direct 

Samaria,  anc 

generally  pre 

through  the 

Jenisalem,  p 

hand,  and  of 

of  tlie  beauti 

of  Mciiats  G 

morning,  to 

bouudwry  to 

diiy.     The  r< 

cither /returni 

the  border  dij 

most  fiercely. 

SMmuria,  had 

for  tiwy  vverc 

border  march 

b:'c3n  dangero 

before,  but  it 

fo!i8ts  Were  oft 

witb  mfore  or 

reprisals  fron 

.side,  and  of  C 

as  most  easib 

cottages,  and' 

The  countr}) 

more  inviting 

JosophuSi  "  iie 

thtt. great  plaii 


THE-filFE  OP  CHRIST. 


OM 


k 


tlie 
V  or 
ly  to 
■  far 
cting 
or  in 
Tot«d 
more 
been 
;ly  to 
and 
ft,  to 


which  t3ie  Jerusalem  ScriljcM  and  Pharisees  held  them.  There  hod,  ♦ 
as  yet^beciu  no  open  liostillty,  but  It  was  not  in  keeping  with  tlie 
epint  of  Jesus  to  pravoke  persecution.  Hid  hour  had  not  yet  come, 
and'  to  brave  danger  at  present,  wlien  duty  did  not  demand  it,  would 
have  been  contrai^  to  His  whol^  nature.  Hereafter,  wlien  duty 
caited  Hii!n  to  do  so,  He  would  voluntarily  come,  not  to  Judca  alone,  . 
birttO'Jemsalem,  though  He  knew  it  meant  His  death. 

But,  apart  fromi  the  kindling  iealousy  of  the  Pharisees,  the  people 
themselves  were  sutflclent  explanation  of  the  return  of  Jcbus  to 
Galileo.  He  was  no  mere  popularity  hunter,  flattered  by  the  idle 
curiosity  that  drew  crowds  to  scjo  what  wonder  He  might  perform. 
He  Ijad  numl)ers,  but  yet  His  mission,  in  the  only  light  in  which  Ho 
regarded  results,  had  been  little  better  than  sowing  on  the  wayside,  or 
the  I  stony  place,  or  among  thistles  and  thorns.  He  had  made  so  few 
disciples,  that  John  could  speak  of  them  as  none.  The  fame  He  had 
gained  might  serve  Him  elsewhere,  but  He  measured  the  claims  of  a 
lociility  ort  His  ministratioins,  not  by  the  numbers  who  came  to  Him, 
but  l)y  the  proportion  won  to  God.  i 

TJae  direct  road  to  Galileo  ran  through  the  half -heathen  country  of   f 
Samaria,  and  this  Jesus  resolved  to  take,  though  men  of  His  nation    - 
generally  preferred  the  circuitous  route  by  Perea,  rather  than  paaa  i. 
through   the  territory  of  a  race  they  hated.    It  ran  north  from 
Jerusalem,  past  Bethel,  between  the  height  of  Libona  on  tiic  k'f t 
hand,  and  of  Shiloh  on  the  right,  entering  Samaria  at  the  south  end 
of  Uie  beautiful  valley,  which,  further  north,  stretches  past  the  foot 
of  Mo^iftts  Gerizini  -dftd  Ebai.     He  must  have  started  in  the  early 
morning,  to  reach  Sychar  by  noon,  and  must  have  been  near  the 
bouudai-y  to  have  done  so  at  all,  in  the  short  morning  of  av.'inter'a  1 
day.     The  road  was    provierbially  unsafe   for   Jewish  passenger:?, 
cither /returning  from  Jerusalem  or  going  to  it,  for  it  passed  through 
the  border  districts  where  the  feuds  of  the  two  rival  peoples  r.rged 
most  fiercely.     The  paths  among  the  hills  of  Akrabbim,  leading  into 
Samaria,  had  often  been  wet  with  the  blood  of  Jew  or  Samaritan, 
for  tliey  were  the  scene  of  constant  raids  and  forays,  like  our  own 
border  marches  between  Wales  or  Scotland,  in  former  days.     It  had 
bc'Jtt  dangerous  even  in  the  days  of   Hosea,  eight  hundred  yeara 
befm'e,  but  it  wsis  wor^r-  now.     Tlte  pilgrims  from  Galilee  to  the 
feasts  Were  often  moles^od,  and  sometimes  even  attacked  and  scattered, 
Avitii  !irioro  or   less  slaughter;  each  act  of  violence  bringing  speedy 
reprisals  from  the  population  of  Jerusalem  and  Judea,  on  tlie  one 
side,  and  of  GaUlee  on  the  other;  the  villages  of  the  border  districts,    " 
as  most  easily  reached,  bearing  the  brunt  of  the  feud,  in  smoking 
cottages,  and  indiscriminate  massacre  of  young  and  old. 

The  country,  as  He  approached  Samaritan  territory,  was  gradually  ^ 
more  inviting  than  the  hills  of  Southern  Judea.     '*  Samaria,"  says 
JosophuSi  '*  lies  between  Judea  nnd  Galilee.    It  begins  at  a  village  in 
thtt.great  plaiu  (of  Esdraelon)  called  Ginea(Eiigaon.tmX  and  endattll  ol 


% 


i! 


i 


^63 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


the  district,  or  '  toparch/  of  Akrabbim,  and  is  of  the  same  character 
aa  Judea.  Both  countries  ure  made  up  of  hills  and  ^leys,  andt  are 
moist  for  a^culture,  and  very  fruitlul.  They  have  abuudwKte  of 
trees  (mostly  long  since  cut  down)^  and  are  full  of  autumnal  firuit, 
l)otli  wild  and  cultivated.  They  are  not  naturally  watered  by  many 
rivers,  but  derive  tlieir  chief  moisture  from  the  rains,  of  which  thev 
have  no  want.  As  to  the  rivers  they  have^  their  waters  aie  exeeed- 
ingly. sweet.  T.y  reason,  aliiio,  of  the  excellent  grass,  their  cattle 
yield  more  milk  than  those  of  other  placoH,  and  both  countxies  show 
that  greatest  proof  of  excellence  and  plenty — they  are,  eadi,  very 
full  of  people."  In  our  days,  Samaria  is  more  pleasant  than  Judeu. 
The  limestouc  hills  do  not  drink  in  tlie  waters  that  fall  on  tlueni  like* 
those  of  the  south,  llich  level  stretches  of  black  soil,  overflowed  in 
the  wet  season,  form  splendid  pastures,  which  alternate,  in  thcivalleys, 
with  fertile  tracts  of  coin-land,  gardens,  and  orchards.  Grape-vines, 
and  many  kinds  of .  fruit-trees,  cover  the  warm  slopes  of  the  limestone 
Iiills,  and  groves  of  olives  and  walauts  crown  their  rounded  tops. 
The  meadows  of  Samaria  have  always  been  famous.  The  prophets, 
already,  speak  of  the  pastures  on  its  downs,  and  of  the  thickets  of 
its  hill-forests.  As  Josn^hus  tells  us,  the  supply  of  rain  was  abundant 
on  the  hills,  and  madiTtheui  ricldy  wooded.  The  climate  was  so 
good  and  healthy^  that  the  Romans  greatly  preferred  the  military 
stations  in  Samaria  to  thoBe  of  Ju<l(.>a.  Yet  the  landscape  is  tame  and 
monotonous  compared  to  that  of  Galilee.  Its  flat  valleys,  and  strjaight 
lines  of  hills,  all  rounded  atop,  and  near  7  of  a  height,  contrast;  un- 
favourably Vith  the  bold  scenery  of  the  Galilaean  highlands-r-the 
home  of  Jesus. 

Having  reached  the  top  of  the  steep  hill,  up  whioh  the  path 
stretches,  the  Itirge  and  fertile  plain  of  Mukhna>  running  north  and 
south,  lay  beneath  Mounts  Ebal  and  Gerizini,  the  giantft  of.. the 
mountains  of  Ephraim,  which  rose  midway  on  its  western  side,  while 
low  ciiains'  of  gently  sloping  hills  enclosed  it,  as  a  whole.  l«he  path 
descends  towards  the  hills  which  skirt  the  western  side  of  thQiplaiu, 
and.  runs  along  their  base,  rising  and. falling  in  long  undulations. 
Picturcssque  clumps  of  trees  still  dot  the  hill-sideB,  and  bare,  precipi- 
tous faces  of  rock  rise  above  the  green  flolds  and  oUve-yai'd«,  wiiich, 
more  or  less,  cover  the  slopes,  minglingt  at  last,  with  trees  above. 
Half-way  up  the  plain,  a  small  valley  ojiens  to.  the  west,,  between 
Ebal  and  Gerizim,  which  rise,  steep  and  precipitous  on  the  side  next 
the  plain,  to  the  height,  resix'ctively,  of  1,250  and  1,100  feet,  both, 
as  seen  from  below,  equally  sterile.  The  path  enters  the  vallejr  by  a 
gentle  rise,  and  a  brooJk  of  fresh,  clear  water,  whick  turns  a  mill  on 
Its  way,  flows  out  with  a  pleasant  murmur,  into  the  plain.  -On  the 
left,  Gerizim  rises  in  rtigged  and  bold  masses;  on  the  right,  Ebal, 
which,  though  steep,  is  terraced  to  a  considerable  height,  with,  gar- 
dens fenced  by  the  fig  cactus;  other  terraces,  plant(^  withiiCQin, 
.fis^ig^  ia  sonie  ports,  even  to  the  summit.  .>  .-toU  v    .^v  >h.>wihsU** 


Tlietov 

B-kalf  frr 

Luxuriant 

dilapidate 

of  all  thin 

is  so  narrc 

the  ona  hi 

of  them  ( 

low  doors 

tliat  the  h( 

small  plac 

nuining  n( 

raised,  so 

but,  lis  a  ( 

flow  throu 

To  this 

its    presen 

dou||t  agr( 

Palestine  : 

groves    of 

adorned  tl 

The  vvcath 

many-coloi 

The  clear, 

lark,  high  ( 

then,  as  nc 

played,  an( 

enamelled 

readied  the 

said  Mahoi 

put  of  Syr 

tlie  place  ^ 

Mountain  c 

pation  of  tl 

the  town,  I 

'Close  uni 

valley  from 

the  town,  s 

well.     The 

well  as  earl 

storms  of  t 

be  seen  the 

welte,  to  gi^ 

question  tl 

Thirty  or  fo 

doubtless,  a 

lUternative  i 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


I     t 


avactcr 
•ndt  ar^ 
iDoe  of 
I  fuuit, 
f  many 
2hUaey 
excd€a- 
r  cattle 

)8SbOW 

h,  very 
Jiuka. 
miu  like 
)wed  in 
valleys, 
e-vincs, 
i»ustone 
;d  tops, 
lophets, 
;kets  of 
jundant 
was  so 
aiilitaiy 
ufiG  and 
stmigiit 
trast.  un- 
id^rntho 

le  path 

rth  and 

of;  the 

e.wl^ile 

•l^e  path 

iGipfeiin, 

ilations. 

precipi- 

,  which, 

above. 

between 

de  next 

t,  both, 

cy  by  a 

mill  on 

,jOn  the 

t,  JEbal, 

iihgar- 

iCQin, 


Tlie  town  of  Nablds — ^thc  ancient  Shechera— is  about  a  milo  and 
a-half  from  the  moutli  of  this  side  valley,  in  which  it  stands. 
Luxuriant  gardens,  richly  watered,  ji^irdlo  it  round  outside  its  old  and 
dilapidated  walls,  whose  gat(;s,  hanging  off  their  hinges,  are  an  emblem 
of  all  things  else,  at  this  day,  in  Palestine.  Tlie  vaMey,  at  the  town, 
is  so  narrow,  that  n  strong  man  might  almost  shoot  an  arrow  from 
the  ona  liill  to  the  other.  The  houses  of  NablOs  arc  stone — a.  number 
of  them  of  several  stories — with  small  windows  and  balconies,  and 
low  doors,  over  which  texts  of  the  Koran  arc  often  painted,  as  a  sign 
that  the  householder  has  made  the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca.  It  is  a  very 
small  placio,  stretching  from  east  to  west ;  with  narrow  covered  streefta, 
ninning  north  and  south  from  the  two  principal  ones.  Their  side^  are 
raised,  so  as  to  le^ve  a  flithy,  sunken  path,  in  the  middle,  for  cattle; 
but,  lis  a  set-off  to  this,  many  copious  fountains  and  clear  rivulets, 
flow  through  those  on  the  west  of  the  town.  ^^^ 

'••'To  this  ancient  town,  then  in  its  glory,  and  very  different  from 
Its  present  condition — along  this  path — kJesus  was  coming,  no 
dou^t  agreeably  impressed  by  the  beauties  of  a  spot  unequalled  in 
Palestine  for  its  landscape.  Clumps  of  lofty  walnut  trees,  thick 
groves  of  almond,  pomegranate,  olive,,  pear,  and  plum  trees 
adorned  the  outskirts,  and  ran  towards  ffle  opening  of  the  valley. 
The  weather  was  bright  and  warm^  and  the  brightness  would  fill  tho 
many-coloured  woods  and  verdure,  with  the  melodious  songs  of  birds. 
The  clear,  sweet  notes  of  our  own  blackbird;  the  loud  thrill  of  the 
lark,  high  overhead,  and  the  chirping  of  tinches,  in  each  copse,  rose 
then,  as  now.  The  brooks  of  clear  mountain  water  then,  as  to-day, 
played,  and  splashed,  and  murmured,  past.  Thousands  of  flowers 
enamelled  the  grass  on  the  slopes,  for  the  *' blessings  of  Joseph" 
readied  their  highest  in  the  valley  of  Shechem.  * '  The  land  of  Syria, " 
said  Mahomet,  "i«  beloved  by  Allah  beyond  all  lands,  ana  the 
p:ut  of  Syria  which  He  loveth  most  is  the  district  of  Jerusalem,  and 
tlie  place  which  He  loveth  most  in  the  district  of  Jerusalem  is  the 
Mountain  of  Nablils."  The  contrast  with  nature  was  only  an  antici- 
pation of  the  brighter  spiritual  prospect.  But  before  Jesus  came  to 
the  town,  He  halted  for  a  time  to  rest.  v;pH?urf'H^i  r 

Close  under  the  eastern  foot  of  Gerizim,  at  the  opening  of  the  side 
valley  from  the  wide  plain,  on  a  slight  knoll,  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
the  town,  surrounded,  now,  by  stones  and  broken  pillars,  is  Jacob's 
well.  The  ruins  are  those  of  an  old  church,  which  stood  over  the 
well  as  early  as  the  fifth  century,  but  has  long  ago  perished  in  the 
Storms  of  the  times.  Over  the  well,  a  few  years  since,  were  still  to 
be  seen  the  remains  of  an  alcove,  such  as  is  built  beside  most  Eastern 
wells,  to  give  a  seat  and  shelter  to  the  tired  wayfarer.  There  is  no 
question  that  the  name  of  the  ancient  patriarch  is  rightly  given. 
Thirtj'  or  forty  springs  are  found  in  the  neighbourhood,  but  they  were, 
doubUess,  already,  in  Jacob's  day,  private  property,  so  that  he  had  no 
alternative  but  to  sink  a  Well  for  himself.     Kor<<wa8  it  a  slii^tiuir 


i\ 


<S. 


Ss-. 


t> 


\ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


1.0 


I4i 


128     |2.5 

Ks  Uii   12.2 

!!?  MA    ■— 

I.I         fV-    1^ 


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► 

Photographic 

Sciences 

Cbrporation 


23  WfST  MAIN  STRUT 

WEBSTIR.N.Y.  USSO 

(716)  873-4503 


f^N 


m 


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41^ 


o^ 


Ou 


THE  LIF^^5F.:CpB^T. 


dertaking,  for  it;  is  dug  through  the  alluvial  soil,  to  nn  imknown 
d^pth,  and  iWed/  throuffhtmt,  w4th  «tr6ii^  rougli  trt'asdhty.  '1*^  fe  MW' 
about' sev^nty-flve  fo^t  deep,  but  so  recerttly  aslSSStt'W^it  ittilrtyf*^t 
deeper,  each  y6fir  helping  to  tMl  it  up,  from  th<^  prafetr<*te'ftf  illF^Wd 
visit  it,  botli  natives  and  travbllers,  to  throw  iri  tHwneti^,  -toa^feii^'thiati* 
rebound:    This  fmsloni,  -which  may  be  recent,  adding  %b  tW'jibb\¥ 
miilations  of  over  two  thoUsi^nd  years,  hks  filled  it  ilp^ ^l^c^f^^  biif^  ^ 
haK.    The  «haft  is  seven  and  a  half  feet  in  diameteiri  and  tbfe*  #1iW^' 
work  must  have  been  the  labour  of  y^ars.    It  i^  exactl)^  tm  the*  wkte^-' ' 
rfied  of  the  district,  but  as  it  depends  on  rain-"^ater  only,  M  is,^  noW; 
often  diy,  thbugh,  perhaps,  when'  of  a  greater*  deptli;  ftllways  niotti^^e^' 
loss  ftill.  •    Li^ut.  Anderson  descended  it  M  1886and  f<yund  it'tfiJff^* 
dry.  but  an  unbroken  pitcher  at  the  bottom  flowed  that  the^  ^^t^ 
warer in  it  at  some  se^ons.   .Latterly,  it  has  been  buried' itnd<«* A' 
great  heap  of  stones,  hiding  itte  mouth,  whiMi  Lieu*.  Aiide*60fl  fduftiA ' 
in  a  sunkeii'  chamber  twenty  feet  deep,  thfe'  openings ' being  Jlifit  infj^e  - 
enough  to  admit  a  man's  body.  '  T  ;r  c.       my, 

Tli^'with  His  long  mountain  walk,  and  Ivjr  Ihe  heat  6f  Vl60i^M 
it  was  midday,  and  noon  in  Palestine,  even  in  Dect^nlb^r;  tft*t61ft<f*' 
'vtami^^Tesus  was  glad  to  lurri  aside  and  re^  by  Jaeob'si  Weill  I«%tt!!!^;- 
moteover,  the  hour  for  mreshment,  and  He  resolved  to  «ta;^  in "tiife' 
grtiteftfil  shade  of  the  trees  and  the  alcove,  till  His  dificipl^s  W^nt^^ 
thb  little  valley  to  the  tot^n-  to  buy  fc6d.  tl^e  'fnndfe  feujipliM' 
by  f Hedds,  who  delighted  to  mhiister  to  Hittii'  |>r6vided  ttie^  i^y 

While  thds  Testitfg,  a  Samaritan  woman,  from  '^har,  whi<Jh%rifiV* 
have  been  the  same  pl&ce  as  Shechera;  or;  porbap^,'  was  the  vilteffetteOT 
thewett,  how  known  as  A*kar,  apprbkehed,  withawat^r  jar*ori"hfet^' 
head,  fesis  the  custom,  and  a'  Ibng  cord  in  her  band,  With^Wte^' to^ 
let  the  jar  dowa^he  *welh  Few  sought  tile  plaoe  at  thftt  Kf)Ur,"Ibr 
c vtmihg  Wai  the  eommwit  time  for-  drawing  Water,  and  thtiS  jfetJte  Awd  ■ 
she  were«lone»  Tb  ask  ft  dimught  of  water  ift  ti  r^qheflftto^oiief  itf'«K0- 
EastthinksofTefusing,  for  thfe  hot  Climate  makies  all  feel  ft*rtfeIti«*J' 
Hence;  under  ordiiiaiV  circunistajices,  it>might  have  been  *ei^p^t^, ' 
on  Jesus  asking  this  ravour,  that  it  would  be?  granted  as ^rrttttf^r'.t^' 
course.  His  dress,  or  dialect;  however,  had  shoWn  the?  woman  ttiiit  Be ' 
was  a  Jew,  aind  the  relations  between  Jews' and  giimj^ritfinsnil^^Hisf' 
Fdckih^  eVen  such  a  trifling  courtesy  from  her  seem '  Wrange,  fdiXM' 
two  nntiott«  were  mortal  enemies.  After  the'  defp^rtJitiOtt  6t  the '  t^ " 
tribes  ^d  Assyria,  Samaria  had  be6n  repeopled  by  he£^tb«ii> <c*jlotoil^ ' 
from  various  provinces  of  thef  Ass^ian  empire,  by  ftigitiVes  fVo^life^' 
autljodties  of  Judeat,  and  by  stragglers  of  oho  or  6the!*  of  the  tteb  tribes,''' 
who-  f  dttnd  tbeir  waV  home  again  ■  The  first  heathen  eettlei*s,  tftrrMetl  ■ 
at  the  increase  of  wild  animate,  especially- Hone;'andatttil^tftiflg  It  «0' 
tJiielrnot  knowing  the  pi^dp^rwTii'Bhf  p  of  the 'OcHi  of  tlie  *bu^ 
forbnti  of  tiid^  exiled  priests,  and,  under  bis  lttstrti<!!lii<>il^;  add©*  «ife 
noKftftp^f  5ohwal>  to  tliat  of  the! i?  idoilsi^-an  iutUdcnt  in^tilellr  i«Btb#y/= 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRI^. 


m 


eW^aof  the  lions,  "as  it  biraoded  them,  from  their  AJi^riai^  .|»i^|^p^ 
wltk^rthe  name  of  ^Mtliitea.  UUimitlely,  liowe^^,  t^ey  Jbec^m&rey^n 
more^ rigidly, attached  to  the Ifaw  of  3{o$99  tjiia^  ttle  <Jiqw^  It)l^i)iae1v«s«^ 
AiUEtQiui.to  be  reoogaized  as  IsraeUtesi,,  they  s^t  ,^hi^ir  I^epfls  Q(i jQin- 
iQg,tlie4wQ  tri4[)9(H  on  theic  reti^rn  frow^)capti!vi^,,i)mt4bft*tfijra  ^Mk 
ta,nipmoi  Ezra . and  Nehemiah.admittetl  OiOcaUianoe  bet^'^ipn  |l|e  pu^f 
blf)od  p{  Jerusalam  and  tlie  tainted  raecql  .the  9pjri^,  .  M^fit|f^^i|t j^^ 
tiimaffrpDit  waanatm-al^^d  excited  i]:e8entJ^e|l|t  ^^  t^,  pn. 

C^riat's  day,  oenturies  ol  strife ,  and  mutual  ii)i>try,yiii^|ij^|Mk.l^y  tb/^ipr 
lo^cal » hatred  on  bqikh  sides,  had  made,  th^mnimpl^able.  enen^l^l^. 
Tiie>  Samaritans  liad  hiiilt,  a  temple  on  i^l([>^^i  Qexmvs^rXo < Hval  tbat  Qp 
J«nisalQm,  hut  Jt  bad  been  destroyed  by  ^Joba  Hy<rcanu8,  wlip  h«^ 
aisoleveUed  Samaria  to  te  gi'ound.    The^^c^auneciL  for  jli^ejlr  X¥^Hi|)>(- 
tain.  a  greatevi  holiness,  than i  tluit  pf  Moriah,;  accit^ed,  the  J[ew8  of 
adding  to  tlie  word  of  God,  by  receiving  the/wrUing8,<^t)^^  prbj|»h|^jts^ , 
and  prided  them3elye8  ^m  owning  <  only  th^l^entati^^, ail  ins^^ 
fai^owred  Herod.  becRuserthe  Jew»  hatcia  him,tancl>l^ere  loyaVio.h^ 
and  :thfi eqnall;ir  hated  lioman;  had, kii^led  false  l^i^tapm  tlie;4iUlisrf^9, 
Titiatatbe i^iyraah i-ec^miog by  theinew mpons, au4,rj^ua,thrpw,ta^|r 
fjEja^tSrintoconfanon,; and; in tli^^early yoiu^th of  Jesms, Mi^y^ 4^41^ 
tlie  T^y  Temple  itscH,  by  strewing  human  bone^in  it»  attheFa^fl^ver,  ^ 
*v2)^ol:  had  Iwtred  sliyiibered  on  the  aideoif  V^Jew^.,  iThev  J^ 
the  Samaritans  only  as  Cuthites,  or  heathen  from  Cutli.     "The.fop^ 
tha^  I  ^ate  jis  nof  «w?e, "  &ays  the .  son  loi  Sirach.   Jt  wfi^M9ld,tiifk^i  a 
p^ple  who  onec  had  worshipped,  fire  gods  cwld  iiave\  ?iQi))art  m; 
Jehoyah<r  !The  claim  of  the  Samaritans  that  Hoses  h|i4  b^ned  ^tap . 
TabarQacle^and  its  vess^js  on  the  tqpi  of  Oerizim,.;was,!hv4gifed  ,tp,( 
sporn^r.  It  wassaid  tluit  they  hod  dedicated  th^ir  temple^  un(^er|V% 
tipchua iEpiphanea,  to  the  Qix^ek  Jupiter,     Their  keeping,, tl]^  ppiii; 
mauds  of  jyiosea  even  more  striotly,  tl^on  the  Je^9,  that  l|;,np(^^t  ^<^ 
th«yT<^^ere  really  of  Israel,  was  not  dehifld;  but  .their,  heatb^pi^ijnj,  it ; 
v^aa^said*  had  been  proved  by  the  ^iscpvery  of  A-braa^n  doyp,  wbipl^ 
tkey  worshipped,  aju  the  top  of.  Geri^ini.    It  wouJcL  Jinvc  boeji  Qj^PHgU 
thfl^^y  boasted  of;  ilerodasi  tUoir  gpoditinjp^^jyfhp  h^^  jmrrijedTa, 
doiightor  of  theirpeoplei;  that, he  had  baew  irep  tp  follow,,  ii^  Uieir. 
country,  his  Jioman  tastos,;  so  hated  'm  Judea ;  tliat  tlie^  had  i;eii)#l|i^d ' 
Quiet,> after  his  death,!  when  Judea  and X^^dilee.  were  in  uprpar,  and 
that  a  fourth  of  thoir  taxes  liad;beea  remitted  and  ^iddQdtqtli^  bur- 
dens of  Judea,  for:  their  peocefulness.  ,  Tbeir  f dei^dli^^e^  tP  ^  Bp- 
mana  was  an  a,dditional  provocation.     Whilp  tiiie  J^Y^s  y^^^  ■  %^V^ 
^et  only  bjr  the  sternest  severity,  and  strove  tp  the  ntpiost  a^inst 
the  introuuetion  of  anything  foreign,  .the  S<umaritai^f^j.oiced4n,,^ 
new  importance  which  their  loyalty  to  the  ompiie  hod  giyj^i^  them. 
ShecheiD'  Nourished:  close  b^,.  in  C^^sarea,  t^e^  prppMrato^  hel(l,,)iii} 
cou^u  division  jpf.payaii^j  mibarr^^kw  »t  SebtMitOrr^^?!  4,<1  panw^r 
•—haA  been  raised  in  the  territory.-    The  Boman  strangers^  wei^ 


ilS 


•t: 


m 


f  HE  iriFB  OP  camsT. 


moi^  tb^' wel^^mb  to  \chlle  ftway  the  8iiiimier4iiiitii«it  tMnbragBout 

yalleyii^V'.^'  r  '•:.■    ■■•■.■■  ■■      ■^mi-M'mul'M^^mVlh^fjh- 

The  iliimltablo  Imtred,  risiaff  from  so  inany)sOiiircegi!foitad;jtBiiit 
in  the  tni4itipii  that  a  -spec  ial  curse  had  been>  uttored  agjaifisi^llie 
$amaitaii%!  by  Ezra,  Sermbbabel^  and  Joshua.  It  waa  said  that^these 
gr^  ones  assembled  the  i whole  cougreg^iion  of'  Israiak  ■  in;  ^thedlem^ 
pie,  and  that  three  >  hundred  priests,  with  three  hundred  timuipeta; 
and  tha»e  huodjped  books  of  the  Law^  and  three  <  hundred  scholars 
of  the  Iaw,  ha4  been  employed  to  Tepeatv<ainidsti  the  moi^t  ml- 
enm  cepemonial,  all  the  cuiises  of  the  Law  against  thfe^  Sanar- 
itansL;  Thiey  hfid  been  subjected  to  every  form  of  eKeommunioa- 
tion;  bj^  the  incommunieable  name  of  Jefaovahi  l^y)  the  jKafeHbeiiof 
the  lAWt-and  i>y  the  heave^  and  eartMy  ^nagoguea^  ri^hajvexy 
name  became «  reproach.;  "  We  knowithat  Tboa  art  ai  Samwrifaan; 
and  hast  a^evil,"said  the  Jews,  to  Jeeusy  in  Jemaaatenk  )^*/There 
may  be  ^endiinees  between;  Samaria  and  Jerusalem,"  aaid  a  young 
B^pbii  summiAgup  the  pmnts  in  dispute  between  his  .nation  and^the 
Sama^tans,*  "when  the  Outhites  have  nc  more  to  dotwltihtMoupit 
Qerizim;  when  thejl;  praise  Israel,  and  beitieve  inriheresiwreotiohiof 
the  dead — but  not  till  then."  No  Israeliite  could  r  lawfully  eitcnnen  a 
mouthful  of  food  that  had  been  touched  by  a^  {Baanaritan^fotv.  '^ita  do 
so  was  as  if  he  ate  Ihe^esh  of  swine."  Mo  Samaritanfiwaa  iidlewed 
tobecqilie  a  proselyte^  nor  could  be  have  an^  fact  In /the  nesurncatidh 
of  the  dead.  A  Jew  might  be  friendly  with  a  heath^^  but  newer 
with  a  Samaritan,  and  fdl  bargaina  made  with  oneiwem  invaicwLiiiTlie 
testimony  of  a  "SamaritancQuld  not  be  taken  in  a  Jewish  <ourt^  ^d 
to^recelve  one  into  ^ne's  house  would  bring,  dowQfthe  ci:Ut9eil)f/4jUMi 
It  ha4  even 'become  a  subject  of  warm*  controversy  how  far^:«vjew 
might  use  |opd  or  fruit  growjii  on  Samaritan  soil.  What  (grows;  oa 
trees  or  in  fields  was  reckoned  clean,  but  it  was  doubtlul  respecting 
ilour  or  wine.  A  Samaritan  egg^  as  the  hen  laid  it^/ could  mitrbeiiih- 
clean,  but  •  what  of  a  boiled  egg?  Yot  interest >  add*  .coonvenieaee 
Btrove,.by  subtle  casuistry,  to  invent  excuses  for  what  iiitej?ct>uilse  was 
unayoiduWe,  The  country  of  the  Gutbites  was  clean,  so  thsU^mJew 
might,  without  scruple,  gather  i^nd  cat  ita  produce.  The  wa!ter9.of 
Samaria  were  clean^  so  that  a  Jew  might  drink  them  or  waslitjattbieub. 
Their  dwellings  were  clean,  so  that  he  might  outer  them;  lahdieaiit  or 
lodge  in  them.  Their  roads  were  clean,  so  that  the  dust  of  .them  did 
not  d^Ille  a  Jew's  feet.  The  Babbie  even  went  so  far  iuttheii^conlaii- 
dictoiy  utterances,  as  to  say  that  the  \ictuais  of  the  fGuthitee  wxtfo 
allowed,  if  none  of  their  wine  or  vinegar  we]%  mixed  with  th^BHHaiOid 
even  their  unleavened  bread  i  was  to  be  reckoned  fit  for  use  at;  the 
Passover.  Opinioxis  thus  wavered^  but,  asi  a  rule,  harsheir  feeling 
prevailed; 5(t-Mf''f(t'«'t'V''4n W>v,»<)^  nli i --vf v>!d' •Akiii-ik^fp.ni; ;K>aiafw-^-jH<9iiK*iit>- 
Jesus  was  Infinitely  above^  such  unworthy  sti;ijles  and  prej«idiffies« 
tmd  His  disciples  had  caught  something  of  Hi»  eaha  iiievation^  for 
Uuey  had  already  set  6S  to  the  city  for  food,  when  He  spoke  t»<th» 


that  Thou, 
womaiif^ 
HiiiraBdM 
to  Iliad' t6 
mattbrttitif 
tmnaitioni : 
to#ve;— te 
#ho  ipohe 
dTiBlb    He 

IIUDttO>thO( 

quickenliig 
a/ metaphor 
denning  eiie 
meaiLt  the  w 
that;  lor  y< 
Whenoe,  th 
AjreyttuigTf 
gbod'6fu)Ug 
had  other  a 
th6  gift,  of « 
-^M)»'al8ama 
dIriMily  ws 
deat-j  ''\rph 
wUddrlnki 
I()give  will  ] 
8oiil,«spHn^ 
the^oman  < 
thirst,  nor^ni 
ojUv^of'Oomi 

.But<  now 
monaiitiahe 
ofiher-lile^i 
penitescej  •^' 
n6ne.v.iM'.Yc 
banidsitand  li 
had  ttither  c 
sheIwa8)not' 

'Fhe  Ught, 
'•MvlOTd;^ 
dduotlasB,  th 
dred  thoui^ 
mtiiti  btitho 
versation— V 
abov«  itiiiem- 
andiye  eay, 


TH»  Vam  OP  CHRIST*! 


Wf: 


'i*.  'j 


wouMM.  ^'GHk^eoHl^oniy fin  Yiat  'w:oDder,  Ask,  in  reply,  *'How  is*  it 
that  Thou,  beinff  a  Jew,  askest  drink  of  me,  who  am  a  Samaritan: 
womalif  ^   Her  trankness  and  kindly  bearing:  had  its  rewctrd;    With 
Uii  WOBdrousiskiH  in  tisingeyen  the  smallest  and  commonest  trmca 
to  Iciadi'M' the  highest  and  worthiest  truths,  He  lifts  her  thoughts  to- 
matt^  ilnflnif^y  above  the  m^^  wants-  of  the  body.    By  an  easy* 
trunaiticml  Ble  teilB  her  of  -living  water,  tlie  gift  of  God,  whi6h  He  ha^ 
toi|^e;^*HM>  pTeeious,  that,  if  she  knew  what  it  was,  and  who  He  was 
M^ho  tpnke  with  her^  she,  in  her  tiu-n,  would  a^k  Htm  to  allow  h^  to 
dihiib^  He  meant,  of  course,  the  divine  grace  and  truth  given  by 
iluBitolhose  who  sought  it,  the  true  living  water,  ever  fresh  in  its; 
quickenliig  power,  and  elttcacy  to  satisfy  the  thirst  of  the  soul.    SuQh[ 
a/ metaphor  was  exactly  fitted  to  arrest  her  attention,  but,  like  iNico-' 
deanin^  Biie  rises  no  higher  than  the  literal  sense.     **  You  capnot - 
meafuthe  water  in  the- well  here,"  says  she:  "you  cannot  give  hatf' 
that;  lor  yoo.  have  nothing  to  draw  with,  and  the  well  is  aeep., 
Whenoe,  then;  cad  you  get  this  living  water  of  which  you  spe««t; 
Ave  yiclu  igreater  than  our  father  Jacob,  who  gave  us  the  well?  lii^' 
gbod>  enough  for  him  and  his  to  dHnk  from,  and  you  speak  as  i^rou' 
had  other  and  bettlerr    Samaritan  tradition  had  traced  the  well  to- 
th^  gift,  of  Jacob,  though  it  is  not  mentioned  in  Oeaesis;  and  Jacob' 
^*-*to:^al8ainaritan,  as'toa  Jew — was  almost  more  than  a  man.    H^; 
cAri^i^  was  now  fairly  roused,  and  her  willingness  to  hear  was  eyi^^' 
dent!;;'  ^^fPhis  water  is,  no  doubt,  good,"  replied  Jesus,  "liut  any  one 
wUd  driinia  itwill  thirst  again,  whereas  he  who  drinks  the  water  that? 
Ii)giye  will  Biever  thirst,  but  will  find  it  like  a  well  of  wate^  in  his 
8om,vSpk^ingiiig  up 'into  everlasting  life/'    More  and  more  interests,  ^' 
the^oman  craves^some  of  this  miraculous  water,  that  sh6  mayjiot' 
tyrsi,  nor^nlsed  to  com^  all  the  way  thither  to  draw,    ^e  stil|  thinks ' 
Only ^of '0om]iioin<  water^l^i'^/  li-  ,->itifr(*iUAVAtv  i^^japfi-jfy^  *}.t;vvr feU&it.  /iiA^i ^''-»-''^-' 
But  now  followed  ia  '  qu^tioh  which;  «#iiile;  ap^refttl^,  dt  iio* 
mooMlntiahowed'he^that  she  was  before  one  who  kheW  the  secrets 
of  iher-Ule^  andvwhiUe  it  woke  a  sense  of  guilt,  Opek^ed  the, way  for 
peniteBC6i<  '  *^Go;  call  thy  husband. '"^^     She  answered  that  ^he  had 
n6ne.v»iM  You  are  right,*^  Replied  Jesus,  "for  you i  have  had  five  hud*^ 
bandsitandiie  whom  you  now  have  is  not  your  husband. ''    The  Ave 
had  idther  divorced  her  for  immorality,  or  were  dead:  to  the  siktli 
shdtwssinot'marriod.'' -  ;<^hU. i*f.  ,tUi-)i, j.^jiuv*  iAAn^i  a ..■  ; ■  uii  ui  'j.ij<oi 

♦Phe  Ughti*  half -bold  Aiood  of  tlie  W^yian' "Was  now  6tttiMy  pA^j  ■ 
"Mv vlord,'»^  salid  she,  "I  behold  that  Thou  art  a  prophet,"  and., 
ddumlesBj  tlid  conviction  flashed  with  it  through  her  breast  the  kin- 
dred thought,  that  tlie  Jewish  religion,  Which  He  seemed  to  represent,  '•. 
muiti  b^  the  true  one.    Then,  perhaps  half  wishing  to  turn  the  con- ' 
versation— with  a  glance  at  the  holy  hill,  towering  eight  hundred  feet 
abov«t lthiem-*-she  addied,  "Our  fathers  worshipped  in  this  mountain, 
and  t  ye  say,  that  in  Jerutolem  is  the  place- where  men  ou^t  io'^ 


II' 


!|i 


1^  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

*'Tq  tlic  famaritans,  Gkrizim  was  the  mostsacrcid  spot  on  earth. 
It  Vfe^'l^dr  Saciied  mountilin,  and  had  been,  as  they^beraeved;  the  SMit 
ik  Pmiidike,  x^^hfle  all  the  strfeaths  that  water  the  earth  weirfe  siijp^oted 
tb  floU'  ttbin  it:  Adttth  had'  b6ien  fdrmeid  ol  its  dndt,  andhad*  liv^oii' 
it.  'Hie  f6w  afamaiiians  Sllll  surviving;  8h6w,  fcven ^at  this  day^the 
iij^i  oA  Hvhich  he  biillt  his  first  altar,  aM  that  On  wh|fah.''ttftenihi(fds, 
tft6'alffitr  6'f  Betli,  also, -WaS  ttiised.  They"forifeiedHh«t  Oidriirtnt*  was 
Jii^f^^  iifty?Gttcitbits  hi^het  than  the  next  hi;ghest  and 'next  holiest 
n^ouhtafft  oil  cailih-^Mriutit  Ebal;  and  that'  it  was  the  one  plnre  and 
S$45rc<lsp!6t  ih'the  ti^Orld,  wliicih,  havinj*  risen  above  the  wa*ert  of  the 
flood,  np  corpa/d  hhd  d^lllfed.  Thdrj  PataarJtan  child  of  the  nei^faboAi'^ 
Upod  poul^  point' oitt  the  ijlaces  oh  it  where  Noah  came  out  from  tfe'e 
atk,  and  ik'hCTe  he'bililt  hisaltar;  and  show  the  seven  altar  steps;  ew 
^teh  of '•^hidh  Kbrift  offered  a  pacriflee.  The  altar  oh  which' Abrahaaar 
ltotin4Ts,ftac;  and  the  spot  yvhtta  the  ratn  Was  caught  in  the' thicket, 
>v'(^^''ail^ongst  its  wpildei's.  lii  the  centre  df  tlie'eiinitriit  wais  the 
broad  ^oMoii  "^Ivhtch  Jacob  rested  his  head  when  he  sawdhe  mytltid 
lAia'M^'^ni^^^iiit.i  4^^  >-->>*  Where  Joshua  btiilt  the  first'  altar  in^^ 

the  twelve  stohies  he  set  up,  on  the'und^ 
,  tlT6  Law*  of  Moses  had  been  writteUi  ^  On 
tiiiS'iacred  g^^otincitheii' Temple  hM  jrtodd  forf^o  hundred  years» 
WSestfo^aVby  the  Je^s  a  hutidred  and  twehty-nine  yearerbttfe^ 
Ch^st:  '  T6\<''ards  Gerlzim  ev^  Samaritan  turned  hi«  fawe  when*  ffe 
^j^(^a;'ai(d  'it  w^arbyievedihe  Messiah  v 


i 


w<juM  first  appear'dn  its  to|>« 
^^S'fiiilj'ftont  thei^  tiMing^plte  it  the  sacrefd  veKsefe  of  the'Taber- 
^adl^'bf  Jllibs^es.  It '^ammspeakaWy 'sacr«id  to  the  nation,  )a»<tfae^t6ne 
spot  on  earth  Where  ihclh-H-asiiearest  his  Maker;  The  simpleSamttr- 
itan  W6;ti[jan,wit;h'  whpili  Jc^^  talked,  had  been  trained  upf.iit'the 
q:nd6ubtln^  belief  6f  hll  these  legenfls;  ntid  her  very  mentionof  Jerto- 
8aiem»  respectfully,  aa  a  place  sacred  in  the  ej'cs  of  the 'Jew,  showed 
tf  Mf ft  ready  t6  be  taught.  '  -  '       >    .- 

,  'Iphe  Vas  otily  a  humble  womafa,  and  withal','  of  j)Oor» antecedents, 
j^tiitt-v^as  the  characteristic  of  Jesus  to  rebogni^e  tlhe  bettier  «elf* 
even  iii  the  outcast  and  lost.'  The  hope  and  joy  of  the  triumpfiant 
itttitrebf  Hi^  kingdom  rbsfe  !n  His  soul  as'  He  discoutsed'^th  her; 
^ona^oAv  intolerance  had  place  in  His  breast;  no hauj^y  Jewish 
,:^ati6naMy  prejudiced  Him  agdnst  man  as  man. '  Away  Irbm  the 
,ctose  stitfing  bigotry,  and  fierce  self -righteousness  of  Judea;  He 
breathed  'moi*e  freely.  To  the  ^/amfaritaiis  He  felways  seeifis  toMve 
(eV  kindly,  for  it  is  iEt  Samaritan' whom  He  chose  to  illustrate  the ^lAw 
jOrf  Ueiglibourty  love  In" His  immortal  parable;  it  was  a  Samaritan 
-^iio,  alone,  of  the  ten  lepers  He  healed,  i*etumed  to  give  glory -to  God^, 
AhdViiow,  it  wa^  a  Samaritan  woman  who,  by  opening  her  heart  to 
His  wdrdSj  first  cheered  His  spirit,  after  the  cold  unbelief  of  Jndea; 
Tiie  influences  of  the  spot,  moreover,  had,  doubtless,  their  effect  on 
pile  Sd  much  ib  cdmmunioti  with  nature.  The  towering  hills  on  each 
gide— steep — ^wcU  nigh  precipitous,  and,  as  seen  from  the  well  wiier© 


He  flatj!  na 

i$8  buJ^li] 

in  gardens 

aa<  broad, 

spread  far 

Wihole,  floe 

deli^te  se 

Ti»e  very  t 

spiratioa,,^ 

wlviqfethis 

wwi  ^eije, . 

hi?  fa^her'« 

M»e,J<awfr< 

of  judges  a 

heftore  Hin 

nowHe,  th 

tnie;"Prin 

Ae  spiritua 

Truth  and 

of !  the  sacrc 

iH^enthelo 

aFayMdr 

He.t"fijnhc 

JeriuwleiQcv, 

Himrrrf-igtio: 

8|yi:W©iiee; 

haverejectc 

ateflotinll 

Gpdj  have 

God  has  re 

natMialina 

gQd8,alftBg 

re()«iyi^  til 

Hi8[  saivatio 

the  finn,  pu 

i^  the  prop] 

Jt^ovaitalo 

Jews  be  rig 

past,  both  a 

An  hour  co] 

the:*>ther  i 

Him  thus. 

in  spirit  anc 

Words  lil 

worjd;  are^ 

MftkOT.    Th 

before  God, 


T^'i^'6T^iMRiB!r. 


m 


eartb. 

ly'i'tbe 
mteABr 

holiest 
re  Slid 
ofihiJ 

am  to 

Imfaator 
hicket, 
^a»  the 

tn  t*\€f 

mi  On 

yearSk 

fhen^ffe 

itsto^i 

itt  the 
)f  Jerto- 
showed 

iedetite^ 
ei'  self  * 
npliseiit 
it^her; 
Jewish 
bhi  the 
lea;  Hfe 
t6«WiVe 
the^fetw 
hhfritan 
^  Obd^, 
i4^ir*  to 

Jndeft; 
ff ect  on 
oi^eftch 

Vi/4iere 


He  flftti! naked  and  sterile;  the  undulating  valley  between  them,  with 
i$8.,  bui^ling  brook;  the  busy  and  prosperous  Shechem,  embowenvd' 
in  gardens  and' orchards  ;thef  great  plain,  ten  miles  in  length  and  half 
as  broad,  outside,  with  its  cornfields,  vineyards,  and  oTiVe  groves,^ 
spread-far' and  near;  the  framework  of  hills  enclosing  it  round;  thq 
Wliole  flooded  >  by  the  bright  Eastern  noon,  must  have  touched  Hia 
deU^te  sensibility,  as  they  could  not  have  affected  duller  natures. 
T^lie.  very  associations  of  the  scene  must  liave  breathed  a  sacred  in-^ 
spfratioa,  for,  here,  Jacob  had  wandered;  for  the  very  ground  otf 
wl^ich  this  well  had  been  dug,  he  had  paid  a  hundred  pieces  of  mbney: 
apd  l^ei^e,  Joseph,  his  famous  son,  lay  buiied,  within  the  bounds  0£ 
hi9  father's  purchase.  Here  Joshua  had  gathered  the  trills  to  hea# 
tl^il^aw  from  the  rounded  hilltops  above,  and  Gideon,  and  (^  loiigroU 
of  judges  and  kings^  had  made  it  the  centre  Of  their  ryle.  The  plain 
befiore  Him  had  been  the  gathering  place  of  the  hosts  of  Israel,  and 
now  ]|e,  the  greater  Joshua,  a  mightier  judge, than  Gideon,  and  tho 
true;"  Prince  of  Grod,"  was  about  to  summon  the  peaceful  soldiers  of 
^  spiritual  Israel  to  a  loftier  i^niggle  than  ever  earth  had  seen — for 
l^'ruth  and  GodL  A  divine  enthusiasm  filled  His  soul,  and  the  vision 
r^fthe  sacred  future  He  came  to  inaugurate' for  man  rose  before  Him, 
w^en  the  loeal>  national,  and  transitory  in  religion,  should  have  passed 
away  iH^ore  the' univei'sul,  spiritu^,  and  eternal.  "Bplieve  me,'* said 
He»i "  an  hour  comes  when  ye  shall  neither  in  this  mountain,  nor  in 
Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father.  Ye  worship  God  without  knowing 
Him-n+iguoraatly.  Your  Temple,  when  it  stood,  was  without  a  ndme : 
^yi^worse;  your  forefathers,  after  a  time,  dedicated  it  to  idols.  You 
have/iejjected  the  prophets  and  all  the  Scriptures  after  Moses,  and,  thus, 
are  hot  in  living  connection  withthe  earlier  history  of  the  kingdom'oi 
Gpd;  have  no  intelli^^eDt  knowledge  of  the  advandng  steps  by  which 
God  has  revealed  Himself,  but  rest  on  dark  tradition^  and  fanciisd; 
natiural  in  a  people  whose  religion  be^an  with  the  worship  of  strange 
gods,  along  with  Jehovah.  We,  Jews,  worshfp  that  Which  our  having 
rec^yi^  tlie  Scriptures,  has .  taught  us  to  kno\y .  The  Mcssiali  ahd 
Hisi  saivation  must  oome  from  among  the  Jews.  They  have  cheri8h6d 
the  linn,  pure,  and  living  hojx;  of  Him,  revealed  more  and  more  fully- 
ijd  tbf[  proplKits,  and  their  Temple,  w^hich  has  always  been  sacred  to 
Jefioy^i  alone,  has  kept  this  hope  ever  before  them.  But,  though'  the 
Jews.be  right,  as  against  the  Samaritans,  in  sO  far  as  relates  to  tho 
pa^t,  both  are  on  equal  footing  as  to  tlie  far  more  glorious  future. 
An  hour  eomes,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  will  worship 
the  J'ather  in  spirit  and  truth,  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  as  worship 
Him  thus.  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship  Him  must  worship 
in  spirit  and  truth." 

li^ords  like  these  marked  an  epoch  in  the  spiritual  history  of  the 
world;  a.'revolUtio&  in  all  previous  ideas  of  the  relation  of  man  to  his 
Mf^ker.  They  are  the  proclamation  of  the  essential  equality  of  ma:h 
before  God,  and  show  the  loftiest  superiority  to  innate  human  prejii- 


tro 


mmrrmFir  of  chiuotv 


I 


dide  or  nairownebs.  Christ  speaks,  not ;  «s  a  Jtamn  but  ins  t]^. ;  ^o^  of 
Matt;  the  reptostsnttttiye  of  the  whole. race,  The  M^m  con^rqy^v 
between)  race  and  race  is  only  touched,  ia  passings  with,  ^i4iy)|^f^^l4'r 
nesB.  Rising  high,  not  oikly  above  His  own  age*  butjeyiBp.aibQve  thp 
prejudices  of  au  ages  dnoo.  He  gives  mankind  their •c)i{^rl;l9E,,qf 
spiritual  liberty  for  evermore.  Jerusalem  and  Gerizim  {are,Q|[^|y^  tof^ 
and  subor^nate  considerations.  The  worth  of  man's, hon^figfe.jlio 
God  does  not  depend  on  the:  place  where  <it  is  paid>  '  'fh^  tsu^  Vi^V: 
ship  has  its  temple  in  the  inmost  soul,i  in  the  spirit  aQd  hoartr  >t\  ^ 
the  life  of  the  soul ;  it  is  communion  with  Qod;  t^e  reverend  .^ W,93 
df  our  nature  to  truth.  It  is  spil'itual  and  moral,  not.  oiUwai;4  ai^u 
ritual,  spi^ging  from  the  great  truth,  ri^^tly  .:aF^reh^4e4i  ¥ihif;^ 
Jesds  had  first  uttered,  that  God  is  a  Bpirit  The- revelation  ojf.lhis^ 
in  the  wide  application  now-given  it,  was  the  foundation  <^  thoij^qw 
Religion  of  all  Humanity.  The  isolation  and  exclusiveness  pf  tQ^VW 
creeds  were  swept  alvay  by  it  forever.  Reli^on  wasibeiiicefojtlji^^p 
tribal  privilege  jealously  kept  within  the  narrow,  bounds  of  pncre 
nationality:  '  The  universal  presence  of  a  ispiritual  Croid  m^de,  i^ 
Whole  world  alike  His  shrine.  The  veil  of  the  Temple,  vas  first  ;^^t 
at  Jacob's  Well,  and  He  Who,  tiU  then,  had^  as  men,  thojugj^t^  4w^^ 
only  in  the  narrow  limitsof  the  chamber  it  ehrouded,  w^^Vl<3!]^4 ih^j^> 
ftbm  that  hour,  to  consecmte  aU  the  earth  as  one  gSBeatl^olgroi  Hpifi^s. 
Bkmaritans,  Heathen,  Jews,  were,  henceforthtpcocjlaimeid  jph^l^^^njQf 
acommonheavenly  Father,  and  Jesus,  when  Hex  pi^?§entiy,  clil^^ Jp 
be  the  Messiah,  announced  Hdmaelf  as  the  SAVioyR  of  tl^e  Wc»ff^^^ 

Perplexed  to  understand  words  so  lofty,t  the^simpleripjn^^a  ii^^^ia^^ 
wai^  f^in  to  put  off  any  attempt  toi  solve  them,^  till,  jne  c^m^/for 
ivhom,  in  common^  with  the  Jews,  she  waited^.    She  jpeU  to^ly  C9^- 


Even  the  Samaritans  hatl  their  hopes  of  a.  gr^at  deliverer,, i^jc^pe^t^ 
Him  to  restore  the  kingdom  of  I«iael,  and  renew  thcr  Tvom^^j.at 
Mount  Gerizim,  bu*  they  thought  of  ijim  owly  ftS  actji^g.jby  jijin^n 
'ageiicies  for  inferior  ends.  •^:tax:)i*T  YTioi.iodf  (y'.'hMm  <ltJ'-«/*vtifmiiv) 
<  Jesus  was  far  from  recognizinjg  her  ai»  right  in  AM  fih^<|iiQa<^t  py 
Buch  an  answer,  but  slie  had  shown  a  modest  and  ^opjle  spi^f ,  m^h 
as  He  always  loved;  Bhe  had  acknowledged  Him  a§  a  prophe;t,^,had 
Kstencd  eagerly  to  Hia  words,  and  shown  bo\>r,  she  hop^d  t-liat  tl^e 
Messiah,  wlien  He  came,  would  set  the  long  controversy,  ,ib ,  Jre^t. 
Hdr  honest  wish  to  know  the  truth;  her  ipterest  in  the  st^d^ng  of 
her  people  to  God  and  the  Law,  andhei;  alMcio^^,  yearping  ipr  iilie 
coming  of  the  Messiah,  revealed  a  frame  of  mind  iStte^ ,  to  iiPfje^ve 
fiirther  Hght.  "  You  need  not  wait, "  said  He,  ,* '  I  tUat  ^pej^ ,  unto 
thee  -  am  UK. '  *  The  first  great  revelation  of .  tho,  $t^vlo,ur .  wa^ ,  to 
humble  shepherds.  The  first  direct  disclosure  of  Hunseli  as,  jthe 
Messiah  was  to  an  humble  Samaritan  woman! 


td'ftddRi 
iUbdnitho 

Tiiat  aw< 
iihmbid^, 
iVds  alttioi 
his  hridb, 
^ei}i  this  ^ 
sexes  iri^i 
Ho'idliihari 
bfthichi 

Wp^k'^it^ 
ll'vM  idr] 

lieSeetiiii' 
Hid  n^Msiif'n 
;<ivhidi  in 
'W#fhlt}^t 

thid  Mw,  1 

hePiiitl^'i 
hrih^r  ill 
liipibtis,  w 
to  mfin. 

BfltHew 
ymii  iii< 
Mtr^e 
to'hiiiiible 
WiM  bi 

sf  ill  to  re 

■tiWith:r''W 

hor  judgi 
fs;'it'tou& 
lib  1)l^tiiiJjl 
timisM  as  I 
ppiMons  0 
:'^fetrange 
b,nd  revere 
4hy'  ekjiriE 
pitcher,  hi 


fift^  liTFE  OP  OHRIST. 


871 


bve  t|i|B 

}f  inere 
ftcje,  i)^ 

rfmm 

,  "waii  to 
f.'as,  ]the 


''H^trwftlleV'tlte  df^iples  had  returned  ftora  the  oitv^  and  wondered 
tdMd  Him  t^ing  witli  awomwa.  The  relations  of  the  sexes,  even 
iH'^iliitionlife/vrbrfe  verv  narrow  and  suspicious  among  Uie  Jews, 
lliat  li  ^oman 'i^ouid  allow  Uerself  to  bo  seen  Unvbiled  was  held 
Ithiiibd^t,  arid  lEbr  aYir  woman  to  let  herself  he  heard  singing  b  song 
Wdsi  altiidst  ui^haste.  In  Judea  a  bridegroom  might  be  alone  if^ith 
hts  tiildb,  for  ^be  first  time,'  an  hour  before  marriage^  but  in  Qalilee 
efVeiji  this  was  thoiight  unbecoming.  Trades  which  brought  the  two 
sbx^s  in(  ariy  iheasUre  into  contact  were  regarded  with  suspicion,  and 
ito^i^thariied  i^^rsom  of  f^Hher  sex  could  be  a  teacher,  lest  the  parents 
t>t  tiii  cMldreh  mi|^t  visit  the  school.  In  Babhis  especially,  even 
td^^^akwithaWomstti^  In  public  was  held  indecorous  in  the  highest 
d^^eiB.  **Tf(i  one"  (that  is.  no  Ribbi).  ea^s  the  Talmud,  ^ Is  to 
Wn^kr^th  a  Ionian,  even  if  slie  be  his  wife,  in  the  public  street." 
It'^  io^rbidden  to  gte^  a  woman^  or  take  ahy  notice  of  her.  "  8ix 
ihihjgif,/-'v^iare  told,  -lire  to  be  shunned  by  a  Rabbi.  He  must  not 
t^'  6e^  ill'  thk  sir6)et  dripping  with  oil  (which  would  imply  vainity): 
iien^fl^'notgobutat  Uightalone:  he  is  not  fo  wear  patched  shoes 
^ivhidli  iii  certkiri  cases  wibuTd  be  carrying  a  burden,- when  it  was  un- 
la^iil  i^do^):  he  must  hot  sp^akwith  a  wOman<  in  a  public  pkice: 
hi^m^ilt  shM' all' iiitercoUt^  with  common  people  (for,  not  knowing 
thrliw,  tlieV  ihiglit  be  'unclean '):  he  must  not  take  long  steps  (for 
tfiMi^ 'i^b^ld  ieihoW  that  he^as  not  sunk  in  the  study  of  the  Law^:  and 
licJ'iiiti^/nor'lvallfe  erd6t  (for  that  would  betray  pride),"  Though 
h^^r  ill  iRM^itlbh  and  riespect  among  t3ie  Jews  than  in  other  Eastern 
imnbiis,  liifbtean;  at  the  time  of  Christ,  was  treated  as  wholly  inforior 
to  man.  "Let  thcJ  W6rds  of  the  Law  be  burned,"  says  Rabbi  iUea- 
iild^,  "wher  than  committed  to  women."  **He  who  instructs  his 
dlA^iei' ih  thc^  Ifjaw,'*  says  the  Talmud,  "instructs  her  in i folly," 
B^t  He  who  came  to  raise  mankind  to  spiritual  freedom  and  moral 
pth^ty,^  inchided  wcmiiih,  ds  wdl  as*man,  In  Hiia  grand  pbilantbropv, 
and' W^ed  with  Silent  contempt  the  prudeiV  by  which  it  was  sou/srnt 
to  htihible  throne' sex  to  exalt  the  other.  116  was  a  teacher  not  ior 
aiQ"'agei  but  for  all  time,  and  woman  owes  her  elevation  to  social 

gqjiality  with  man  to  the  lofty  respect  shoWn  her  by  Jesus  of  Naza^ 
etfif  '^T'o  hav6  the  6ouiraj*e  of  One's  opinions  is  rare,  and  it.  is  rarer 
sf^ftt  t&  retaiii,  with  it,  a  modest  humility,  and  simple  worship  of 
4jratlli.'r'W  Ua  it  is,  rattier;  supercilious  contempt  of  infe- 

Vipi^'jiidgm^tits  than  lb wljr  homage  to  convidtion.  In  Jesus  alone 
fs'ltfouhd  as' att'  instinctive  and  never-failing  cliaracteristic^  with 
uojbl^iiiish  or  qi^alification  of  attendant  weakness.  He  acts,  at  all 
ttm^k  sis  before  Gkitd  albne,  and  as  if  unoonsdous  of  the  piesenee  or 
^)t^Onsof 'irianv^';'-'^'^'*^''*^"^^^^  -ni^  if.  -.  , 

;  M§t^h^  as  the  ihcidlait  must  have  seemed  to  thfe  discipleis;  th©  awe 
knd  reye^eiice  which  Jesus'bad  already  excited  in  their  minds  checked 
ahy' ekj^riesisfion' of  ^Urprii^.  Meanwhile  the  woman,  leaving  her 
pitcher,  hurried  off  to  the  city,  to  make  known  the  presence  of  ^ 


1fl2 
and  see 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


uH  stranger,  and  lii*^'  ii  itiii^'y  Mr^t' coid^rtd'jfe  r^'ffim, 
if  He  were  ^ot  tlio  cxpcct;ed  Hessi^ili.    I^  her  absence,  the 


P^ 


disciples,  once  and  again  invited  Jesus  to  take  some  refreshpiei)^. 

But  His  soul^as  too  full  of  other  thoughts,  wMrh  drbyeia^^y  ajl 

sense  of  hunger.    "1  have  food  to  eat,''  said  He,  **  that  ye  know  not 

of," — words,  wliich  to  their  dull  material  range  of  mind,  seemed  only 

to  refer  to  food  brought  in  their  absence.     "My  meat,"  said  He, 

seeing  their  misconception,  **  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  tiiat  sent  Me, 

and  to  finish  His  work."    Then,  lifting  His  eyes,  and  looking  up  the 

stretching  valley,  or  round  the  wide  sweep  of  the  plain,  in  both  of 

which,  ^oubtless,  the  busy  peasants  were  scattering  thesc^^  forjhc 

^arv^St,  then*  four  months  distant,  He  caught  sight  of  a  multittidp 

ooming,  under  the  guidance  of  the  woman,  to  hear   flis  worm. 

Fired  at  (he  sight;  tie  went  on^—**  You  say,  'After  four  monthsWljl 

come  tfhe  harvest.*    But  I  say,  look  yonder  fit  the  throng  comife 

towards  us.'    Thej/  are  the  noblest  harvest,  and  tl^eir  coming,  sjl/i^ws 

that  you  Imve  not  to  w$it  to  reap  it,  as  they  liave  to  reap  tl)e  seit?(l 

now  slowing,  for  their  souls,  like  autumn  fields,  are  already  wli|te 

for  the  sickle.    And  how  rich  the  reward  for  yqu,  my  d\^imeB,^yi(^l^ 

will  be  the  reapers  1    You  >vill  gather  fruit,  not  like  the  harvi^sv.of 

eartli,  but  fruit  unto  life  eternal.     You  and  I,  liie  Sow^r  and  ine 

reapers,  mav  well  rejoice  together  in  the  parts  assigned  us  by;.  Cf pel. 

Thmk  of  the  final  harvest  home,  when  Heaven,  the  ;|fneat  ^frpj^J'* 

e4iall  hkve  the  last  sheaf  carried  thither  I    The  sower. and  the,  rieaper 

are  indeed  distinct,  as  the  proverb  has  it,  speaking  of  cpmpioii  ,]{rc. 

I  have  pi^^ed  and  sown  the  field;  you  shall,  nereafter,  dp'ltbje 

labour  that  is  needed  as  it  ^ro^s,  and  reap  the  sheaves  as  they  ripen, 

Y'our  work  will  be  real  of  its  k^nd,  but  to  b|-eak  up  the><;al,  and  cast 

in  the  seed,  is  harder  than  to,  watch  the  rising  gi:e^n.^  I  sen^^  Voii  16 

enter  on  the  frtiit  of  my  tpil.:^  .^v '  r    . .  , ' .  4fem^n"..iru;rl^'a J!'^^ 

Judea  had  yielded  no  harvest,  but  the  despised  people  of  Sncclnpini 

were  better  spiritual  soil;    There  was  no  idle  thronging  arouj^fi„^S;in 

Jiidea,  in  hopes  of  seeing  miracles:  none  were  asked,  and  none  yveve 

wrought.    The  simpler  and  healthier  natures,  with  which  It6  here 

eame  m  contact,  were  satisfied  in  many  cases,  by  the  word^  0^  (l»e 

woman  alone.    Gathering  to  hear.  His  words  deepened  the  coijyijb- 

tions  of  those  impressed  already,  and  roused  the  hearts  Of  ptni^rk. 

At  their  request,  two  days  ,were  spent  in  teaching.    To  have  feta^ed 

longer  might,  perhaps,  have  compromised   the    future,  W  raising 

Jewish  prejudice.    Meanwhile,  the  work,  thus  auspiciously  begim, 

could  not  fail  to  spread.     "We  believe,"  said  the  new  converts,  after 

the  two  days' intercourse  with  Jesus,  "not  because  of  tl^e  woman's 

saying,  for  we  have  heard  Him  ourselves,  and  know  that  thi$  |s, 

indeed,  the  Sayiour  of  the  world."    Jews  might  have  acknowledged 

Him  as  the  Messiah,  but  only  Sanmritans,  with  thefr  far  ittore 

generous  conceptions  of  the  Messianic  Kingt^om,  could  have,  tb<^qgiit 

of  Him  as  the  Saviour  of  mankind. 


theyeS 
-mosk  w( 

dmblttcn 

h-)  iliort 

he^rfers  tn 

to.neart. 
Imppiiiess 
prfesSed  b; 
fmy\  for 
<;,'j^nyictio| 

i|S 

iiew  f^dhpj 
harate,  wi 

a^djoy^,, 
tlicbrfgii^ 
l^^^led  ^YJith 


tliey,  al09 
tW.}Yere 


;  AftCfai 
Aventpn  n< 
cliM;  to  ^ 
tlie  nortb'i 

plifflCut  to 


A^HK  UFE  OP  CHUIftT. 


878 


TImi;.  Qfiturallj^  from  the  V^oat  indifferent  trifle  of  daily  life,  had 
^nie  tho  di^cl68^re  of.th^'  highest  trutlis.  as  a  l^gapy  to  aXl  affos. 
TTie'weti  of  Jacob  liad1)eComG  the  pqat  of  the  Great  Teaclier^  beforo 
Wh^s^  wotd)9,  th6n  spol^^n  ^6  an  liu|nble  woman  of  Samaria,  the  most 
^mbittere<l  ettm^tios  qf  Qattons  and  reUgioiis  wiU,  one  day,  pasfi  away. 


CHAPtER  XXXII. 


<)K'-i>Jj^     .     ■  ■ 

-M-  briha  ui^j.-idiU  "to 
•ill  f}ii.'^ti'<.t>j  ■'  ■■    ■■■'■■ 

O  ifiOrt    Ol  .'i  ./OFEIIIKO  OF  THE  MlKlSTRY  Of  OALILBR. 

;' Ijil'NATi^B^'HHo  that  pf  J^^  as  sphsltivc  as  strong,  miwt  have  ffftt 
th<Bj))teas\yje  Whjch  only  first  sucq^sses  can  give,  at  Ilia  ijcartv  jr^ceth 
ti6n  ,T)y  the  ^ajHaritahs'.  Rejected  In  Juclea,  He  had  fo,^nu  willing 
hearers  ini  thei  despised  people  of  {Jhechem.  A  nucleii3  oif  JIls  fepg- 
c^otili;  had  b<;en  formed,  and  !t  must,  by  its  nature,  spi^pad, from  heai;t 
tpty'eart.    Intensely  human  \n  His  sensibility,  He  ngw  .enjoyed  the 

ladbeende- 


l^ppiiiess  He  %4  trailed  foifth  in  others,  as,  b^^ 
ptfes&ed  by  itp  apsenqe^    He  neither  expected  nor  desired  noisy  popu- 
laVfty,  for  He  ktii^\V  that  ijjs  'kingdom  could ,  grow  only  by  |ho  seqr^t 
9^nvictiojtt  pf  soul  after  l^pm. 


(  Y^t^Jn;9n^  sens^,  it  wd^  already  complete  ip  each  new  dMplc^or 
<j|^ch  hear^  i;hat  tjeceivecj  Him  was  a  spot  in  whi^h  It  was  fullV  set  up 
— l<s"  Mws  apccpte^,  and  the  will  and  affections  entirely  His.  Tp  each 
iieiy  j^dherent  He  was  more  thanking,  for  He  reigned  oyer  thqiif  whole 
ijafute,  with. a  majesty  ^ucji  as  nojpther  ^ii)g  could  command.  ,  The 
ingh^^t.bllss  of'cach  was  to  haveno  tbougbt  or  wish  apart  iftpm  Sis,  . 
for  m  t^^e  mea^Wpi  llk^pess  f9  H^^V,JayjEheir  spiritual  puijty,.pe.ace, 
ai^djoy.  They  felt  thiattp  b^conae  His  disciples,  was  fo  anticiijiate 
tlic' brl^'test  hopes  of  the  eternal  world,  for  it  wa^s  tp  h^ye^  their  pospms 
filled  wj[|h  the  light  aud  loy;e  ojf  Ood.    Eartli  i)(evev  saw  suph  a  king, 

.Bt|t  Hecould  not  stay  ij^  pamana,,    His  worj^  lay  in  Israel..    No 


ojtlier  teple'  were  so  fitted '  for  it,  l^y  tlie  training  p'f  two  thousand 
y'cj^ai^  pJ^iCjie^ished  hopes,  and  by  the  possession  of  tlio  oracles  pf  Cfod„ 


tM  ojji^  gr^ndl  trea^ure^of  .eieriiajl  truth  in  tlie  han^s  of  niao,  Tiieyr 
alonpi  6t  allmanKind  realized  the  idea  pf  a  true  kinffdom  of  Cl;od; 
tliey.  alor     —  "        "~  


, -^ere  a-g[lo^y  ,:for  its  advent,    Misconceptions  rempve^i. 
ntted  above  all  other  tacps,  to  be  the  apostles  of  the  new 


the 

■:a; 


went, oh  nori]i\^ards,  tp wards  Qa^ilee.  The  rpad  passes  through  She. 
c^lieim,  tio  ^ati^aria,  which  lies  on  its  hill,  at  three  hours*  distance.  Oil 
tiienoHht^fet.^    It  was'l^  glory,  ^s  Herod  had  left  it;  no 

longer  fh^  01(1  Samaria,  biit,  th^  spiendicl  Scbaste,  namctl  thus  in  com' 
plimfeht  to  Augustus.    Its  grand  public  buildings,  its  magnificcait' 


l!\ 


m 


THS  LIFB  OF  CfiRiaT. 


I^mple,  dedicated  inblatpbemoiu  flattery  of  Auguituit.  lU  OQlonq(U(8#, 
triumphal  archea^  baths,  and  theatrea,  iumI  ita  famou*  wau.  twmt^ 
atadia  {ft  circuit,  Wltl  itadaborate  ffiite'V  eiicloaintf  tba  WAOic^weiw 
Iji^ore'HlmiasHe  passed  on.  At  KniaQuimr-tbe  FouiUaiii  oIOm^* 
dena— on  the  JMuthem  slope  of  the  great  plain  of  KMn^oloiii  Jae 
'd'Oflsed  the  Samaritan  border,  ahd  was  >nce  more  in  Galilee*. 

Avoiding  Nazareth,  with  a  wise  in'tinot  that  a  prophet  had  bo 
honour  in  his  own  country,  He  continued  His  journey  to  Cana. across 
the  green  pastures  and  cornfields  of  ft'/ie  plain  of  Battauf.  lie  had, 
indeed,  felt,  before  leaving  Samaria,  that  a  district  where  He  had  bean 
familiarly  known  in  Hia  earlier  life  would  be  less  disposea  to  receive 
B^m  thto  others  in  which  Ue  was  a  stranger,  but  tltis  gpuldLO|i)y 
'Apply  to  the  hnmediate  bounds  of  jNajsareth  or  Capernaum.    On  th^ 


r 


other  hand,  the  news  of  His  popularity  in  Judea,  acd  of  His  mi9«(;i^i9 
arid  disoourses  in  Jerusalem,  had  bren  carried  back  to  GaiUcq/py 
pilgrims  who  had  returned  from  the  f^asti  and  had,  doubtld^fs,  MCt^rt a 
Him  a  much  bettier  reception  in  the  piovince  at  large  than,  m  Hlinielf 
a  GaUlaean,  He  would  otherwise  hav^  found.    But  even  ,had  He  felt 

'thitt  He  w6uld  be  rejected  in  Gkililee  as  He  had  been  in.  Judea,  IHis 
homage  to  duty,  and  grand  self-sacrifl  ce  to  fts  demands,  woujd  have  90 
ihitch  the  moh)  impelled  Him  to  carry  His  great  message  (hither.    Per- 

'aoAAl  feelings  liad  no  phice  in  His  souL  it  wotUd  have  been  only  one 
mord,  added  to  His  iife-long  conflicts  with  human  perviirsity  anap)l, 
u>  b^ve  foreboded  indifference  and  neglect,  and  offer  even  to  those 

'1«rho  sUghted  Him  the  prbofscf  HiS  divine  dignity  and  WorU)^   T)ie 

^pfo^het  had  foretold  that  th<^  Great  Light  of  the  Kingdom  oif ,  God 
would  shine  hi  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles,  and  amidst  whaievw  hu^ijlhi- 
tion  and  peAvi  of  heart  in  ahtiqipated  rejection,  He»  itft  King,  ^oyid 
haVe  goue  thither  to  proclaim  it,  wild  honour  the  divine  prediction., 
•  The  firlsi  return  of  Jesus  to  Galilee,  from  the  Jordan.  ha4  fio^ii 
marked  by  the  ihtracie  at  the  wedding  feast  at  Cana,  as  if  to  roju^e 

Hhc  genem  mind,  und  now,  His  Second  return  was  procIaime(|<in.t|ie 
dame  w&y.    He^perhaps,  had  gone  to  live  for  a  time  with  thf  frl^ds 

.lor  whom  B6  had  tuniied  the  water  into  .wine,  or,  it  may  be,  Uo'WKs 

f>A<^iiest  of  ^othajlael,  as,  .in  Capernaum,  of  Peter.  His  recepiicmtiaB 
He  passed  on  His  way  to 'Cana,  had  been  cheering  in  tlie  extreme,  {or 
the  reports  from  the  south  had  raised  Him  to  an  undefined'  greatn^ 

'  1^  the  popuhu*  eyes.  They  had  learned  to  be  proud  of  HJm  jtts  Uieir 
ctoimtryman,  when  they  found  Him  so  famous  elsewhere.  Thitit 
crowds  h«id  followed  Him  in  Judea,  secured  Him  favour,  so, far, 

tiPnriong  the  multitude  in  the  north.  His  return  had  rison  to  the  di|^y 
<^  a  public  eyeut,  and  passed  from  lip  to  iip  through  the  whole  o^b- 

t  :-  It  had  thul'fipeedily  become  known  in  Oaperna^um  that  Ho  wai  once 
^mprc  in  Cana,  after  His  nine  or  ten  mo(nths^absenoe  fpm  GaUlee. 
^Hifl  miraculous  power  over  sickness  and  physical  evili  lis  shown  in 
£^efusalem,1iad  become  a  .subject  of  univeraal  report,  Ending  iti  ?i^ay 


V 


cvtm  I1 
others, 
was  In 
how  til 
ManaM 
Jesus,  1 

;  female 

■  easily  f 

new  wx 

Lake  o\ 

tempers 

BOW  wl 

certain 

atiUac 

by- the  ( 

apparel 

the  hop 

thither 

deatli,  ^ 

Then 

showed 

and  WO] 

'  credent 

was  itti 

despise( 

boayt  '\\ 

Of  Him 

oVercon 

'  ceptano 

des  ha(j 

wasutt 

needed 

asked  £ 

mid  bell 

you  no 

pathy 

•prepara- 

belief  ii 

ception 

the  mO! 

blessing 

give  th^ 

tieeded 

only  the 

down  ei 

eoh  wer 


THOBi  lilFE  OF  CHM6T. 


etra  Into  the  dlded  leclufilon  of  mantions  and  palmcea  Among 
Dthon,  a  high  offleer  of  the  court  of  Horod  Antipai,  whose  manflWii 
iras  in  Capernaum,  had  heai^  of  the  wonderful  Teacher.  We  know 
how  the  miracles  of  Christ  reached  tho  ears  of  Antipas  himtell;  that 
ManflMu  his  foster-brother,  actually  became  an  humble  follower  of 
[  Jesus,  and  that  Johanna,  the  wife  of  Choudza,  the  house  steward  or 
mana^r  of  the  private  affairs  of  Antipas,  was  one  of  many  devoted 
fema^  disciples  and.  friends,  of  the  richer  claAse:^, — and  cauy  thus, 
easily  fancy  how  aucIi  a  dignified  oHlcial  had  learned  respectmc  the 
new  wonder- workin.^  Kabbi.  Tho  close  heat  of  tho  bordura  ot  tho 
Lake  of  Galilee,  with  their  fringe  of  reeds  and  marsh,  though  then 
tempered*  by  the  shade  of  countbss  orchards,  and  wooded  tclompi. 
now  whoUy  wanting,  hoA  in  all  ages  induced  a  prevalence  of  lerer,  at 
certain  seasons,  and  the  malady  had  now  seized  his  only  son,  ,w1m>  was 
still  a  ehild  He  had  been  led  to  look  on  Jesus  as  |i  wonderful  Healer, 
l^the  cures  reported  to  have  been  wrouj^^ht  by  Him,  but  ho  had  not, 
apparently,  thought  of  Him  as  more.  I^aringof  His  arrival  at  C^ma^ 
the  hope  that  He  might  savo  his  son,  instantly  determined  hUn  to  go 
thither  and  ask  His  aid.  Tho  child,  he  said,  was  at. the  point  of 
deatli,  would  Jesus  come  down  and  heal  him?  .!,ji<: 

There  was  something  in  the  poor  man's  bearing,  however,  that 
showed  the  superficial  conception  lie  had  formed  of  Christ's  eharacter 
and  work.  Miracles,  with  jesua,  were  only  means  to  a  higher  end, 
credentials  to  enforce  the  reception  of  spiritual  truth.  Thatitrutli 
was  it<i  own  witness,  and  had  sufficed  to  win  a  ready  homage  from  the 
despised  people  of  Sychar.  To  be  the  Healer  of  soulSy  not  at  4he 
body;  was  His  great  mission*  but  the  nobleman  had,  as  yet,  no  idea 
of  Him  except  as  a  Hakim  or  Ropha,  who  had  proved  liis  power  to 
overeome  disease.  He  had  been  led  to  Him  not  by  the  repoft  and  ac- 
ceptance of  the  great  truths  He  taught:  only  the  rumour  of  His  mira- 
cles had  created  interest  enough  to  pass  through  the  land.  Thatihe 
was  utterly  nnconsdous  of  the  spiritnai  death  from  which,  he  himself 
needed  to  be  rescued,  touched  the  aympaUiy  of  Jesusu  ''How  iait," 
nsked  He,  in  effect,  ''that  you  come  to  me  only  for  outward  healmg, 
niid  believe  on  me  only  as  a  worker  of  sf^s  and  wondersf  ^ve 
you  no  sense  of  sin:  no  craving  for  spiritual  healing:  no  Inner  sym-  ' 
pathy  with  the  teoeking  of  my  life  and  wordsf*  Witliout  moral 
preparation  in  his  own  mind,  the  healing  of  his  son  might  coi^rm 
belief  in  the  power  of  the  Healer;  but  would  bring  no  spiritual  re- 
ception of  the  truth,  to  heal  the  soul.  -Apparently  repelling  him  for 
the  moment,  Jesus  was,  in  fact,  opening  |ii8  eyes  to  the  fwr  greater 
blessings  he  might  freely  obtain.  With  royal  Iwunty  He  wished  to 
give  th^  '^eater  while  He  gave  the  less,  for  it  was  His  wont,  after 
Heeded  reproof,  to  give  more  than  had  been  asked.  Meanwhile,  the 
only  thought  of  the  parent's  heart  was  his  dying  bov.  "Sir,  eome 
down  ere  my  child  die."  Jesus  knew  that  he  would  believe  if  l^ 
sOh  were  healed,  Imt  wished  to  raise  a  higher  moral  fnune,  whitk 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHUIST. 


:W(mld  do  BO  from  kiadled  sympathy  with  spuritual  tiruth  wHholutfitiQh 
itioi  dutward  ground.  To  believe  His  word,  from  its  own  internal  .evi- 
dieiice,  sliowed  higlier  faith  than  that  which,  only  followed  miracles. 
Xt  Showed  a  recognition  of  the  truth  from  interest  in  it:  a  seoaibilit^ 
df  jsoul  to  what  was  pure  and  holy.  But  belief  as  the  reaul1b£>f  fiooxti- 
cles'was not  discountenanced:  it  was  only  held  inferibr<      :     ,>itt'.\ui 

The  nobleman  had  assumed  that  Jesus  would  go  back  with  hiin  to 
Capernaum,  and  heal  the  child,  but  he  was  Ixjfore  One  to  whose 
power  distance  offered  no  hindrance.  Witli  tlie  easy^  unaffected 
dignity  of  conscious  superiority,  he  is  told  to  "go  his  way ; this  ac*n 
lived  r  words  few  and  simple,  but  enough  to  let  him  know  that  the 
BpeaKer  had,  on  the  instant,  healed  the  child.  Nor  cculc''  he  doubt 
ft.  To  have  spoken  with  Jesus  assured  him  that  he  might  believe 
His  wptd.    Forthwith  he  addressed  himself  to  return,  if)  !iftipv/i«iat>f j- 

It  wi*s  about  twenty  miles  fi*ora  Cana  to  Caperaaum,  and  themifmele 
had  been  wrought  an  hour  after  noon.  Resting  by  the  way,  atfearty 
iilgbtfalt  as  he  well  might  on  a  road  so  insecure,  he  set  out  agaui 
^liexi  morning,  but  ei-elpng  met  some  of  his  own  slaves^  sent  to  tell  hiyKi 
the  good  news  that  the  boy  was  convalescent,  and  to  prevent  his 
bringing  Jesus  any  further.  t'Your  son,"  said  they, /'is* noli  de«jd. 
"btit  u  getting  better.  The  fever  has  left  him. "  * '  W  hen, "  asked  the 
tkther,  "did  lie  begin  to  amend?"  "  Yesterday,  about  one  o'clock 
tlitf fever  broke."  It  was  the  very  time  when  Jesus  had  told  him  that 
*t](ie  boy  would  live.  What  could  he  do  but  accept  Him  as  what  he 
h<)w  knew  He  claimed  to  be — the  Messiah.  '  •  Himself  believed  and 
liis.wliole'house."  ..,•,..,  .^  ■.iv|.<>t<.;  ^rt^^i^-.  .i> 

How  l<mg  Jesus  remained  in  Cana  is  not  knowwy  bui  that  He  w^s 
for  a  time  unattended  by  the  small  band  of  disciples  who  had  accom- 
panied pim  to  the  Passover,  is  certain.  They  had  remained  with 
HiM,  |b  Judea,  and  had  returned  with  Him,  through  Sychar,  to 
Galilee,  but,  after  so  long  an  absence  from  home.  He  had  let  them  go 
bac^  to  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  to  their  occupations,  till  He  should  once 
more  call  them  iiBally  to  His  service.  , .        .:it  vf 4  sM^m 

He  tad  retired  to  the  north  before  the  rising  signs  of  opposition 
frorii  the  Pharisees,  who  had  at  last  found  means  to  get  John  im- 

{)risoned,  by  their  intrigues  with  Autipas,  and  might,  at  any  moment, 
lave  effected  His  own  arrest.  An  interval  of  some  months  now 
elapsed,  perhai^s  in  stillness  and  privacy,  the  time  not  having  yet 
come,  for  some  reasons  unknown  to  us,  for  His  final  and  permanent 
entrance  on  His  public  work.  His  mother  and  the  family  had  re- 
turned to  Nazareth  from  their  short  stay  at  Capernaum,  and,  it  is  most 
probable,  therefore,  that  He,  once  more,  sought  the  seclusion  of  His 
eariy  home,  to  await  the  decisive  moment  of  His  reappearj^nce.  The 
faite  of  the  Baptist  may  have  made  it  nece&sary  to  avoid  for  a  time 
lihing  any  pretext  of  political  alarm  to  Herod  by  His  at  once  taking 
^|r<olm^  jplaoei  That  one  so  vcnenited  had  been  throw^u  into  Ihe  dttU' 
I^QS  ^  Mtichaerus  doubtless  s^^read  to  the  farthest  valloya^.   Men 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


tfll 


and 


alicOBt  hoped  (hat  the  mighty  pitjficher  wQulcl  soften  the  heart' leven 
of  Antipad,  and,  in  any  case,  could  not  <;f edit  that  a  man  so  cowttrdlv- 
andpoliUc  would  dare  to  take  the  life  of  the  honoured  prophet  This 
And  that  measure  of  the  tyrant  were  attributed  by  the  orGdi4ous 
multitude  to  John's  inflnonce.  The  whole  country  was  agitated,  day 
by  day,  by  rumours  respecting  him.  ,, 

Nor  were  other  subjects  of  popular  excitement  wanting.  In  the 
autumn  of  thr\  or  the  year  before,  apparently  at  tltti  Feast  of  Taber- 
nacleSi  tliere  had  been  a  fierce  stl-uggle  between  the  Roman  garrison 
at  Jerusalem  and  Uie  pilgrims  from  Galilee,  ever  excitable  and  ready 
to  fight.  In  the  heat  of  the  contest  the  solcliera  from  Antonia  had 
pressed  ihtd  the  very  courts  of  the  Tempte,  and  had  hewn  down  tiic 
Galitfeanb  at  the  g^at  altar,  beside  tlteir  sacrifices,  niingiing  their 
blood  with  that  of  the  slain  beasts.  The  tons  of  Judas  the  Galilieaii, 
the  famous  leader  of  the  Zealots  in  their  first  great  insurrection  against 
Home,  had,  moreover,  grown  up  to  manhood  in  tliic  neighbourtiood 
of  Jesiis,  and  cherished  in  their  own  breasts,  and  kept  alive  among 
the  people,  their  father's  fierce  scheme  for  the  erection  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  by  the  swordy  a  fata!  inheritance  for  which  they  were  one  day, 
like  Christ,  to  be  crucified.  The  whole  land  heaved  'vith  religious 
fanaticism  like  an  ever  threatening  volcano.  AboVe  all  the  tumult  of 
such  a  state  of  things,  however,  the  imprisoned  prophet  wfes  Jhe  otio 
thoiigiit  of  the  country.  Laments  over  him,  mingled,  doubtless,  with 
fierce  mutterings,  filled  every  market-place  and  every  home.  It  was 
a  sign  of  the  glowing  religious  sensibility  of  the  times,  and  a  summons 
to  Jesus  to  take  up  the  great  work  thus  interrupted.  The  tyrant  in 
Pereisi  had  silenced  the  voice  that  had  proclaimed  the  coming  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  but  He,  whose  herald  .Johia  had  been,  was  at  hand' 
to  take  it  up  again,  with  grander  emphasis,  on  a  more  commanding 
theatre.  Isaiah,  the  son  of  Araoz,  had  once  seen  a  vision  of  Jehovah 
in  the  Temple,  and  had  r^coenized  his  summons  as  a  prophet,  when, 
amidst  the  chants  of  the  Levltes  and  the  clouds  of  incense,  and  tho 
blasts  of  the  saci-ed  trumpets,  the  house  was  filled  with  smokb,  and 
the  very  earth  seemed  to  tremble.  The  Spirit  came  on  Amps,  tho 
shepherd,  as  he  followed  his  flocks  on  the  lonely  pastures,  when  ho 
thought  how  the  Syrians  had  threshed  Gilead  Avith  iron  sledges,  and 
how  Tyre  liad  so^'^  the  sons  of  Israel  to  Edom  as  slavey;  and  he 
seemed  to  hear  Je»>^vah  call  to  him  from  Zion,  and  thunder  from 
Jerusalem,  and  forsook  his  hills,  to  be  a  shepherd  to  Israel.  The 
loud  universal  lamentations  over  John  were  such  a  final  dfvine  caU  to 
Jesus. 

-  Finally  leaving  His  early  home,  therefore,  He  bent  His  steps  once 
more  towards  Capernaum,  which  was,  henceforth,  to  become  "His 
own  city,"  and  the  centre  of  His  future  work.  The  prophet  had, 
ages  before,  painted  the  joyous  tiuies  that  should  efface  the  memory 
of  the  Assyrian  invasion,  and  in  the  appearance  of  Christ  in  these 
regions,  their  full  realization  had  now  come.     The  land  of  Zebulon/ 


t7^ 


THE  LIFE  OP  CPfRlOTi 


flmd  the  Imd  of  N^aphiali;  the  coqntiy  towaids  the  Sea  of  Qalile?; 
the  dilcttiicto  beyond  the  Jordan;  and  CiaUlee  of  the  Gtentiles^in  tlje 
jtor  iibFth,  Vywards  Tyre  and  S^a— the  ])eopIe  that  dbt  In  dd^rkn^s^K 
•—saw  a  fljTeat  light,  and  to  them  that  eat  in  the  rc^dn  and  shadow  ot 
deaths  alight  sprang  np.  Galilee  was  to  be  pie-eniihently  the  s^ene 
of  the.  ministry  of  Jesus,  and  it  is  curious  that  even  the  B^blbiis,  In 
their  earliest  traditions,  express  the  belief  that  it  would  be  that  of  the 
manifestation  of  the  Me^ah.  To  this  day,  <^ews  ^ther  in  Tiberia^^ 
one  of  their  four  holy  cities^  from  all  parts  of  the  earth,  to  w^it  for 
the  coming  of  the  i^Iea^i^ or, ^  }^^^  tp  h^  jijuri^-theineu  In  elpec- 
tatiottof  Pis  advent.   ,;. ,.;  f^i^Hrr^yyi^'i-^'-^:-^^ 

It  would  seeni  as  if  Jesus  had,  for  a  time,  been  idone.  The  cbttntty 
was  densely  peopled,  and  He  may  have  passed  on,  slowly,  froth 
village  to  village,  opening  Hia  mission.  The  burden  of  His  preaching 
was  the  same  as  that  (^  John's.  **The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the 
kiBgdom  of  God  is  at  hand:  repent  and  believe  in  the  Gospel."  IRUi 
though  alike  in  form,  the  import  of  the  words  in  the  mouth  of  J^i^ 
wa»  vfixy  different  from  that  of  their  earlier  utterance  by  His  herala. 
John  hflfd  striven  to  reform  Israel  by  demanding  strict  outwjird 
observances,  as  well  as  morals,  but  Jesus  went  deeper,  md  requir<^d  a 
revolution  of  the  will  and  affections,  flowing  from  changed  rela'tt^hft 
to  God.  He  would  have  no  new  pieces  cm  old  garments;  ho  new 
wine  in  old  bottles,  no  religious  reform  on  the  basis  of  a  compromi^ 
with  formal  Judaism.  Israel  had  sunk  into  spiritual  death,  m  spite 
of  its  zeal  for  the  precepts  of  the  Rabbis,  and  the  letter  of  the  Sctip- 
tures:  its  piety  had  degenerated  largely  into  hypocritical  affcctatiun, 
and  merely  lip  and  outward  assent  to  the  requirements  of  God's  UV/.' 
Its  mission  to  the  great  heathen  world  had  become  a  failure.  A  wholly 
new  principle  was  needed  to  take  the  place  of  the  now  dec&yed  ana 
obsolete  dispensation  of  Hoses:  the  principle  of  direct  personal 
responsibiiity  to  God,  and  spiritual  freedom,  instead  of  pH^stl^ 
mediation,  and  theocratic  slavery.  The  Baptist  was,  throughout,  an 
upholder  of  the  ceremonial  law,  and  had  no  adequate  conception  6t 
a  purely  spiritual  religion.  It  was  reserved  to  Jesus  to  teach  that  only 
a  religious  and  moral  new-birth  of  Israel  and  of  humani^^  could  avail. 
He  was  the  first  who  founded  a  religion,  not  on  external  precepts,  or 
on  a  priesthood,  or  on  sacrificial  rites,  but  in  tlie  living  spirit;,  in 
individual  personal  conviction ;  in  the  free,  loving  surrender  of  the 
will  to  God,  as  the  eternal  Truth  and  Good :  a  religion  which  looked 
first,  not  at  mere  acts,  but  at  what  men  were,  and  set  no  value  6n  act^ 
apart  from  the  motive  from  which  they  sprang.  '^^^ 

f,  Hence,  the  call  to  repentance  was  addresaed  to  all  without  exci&p- 
tion.  He  recognized  the  diifei'ence  between  man  and  miin,  and  aCr 
knowledge  the  existence  of  possible  ^ood  even  in  tlie  apparently 
hopeless.  He  spoke  of  the  good  and  evil,  the  righteous  and  unrlghtr 
eous,  the  ^ust  and  unjust,  those  whahrd  gone  astrav  and  thbse  tvh'o 
had  not;  of  the  sound  and  the  sick;  of  the  pure  and  the  impure;  of 


fight. 
b"«rho 
te;  of 


t 


,1^^'  itFE'  OP  GEfRtet: 


■^ 


ffl^ 


i^eiand  dry-,  of  a  g6od  and  An  i^vil  kiy&,  and  of  gcjod  soil  and 
Md.  SiirVeji^ing  men,  as  a  wh^l^l  Witli  a  caltn  and  'searching  Insightl 
He  VeJot6ed  in  tlie  light  which  shone  in  some  souls,  ito' the  riiidst  6f 
dar^ne^s'  arotriid  ahd  withiqi  them,  and,  ackni)wledg€id  its  "^^olrth.  No 
c<>l^'tear'of'coinprpmise  damped  His  ardour;  frank  joy' and  radiant 
h'bpefulne^s,  that  dfetected  good  with  instinctive  quickness,  chedi^d 
Hts  spii^t  to  greater  eflfort.  It  is,  indeed,  His  glbry  that  He  led  not 
bniy  tlie  humble  and  penitent,  but  the.  openly  evil,  to  a  higher  and 
purcjVlife^*  ^'       '   '^''■\'     '"■'■*  ■'■i'-^'f^i  ,'^;:>1  -hu  i.-  rl  -i-mIJ  id  ^wr^ 

Yet;  thougli  thus  \vide4tt  His  charity,  He  had  a  standard  by  which 
all  m^n  alike  were  pronounced  sinful,  and  in  need  of  repehfeince.  In 
the  iiigh(^st  sense,  Ood  alone  was  good.  Tried  by  thlia  awful  test  of 
tomparison  with  Hirii,  all  men  were  ••unclean,'*  "ci^rupt,"  "dark,** 
••  lilifid,'*  *•  lufetful,"  ••selfish,"  worldly  in  thouffht,  wofd,  arid  act,  dry 
ite*  5i  dfead  aiKj  lost.  All  are  pronotiiiced  in  danger  of  the  Wrath  of 
Ooq.  They  mky  1^  indre or'less  sinful  in  degree;  bMt  all'alike  rniuti 
^^e^  fprglyfeness;  all  must  repent  and  be  changed,  brperi^.-*'  (ir^si'ifi^ 

^tUXiH,  when  comparing  men  with  men,  He  I'ecognized  betffer  and 
wc>r,s0,  but  bfefore  Gdd,  and  in  relation  to  citizenship  in  ERs  kingdom, 
Hfe  ac^ijoWledged  ho  difference,  biitbondemned  all  alike  as'  sirinefrs. 
B6for6  |he  One  who  alone  is  pttre  and  holy,  Hte  huriiblte*  all. '  He  will 
jsu^ier  nb  empty  pride  in  the  presiehce  of  the  Creator;  In  ms  sightf  no 
6iit%  tb  be  called  good.  All  are  guilty,  and  even  the  best  netid  pttr'^ 
don,  in  Ihis  view  of  man.  He  declared  that  He  had  ndt  come  td 
caiT  the  %hte6us  but  sinnfers  to  repentance.  Evien  the  best  Of  tiifen; 
thougiiriglitebu^  b6f6re  their  fellow^,  are  gitilty  before  Gk)d.  Ri^  thti 
^mib  lie  characteristic  of  ^  the  teachihg  of  Jesus,  that  while  He  dis^ 
tinciny  proclaims' the  moral  differences  between  miin  and  matt/He  Ikii 
tMk  With  Supreme  and  unchangeable  6arnestnesi3  on  the  infinite' ihorat 
ijifetarice  and  contrast  between  Ihe  creatureand  the  Orator.  AH  b&' 
fdre  Him  ai*e'  ^vil,  or  have  evil  in  them.  There  may  be  good'  aniiong 
tlie  fead,  but  sin  is  not  wanting  even  iii  the  best.  The  repetoltanca 
ft'e pr^a<?hed  was  the  childlike  Immility which ha^s  no  claihi  to  merit; 
biit,  QOtisclMs  of  its  own  weakness,  resigns  its  will  to  th*  guidance  of 
God,'i»rid  ^eeks  His  forgiveness.     It  has  already  entered  His  Eittg- 

'  'rl^^othihg  i^  told  re^ectin^the  exteiit  of  this  first  northern  mis- 
sionary tour,  beyond  the  incidental  i-emark  that  it  embraced  the  town^ 
and  villages  thickly  studded  round  the  western  siiore  of  the  Lake  of 
Galileie.  Tlie  fame  of  His  doings  at  Jerusalem  had  everywhere  pre* 
ceded  Him,  and  attracted  large  crowds  wherever  He  came.  As  yet 
He  was<alone,  for  His  early  followers  had  returned  to  their  oalling  of 
flshernieh.  at  Bethsaida  and  Capernaum.  Reaching  this  neiglibour- 
hbOd  after  a  time;  an  incident  occurred  which  bnCe  more  drew  themi 
frbci  their  nets,  and  transformed  them  into  future  apostles.  -    -  - 

Jesus  had  risen  early  in  the  morning,  as  is  the  custom  with  OA^ 
entals,  and  had  gone  out  to  the  shore  of  the  Lake,  "^hich  was  close  at 


^' 


900 


THE  LII^E  OF  CHRIST. 


I!  'I 

lil 


ba|id.    The  stillness  of  the  mornfa^  promised  temppmiT,  mief  ft%^ 
the  crowds  who  daily  thrppged  Him,  ^nd  a  i^uch  needed 'interval^  f^r 
pei^ceful  solitude.     But  there  was,  henceforth,  no  rest  for  thi^  Spjti  pf 
Man.  :  T^ie  people  were  already  afoot,  and  had  hurriied  but  to  the 
bca€l^/in  numbers,,  "to  hear  the  Word  of  God,"  for  they  recojEfnijtcd 
Him  as  speakipg  with  divine  autliority,  like  John,  or  one  of  the 
prophets.    Unable  to  go  on,  and  willing  to  feed  these  "  sheejp  of  the 
House  of  Israel, "He  turned  towards  two  boats  drawn  up  6n  t)be 
white  beach;  the  fishermen  having  come  ashore,  after  a  fri^itless 
night;^  labour,  to  wash  and  mend  their  nets.    The  one  boat  wal3,  i^at 
bi  His  pid  disciples  Peter  and  Andrew,  the  other,  that  of  James  and 
John,  who,  with  their  father  Zebedee,  and  some  hired  men,  werteb^s^ 
prepf^ng  for  the  next  evening^s  venture.    To  meet  again  m,ust  htivp 
been  as  pleasant  to  their  Master  as  themselves,  and  theit  loT^ly  OjCcii- 
patlo4  paust  have  lost  its  charm  at  the  recollection  Of  the  time  whe^ 
they  had  shared  His  society.    Entering  into  Peter's  boat,  and  ai^klng 
him  to  thrust  out  ^  little  from  the  .lai^u,  that  He  might  have  freedom 
to  address  the  people.  He  sat  down,  as  was  usual  wi|;!h  the  Baobis 
when  tjiey  taught,  an4  spoke,  to  the  crowd  standing  on  the^^r^. 
The  clear  rippling  water  playing  gently  round  the  boat;  the  l3el()$, 
and  vineyards,.andpiive  groves  behmd;  the  eager  listeners,  with  ihefr 
Varied  and  picturesque  Eastern  dress;  the  wondrous  PrejBcher;;tKe 
calmness  and  delicious  coolness  of  morning,  und,  over  allithi^  'cloud- 
less Byriatt  s^y,  must  have  made  the  »ce{\e  striking  in  the  ektremei  !^ '' 
The  public  addresses  of  t|ie  Rabbis  were  always  very  shorty  atid  w, 
'^oybtless,  were  those  of  Jesus.    The  people  were  soon  dismissed,  ainjd 
'wandered  off,  to  dfscuss,  as  Jewish  congregations  always  did,  the  say- 
ings they  had  heard.     But  Jesus  had  received  a  service  in  the  tiu^ ,  pf 
His  strange  pulpit,  and  wished  to  repay  it,  as  only  He  ciould.    Tellito 
Pete^,  the  steersman  of  the  boat,  to  push  oflE  into  the  deep  wat^,  life 
bade  him  and  his  brother  let  down  the  net.     It  was  a  cii;cular  oii^, 
cast  from  the  boat,  and  then  fragged  slowly  behind,  toward^  tne 
shore.      Vhe  fish  in  the  Sea  of  Galilee  must  always  have  beei;L  ver^jr 
abundant,  even  when  the  fisheries  were  so  active,  for,  at  this  day,  their 
number  can  scarcely  be  conceived  by  those  who  have  not  been  on  thie 
spot.     The  shoals  frequently  cover  an  acre  of  the  surface,  Or  even 
more,  and  the  fish,  as  they  slowly  move  along  the  surface,  with  thdr 
back  fins  just  seen  on  the  level  of  the  water,  are  so  crowded,  that;  it 
looks,  a  short  way  off,  like  a  heavy  shower  of  rain.     But  Simon  and 
his  brother  had  had  no  success,  though  they  had  spent  the  ni^lit, 
when  fishing  is  best,  in  fruitless  efforts.    There  was  no  hesitation, 
however,  in  obeying  the  command,  and  they  had  hardly  done  so,  When 
they  i^ept  into  a  shoal,  and  had  to  beckon  to  James  arid  John,  their 
partners,  tp^  come  quickly,  and  save  their  net  from  breaking  with  the 
catch.    Even  then,  however,  the  two  boats  were  loaded  to  fhe  wat^r^ 
edM,  and  seemed  as  if  they  would  sink.  ,     '^'^.I'V"' 

#   Peter,  ever  impulsive,  could  not  restrain  his  feelings  at  such  an  in- 


THE  LXFE  OF  CHRIST. 


«81 


J 


cidentffK)  unexpected,  so  grateful.  He  who  had  wroughli  so  great'  a 
woodei'  must  have  unsown  and  inconceivable  powers,  i)ef ore  iwhich 
tnan,^giiiUy  as  he  feels,  himself,  might  well  be  afraid.  Falling  down 
attlvc  feet  of  Jesua^he  could  only  utter  the  words — "Depart  troin. 
me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord."  Kor  were  his  companions  less 
a^tohisl^ed  at  the  miracle.  But  Jesiis  had  a  high  purpose  with  these 
simple,  open-hearted  friends.  They  had  sliowu  tlieir>  sympathy  of 
spirit  with  Hun  already,  and  now  He  designed  to  Httaeli  them  per- 
manently to  His  service.  "Fear  not,"  said  He,  "come  after  me; 
from  henceforth  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men.  You  catch  the  fisli 
to  their  death;  you  will  take  men  alive,  to  save  them  from  death,  and 
give  them  eternal  life."  It  was  enough.  Words  'so  apt  had  their 
effect.  From  that  moment  the  four  were  His  devoted  followers. 
,The  rich,  gain  ^hey  would  have  prized  so>  highly,  but  an  hour  before, 
had  lost  its  charm.  Calle^  to  decide,  there  and  then,  as  A,  proof  of 
their  ilt^wes^^jfofjii^c^lesl^  aU*apA  ?PWp,»?i34<r^im,  *t 

.OhCe.  .K^^^vi^  iji.i.r...  ;,-;r  n. •..-«!-  'i\i;-,;r  .    ..  -.r^*':'  ;^V^'-   -p^biU'^  f-v.r-| 

■-,;  ilflie  few  who  had  nrst  joined  Christ,  and  by  doing  so  tad  ^hown 
their  fitness  for  His  special  intimacy  and  confiaence,  were  thus,  onco 
inore  gathered  round  Him,  and  lived  with  Him  henceforth,  appar^ 
eiitly  in  the  same  dwelling,  on  a  closer  and  more  tender  footing  than 
any  He  afterwards  received.  They  had  often  heard  Him  speak  of 
the  kingdom  of  God;  of.  the  need  of  faith  in  Himselfrand  of  a  .sin* 
cere  religious  spirit,  as  the  conditions  of  entering  it,  and  they  yearned 
for  closer  intercourse  with  Him,  that  they  might  Jearn  more  respect- 
ing it..  Their  instant  obedience  showed  .their  devotion.  All, that  liad 
hitherto  engagied  their  thoughts  and  care,  their  boats,  their  uets»  their 
.fishing  gear,  their  dafly  toil  for  daily  bread,  were  left  behind.  They 
placed  themselves,  henceforth,  unaer  the  higher  authority  \of  God 
Himsielf;  ready  at  anytime  to  separate  themselves  even  from  tih^r 
families,  in  the  interest  of  the  new  Kingdom.  Je^us  had  drawn 
tl^em  to  Himself,  as  they  were  to  draw  others,  not  by.qraft  or  force, 
tiut  by  the  power  of  His  living  words  and  the  spirit  of  love.  Their 
loyalty  was  free  and  spontaneous.  The  calm^eatness  of  the  char- 
acter of  Jesus  shines  out  in  such  an  unpretending  beginning,  as  the 
ferm  and  centre  of  a  movement  which  is  to  revolutionize  the  world, 
lut  insignificant  as  it  might  seem,  it  was  only  so  when  Judged  by  a 
hutnaii  standard.  Tainted  by  no  selfishness,  weak  ambition,  or  love 
of  power,  the  four  simple,  child-like,  uncorrupted  natures,  touched 
with  the  love  of  Heavenly  Truth,  and  eager  to  win  others  to  embrace 
it,  were  living  spiritual  forces,  destined  by  a  law  of  nature  to  repeat 
themselves  in  ever  wider  circles,  through  successive  generations. 

The  dshermen  and  sailors  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee  were  a  numerous 
and  redoubted  class,  with  something  of  the  feeling  of  a  clan.  In  the 
last  Jewish  war  we  find  them,  under  the  leadership  of  Jesus,  soti  of 
Bappliias,  seizing  Tiberias,  and  burning  and  plundering  the  great 
^iUfl^'i^' f}^  Autip^*    Of  the  four  who  had  now  de^nitely  cast  ip  their 


TBE  LIFB.  OP  CHRIST, 

lotwitik  Jesufl^  Peter  and  Andrew  were  apparently  poo^rJam^  lUKci 
John,  in  a  better  position.  For  the  convenience  of  trade,  bqth;faiih|k 
Ues  had  left  the  neiffhbonring  town  of  Bethsaida^  and  hiul.  fiett^ed 
in  Capernaiun,  one  of  the  centres  oi  the  local  fiisherles,  anctV  ol  th& 
occup«tion4  connected  with  them.  Peter  alone  seems  to  liave  heein 
mamed^  and  in  bis  house  Jesus  henceforth  found  a  home^  as  perliag^ 
he  had  done  on  His  former  short  stay.  i;a4i 


^/iotl-^'Mi^bihu^A  ■HI  fffCHAPTER   XXXIII. 


^l 


J'-- 


r<)y<rri  i 


CAPEKNAUM. 


'.•? 


f/TSB  floal  *' cair'  addressed  to  Peter  and  his  brother,  and  to  ^aniof 
and  John,  at  the  Lake  of  GalileCi  apparently  insigniflcani  as  ai^  'eyentt 
proT^d"  to  ha/ve  been,  in  reality,  one  of  the  turning  points  in  the  history 
of  the  world.  The  •'call"  of  Abraham  had  given  the  worlds  as  au 
everla&t;ing  inheritance,  the  grand  truth  of  a  Xlving  Personal  (3o(t-; 
that  of  Moses  had  created  a  nation,  in  which  the  active  government 
of  human  affairs  by  one  God  was  to  be  illustrated,  and  His  will  made 
known  directlvto  mankind ;  but  that  of  the  poor  (^alilaean  Hdhermen 
was'the  foundation  of  a  society,  for  which  all  that  had  preceded /ik 
was  only  the  preparation;  a  society  in  which  all  that  was  merely  out- 
wfttd  and  temporary  in  the  relations  of  €rod  to  man,  should  be  laid 
aside,  and  aU  that  was  imperfect  and  material  replaced  b^  the  perfect 
spititutl,  and  abiding.  I'he  true  theocracy,  towards  wluch  manJu^ 
had  been«lowly  advaneing,  through  a^es,  had  received  its.  firsts  pveit 
establishment)  when  Peter,  heard,  on  his  knees,  tlie  summons  of  J^^si^ 
to'  follow  Himy  and  had,  with  the  others,  at  oncoy  irom  the  he^, 
obeyed.  I  Henceforth)  it  only  remained  to  extend  the  kingdom  tlm^ 
founded^  by  winning  the  consciences  of  men  to  ti&e  same  devotion,  o^ 
the  announcement  of  the  Fatherhood  of  Gpd:  the  need  of  seeking 
His  favour  by  repentance;  and  faith  in  His  aivine  Son,  leading, to 
aholylife^  of  which  that  of  Jesus,  as  the  Saviour-Messiah,  was  tlie 
realized  ideal.  .'-\ 

From  the  shores  of  the  Lake,  Christ  went  to  the  house  qf-  ^^}fd, 
accepting  his  invitation  to  share  his  hospitality.  ''■^'hp'^^}lr\m 

>  The  little  town  itself,  with  its  two  or  three  thousand  liiliabitants, 
was  surrounded  by  a  wall,  and  lay  partly  along  the  shore;  some  of 
the  houses  close  to  the  water;  others  with  a  garden  between  it  and 
them.  The  black  lava^  or  basalt,  of  which  all  were  built,  was  univc;!*- 
sally  whitewashed,  so  that  the  town  was  seen  to  fine  effect,  from  a 
distance^  through  the  green  of  its  numerous  trees  a^d  gardens. 
Pota*'8  household  consisted  of  his  wife,  and  her  mother-r^oubtless  a 
widow-*-whom  his  kindly  nature  had  brought  to  thii^  second  Uome, 
Andrewvhia  brother,  and,  aoWi  of  Jesusi  his  guest.  James  and  Joii^. 
ttkfily!,  g|Hl  Uved  with  their  fkher^  ja  Cklpernaum|^|atldot^t]Khpl 


per„H 
,4rorti' 
broke 
deVot 
^asslil 
■  Tlie 

every 
it  by 
Sabb^ 


tfti 


TterB  i?.tFirMc)Ff(5tfRi8t: 


^6t!i^  stlHfolltHll^  their  ^allihg  In  the  InterTUlA  of  'atttendioif  theli 

^  Itfttopeftts^b'hwvt^  'bectt  ou  a  Friday  that  Jestte  snmmoQed^  Peter 
iiM  bis  coithpahions.  The  day  passed,  doubtless,  in  further  wdrk  for 
the  kingdom.  As  the  sun  set,  the  beginning  of  the  Babbath  vrnn 
htthbuhfced  bV  thr^e  blai^ts  of  a  trumpet,  from  the  roof  of  the  spacious 
synagc^e  of  tlic  town,  which  tlie  devbut  commandant  of  tlie  ^iri- 
son,  though  not  a  Jew,  had  built  for  the  people.  The  first  blast 
warned  the  peasants,  in  the  far-stretching  vineyards  and  gardens,  to 
cease  their  toil ;  the  second  was  the  signal  for  the  townsfolks  to  close 
their  business  for  the  week,  ahd  the  third,  fOr  all  to  kindle  the  holy 
Sabbath  light,  which  was  to  burn  till  the  sacred  day  was  past.  It 
was  the  early  spring,  and  the  days  were  still  short,  for  even  in  summer 
ft  is  hardly  morhinjif  twilight,  in*  Palei^ine,  at  four,  and  the  liBrht  is 
gotte  by  ei^it;  Je^us  did  not,  however,  go  that  night  to  Beter's 
house;  but  spent  the  hbursi  in  solitary  devotion.  We  canffency, from 
what  is  elsewhere  told  uis,  that  the  day  closed  while  He  still  spoke  to 
a  lititeiririg  crowd,  under  some  palm-tree,  or  by  tlie  WH;f8ide.  As  the 
irii6bn  rose  beyond  the  hills,  on  the  other  side  61  the  Uake,  He  woufd 
tSismiss  His  heafera^,  with  words  of  comfort,  iand  a  greeting  of  peace, 
kM  then  turn  to  the  silent  hills  behind,  to  he  alone  with*  His  Heavenly 
Fathiei'.  On  their  lonely  heights,  the  noise  of  men  lay  far  beneath 
Hi^,  and  He  couM  find  rest,  after  the  toils  of  the  day.  A  wide 
'^not^ma  6f  land  and  water  stretched  away  on  all  sides,  m  the  white 
iht^Oxilikht!.  He  was  Himself  its  centre,  and  gazed  on  it  with  inex- 
ype^sibie  sryrttipkthy  and  emotion. '  We  can  imagine  Him,  spreading 
biit  His  arms,  as  if  to  take  it  all  to  His  heart,  and  then  prostrating 
HihiseW.as  it  were  With  it,  before  God,  to  intercede  for  it  with  the 
iJterhal  J 'His  brow  touching  the  earth  in  loWly  abasement,  while  Hft 
pleaded  for  man  ias  His  friend  and  btother,  in  words  of  infinite  love 
and  tehdernesst.  ** Hising,  erelong,  m  strong  emotion,  it  would  seem 
%8  if  He  hfeld  iip  the  world  in  His  lifted  hands,  to  offer  it  to  Hia 
Father.  He  spoke,  was  silent,  then  spoke  again.  His  prayer  wals 
libiy  inter-communion  with  God.  At  first  low,  and  almost  in  a  whis- 
per, His  voice  gradually  became  loud  and  joyous,  till  it  echoed  l»ck 
^rom'  the  rocks  around  Him.  Thus  the  night  passed,  till  moming 
broke  and  found  Him,  once  more  prostrate  as  if  overcome,  In  Bilent 
•deVotion,  but  the  dawn  of  day  was  the  signal  for  His  rising,  and 
passihg  down  again  to  the  abodes  of  men." 

'Tlie  morning  service  in  the  synagogue  began  at  nine,  and  as  the 
n6iH  of  the  great  Rabbi  being  in  the  neighbourhood  had  spread, 
•  evfery  one  strove  to  attend,  in  hopes  of  seeing  Him.  Women  eame  to 
it  by  back  streets,  as  wat*  required  of  them;  the  men,  with  slow 
^Sabbithfirteps/^athe^ed  in  great  numbers.  The  elders  had  taken 
theii^' si^kts,  arid  the  Reader  had  redted  the  Eighteen  Prayers— the 
boft^fi^ion' answering  with  their  Amen, — ^for  though  the  prayers 
mi^t'he  abridged  on  other  dftys,  they  cotild  not  be  ^lottetied  on  the 


964 


THB  (LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


I  i 


Bal^^th.  ITh^^iflrat  lei|M>n  for  the  day  followed,  the  pMfAe  risliig  dad) 
tuimiDg  reTerently  towards  the  Shrine,  and  chanting  the  worda  after 
the  Rmer, ,;  Another  leeeon  thea  followed^  and.tlie  Reader,  at  its 
ok>^4  called  on  Jesus,  as  a  Rabbi  present  in  the  congregation,  to. 
fipeak,  from  it  to  the  people. 

His  words  must  have  sounded  strangely  new  and  attractive,  fov^^ 
apart  from  their  vividness  and  force,  they  spoke  of  matters  of  Uio 
most  vital  interest,  which  the  Rabbis  left  wholly  untouched.  He  had 
founded  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  i^ow  sought  to  build  it  im  by 
realizing  its  conditions  in  the  souls  of  men,  who  should  each,  iorth-> 
with,  be.  living  centres  of  influence  on  others.  But  a  course  so  retired, 
and  unknown  to  the  world  at  large,  as  that  which  He  followed,  ol 
speakipg  to  noodest  assemblies  in  local  synagogues,  makes  it  easy  to 
understand  how  Hia  life  might  be  overlooked  by  the  public  writers 
of  the  jRge.  Yet,  in  the  little  world  in  which  He  moved,  the  noiseless 
words  by  whic^h  He  carried  on  His  work  created  an  intense  impres* 
dion.  ,  He  gaye  oldtpruths  an  imwonted  freshness  of  presentation,  and' 
added/muc^  that,  sounded  entirely  iiew,  on  His  own  authority,  instead 
of  confining.  Sfhnself,  like  tlie  Rabbis,  to  lifeless  repetitions  i)i  tradi"' 
tion^jconunonplaces,  delivered  with  a  dread  of  the  least  deviation  or. 
on^ality.  /They  claimed  no  power  to  say  a  word  of  their  own;  He 
spoke  with  a  startling  independence.  Their  synagogue  sermons,  as 
WQi  see  in  the  Book  of  Jubilees,  were  a,  tiresome  iteration  of  the 
mumtest  Rabbinical  rules,  with  a  serious  importance  which  regarded 
them  as  th,e  basis  of  all  moral  order.  The  kind^  and  quality  of  wood- 
fori  the/ altar;  the  infinite  details  of  the  law  of  tithes;  Uie  moral  dead-> 
]iness<)f  the  use  of  blood;  or  the  indispensablenests  of  circumdeion 
on  the  eighth  day,  were  urged  with  passionate^  zeal  as  momentous  and 
^d«anental  tiTithSi  <  The  morality  and  religion  of  the  age  bad  sun^ 
thus  low,  and  hence,  the  fervid  words  of  Jesus,  stirring  the  depths  of 
the  hequct,  created  profound  excitement  in  Capernaum.  Men  were 
nm^zed  at  the  phenonijenoo  of  novelty,  in  a  religious  sphere  so  un^^ : 
changeably  conservative  as  that  of  the  synagogue.  ' *  New  teaching^s-'n 
said  one  to, the  other,  "and  with  authority — not  like  other  RabUa/;. 
They  oniy  repeat  the  old:  this  man  takes  on  Him  to  speak  without 
reference  to  the  past."  But  if  they  were  astonished  at  His  teaching,! 
they  were  still  more  so  at  the  power  which  He  revealed  in.  connection: 
with  it.  Among  those  who  had  gone  to  the  synagogue  that  morning 
was  an  unhappy  man,  the  victim  of  a  calamity  incident  apparently  to 
the  age  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles  only.  He  was  "possessed  by  a 
spirit  of  an  imclean  demon.  Our  utter  ignorance  of  the  spiritual 
world  leaves  the  significance  of  such  words. a  mj^stery,  though,  the 
popular  idea  of  the  time  is  handed  down  by*the  Rabbis.  An  unclean 
demon,  in  the  language  of  Christ's  day^  Was  an  evil  spirit  that  drove 
the  person  possessed,  to  haunt  burial*  places,  and  other  spots  most 
unclean  in  th§  eyes  of  Jews.  There  wiere  men  who  affected  the  black 
%f$f  pretending,  like  the  witch  of  Endor,  to  raise  the  dead,  and,  for 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


that  eisA,  lodghiff  in  toinbA,  dnd  iilftc«Mat!tig  themMlvei  With  fitttliigr 
to  Becuve  the  taller  aid  and  inspiration  of  6ach  evil  spiriW;'!^  othem 
into  whom  th^  deml^ns  entered,  driring  them  inToluntariljf  to  thesA 
disraal  habitations.  Both  classes  wer^  regarded  a»  under  the  po#er 
of  this  order  of  beings,  but  it  is  not  told  us  to  which  of  the  two  the 
person  present  id  the  synagogue  belonged. 

The  service  had  gone  on  apparently  without  interruption,  till  Jesus 
begin  to  speak.  Then,  however,  a  paroxysm  seised  the  unhappy  man. 
Riling  in  the  midst  Of  the  congregation,  a  wild  howl  of  demoniacal 
frenzy  burst  from  him,  that  must  have  frozen  the  blood  of  aH  with 
horror.  ♦'Hal"  yelled  the  demon.  "What  have  we  to  do  with 
Thee,  Jesus,  the  Nazarene?  Thou  comest  to  destroy  uSI  I  know 
Theei  who  Thou  art,  the  HolvOneof  God!"  Among  the  c^wd 
Jesus  alone  remained  calm.  He  would  not  have  acknowledgment 
of  His  Messiahship  from  such  a  source.  *'  Hold  thy  peace,"  said  fte, 
indignantly;  *  *  and  come  out  of  him."  The  spirit  felt  its  Master,  and 
that  it  must  obey,  but,  demon  to  the  last,  threw  the  man  ddwn  in  the 
midst  of  the  congregation,  tearing  him  as  it  did  so,  and,  then;  with  a 
vnHd  howl,  fled  ^  ont  of  him.  Nothing  could  have  happened 'bettor 
fitted  to  impress  the  audience  favourably  towards  Jeeus.  This  new 
teiithing,  said  they  amongst  themiselves,  is  with  authority.  It  iearries 
its' warrant  with  it'-;  ■■/    ':"^''         ■-■''  n'-.r*!')/  v;^iv!i)'>*  n-ii-va^iimo^x 

So  startling  an  incident  had  broken  up  the  servibefor  the  titne,  aiid 
.Ibsus  left,  with  His  four  disciples,  and  the  rest  of  the  congregation.' 
Bud  His  day's  work  of  mercy  had  only  begun.  Arrivir^  at  H^ 
modest  home,  he  found  the  mother  of  Peter's  wife  struck  dowjp  with 
a 'Violent  attack  of  the  local  fever  for  which  Capernaum  had  so  bad 
a  notoriety.  The  quantity  of  marshy  land  in  the  neighbourhocKl; 
eie^pcciatly  at  the  entrance  of  the  Jordan  into  the  I^ake,  has  made 
fever  Of  a  very  malignant  type  at  times  the  idharaCteristic  of  the 
locality,  so  that  the  physicians  would  not  allow  Josephns,  when  hurt 
by  his  horse  sinking  in  the  neighbouring  marsh,  to  sleep  even  a  single 
night  in  Capernaum,  but  hurried  him  on  toTarichoea.  It  was  not  to 
bethought  ttiat  He  who  had  just  sent  joy  and  healing  into  the  heart 
of  a  stranger,  would  withhold  His  aid  when  a  friend  required  it. 
The  ianxiouH  relatives  forthwith  besought  His  help,  but  the  gentlest 
hint  would  have  sufHced.  It  mattered  not  that  it  was  fever:  He  was 
forthwith  in  the  chamber,  l)ending  over  the  sick  woman,  and  rebuking 
the  disease  as  if  it  had  been  an  evil  personality.  He  took  her  bv  the 
hand,  doubtless  with  a  look,  and  with  words,  which  made  her  His  for 
ever,  and  gently  raising  her,  she  found  the  fever  gone  and  health  and 
strength  returned,  so  tha*  she  could  prepare  their  midday  meal  for 
her  household  and  their  wondrous  guest. 

The  strict  laws  of  the  Jewish  Sabbath  gave  a  few  hours  of  rest  to 
all,  but  the  blast  of  the  trumpet  which  announced  Its  close  was  the 
signal  for  ^  renewal  of  the  popular  excitement,  now  increased  b^ 
the  liimour-of  a  second  miracle.    With  the  setting  of  the'suh  it 


880 


THE  LIFE  OF  OHRIST. 


ytrm.  once  more  )fvwfV|V  tO;Xiiovo  beyond  the  two  thotuwnd  paoM  aI 
atBftbbii^  Day'9, iouriicy* had ,to  carry  whatever  btudeaft  one  pleaaed; 
Fqftliwi^i,  hi^Kap  IQ  gaUier  f n«n  ever^r  8tree^,  u^  from  the  thicUy 
4Qwn  WwJ)»^ap4  viUage9  round,  the  strangest  aaiemblage.  Theehi£|l 
]eid  ^r  blind  father  as  near  the  enclosure  of  Simon's  home  as^t^ 
throng  permittedt.:  the  father  came  carrying  the  sick  child;  men.boare 
the  he^eiV9i  in  swinging  hammocks;  "an  that  had  any. sicl^  with 
wl^atcy^r  4is^a^*''  brought  them  to  the  Gr^at  Healer.'  The  wfaoio 
Iq wift  was  in  motion,  and  ci^owded  before  the  house.  What  the  ^  sidk 
of  even  a  small  town  implied  may  be  imagined.  Fevers,  convnlsugas* 
asthmai  wasting  consumption,  swollen  dropsy,  shaking  palsy,  the  deaf, 
the  dunib,  the  bialn-affecteu,  and,  besides  all,  "many  that  were 
possessed,  with  devils,"  that  'last,  worst,  symptom  of  the  despairing 
Biiseiy  and  dark, confusion  of  the  times.  .;  . 

Would  J^e  leave  th^m  asthey  were?  They  had  taken  it  for  granted 
that  He  wpiild,  pity  them,  for  was  He  not  a  Proph^  of  God,  and  was 
it  not  natuifal  that,  like  |2)ijah  or  Jillisha,  the  greatest  of  the  prophets, 
^he  ^Wjor  of  G(¥l  might  be  present  to  heal  those  who  weve  brought 
to  Him?  ,  .A^lreaay,  moreover,  His  characteristics  had  won  the  coiffl- 
denoeofithe  simple  q^P^d.  There  must  have  been  a  mysteriotts 
|iy]a(i|)athy  and  goodness  in. His  looks,  and  words,  and  even  in  His 
beanng,  that  seemed  to  beckon  the  wretched  to  JHim  as  their  friend, 
and  that  conquered  all  uncorrupted  hearts.  It  had  drawn  His  dis- 
ciples from  thQ  interests  of  gain,  to  follow  Him  in  His  poverty^  it 
melted  the.  ^oman  that  was  a  sinner  into  tears;  it  softened  the  hard 
naiur^  off  publicans;  and  drew  hundreds  of  weary  and  heavy-iadeu 
to  Jlimfor  rest^.  These,  who  could,  gathered  wherever  they  niigjtit 
]K>pe  to  ^nd  i^m„and  as  it  was  this  evening,  those  who  could  not 
come,  h^  themselves  carried  into  His  presence.  As  many  as  couM, 
strove  to  touiji,  if  it  were  possible,  even  His  clothes;  othem  con- 
fessed aloud  t^fiir  sins,  and  owpcd  that  their  illness  was  the  punisli- 
mentiJ&'pm  GocL  One  would  not  venture  to  ask  Him  to  oome  ito 
1)19  ,hou^;  another, brought  film  in  that  He  might  be,  as  it  were, 
Gonstr^ned  to  help.  -.  The  blind  cried  out  to  Hini  from  the  road^inde, 
and  the  woman  of  Qanaan  followed  Him  in  spite  of  His  hard  words. 

?r^n.J^iCan^.  near,  even  those  possessed,  felt  His  divine  greatness, 
rembling  in  ever^  limb,  they  would  fain  have  fled,  but  felt  rooted 
to  the  spot,  th^  eyil  spirits  owning,  in  wild  shrieks,  the  presence  of 


one  whose  goo(lness  was  torment,  and  before  whose  will  they  must 
ieW  ujj-JJieirprey*  ^^i^;ii' 

The  sight  of  so  much 


yiekj  up.^,tlieir;prey.  ■     '-^J;^^"^,^'  ,      H'^hv      ■    ■'^'  lo 

i  The  sight  of  so  much  "wis^  ci'owiing  for  relief  touched  Jesus  at 
once,  and,,  erelong,  tie  appeared  at  the  open  door,  before  the  excited 
prowd.  With  a  command,  "Hold  thy  peace,  and  come  out  <rf  him," 
:a  poor  4^mon|ac  ;was  presently  in  his  right  «nind .  The  helpless 
lamjp  stood  Up  at  the  words  "1  say  tintp ihee.  Arise."  The  paraJ^tic 
lefrids  coucdi,'at  the  soundjof  "Take  up  thy  bed  and  walk.'*  >To 
sotiie,  lie  had  a  Word  of  comfort,  thdt  dispelled  alarm  and  drove  off 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


m 


Hb  Morot  cauae.  * '  Be  it  to  Ihee  accordinffto  thy  f iiith.  '*  * '  Woman, 
thou  art  looaed  from  thioe  infirmity.",  "jSo  of  good  chcer»  m^  aon, 
dif  sins  «re  fbrgivM  thee,"  waa  enoudi  to  turn  sorrow  and  pain  into 
ic^i  and  healllk  Erelong  He  had  spoxen  to  <i1l  some  word  oi  mercy* 
The  hlind  left  wUh  ^eir  dght  restored;  the  possessed  thanked  God 
for  their  restoration:  the  fever>8tricken  felt  the  glow  of  retuminff 
^vigour;  the  dumb  shouted  His  praises;  v^d  tluis  the  strange  crowa 
went  off  one  by  one,  leaving  the  house  tince  more  in  the  silence  of 
the  night.  No  wonder  the  Evangelist  saw  in  such  an  evening  a  ful- 
fllnMUtof  thewordsof  the  prophet,  " Himself  took  our  inmrmities 
and  byre  our  diseases." 

■)t  lit  was  not,  however,  by  popular  excitement  and  mere  outward  heal 
ing  that  the  kingdom  oi  God  wan  to  be  spread,  but  by  the  still  and 
gentle  influence  of  the  Truth,  working  conviction  in  individual  souls. 
The  notey  crowds  the  thronging  nuniT)ers  of  diseased  and  suffering; 
the  curiosity  that  ran  after  excitement,  .and  tlie  yearning  fp^  help 
which  looked  only  to  outward  healing,  troubled,  and  almost  alarmed 
Himv  He  liad  come  to  found  n  Spiritual.  Society,  of  men  changed  in 
heart  towards  God,  and  filled  with  faith  in  Himself  as  Its  Head;  and  * 
the  merely  external  and  mostly  selfish  notions'of  the  multitude,  could 
not  escape  His  keen  eyes.  His  divine  love  and  pity  siglied  over  the 
bodily  and  mental  distress  around.  But,  as  a  rule,  the  8uflerei:s 
thought  only  of  their  outward  miser^r,  in  melancholy  ignorance  of  its 
secret  source  in  their  own  sin  and  guilt  before  God,  and  had  idl  their 

;  felt  wants  relieved  when  their  boduy  troubles  were  removed. 
:  In  one  aspect,  indeed,  these  miraculous  cures  furthered  the  great 
purpose  of  Jesus.  Thev  might  ((rove  no  doctrine,  for  mere  power 
oould  not  establish  mosaL  and  spiritual  truth.  Miracles  might  possi* 
i  bly  be  wrought  by  other  influences  than  divine,  and  left  religious 
teaching  to  stand  on  its  own  merits^  for  they  appealed  to  the  senses; 
aotvtike  truth,  to  the  soul.    The  display  or  overwhelming  power 

'  ini^t  almost  seem  to  endanger,  rather  than  promote,  the  hi^er  aim 
of  Jesus,  to  win  those  whom  He  addressed.  It  awes  and  repels  men 
to  find  themselves  in  tlie  presence  of  forces  which  they  can  neither 
resist  nor  understand.  In  nature,  untutoi*ed  races  tremble  before 
powers  which  may  be  used  to  destroy  t;hem,  and  seek  to  win  their 

i  favour  by  the  flattery  of  worship,  suiTounding  even  human  despotism 

i  with  awiul  attributes,  before  which  they  cower  in  terror. 

i^uf  Jesus,  however,  could  appeal  to  His  luimculous  powers  as  evidences 
of  His  divine  mission,  and  often  did  so.     Their  value  lay  in  the  grari- 

'   deurthey  added  to  His  character.    Even  in  the  wilderness.  He  had 

.   refused  to   exert    them,  under  any  circumstances,  either  for  His 

.  natural  wants,  or  for  Ws  personal  ends,  and  He  adhered  to  this 

Amazing  self-restraint  through  His  whole  career.     It  was  seen  from 

thefirst,  that  His  awfud  powers  were  imiformly  beneficent;  that  He 

icame,  not  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save  them;   that  He  used 

Hoosroipotenoe  to  blessg  but  nevjer  to  hurt. ^.His  words,  His.bearing,  and 


THE  UFE  OF  OHIUOT. 


Htelookf  of  divine  love  and  ienderaeM,  doubtleM  pradlnpOMd  moA 
to  expcfct  this,  and  His  uniform  course  aooa  contlrmed  It.  They  mw 
thai  ootbing  could  dl»turb  His  abeohite  pationof,  or  route  Hun  to 
vlndiotivenete;  Thoy  heard  Him  cndttjre  meekly  the  nidit  contempt- 
umle  ineeita,  the  bitterest  tiriticigm,  and  the  mott  rancorous  hostility. 
No  one  donibd  His  miraculons  powers,  though  some  affected  to  call 
theth  demonhu;,  in  direct  contradiction  to  their  habitual  exeroine  for 
the  h6Iiest  ends.  But  thev  were  so  invariably  devoted  to  the  ffood  of 
others,  and'  so  entirely  hold  in  restraint,  as  regarded  perionnl  enuM,  that 
mkm  dame,  erelong,  to  treilt  Him  with  the  reckless  uuldASM  of  katruiU 
notwithstanding  such  aw  f ul  endowment.  ^     < ,  —  ^ 

Routed  on<  so  transcendentally  meek,  self-interest  found  no  motive 
foi*  gathering.  He  who  would  ao  nothing  with  such  pomiibilities,  for 
Himself,  could  not  be  expected  to  do  more  for  the  personal  ends  of 
others.  Hypocri^iy  had  nothing  to  gain  by  seeking  His  favour.  Only 
sincerity  found  Him  attractive.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  with  the 
uncdrrupted  and  worthy,  this  characteristic  gave  Him  unlimited  moral 
eletatibn.  No  more  sublime  specta(?le  can  oe  conceived  than  bound- 
less power,  kept  in  perfect  control,  for  ends  wholly  unseltlsh  owl 
noble.  Condescension  wins  admiration  when  it  is  only  from  man  to 
roan;  when  it  showed  itself  in  veiled  omnipotence,  ever  ready  to  bless 
others,  but  never  used  on  its  own  1:ebalf,  it  became  a  divine  ideal. 
Men  saw  Him  clothed  with  power  over  disease,  and  even  over  death; 
able  to  cast  forth  spirits,  or  to  still  the  Bca,  and  yet  Hccessible,  full  of 
sympathy,  tlie  loftjr  patriot,  the  tender  friend,  the  patient  counsellor; 
shedding  tears,  at  times,  from  a  full  heart,  and  ever  ready  with  a>  wise 
and  gentle  word  for  all;  so  uuaifected  and  gentle  that  children  drew: 
round  Him  with  a  natural  instinct,  and  even  worldly  liardnesii  aud 
vice  were  softened  before  Hira ;  and  this  contrast  of  transcendent 
power,  and  perfect  humility,  made  them  feel  that  He  wnii  indeed  tlic 
Head  of  the  Kingdom  of' God  amongst  men.  The  secret  of  His 
amazhig' success,  as  the  founder  of  a  new  religious  constitution  for 
mankind^  lay  in  the  recognition  of  this  perfect  sacritioo  of  one  so 
transcendentally  great,  culminating  in  "the  death  of  the  cross/'  It 
wiis  the  jperfect  realization,  in  Himself,  of  the  life'  He  urged  on 
others.  It  implied' the  itieal  fulfilmeut  of  all  human  duties,  and  no 
less  80,  of  all  divine,  for  the  heavenly  love  which  alone  could  dictate 
and  sustain  sUch  a  career,  was,  in  itself,  the  most  perfect  transcript  of 
.the  tthtur^  of  God.  A  life  in  which  every  stop  showed  kingly  grac« 
and  divinely  Imundless  love,  condescending  to  the  lowliest  stili-denlii'  , 
fot  the  good  of  man,  proclahned  Him  the  rightful  Head  of  the  Nenil 
Kingdom' of  God. '^'•'t'   iUi  r  ':  ^nuA^  ,m.K  .      m t-i     ;Umu       .    (■•  vfui'vtfj; 

The  night  which  followed  this  busy  and  eventful  Babbath  broVjj^u^ 
no  repose  to  His  body  or  mind.     The  excitement  around  ngltntedsffiKi 
disturbed  Him.      It  was  His  fint  triumphant  suocess,  lor,  in  < ihe 
solitlljiHe  IiHd  thet  with  little  sympathy,  though  He  had  attructed 
crowds^ '   fim  curiosity  was  not  progress;  and  excitement  W4S  coti 


THR  LIFK  OP  niRIST; 


conTersion.  LowIIiiom  uik)  conc(*Alment,  not  nnlty  lhrong*»  werv 
th«  true  nonditk^t  of  HIh  work,  and  uf  Its  flrmoAt  esUbllsiiineiit,  and 
laHting  glory.  Mere  popularity  vrnn,  moreover,  a  renewed  teniplat{oQ» 
for,  aa  a  man,  Ho  waA  suM.>eptibk!  ol  tho  rameaeduotiona  aa  HUbntb* 
ren.  He  might  bei  drawn  aRide  to  think  of  Himaelf,  and  taHIa  h(Af 
Hoiil  the  fointeflt  approach  to  tliis  wun  a  Mirrender  to  evil.  )  Kiaing  from 
Ilia  I  conch,  therefore,  wliilo  the  deep  diirknetia  which  preoadea  the 
dawn  still  rcBted  on  hill  and  valley,  He  left  the  house  8o<|uietly  that 
no  one  heard  Him,  and  went,  once  more,  to  the  aolitudes  of  the  hUla 
behind  Hie  town.  PasHtn^  throu^  groves  of  patans,  and  orclunda  of 
f\p  and  olive  trees,  intermixed  with  vinevarda  and  grassy  moadowa, 
with  their  tinkling  brooks,  so  delightful  in  the  East,  and  tlieir  uaaeen 
glory  of  lilies  and  varied  Howers,  lie  soon  reached  the  1^  'ghts,  amongst 
which,  at  no  great  diMtanco  from  tho  town,  were  lonely  ravines  where 
He  could  enioy.  perfect  seclusion.  In  the  stillness  of  nature  He  was 
alone  With  His  Father,  and  far  from  the  temptations  which  troubled 
the  pure  simplicity  of  His  soul,  and  His  lowly  meekness  before  God 
and  man.  We,  now,  see  the  glory  of  the  path  He  chose,  but  while  Ho 
lived,  dven  His  disciples  would  have  planned  a  very  diiforent  course. 
"VV^hy  not  take  advantage  of  the  excitement  of  the  people  to  rouse  the 
whole  nation,  as  John  had  done?  Was  not  His  miraculous  power  & 
means  of  endless  benefit  to  men,  and  should  it  not,  therefore;  be  made 
the  great  feature  of  His  work?  Vanity  would  have  suggested  {daus- 
ible  grouTids  for  His  using  His  gifts  in  a  wav,  that,  in  reality,  was  not 
in  harmony  with  the  great  end  of  His  mission.  But  His  soul  re- 
mained unsullied,  like  the  stainless  light.  He  came  to  do  the  will  of 
His  Father,'  and  nothing  could  make  Him  for  a  moment  think  of  Him* 
H(M.  In  lonely  communion  with  His  own  soul,  and  earnest  prayer^ 
the;  rising  breath  of  temptation  passed  once  more  away.  i . 

Peter  and  Andrew,  finding  Him  gone  when  they  awoke,  were  at  a 
loss  what  to  think.  Move  sick  persons  were  gathermg^  and  the  crowda 
of  vesterday  promised  to  be  larger  to-day.  Hasting  to  the  hills,  to 
which  they  rightly  supposed  He  liad  retired,  and  having  found  Him 
at  last,  they  fancied  He  would  at  once  return  with  them,  on  hearing 
t  liat  the  whole  people  were  seeking  Him.  But  He  had  a  wider  sphere 
than  Cai^rnaum,  and  higher  duties  than  mere  bodily  healing.  ■'I 
have  not  come  to  heal  the  sick,"  said  He,  "but  to  announce  and 
.S[>rtad  the  kingdom  of  God.  All  I  do  is  subordinate  to  this.  Let  us, 
tb.trefore,  go  to  the  neighbouring  towns,  for  I  must  preach  the  king- 
dom of  God  to  other  cities,  as  well  as  to  Capernaum.'*  Nor  would 
He  be  persuaded  to  return  for  a  time,  though  some  of  the  people  liad 
already  found  out  His  retreat,  and  joined  with  the  disciples  in  beg- 
ging Him  to  do  so.  iJii-ff>»'';n';>iW:'  ,;-;?!?:(. i-<btl  fin7. -AW^t  •fi«vi-.'fw  *.  ' 

Tile  (Circuit  now  bej^un  was  the  first  of  a  series,  in  which  Jesus  vis- 
ited every  part^of  Galilee,  preaching  and  teaching  in  the  aynagogue  of 
each  town  that  had  one,  and  often,  doubtless,  in  the  open  air.  At  was 
thebri^M  and  sunny  time  of  the  year,  when  tlie  harvest  was  qiuiekly 


890 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


1 1 


I'll 


idpenin^.  The  heat  was  already  oppressive  at  iioon,.but  the  mom. 
hags  and  ev^iings  permitted  more  easy  travelling.  *  It  wa^a  time 
of  intense  labour  for  the  Saviour,  of  which  the  day's  work  in  Ca- 
pernaum was  only  a  sample.  The  bounds  of  Galilee  emti?aced  the 
m&n)r  villages  and  towns  of  the  Plain  of  £Rdraelon,.and  the  whole  c^ 
the  hilly  country  north  of  it,  almost  to  Lebanon.  Day  by  day  brought 
its  march  from  one  village  or  town  to  others,  over  the  tiiirsty  lime- 
Rtone  uplands,  where  the  wanderer  thankfully  received  the  cup  of 
cold  water,  as  a  ^ift  to  be  recompensed  in  the  kingdom  of  Godv  or 
through  glowing  vineyards,  or  among  the  corn-fields  whitening  to  the 
harvest,  or  falling  under  the  sickle  of  the  reaper.  "  Every  day>"  said 
Jesus  to  His  disciples,  "has  its  own  troublei?;"  for  weariness;  pos- 
sibly, at  times,  hunger;  the  dependence  on  hospitality  for  shelter; 
the  pressure  of  crowds;  the  stolid  indifference  of  too  many;  the  idle 
curiosity  of  more;  the  ever-present  misery  of  disease  in  all  its  forms; 
and,  it  may  be,  even  thus  early,  the  opposition  of  some,  must  have 
borne  heavily  on  a  nature  like  His.  The  news  of  His  miracles  had 
spread  like  running  fire  through  the  whole  country,  and  attracted 
crowds  from  all  parts.  Beyond  Palestine,  on  the  north,  tliey  had  he- 
come  the  common  talk  of  Syria;  on  the  east,  they  had  stirred  tlie 
population  of  the  wide  district  of  the  ten  cities,  and  of  Perea,  and^  on 
the  south,  His  name  was  on  all  lips  in  Jerusalem  and  Judea.  Ere- 
long, it  seemed  as  if  the  scenes  of  John's  preaching  were  returning^ 
for  numbers  gathered  to  Him  from  all  these  parts,  and  followed  Him, 
day  by  day,  in  His  movements  through  the  land.  His  progress  was, 
indeed,  worthy  of  such  an  attendance,  for  no  king  ever  celebrated 
such  a  triumph.  Conquerors  returning  from  victory  over  kingdoms 
and  empires  had  led  trains  of  trembling  captives  in  their  train.  But, 
at  every  resting-place,  a  sad  crowd  of  sufferers  from  all  diseases  and 
painfuliiffections,  and  of  demoniacs,  lunatics,  and  paralytics,  was  gath- 
ered in  the  path  of  Jesus,  and  He  healed  them  by  a  word  or  a  touch. 
Eiscortcd  into  each  town  by  those  whom  He  had  thus  restoredr-the 
lately  sick  and  dying  whom  He  had  instantaneously  cured,— it  is  no 
wonder  that  the  whole  land  rang  with  the  story.  The  enemies  over 
A7hom  He  triumphed  were  pain,  and  sickness,  and  death,  and  the 
rejoicings  that  greeted  Him  were  sliouts  of  gratitude  and  blessing  as 
Vac  Prince  of  Life. 

Only  one  incident  of  this  wondrous  journey  is  recorded  at  any 
length.  In  one  of  the  cities  He  visited,  Ue  was  suddenly  met  by'  a 
man  "full  of  leprosy,"  a  disease  at  all  times  terrible,  but  aggravated, 
in  the  opinion  of  that  day,  by  the  belief  tliat  it  was  a  direct  "stroke 
of  God,"  as  a  punishment  for  tpecial  sins.  It  began  with  little  specks 
on  the  eyelids,  and  on  the  palms  of  the  hand,  and  gradually  spread 
over  different  parts  of  the  body,  bleaching  the  hair  white  wherever  it 
showed  itself,  crusting  the  aifected  i>art3  with  shining  scales,  and 
causang  swellings  and  sores.  From  the  skin  it  slowly  ate  its  way 
through  tho  tissues,  to  the  bones  and  Joints  and  cren  tO;  th& marrowy 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRKT. 


891 


rotting  the  whole  body  piecemeal.  The  lun^,  the  ot^ob  of  speech 
and  hearings  and  the  eyes  were  attacked  in  turn>  till,  at  last,  con- 
sumption  or  dropsy  brought  welcome  death.  The  dread  of  infection 
kept  men  aloof  from  the  sufferer.,  and  the  Law  proscribed  him^  aa, 
above  all  men^  unclean.  The  disease  was  hereditary  to  tlie-  fourth 
generation.  No  one  thus  afflicted  could  remain  in  a  walled  ^wn^ 
though  he  might  live  in  a  village.  There  were  different  varieties  of 
fepcosy,  but  all  were  dreaded  as  the  saddest  calamity  of  life.  The 
leper  was  required  to  rend  his  outer  garment,  to  go  bareheaded,  and 
to  cover  his  hiouth  so  as  to  hide  his  beard,  as  was  (lone  in  lamentation 
for  the  dead.  He  had,  further,  to  warn  passers  by  away  from  him 
by  theory  of  "Unclean,  unclean;"  not  without  the  thought  that  the 
soutad  would  call  forth  a  prayer  for  the  sufferer,  and  less  from  the 
fear  of  infection  i  tlian  to  prevent  contact  with  one  thus  visited  by 
God,  and  unclean.  He  could  not  speak  to  any  one,  or  receive  or  re- 
turn a  salutation.  In  the  lapse  of  a^es^  however,  these  rules  had  been 
in  some  degree  relaxed.  A  leper  m^ht  live  in  an  open  vQlage^  with 
any  one  willing  to  receive  him  and  to  become  unclean  for  his  sake, 
and  he  might  even  enter  the  synagogue,  if  he  had  a  part  specially 
partitioned  off  for  himself,  and  was  the  first  to  enter  the  building,  and 
the  last  to  leave.  He  even  at  times  ventured  to  enter  a  town,  though 
forbidden -under  the  penalty  of  forty  stripes.  But  it  was  a  living 
death,  in  the  slow  advance  of  which  a  man  became  dailv  more  loath- 
some to  himself,  and  even  to  his  dearest  friends.  *' These  four  are 
counted  as  dead,"  says  the  Talmud,  "the  blind,  the  leper,  the  poor, 
and  ithe  childless. " 

The  news  of  the  wondrous  cures  wrought  on  so  many  had  reached 
the  unfortunate  man,  who  now  dared  the  Law,  to  make  his  way  to 
the  healer..  Falling  at  His  feet  in  humble  reverence,  he  delighted 
tlie  spirit  of  Jesus  by,  perhaps,  the  first  open  confession  of  a  simple 
and  lowly  faith — "Lord,  if  Thou  wilt,  Thou  canst  make  me  clean." 
His  kneading  before  Him^  and  addressing  Him  by  such  a  title,  was, 
indeed,  only  what  he  would  have  done  to  any  one  greatljr  above  him, 
but  his  frank  belief  in  His  power,  and  his  implicit  submission  to  His 
will,  touched  a  heart  so  tender.  Moved  with  compassion  for  the  un- 
fortunate, there  was  no  delay — a  touch  of  the  hand,  and  the  words, 
"I  will:  be  thou  jclean,"  and  he  rose,  a  leper  no  longer.  To  have 
touched  him,  was,  in  tie  eves  of  a  Jew,  to  have  made  Himself  un- 
clean, but  He  had  come  to  break  through  the  deadly  external  ism  that 
had  taken  the  place  of  true  religion,  and  could  have  sho'vii  no  more 
strikingly  how  He  looked  on  mere  Rabbinical  precepts  than  by  making 
a  touch  which,  till  then,  had  entailed  the  worst  uncleauness,  the 
means  of  cleansing.  Slight  though  it  seemed,  the  touch  of  the  leper 
was  the  proclamation  that  Judaism  was  abrogated  henceforth.    xn7o 

The  popular  excitement  had  already  extended  widely,  and  a  cure 
like  this  was  certiiin  to  raise  it  still  higher.  With  the  Baptist  in 
piiaon  cma  pretended  political  charge^asid  the  people  fuU  of  politic&l 


I  ■ 

'It 


V 


Ill 


S92 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


dreams  in  connection  -witU  the  cxiiected  Messiah,  all  that  might  fan 
tlie  flame  was  to  be  dreaded.    Excitement,  moreover,  wa»  nnfavonr- 
able  to  the  great  work  of  Jesus.    He  needed  a  thouglitful  calm  in  the 
mind , '  f  or  lasting  effects.    The  kingdom  of  God  which  He  proclaimed 
was  ho  mere  appeal  to  the  feelings,  but  sought  the  understanding  and 
heart.    Turning  to  the  newly  cured,  therefore,  He  spoke  earnestly  to 
liim,  not  to  tell  any  one  what  had  happened,  thre^iiening  him  with 
His  anger,  if  he  should  disobey.     ' '  Go  to  Jerusalem, "  said  He,  ' '  and 
show  yourself  to  the  priest,  and  make  the  offerings  for  your  cleansing, 
required  by  the  Law,  as  a  proof  to  your  neighbours,  to  the  priests, 
the  scribes,  and  the  people  at  large,  that  you  are  really  clean." 
*  .'lA  certificate  of  the  recovery  of  a  leper  could  only  be  given  at  Je- 
rusalem, by  a  priest,  after  a  lengthened  examination,  and  tedious 
rites,  and,  no  doubt,  these  were  duly  undergone  and  performed.    It 
will  illustrate  the  "bondage"  of  the  ceremonial  law,  as  then  in  force,  (^  . 
to  describe  them.    With  his  heart  full  of  tlic  first  joy  of  a  cure  so 
amazing,  for  no  one  had  ever  before  heard  of  the  recovery  of  a  man  < 
"full  of  leprosy,"  he  set  off  to  the  Temple  for  the  requisite  papers  tOg 
authorize  his  return,  once  more,  to  the  roll  of  Israel.     A  tent  had  to  ^ 
be  pitched  outside  the  city,  and  in  this  the  priest  examined  the  le^ier, 
cutting  off  all  his  hair  with  the  utmost  care,  for  if  only  two  hairs  ,| 
were  left,  the  ceremony,  was  invalid.    Two  sparrows  had  to  be  brought  ^ 
at  this  first  stage  of  the  cleansing;  the  one,  to  be  killed  over  a^  small ^.^ 
earthen  pan  of  water,  into  which  its  blood  must  drop:  the  other,  after  ^ 
being  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  its  mate,— 'a  cedar  twig,  to  which,; 
scarlet  wool  and  a  piece  of  hyssop  were  bound,  being  used  to  do  so,-- 
was  let  free  in  such  a  direction  that  it  should  fly  to  the  open  count^'y. 
After  the  scrutiny  by  the  priest,  the  leper  put  on  clean  clothes,  and  j 
carried  away  those  he  had  worn  to  a  running  stream,  to  wash  them ,., 
thproughly,  and  to  cleanse  himself  by  a  bath.    He  could  now  enter  j 
the  city,  but  for  seven  days  more  could  not  enter  his  own  house.    On  ^^ 
tlie  eighth  day  after,  he  once  more  submitted  to  the  scissors  of  the  ,f 
priest,  who  cut  off  whatever  hair  might  have  grown  in  the  interval.  ,, 
Then  followed  a  second  bath,  and  now  he  had  only  carefully  to  avoid  '^ 
any  defilement,  so  as  to  be  fit  to  attend  in  the  Temple  next  morning,  ^, 
and  complete  his  cleansing.     The  first  step  in  this  final  purification^] 
was  to  offer  three  lambs,  two  males  and  a  female,  none  of  which ;  ■ 
must  be  under  a  year  old.     Standing  at  the  outer  edge  of  the  court  of  j , 
the  men,  which  he  was  not  yet  worthy  to  enter,  the  leper  waited  the 
longed-for  rites.     These  began  by  the  priest  taking  one  of  the  malC'i 
lambs  destined  to  be  slain  as  an  atonement  for  the  leper,  and  leading  . 
it  to  each  point  of  the  compass  in  turn,  and  by  his  swinging  a  vessel ;. 
of  oil  on  all  sides,  in  the  same  way,  as  if  to  present  both  to  the  uni-:^ 
versally  present  God.     He  then  led  the  lamb  to  the  leper,  who  laid 
his  hands  on  its  head,  and  gave  it  over  as  a  sacrifice  for  his  guilt,    , 
which  he  now  confessed.     It  was  forthwith  killed  at  the  north  side^ 
of  the  altar,  two  priests  eatching  its  blood,  t\\e  one  in  a  vessel,  tho 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


893 


uni- 

laid 

^uilt, 

side 


other  in  his  hand.    Tlie  first  now  sprinkled  the  nltar  vnth  the  blood, 
while  the  other  went  to  the  leper  and  anointed  his  ears,  his  right  thumb, 
and  his  right  toe  with  it.     The  one  priest  then  poured  some  oil  of 
the  leper's  offering  into  th^  left  lJ«fid^Y>t'tBte">other,  who,  in  his  turn, 
dipped  his  linger  seven  tim'es  into  the  oil  thus  held,  and  sprinkled  it^'' 
as  often  towards  the  Holy  of  Holies.     Each  part  of  the  leper  which'' 
before  had  beeii  touched  with  the  blood,  was  then  further  anohited'^ 
with  the  oil,  what  remained  being  stroked  on  his  head.  ^ 

The  leper  could  now  enter  the  men's  court,  and  did  so,  passing 
through  it  to  that  of  the  priests.  The  female  lamb  was  next  killed, 
as  a  sm-ofPering,  after  he  had  put  his  hands  on  its  head,  part  of  its 
blood  being  smeared  on  the  horns  of  the  nltar,  while  the  rest  was 
poured  out  at  the  altar  base.  Tlie  other  male  lamb  was  then  slain  for 
a  burnt  sacrifice;  the  leper  once  more  laying  his  hands  on  its  head, 
and  the  priest  sprinkling  its  blood  on  the  altar.  The  fat,  and  all  that 
was  fit  for  an  offering,  was  now  laid  on  the  altar,  and  burned  as  a 
"  siveet-smelling  savour"  to  God.  A  meat-offering  of  fine  wheat  meal 
and  oil  ended  the  whole;  a  portion  being  laid  on  the  altar,  while  the 
rest,  with  the  two  lambs,  of  which  only  a  small  part  had  been  burned; ' 
formed  the  dues  of  the  priest.  It  was  not  till  all  this  had  been  done 
that  the  full  ceremony  of  cleansing,  or  showing  himself  to  the  priest, 
had  been  carried  out,  and  that  the  cheering  words,  "Thou art  pure," 
restored  the  sufferer  once  more  to  the  rights  of  citizenship  and  of 
interbourse  with  men.  No  wonder  that  even  a  man  like  St.  Peter,  so 
tenderly  minded  to  his  ancestral  religion,  should  speak  of  its  require* 
ments  as  a  yoke  which  "neither  our  fathers  uor  we  are  able  to  bearl" 

Of  the  after-history  of  the  leper  thus  cleansed  we  are  not  informed; , 
It  appears,  however,  that  his  joy  at  bein^  healed  was  too  great  to  be^ 
repressed  even  by  Christ's  grave  imposition  of  silence.    The  multi^ 
tudes  around  Jesus  would  soon,  of  themselves,  spread  news  of  the 
miracle,  but  the  healed  man  widened  and  heightened  the  excitement , 
by  telling  everywhere  on  his  road  to  Jerusalem  what  had  befallen'^ 
hira.    The  result  was  that  Jesus  could  no  longer  enter  a  town  or  city, 
80  great  was  the  commotion  His  presence  excited.    Nor  was  it  of  anV 
avail  that  He  retired  to  the  open  country,  for  even  when  He  betook 
Himself  to  the  upland  solitudes,  great  multitudes  continually  sought 
Him  out,  either  to  hear  His  words,  or  to  be  healed  of  their  various 
diseases. 

In  such  busy  and  exhausting  scenes  the  days  of  early  autumn  passed. 
But,  whatever  the  returning  toils  of  each  morning,  the  Saviour  still 
craved  and  secured  hours  of  lonely  calm,  for  we  read  in  St.  Luke 
that,  during  all  these  weeks,  He  was  wont  to  withdraw,  doubtless  by 
night,  into  lonely  places  to  pray. 

.         I.li>0:(.jiV/    j  ill'  '  ■     ' 


m 


i??5iHBrv^'^ro  '^^TTa  m 


yS.' 


>>♦».  vcvi     v>A*i»     ^s'.^y'^i     i^*i    ,*j.«i.- 

(.  ..  f  LIGHT 


-mVi  iT25:c)iW  afii  lih  tmi^^'^hm'^^U  i'mtmmit} i\>kMii'im  ario'Kibi  .tnin 

^;;  "w^'      .: ;  r    .    i       .  .;' l«j£l-'ai;3^1,  Hq.fuh3*x 
CHAPTER'  XXXrV.'""^-*'^  '|''>  •'^^if)Tnr  irtj  htm 

;.  f..        :;.-.*4*w«*'     AND     D A RKNBf  8.     •.,,:.;;•;  ^,f.^jy{.,^j| 

Tiif  ciute of  "flie  leper  seems  to  have  resulted  in^c^siMnrtiiif, 
for  a  moment,  to  Capernaum.  He  had  acted  with  the  greatest 
caution  during  His  mission,  to  avoid  giving  oflfence,  ahd  th  is  raising 
opposiition,  which  would  be  fatal  at  the  very  opening  of  His  micdstry. 
From  many  a  hill-top  on  His  journeying,  He  and  His  dii^ples  had, 
doubtlessj  often  looked  to  the  mountams  in  the  south-east;  umidst 
which  John  lay,  a  helpless  prisoner;  and  they  must  have  felt  that  the 

grince  who  had  thus  cut  short  the  work  of  the  great  Kef ormerv  might 
e  readily  moved  to  the  same  violence  towards  themselves.  Jesus 
had,  therefore,  shunned  notoriety;  and  though  He  never  hesitated 
to  accept  homa^,  where  it  was  sincere  and  spontaneous,  He  had 
never  demanded  it,  and  had  kept  even  His  miraculous  powers  in  strict 
subordination  to  the  great  work  of  proclaiming  the  advent  •£  Uie 
kin^om  of  God.  The  appeals  of  pain  and  misery  had,  indeed,:  «mi- 
stramed  Him  to  relieve  them,  but  He  had  accompanied  His  miracles 
by  a  strict  prohibition  of  their  being  made  publicly  known,  further 
than  was  inevitable.  ;  > ;    ? 

'i"  In  spite  of  every  precaution,  however,  the  report  of  His  wonderfttl 
doings  spread  far  and  wide,  and  drew  ever  increasing  attention. 
Political  circles,  as  yet,  did  not  condescend  to  notice  Him,  but  the 
tik^pless  eyes  of  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  were  already  watching 
Him.  It  was  enough  that  He  acted  independently  of  them.  Not  to 
be  with  them  was,  in  their  eyes,  to  be  against  them,  for  they  claimed, 
as  the  spiritual  leaders  of  the  nation,  the  sole  direction  of  its  religious 
teaching.  The  more  wonderful  His  works,  the  greater  their  excite- 
ment, and  the  keener  their  jealousy.  In  any  case,  therefore,  the 
wordiB  which  accompanied  such  extraordinary  manifestations,  wo«ild 
have  been  watched  with  the  closest  scrutiny,  for  any  chance  of  vlindij 
eating  their  cal-e  of  the  religious  interests  entrusted  to  them.:  In  ai 
age  of  such  rigid  literalism  and  unchanging  conservatism,  no  teaob&'r 
with  the  least  individuality  of  thought  or  expression  could  hope  to 
escape,  where  the  determination  to  condemn  was  already  fixed;  Far 
less  was  it  possible  for  one  like  Jesus — so  sincere  amidst  general 
Insincerity;  so  intense  and  real  amidst  what  was  hollow  and  outward; 
so  pure  and  elevated  amidst  what  was  gross  and  worldly;  so  tenderly 
human,  amidst  what  was  harsh  and  exclusive — to  avoid  giving  pre- 
text for  censure.  The  priests  and  Rabbis,  through  the  whole  land, 
felt  instinctively  that  their  influence  was  imperilled  by  His  lightest 
word.  They,  already,  were  coldlv  suspicious.  The  next  step  would 
be  to  blame,  and  they  would  seek,  before  long,  to  destroy  Him,  Ibr 
it  has,  in  all  ages,  been  the  sad  characteristic  of  the  leaders  of  domi- 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


805 


nant  religious  parties,  to  confound  the  gratification  of  the  worst  pas- 
sions with  loyalty  to  their  office. 

Perhaps  Jesus  had  hoped  that  in  Capernaum,  at  least,  He  would 
find  an  interval  of  repose,  for  His^bsenccTnight  have  been  expected 
to  have  allayed  the  excitement.  No  spot  in  Palestine  seemed  lesa| 
likely  to  be  disturbed  by  the  hostility  of  the  schools.  In  Jerusalem, 
mea-'loolied  hack  to  a  past  dating  from  Melchisedek,  and  wi«re  its 
8hiye8,,but)C!apernaum  was  so  new  that  Its  name  does  not  occur  at 
all  in  the  Old  Testament.  But  He  soon  found  that  the  dark  and 
hatelttl  genius  of  Rabbinism,  with  its  puerile  customs  and  formulas, 
and  its  nerce  bigotry,  was  abroad  through  the  whole  land.  n  s't 
'  lb  was  vain  to  expect  that  a  "  city  set  on  a  hill"  could  be  hiddeiv 
He  I  had  scarcely^  re-entered  the  town,  before  it  ran  from  mouth  to 
mouth  that  He  had  returned,  and  was  at  home.    Crowds  presently 

fithered,  and  filled  not  only  the  house,  but  the  space  before  it. 
here  was  to  be  no  rest  for  the  Son  of  Man,  till  He  found  it  in  the 
gatdcoi  grave  k)f  Joseph  of  Aiimathea.  The  applause,  the  gaping 
wonder^  the  huge  concourse  of  people,  were  onlv  a  grief  IjQ.Hlm. 
He  had  broken  away  from  them  before,  and  sought  refu^ge  fiKw^ithe 
tempitations  they  tended  to  excite,  in  lonely  prayer  by  night  on  tl^e 
neighbouring  hills,  under  the  pure  and  silent  stars.  They  had  followed 
Hiin  on  His  journev  from  town  to  town,  and,  now,  on  His  return  to 
Capernaum,  the  clamour  of  voices,  and  the  pressure  of  throqgs, 
besets  Him  more  than  ever.  Had  anxiety  to  hear  the  truths  of  ,me 
new  spiritual  kingdom  caused  tliis  excitement,  it  would  have  lieqn 
healthy,  but  it  had  been  already  shown  only  too  clearly  that,  iwbijb 
men  believed  in  His  power  to  heal,  they  cared  little  for  His  higher 
claims.  Begret  for  bodily  illness,  or  ready  sympathy  with  the  simer- 
or8,isittiply  as  under  physical  trouble,  were  evidently  the  only  thought, 
to  the  exclusion  of  any  sense  of  graver  spiritual  disease  in  all  ahke. 
'Kio  vespy  maladies  often  revealed  moral  impurity  as  their  cause;  and 
the  selfish  stniggle  for  His  favour,  and  the  too  frequent  ingratitude  of 
the  cured,  saddened  His  soul.  Of  the  multitudes  whom  He  had 
healed^  most  had  disappeared,  without  any  signs  of  having  heeded 
His  appeals  and  warnings.  Even  the  leper,  who  had  at  least  promised 
silence,  was  hardly  out  of  His  presence  before  he  forgot  his  pledge. 
He  was  already  thei  Man  of  Borrows,  but  divine  compassion  still 
ui^ed  Him  toheal.    ■>/ iiLfV/i'a-.  •>  <■;  '.xv't.  ■hir^.<i^-}^'^i 

To  make  the  trial  greater,  it  was  evident  that  mischief  wasbrevf- 
ing.  The  Rabbis  were  astir.  They  had  heard  of  the  multitudes 
attracted  from  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan  on  the  east;  from  as  far  as 
Jerusalem,  and  even  Idumea,  on  the  south,  and  from  Phenicia  on  the 
north;  and  had  followed  the  crowds,  and  gathered  in  Capernaum 
from  eveiy  town  of  Galilee  and  Judea,  and  from  Jerusalem  itself,  to 
hear  and' see  the  new  wonder.  Sensitive  in  their  own  interest,  they 
canifr  with  no  friendly  motive,  but  cold  and  hostile;  to  criticize,  and, 

If  pOeSiblCi  to  condemn., \ui::i it:s,L>irit_;u  ViUti,:;^^/  auuc   ,^-U^^  iiiJ  4^, ««.... 


P4- 


i  i  >iiU' 


8oe 


THE  UIPE  OF  CliRIS^. 


Bvfeiilh  Galilee  the  influence  of  the  orflef  wasereat.  It  had' doner 
immense  service  to  the  nation  in  earlier  days  in  Kindling  an  intense 
feeling  of  nationality,  and  ah  enthusiasm,  at  first  healthy  and  bene- 
ficial, though  now  perverted,  for  their  faith.  The  Rabbis  ivere  the 
heads  of  the  nation,  in  the  widest  sense,  for  the  religion  of  the  people 
was  also  their  polities.  Thev  were  the  theologians,  the  jurists,  the 
legislators,  the  politicians,  ana,  indeed,  the  soul  of  Israel.  The  priests 
had  sunk  to  a  subordinate  place  in  the  public  regard.'  The  veneTa-* 
tion  which  the  people  felt  for  their  LaW  was  willingly  extended  t©  its 
teachers.  They  weje  greeted  reverently  in  the  street  and  in  the  mar-* 
ket-place,  men  risingup  before  them  as  they  passed;  the  title  Of  Rabbi 
Was  universally  accorded  them ;  the  front  seats  of  the  synagogues  were 
set  apart  for  them ;  and  they  took  the  place  of  honour  at  all  >faitnily 
rejoicings,  that  they  might  discourse,  incidentally,  to  the  c©mJ)»By, 
on  the  Law.  Wise  in  their  generation,  they  fostered  this  homage  by 
external  aids.  Their  long  robes,  their  broad  phylacteries,  or  prayer 
fillets,  on  their  forehead  and  arm,  their  conspicuous  Tcphillin,  with, 
the  sacred  tassels  dangling  from  each  corner,  were  part  of  themselves, 
without  which  they  were  neVer  seen.  The  people  gloried  in  them 
as  the  crown  of  Israel,  and  its  distinguishing  honour  above  aM  other 
nations.  *'  Learn  where  is  wisdom,"  says  Daruch,  "where  isstrengtli, 
where  is  understanding.  It  has  not  been  heard  of  in  Gar  ian,  nor  seen 
in  Teman.  The  Hagarenes  seek  wisdom,  and  the  traders  of  Meran  and 
Teman,  and  the  poets  and  philosophers^  but  they  have  not  found  out 
the  way  of  wisdom,  or  discovered  her  path*  God  has  found  out 
the  vhole  way  of  wisdom,  and  hath  given  it  to  His  servant  Jacob, 
and  to  Israel,  His  beloved."  Jerusalem  was,  naturally,  while  the 
Tempie  worship  continued,  the  headquarters  of  the  wisdom  of  tlfci 
Rabms,  but  they  were  found  in  all  the  synagogue  towns  both  of 
Judea  and  Galilee.  They  formed  the  members  of  the  local,  eccJesif 
astical,  and  criminal  courts  over  the  country,  and  at  Jerusaleih, 
virtually  controlled  the  authorities,  and  thus  framed  the  religious  and 
general  law  for  the  nation  at  large,  so  far  As  allowed  by  the  Romans. 
Their  activity  never  rested.  Whether  as  guests  from  the  Holy  Oity^ 
or  as  residents,  they  pervaded  the  land,  visiting  every  school  and 
synagogue,  to  extend  their  influence  by  teaching  and  exhortations. 
A  Rabbi,  indeed,  could  move  from  place  to  place  with  little  trouble, 
for,  in  most  cases,  he  lived  by  trade  or  handicraft,  and  could  thus 
unite  business  and  religion  in  his  missionary  journeys.  Tlieir  cease- 
less circuits  are  painted  in  the  Targum  on  Deborah's  song.  It  makes 
the  prophetess  say— "I  am  sent  to  praise  the  Scribes  of  Israel,  who 
ceased  not,  in  the  evil  times,  to  expound  the  Law.  It  waa  beautiful 
to  see, how  they  sat  in  the  synagf)gues,  and  taught  tlie  people  the 
words  of  the  Law;  how  they  uttered  the  blessings,  ana  confessed  the 
truth  before  God.  They  neglected  their  own  aifairs,  and  rode  on 
asses  round  the  whole  land,  and  sat  for  judgment."  The  i)araplirase 
is  an  anachronism  when  applied  to  the  age  of  the  Judges^  but  ii 
Vividly  illustrates  Rabbinical  zeal  in  the  days  of  Christ. 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


897 


Soon  after  His  return  to  Capernaum,  .an  incident  occurred  \ehichled 
to  the  tirst  open  difference  l)etween  Jesus  and  this  all-powerful  order. 
The  crowds  had  gathered  in  such  numbers  at  Peter's  house,  that  not 
only  the  house  itself,  but  the  space  before  it,  was  once  more  full. 
Among  the  audience  were  Scribes  from  all  parts,  to  see  if  they  should 
unite  with  the  new  movement,  and  turn  it  to  their  own  purposes,  or 
take  measures  against  it.  If  we  may  judge  from  the  ruins  on  the  site 
of  the  town,  the  house  was  only  a  single  very  low  story  high,  with  a 
flat  roof,  reached  by  a  stairway  from  the  yard  or  court,  imd  Jesus  may 
have  stood  near  the  door,  in  8uch  a  position  as  to  be  able  to  address 
the  crowd  outside,  as  well  as  those  in  the  chamber.  Poasibly,  how- 
ever, there  were  two  stories  in  this  particular  house,  as  there  must 
have  been  in  some  in  the  town,  and  in  that  case  the  upper  one  would 
likely  be  a  large  room— the  "upper"  and  best  chamber — such  as  was 
often  used  elsewhere  by  Rabbis,  for  reading  and  expounding  the  Law 
to  their  disciples,  and  Jesus  may  have  have  stood  near  the  open  win- 
dow, so  as  to  be  heard  both  outside  and  vrithin. 

From  some  favourable  spot  He  was  addressing  the  thickly  crowded 
audience  about  the  kingdom  of  God^  so  long  prophesied,  and  now,  at 
liistv  in  their  midst,  when  four  men  approached  bearing  a  sick  pt^rson, 
on  a  hammock  slung  between  them.  It  proved  to  be  a  man  entirely 
paralyzed.  Unable  to  make  their  way  through  the  throng,  the  bearers 
went  round  the  house  to  see  what  should  be  done.  They  had  likely 
come  from  a  distance,  and  thus  were  too  late  to  get  at  once  near  the 
great  Healer.  The  outside  stairs  to  the  roof,  however,  offered  them 
a  solution  of  their  difficulty.  The  sick  man  was  bent  on  getting  to 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  willingly  let  them  raise  him,  which  they  were 
able  to  do  by  fastening  cords  to  the  hammock,  and  pulling  it  up, 
after  they  themselves  had  got  to  the  top  by  the  narrow  and  ladder- 
like  steps. 

Their  trembling  burden  once  safely  on  the  roof,  the  rest  was  easy. 
Eastern  houses  are,  in  many  ways,  very  different  from  ours,  but  m 
none  more  strj^ingly  than  in  the  lightness  of  the  roof.  R-tf ters  are 
laid  On  the  top  of  the  side  walls,  about  three  feet  apart,  and  on  these 
short  sticks  are  put,  till  the  whole  space  is  covered.  Over  these,  again, 
a  thick  coating  of  brushwood,  or  of  some  common  bush,  is  spread.  A 
coat  of  mortar  comes  next,  burying  and  levelling  all  beneath  it,  and 
on  this  again  is  spread  marl  or  earth,  which  is  rolled  flat  and  hard. 
Many  roofs,  indeed,  are  much  slighter — earth  closely  rolled  or  beaten 
down,  perhaps  mixed  with  ashes,  lime,  and  chopped  straw, — being  all 
the  owners  can  afford,  and  thus,  even  at  this  day,  it  is  common  to  see 
grass  growing  on  the  house-top  after  the  rains,  and  repairs  of  cracks 
made  by  the  sun's  rays  are  often  needed  in  the  hot  season,  to  prevent 
heavy  leakage.  It  is  thus  easy  to  break  up  a  roof  when  necessary, 
and  it  is  often  done.  The  earth  is  merely  scraped  back  from  a  part, 
and  the  thorna  and  short  sticki  removed,  till  an  opening  of  the  required 
size  is  made.  "trfMtff-^i^Taffcv  >tH.r :^,r''w^t!i^/tf|ft'^,n 


%?i 


s 


11 
Pi  i 

it  ! 


THE  LIPR  OF  CHRIST. 


Through  some  snch  simple  rpofing  the  four  bearers  now  opened  i 
space  large  enough  to  let  down  the  sick  man  into  the  chamber  wlieTe 
Jesus  stood.  Cords  tied  to  the  couch  made  thie  rest  easy,  and  tile 
paralytic  was  presently  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  He  lay  there,  the  Hving 
flead,  bat  his  outward  troubles  were  not  his  greatest.  Looking  on 
his  calamity  as  a  punishment  from  God  for  pa«t  sins, — perhaps  feel- 
ing that  it  had  been  brought  upon  him  by  a  vicious  life,— he  waseven 
more  sorely  stricken  in  spirit  than  in  body.  No  one^,  he  felt,  eowW 
help  him  but  He  to  reach  whom  had  been  Iris  deepest  wish.  To  be 
healed  within,  was  even  more  with  him  than  to  be  restored  to  out- 
ward health.  He  had  nothing  to  say;  perhaps  he  could  not:  speafc, 
for  palsy  often  hinders  articulation.  But  his  eyes  told  his  whole 
6tory,  and  He  before  whom  he  had  thus  strangely  come  read  it  at  a 
glance.  He  was  still  a  young  man,  which  in  itself  awakened  sym- 
pathy, but  he  had,  besiaes,  in  his  nnxiety  to  get  near,  by  whatever 
means,  and  the  humility  which  sought  cleansing  from  guilt  more 
than  restoration  to  health,  shown  a  recognition  of  Christ's  higher 
dignity  as  the  dispenser  of  i^iritual  blessmgs.  With  an  endearinj;^ 
woi-d  used  by  teachers  to  disciples,  or  by  superiors  in  age  or  rahk; 
Jesus  flashed  the  light  of  hope  on  his  troubled  spirit.  "Mychil^," 
said  He,  "thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.-'  it/iJf/^j^/^t^^iitjypi^ 

It  was  a  wondrous  utterance,  and  must  have  sounds  still 'ifl^i^ 
(Strangely,  when  thus  first  heard,  than  to  us,  who  have  befen  familiar 
with  It  from  childhood.  No  one  had  ever  heard  Him  admit,  even 
by  a  passing  word.  His  own  sinfuliiess;  He  showed  no  hiAnility 
before  God  as  a  sinner;  never  sought  pardon  at  His  hands.  Yet  no 
Rabbi  approached  Him  in  opposition  to  all  that  was  ^rong,  for  He 
went  even  beyond  the  act  to  the  sinful  desire.  The  standard  He 
demanded  was  no  less  than  the  awful  perfection  of  God*  But  those 
round  Him  heard  Him  now  rise  above  any  mere  tacit  assumption  of 
this  sinless  purity  by  His  setting  Himself  in  oi)en  contrast  to  sinners, 
in  His  claim  not  only  to  announce  the  forgiveness  of  sins  by  God,  but; 
Himself,  to  dispense  it.  He  pardons  the  sins  of  the  repentant  crea- 
ture before  Him  on  His  own  authority,  as  a  King,  whicii  it  would  be 
contradictory  to  have  done  had  He  Himself  been  conscious  of  having 
sin  and  guilt  of  His  own.  It  was  clear  that  He  could  have  ventured 
cm  no  such  assumption  of  the  prerogative  of  God,  had  He  not  felt  in 
Himself  an  absolute  harmony  of  spiritual  nature  with  Himv  so  that 
He  only  uttered  what  He  knew  was  the  divine  will.  It  was  at  once 
a  procfamation  of  His  own  sinlessnesa,  and  of  His  kingly  dignity  as 
tlte  Messiah,  in  whose  hands  had  been  placed  the  rule  over  the  new 
theocracy. 

^  The  Rabbis  felt,  in  a  moment,  all  that  such  words  implied.  Their 
only  idea  of  a  religious  teacher  was  that  he  should  never  venture  a 
word  on  his  own  authority,  but  slavishly  follow  other  earlier  Rabbis. 
They  liad  all  the  conservatism  of  lawyers.  One  Beth-din  could  hot 
put  aside  the  decision  of  another,  unless  it  was  superior  in  wii^lom 


THB  Ilirii  OF  GHUism:  m 

an0,q^9mb)9r%.aiid  Jiowjitlile  Ukel/  it  was  that^even  in  eudkaooae, 
i|Ey'deoi8iQi9  should  b«  s^iperseilad.  may  bo  judged  from  tbe  fact  tliai 
fif^amy  09Q  to  dispute  with  a  Habbi  or  murmur  against  him,  or  to 
h^Uate  in  accepting  and  oboyiag  his  every  word,  was  no  less  a  crimo 
ttian  to,  do  the  same  towards  God  Himself.  Even  tlie  people  had 
caught  the  spirit  of  chau^eless  conservatism  from  their  teachers,  for, 
whi^  J^n.  Hyrcanus,  with  a  kindly  view  to  relieve  them  from  au 
almost  intolerf'ble  burden,  ventured  to  prohibit  some  trifling  liabbini- 
cal  Rifles  of  tht  Pharisees,  his  well'-meant  liberality,  instead  of  gaining 
h\m  favour,  excited  hatred  against  him  as  an  intruder  and  innovator* 
T^  type  of  a  strict  Rabbi  found  its  ideal  in  Schammiii,  the  lival  of 
HiUel,  and  founder  of  the  school  which  was  most  bitter  against  Jesus^ 
}t  yra^  not  enough  that  he  sought  to  .make  even  young  children  fast 
through  tiie  whole  day  of  Pardon:  during  the  Feast  of  Tabernacle^ 
he;  \^  the  roof  taken  from  the  room  in  which  lay  his  daughter-inr 
la>^  andil^r  new-born  son,  to  have  a  tent  raised  over  them,  that  th« 
baby  might  be  able  to  keep  the  feast. 

,;  The  lofty  words  of  Jesus  at  opce  caught  the  ears  of  the  lawyers  on 
tihe  wajtch.  They  sounded  new,  and  to  be  new  was  to  be  dangerous^ 
Kojt^nS  in  ^Judaism  had  l)een  left  unfixed;  every  i^eligious  act,  fuid 
indeed,  every  act  whatever,  must  follow  minutely  prescribed;  rulesi 
Th^lAW  knew  no  such  form  as  an  official  forgiving  of  sins,  or  abBo> 
lut^pn>  The  leper  might  be  pronounced  clean  by  the  priest,  and  a 
transgressor  might  present  a  sinrofl'ering  at  the  Temple,  and  transfer 
hMigviMi  to  it,'  l^  laying  his  hands  on  its  head  and  owning  his  fault 
b^f^rQ  God,  and  tbe  Uood  sprinkled  by  the  priest  on  the  horns  of  the 
aitar,  and  towards  the  Holy  of  JioUeSk  waa.,an  atonement  that  "coW 
erpd'rhisswis  from  the  eyes  of .  Jehovah,  and  pledged  his  forgiveness; 
But  that  forgiveness  was  the  direct  act  of  €k>d;  no  human  lips  dared 
pronqun<3e  it.  It  was  a  special  prerogati  ve  of  the  Almighty ^  and  even 
alionid. mortal  man  venture  to  declare  it,  he  could  only  do  bo  in  the 
n^mei  (Of  Jehovah,  and  by  sHis  immediate  authorization^  But  Jesus 
V.a4  spoken  in  His  own  name*  He  had  not  hinted  at  lining  empowv 
jrediby  God  to  act  for  Him.  The  Scribes  were  greatly  excited  ( 
{.'hispers,  ominous  head-shakings,  dark  looks,  and  pious'  gesticulav 
ions  of  alarm,  showed  that  they  w^ere  ill  at  ease.  '*  He  should  have 
,ent  him  to  the  priest  to  present  his  sin-offering,  and  have  it  accepted : 
.,t  is  blasphemy  to  speak  of  forgiving  sins,  He  is  intruding  on  U»e 
til  vine  rights,"  The  blasphemer  was  to  be  put  to  death  by  stoning, 
his  body  hung  on  a  tree,  and  then  buried  with  shame.  "Who  can 
forgive  sins  but  One,  God?" 

It  was  the  turning-point  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  for  the  accusation  of 
bls^pheni^j  UQW  muttered  in  the  hearts  of  the  Rabbis  present,  waa 
tlie  (beginning  of  tXw  process  which  ended,  after  a  time,  on  Calvarj-^f 
a^ijd  IJe  knew  it*  The  genius  of  Rabl)inism  was  in  direct  antagonism 
tpthjit  of  ijis ''tuew  teaching."  Christ  required  a  change  of" heart; 
tt»e;$i^bi9,rin^rnction;  He  lo«^ted,at  the  motive  of  an  act;  they,'at 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRISrr; 


Us  strict  accordance  to  legal  fonns;  He  contented  Himeelf  With  im- 
planting a  jirinciple  of  pure  ami  loving  obedience  in  the  hretOti  which 
(should  make  men  a  law  to  themselves:  they  taught  that  everv  detail 
of  religious  observance,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave,— *-to  the  very 
fimallest, -should  be'  prescribed,  and  rigidly  followed  in  every  formal 
particular.  He  promised  the  Divine  Spirit  to  aid  His  followers,  to  a 
perfectol)edience}  the  Rabbis  enforced  obedience  bythe  ttrrors  of 
the  Church  courts,  which  they  controlled.  Resting  thus  on  wholly 
different  conceptions;  the  Rabbi,  self-satisfied  in  tne  observance  of 
external  rites  and  requirements;  Jesus  repudiating  meiit^  and  bosing 
llis  kingdom  on  the  willing  service  of  humble  and  grateful  love,  the 
only  question  was  how  long,  in  an  intollcrant  theocraov,  active  hos- 
tility might  be  averted.  The  lowly,  wandering,  Oalitoan  teacher, 
who-  despised  long  robes  and  phylacteries,  and^  associated  with  the 
rude  and  ignorant^,  fi-oro  whom  the  Rabbis  shrank  as  accursed  lor  not 
knowing  the  Rabbinical  law  (  who  had  no  license  as  teacher  from  my 
Beth-din;  who  had  attended  no  Beth-ha>Midrasch,  or  Rabbis'  Sl^hool 
of  the  Law,  and  was  thus  a  mere  untrained  layman,  usurping  clerical 
functions,  was  instinctively  suspected  and  hated,  tho'i.i»h  they  could 
not  affect  to  despise  Him.  The  kingdom  of  God  whkui  He  preaiihed 
wals,  moreover,  something  new  and  irregular.  In  the  i^ords  of  Ba- 
ruch,  they  expected  that  all  who  kept  the  Law  in  their  sense,  woul4, 
in  return,  have  eternal  life  as  a  right,  as  indeed,  one  of  their  proverbs 
plainlv  put  it, — ''He  who  buys  the  words  of  the  Law,  l)uys  everlast- 
ing life.  Esteeming  themselves  blamelessly  righteous),  they  not  onlv 
despised  others,  but  claimed  Heaven,  as  the  special  favourites  of  God. 
It  must,  therefore,  have  been  galling  in  ^he  extreme,  to  hear  Jesiis 
d«mJEUid  humility  and  repentance,  and  falUi  in  Himself,  as  the  uni' 
versal  conditions  of  entrance  into  the  new  kingdom  of  God; 'to  be 
conf oiuded  with  the  crowd  on  whom  they  looked  as  Brahmins  on 
Suditffi;  and  to  be  stripped  of  their  boasting,  and  even  of  their  hopes 
of  future  political  glory ,^  by  the  proclamation  of  a  new  and  purely 
spiriftual  theocracy,  in  the  place  of  the  national  restoration  o€  wl^cU 
they  dreamed,  with  themselves  at  its  head.  Only  a  spark  was  waii^tt- 
jng  to  set  their  hostility  ablaze,  and  this  had  now  been  suppliedi,  > 

For  the  time  they  were  helpless,  in  the  presence  of  so  much  enthusi- 
asm for  Jesus,  butthis  only,  increased  tbeir  bitterness,  on  their  finding 
that  He  had  kept  Hjs  eyes  on  them,  and  knew  their  tlioughts.  They 
were  now  still  more  confused  by  His  openly  asking  tfiem,  "Why 
they  were  thinking  evil  in  their  hearts?"  He  had  long  felt  that  He 
could  not  hope  to  make  any  healthy  impression  on  a  class  who 
a£Pected  to  regard  Him  as  half  l)eside  Himself  on  religious  matters, 
and  as  one  who  had  set  Himself  up  as  a  Rabbi,  and  excited  the  people 
against  their  teachers.  He  knew  that  they  put  tlie  worst  construc- 
tion on  all  He  said,  and  were  laying  up  matter  forfuture  open  attack. 
But  no  passing  thought- of  fear  disturbed  Him.  He  had  come  to 
witness  to  the  truth,  and  at  once  accepted  tlie  challenge  yph^nh  their 


THB  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


401 


hostile  looks  and  bearings  Implied.  Without  waiting  to  Iw  assailedf 
He  suddenly  asked  them,  ' '  W  hich  is  easier?  To  say  to  this  paralytio^ 
Thy  sins  are  forgiven,  or  to  say.  Rise,  and  take  up  thy  bed  and  goif  * 
There  might  be  deception  about  the  forgiveness,  for  no  one  could 
tell  if  the  absolution  were  of  any  avail,  but  there  could  be  none 
respecting  tlM3  cure  of  a  helpless  living  corpse.  Turning  to  the  bed 
without  waiting  an  answer,  He  continued — in  irresistible  self-vindio 
cation — **  That  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  Man  has  authority  on 
the  earth  to  forgive  sins, — Rise,  poor  man,  take  up  the  mat  on  which 
yoii  have  been  lying,  and  go  home."  It  was  enough;  sensibility  anc^ 
power  of  motion  returned  to  the  helpless  limbs;  muscles  and  nerves 
lost  their  torpor;  strength  poured  once  more  through  the  veins. 
Slowhr,  scarce  realizing  what  it  meant,  he  rose,  little  by  little,  his 
eves  nxed  on  his  deliverer,  till,  at  last,  he  btood  erect  before  Him,  to 
sink  at  His  knees  again  in  grateful  adoration.  But  he  could  not  bo 
allowed  to  stay.  Stepping  back,  without  saying  a  word,  Jesus,  by  a 
look)  motioned  him  to  retire^  and  lifting  the  mat,  he  did  so,  his  eyes 
still  llxed  on  his  lielper,  an  he  made  his  way  backward  through  the 
awe-stricken  crowd. 

^^  The  eifoot  was  electric.  The  Scribes  were,  for  the  time,  dis- 
comfited. Amazement  and  fear  mingled  with  religious  awe.  "We 
never  saw  it  thus,"  cried  some,  while  others,  with  true  Eastern  do- 
monstrativeness,'  broke  put  into  pral^  of  God  who  had  given  such 
pother  to  men.  Meanwhile,  Jesus  glided  out  of  the  apartment,  sad 
at  heart,  for  the  shadow  of  the  cross  had  fallen  on  His  soul.  :  i 
A  number  of  disciples  must,  by  this  time,  have  been  gaine:^  in 
different  parts,  but  the  inner  circle  gathered  by  Jesus,  as  His  personal 
followers,  waS  as  yet  limited  to  the  few  whom  He  had  first  *'  caHo^t^' 
Ainother  wasj  now,  however,  to  be  added  to  their  number.  Capers  $ 
naum,  as  abusy  trading  town,  on  the  marches  between  the  dominions 
of  Philip  and  those  of  Antipas,  and,  from  its  being  on  thelii^  voad 
between  '  Damascus  and  Ptolemais,  had  a  strong  staff  lot  eufltom** 
house  officers,  or  publicans,  to  use  the  common  name.  The  tfafOc 
landed  at  Capernaum  from  across  the  Lake,  or  shipped  from  it,  had 
to  pa3r  dues,  and  so  had  all  that  entered  or  left  the  town  in  other 
directions.  There  were  tolls  on  the  highways,  and  on  the  bridges, 
and  at  each  place  tlie  humbler  grades  of  publicans  were  req^uired, 
Vfhiie  a,  few  of  a  higher  rank  had  charge  of  the  aggregate  receipts  of 
the  minor  offices  of  the  district.  These  officials  were  often  freemen, 
or  even  slaves  of  the  larger  farmers  of  the  local  imposts;  sometimes 
natives  of  the  part,  and  even  poor  Roman  citizens.  The  whole  class, 
however,  had  a  bad  name  for  greed  and  exaction.  So  loud,  indeed, 
^nd  serious,  did  the  remonstrances  of  the  whole  Roman  world  be- 
come at  the  tyranny  and  plunderings  thus  suffered,  Uiat,  a  generation 
later,  Nei<o  proposed  to  the  Senate  to  do  away  with  taxes  altogether, 
though  the  idea  resulted  only  in  an  official  admission  that  the  "greed 
o|  the  {Mibiicans  must  be  repressed,  lest  they  should  at  last,  by  new. 


408 


THfi  lilFEi  OP  GHBIST. 


vexations,  render  the  public  burdens  intolembl^.' '  The  underMngi. 
espedallv,  sought  to  enrich  themselves  by  gritoditif  the  people  t  hda 
the  checks  they  caused  to  coniraerce,  the  trofible  tne^T  f^vt  oy  reck' 
less  examination  of  goods,  and  by  tedious  delays;  by  false  entries, 
and  illegal' duties;  made  them  intenHcly  hated.  "Bears  iifid  lions," 
said  a  proverb,  "might  bo  the  fiercest  wild  beasts  in  tho  foMSts,  but 
publicans  and  inforraeris  were  the  worst  in  the  cltiot."  The  Jews, 
wiho  bore  the  Roman  voke  with  more  impatloncte  thftn  any  olher 
nation,  and  shunned  all  contafct  with  foreigners,  excommunicated^ 
^very  Israelite  who  became  a  publican,  and  dcoiared  him  Inftom* 
ptent  to  bear  witness  in  their  courts,  and  the  disgrnce  extended  to' 
Ids  whole  family.  Nobody  was  allowed  to  take  alms  from  one.  or  to 
m^  him  to  change  money  for  them.  They  were  even  elassoa  ^Ith 
highway  robbers  and  murderers,  or  with  harlots,  he&then,  and  ilnnd's. 
No  strict  Jew  would  eat,  or  even  hold  intercourse,  with  them.  ifj 

With  a  supreme  indifference  to  the  prejudices  of  tJie  day;  Jesu# 
resolved  to  receive  one  of  this  proscribed  order  into  the  inner  group' 
of  His  followers.  With  a  wide  and  generous  charity  He  refused  to 
condenm  a  whole  class.  That  they  were  outcasts  from  society  liras' 
a  special  reason  why  He,  the  Bon  of  Man,  should  seek  to  win  tlieih  to 
a  better  life.  He  refused  to  admit  anything  wrong  in  paying  tribute 
to  Ctesar,  and  liencie  saw  no  sin  in  its  collection.  There  was  no  ne^< 
cessity  for  a  publican  not  being  just  and  fttithful,  alike  to  the  people 
and  to  the  State,  and  He  had  seen  for  Himself  that  there  were  some- 
against  whom  nothing  could  be  justly  urged.  It  vfm,  moreover,* 
fundamental  principle  with  Him,  that  the  worst  of  men,  if  tht?y 
sincerely  repented,  and  turned  to  God,  should  be  gladly  received,  aii' 
pp^igal  sons  who  sought  to  regain  the  favour  of  their  Father  in 
heaven.  He  had  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  whs  lost,  and 
lo  proclaim  to  mankind  that  He  despaired  of  none,'  by 
in  the  most  hopeless,  the  possibility  of  good;  Looking 
le  world  with  a  divine  love  and  compassion  that  knew  no 
>f  race  or  calling.  He  designed  to  show,  at  its  very  l)lrtti,' 

„, ,    igdom  He  came  to  establish  was  open  to  all  humamty,  ahd 

thi^the  only  condition  of  citizenship  was  spiritual  fllnessi  i    ' 

Among  the  publicans,  at  one  of  the  posts  for  collecting  duties,  rtt' 
Capernaum,  was  one  whom  his  name,  Levi,  marked  ns  b^ongiftg  to 
tne  old  priestly  tribe,  though,  perhaps,  bom  lu  Gftllloe,  and  now 
sunk  to  so  questionable  a  position.    He  had  another  niime^  Mntthew, 
however,  by  which  he  is  better  known  as  on©  of  the  Apostles,  and 
the  author  of  the  first  Gospel.    His  business  was  to  examine  the 
goods  passing  either  way  ou  the  great  high  road  between  the  terri- 
tories of  the  two  neighbouring  tetrarchs,  to  enter  them  on  the  official 
record,  to  take  the  duties  aL>d  credit  them  in  his  books;  in  order,' 
finally,  to  pay  over  the  gross  proceeds,  at  given  times,  to  the  lOcal^ 
tax-farmer.    He  seems  to  have  been  in  comfortable  oii'CunQstatiees,  • 
and  it  is,  perhaps,  due  to  his  clerkly  habits  as  a  pliblicitn,  that  w*' 


THB  LIFE  OP  OMRIST. 


46(1 


owo'fo  *hiin  the  earliest  of  the  €k>epel8.  Re  wbs  the  son  of  ond^ 
AlphSuB,  the  name  of  the  father  of  James  the  Lesa.  They  may, 
however,  hare  been  different  persons,  as  the  name  was  a  very  com- 
mon one;  and  we  know  that  there  were  two  Judes,  two  Simons,  and 
two  called  James;  in  the  narrow  circle  of  Jesus. 

Doubtless  Levi,  or  Matthew,  had  shown  an  interest  in  the  new 
Teacher,  and  had  lieen  among  the  crowds  that  thronged  Him.    The 
quiclc  eye  of  Jesus  lind  read  his  heart,  and  seen  his  sincerity.  Thoug:h' 
a  publican,  he  was  a  Jew,  and  showed  repentance  and  hopeful  truiit, 
which  made  him  a  true  son  of  Abraliam.    The  booth  in  which,  ith' 
Oriental  fashion,  he  sat  ai  his  duties,  was  at  the  harbour  of  the  town,) 
oir  the  way  to  the  shore  where  Jesun  was  in  the  habit  of  addressini^^ 
the  throngs  who  now  always  followed  Him,  and  it  needed  only  a  look' 
and  a  word  of  the  Ma<;ter,  to  make  him  throw  no  his  office,  and  cast 
in  his  lot  with  Him.    At  the  command  of  Jesus  ne  **left  all,  rose  up, 
and  followed  Him;"  not,  of  course,  on  the  moment,  for  he  would 
have  to  take  formal  steps  to  release  himself,  and  would  require  to 
settle  his  accounts  with  his  superior,  before  he  was  free.    Hence^ 
forth,  however,  he  attended  Him  ivho  soon  had  not  where  to  lay  His^ 
head.    It  was  a  critical  time  for  Jesus,  and  His  admission  of  ^  pub- ' 
lican  as  a  disciple  could  not  fail  to  irritate  His  enemies  still  more. 
But  He  had  no  hesitation  in  His  course.    Sent  to  the  lost,  He  gladly 
welcomed,  to  His  inmost  circle,  one  of  their  number  in  whom  He^ 
saw  the  germs  of  true  spiritual  life,  in  cahn  disre^rd  of  all  the  V^**^ 
udices  of  the  time,  and  all  the  false  religious  narrowness  of  His^^'^' 
fejldw  countrymen,  and  their  ecclesisHticfu  leaders.    He  desired^  iQ<^ 
the  choice  of  a  publican  as  apostle,  to  (^mbodyvisiblyllis  love  for  sin*  <^ 
ners,  and  ifehow  the  quickening  virtue  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  eveii^ 
ill  the  most  unlikely.  :i     ■  >a 

74^tt  act  80  entirely  new  and  revolutionary,  in  the  best  sense,  wai' 
too  moraent^ns  in  the  eyes  of  Mat^iew  topass'  unnoticed.    It  wa#-^ 
the  opening  of  a  new  day  for  the  multitudes  whom  the  narrow  self ^i'^ 
righteousn^s  of  the  Rabbis  had  branded  as  under  the  curse  of  (Jod^*^'. 
and  had  condemned  as  hopeless  b^foro  I  urn.     The  new  "call"  ofr| 
Jesus  was  in  vivid  contrast  to  that  of  Abraham  and  Moses,  foi* 
Abraham  had  been  separated  even  from  Ills  tribe,  and  Moses  sum- 
moned only  the  Jews  to  found  tlie  theocracy  he  proposed  to  establisli.  J 
The  "ciiU"  which  Matthew  had  obeyed  was  as  mflnitely  compre-*' 
hensive  as  the  tvirlier  ones* had  been  riiridly  exclusive.    It  showed;: 
tliat  all  would         dmitted  to  the  society  Jesus  was  setting  up,  what-/ 
ever  their  social  i)ii»»ition,  if  they  had  spiritual  fltness  for  fnembership.'^ 
Caste  Was  utterly  disallowed:  before  the  groat  Teacher,  all  men,  a8^| 
such,   were  recognized  as  equally  sons  of  the  Heavenly  Father. 
Accustomi^d  from  infancy  to  take  this  for  granted,  we  cannot  realize 
the  magnitude  of  the  gift  this  new  principle   inau^rated,  or  itil^^ 
astounding  novelty.    A  Brahmin,  who  should  proclaim  it  in  India;' 
and  illustrate  the  social  enfranchisement  he  taught,  by  raising  a^ 


II 


404 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


despised  Pariah  to  his  intimate  intercourse  and  friendship,  would  be 
the  only  counterpart  we  can  imagine  at  this  day. 

It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  Matthew  should  celebrate  an  event 
so  unique  as  his  call,  by  a  "great  feast  in  his  house,"  in  honour  of 
Jesus;  and  no  less  so  that  he  should  invite  a  large  number  of  his  class, 
to  rejoice  with  him  at  the  new  era  opened  to  them,  or  tliat  he  should 
extend  the  invitation  to  his  friends  of  the  proscribed  classes  generally. 
A  number  of  persons  in  bad  odour  with  their  more  <?()n-ect  fellow- 
citizens  were,  hence,  brought  together  by  him,  along  vath  the  pub- 
I'cans  of  the  locality,  to  do  Jesus  honour:  jjersons  branded  by  public 
c. pinion  as  "sinners,"  a  name  given  indiscriminately  to  usurers, 
gamblers,  thieves,  publicans,  gJiepherds,  and  sellers  of  fruit  grown  in 
the  sabbath  years.  It  might  have  seemed  doubtful  whether  Jesus 
would  sit  down  with  such  a  company,  for,  even  with  us,  it  would  be 
a  bold  step  for  any  pUbiic  teacher  to  join  a  gathering  of  persons  in 
Imd  repute.  The  admission  of  Matthew  to  the  discipleship  must  have 
seemed  to  many  a  great  mistake.  Nothing  could  more  certainly  dam- 
age the  prospects  of  Jesus  with  the  influcutial  classes,  or  create  a  wider 
or  deeper  prejudice  and  distrust.  But  nothing  weighed  for  a  moment 
with  Him  agaiinst  truth  and  right.  His  soul  was  filled  with  a  grand 
enthusiaii^m  for  humanity,  and  no  false  or  narrow  exclusiveness  of  the 
day  cbuld  be  allowed  to  stand  in  its  way.  He  accepted  the  invitation 
wit^  the  readiest  cheerfulness,  and  spent  the  evening  in  the  pleasures 
of  friendly  social  intercourse  with  the  strange  assembly. 

TTie  Rabbis  had  hardly  as  yet  made  up  their  minds  how  to  act 
respecting  Him.  They  had  attended  John's  preaching,  though  they 
did  not  submit  to  his  baptism,  which  would  have  l)een  to  own  his 
sweeping  charges  against  their  order,  as  a  brood  of  serpents.  But 
Jesus  had  not  as  yet  attacked  them.  He  would  fain  have  won 
them,  as  well  as  the  people,  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  He  had  preached 
this  kingdom,  and  the  need  of  righteousness:  had  honoured  Moses 
and  the  prophets:  had  pressed,''  as  His  great  precepts,  the  love  of 
God  and  our  neigh Ijoiu';  and  in  all  these  matters  the  Pharisees  could 
support  Him.  He  had  enforced  moderation  on  His  disciples,  and 
had  sought  intercourse  with  the  Rabbis,  rather  than  shunned  it. 
His  reply  to  their  earlier  opposition  was  gentle,  though  unanswerable. 
No  doubt  He  knew  from  the  first  that  they  would  reject  His  over- 
tures, but  it  was  none  the  less  right  to  seek  to  woo  them  to  friend- 
ship, that  they  might  enter  His  kingdom  if  they  would.  Had  they 
joined  Him,  their  influence  would  have  aided  His  work:  if  they 
refused,  He  Jiad  done  His  part.  He  did,  indeed,  win  some.  Here 
and  there  a  Rabbi  humbled  himself  to  follow  Him  though  He  did 
not  belong  to  the  schools,  and  was  the  deadly  opponent  of  their 
cherished  traditions.  Others  hesitated,  but  some  even  of  the  leading 
Pharisees,  as  at  Capernaum,  invited  Him  to  their  hou»Qs  and  tables, 
listened  to  His  teaching,  reasoned  modestly  with  Him,  and  treated 
Him,  every  way,  with  respect.    He  was  looked  upon  by  them  as  a 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


405 


friend  of  the  nation,  and  the  title  of  Rabbi  was  willingly  given 
Him. 

But  it  became  clearer,  each  day,  that  there  could  be  no  alliance 
between  views  so  opposed  as  His  and  theirs.  Where  action  was 
needed  He  would  not  for  a  moment  conceal  His  difference  from  them, 
and  Matthew's  feast  was  an  occasion  on  which  a  great  principle 
demanded  decisive  expression. 

1o  the  Rabbis,  and  the  Pliarisees  at  large,  nothing  could  be  more 
unbecoming  and  irregular  than  the  presence  of  Jesus  at  Matthew's 
feast.  To  be  Levltically  "clean,"  was  the  supreme  necessity  of  their 
religious  lives.  They  regarded  themselves  as  true  friends  of  their 
lace,  and  they  were,  in  fact,  the  leaders  of  the  hationi.  But  they 
looked  at  men  not  simply  as  such,  but 'through  the  cold  superficial 
medium  of  an  artificial  theology,  which  dried  up  their  sympathy. 
Their  philanthropy  was  narrowed  to  the  limits  of  Levitical  purity. 
Publicans  and  sinners,  and  the  mass  of  the  lower  classes,  were,  to 
a  Pharisee^  hopelessly  lost,  because  of  their  "uncleanness,"  and  he 
shrank  from  all  contact  with  them.  He  might  wish  to  save,  but 
he  dared  not  touch,  or  come  near  them,  and  so  left  them  to  their 
misery  and  sin.  No  Pharisee  would  receive  a  person  as  a  guest  if 
he  suspected  that  he  was'a  -'sinner."  He  would  not  let  one  of  the 
"Amliaaretz" — ^the  common  people — ^touch  him.  It  was  unlawful 
to  come  into  their  company,  even  with  the  holy  design  of  inducing 
them  to  read  the  Law,  and  it  was  defilement  to  take  food  from  them, 
or,  indeed,  from  any  stranger,  or  even  to  touch  a  knife  belonging  to 
them.  The  tho^isands  "  unclean"  from  mere  ignorance,  or  from  their 
callings,  or  from  carelessness,  were  an  "abomination,"  "vermin," 
• '  unclean  beasts, "  and ' '  twice  accursed. "  And  as  to  touch  the  clothes 
of  one  of  the  *' common  people, "  defiled  every  Pharisee  alike,  the 
touch  of  thoseof  a  Pharisee  of  a  lower  grade  of  Levitical  purity  defiled 
one  of  a  higher.  Like  the  Essenes,  one  Pharisee  avoided  the  contact 
of  another  less  strict,  and,  therefore,  of  a  lower  rank  of  holiness. 

It  must,  therefore,  have  been  as  if  a  Brahmin  had  outraged  every 
idea  of  Hindoo;  religion  and  morals,  by  sitting  down  at  a  meal  with 
Sudras,  when  the  Rabbis  at  Capernaum  saw  and  heard  of  Jesus 
reclining  at  table  among  a  promiscuous  gathering  of  publicans  and 
sinners. 

They  had  not  yet,  however,  come  to  open  controversy  with  Ilim, 
and  contented  themselves  with  contemptuous  taunts  about  Him  to 
the  disciples,  who,  as  Jews,  must  have  at  least  formerly  shared  the 
sovereign  contempt  felt  for  sucli  hated  social  outcasts.  Even  to  hold 
a  religious  service  with  them  would  have  been  a  breach  of  the  Law, 
but  to  join  them  on  a  footing  of  friendly  intercourse!  "  Founder  of 
a  new  My  kingdom  of  God,  and^  recline  at  table  with  publicans  and 
sinners!"  '  How  keenly  such  words  must  have  wounded  men  like 
Teter,  and  the  small  knot  of  disciples  as  yet  round  Jesus,  may  be 
imagined.    They  had*  been  taught  m  the  school  of  the  Baptist,  au 


406 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


1^1 


earnest  Jew,  who  had  enforced  ultra-Pharisaic  Judaism.  The  early 
scruples  of  Peter  survived  even  to  apostolic  times.  James  was  a 
^Jiir!!l  ^"^  if  we  can  trust  tradition;  till  his  death,  and  even  Mattliew, 
i.-^  .y  publican,  for  his  name  Levi  shows  him  to  have  been  of 

priestly  race,  is  said  to  have  eaten,  through  life,  only  fruit,  vegetaibles, 
and  bread,  but  no  flesh.    In  their  perplexity  and  distress  they  appealed 

to  Jesus.  ■  •■■■   .  .,;^.^. ;.;-.,....:  .i.    >.-.J^'.vuV. 

It  was  well  they  did  so,  for  their  distref^s  piwiitred  for  all  a'gci.  air 
answer  of  divine  sweetness  and  grandeur.  *'  To  whom  »Jionld  T  go 
but  to  such  as  these?  The  whole  have  no  need  of  a  physician,  but 
they  that  are  sick.  Turn  to  the  prophets  whom  you  revere,  and 
think  what  the  words  of  Hosea  mean,  *  I  desire  mercy  and  not  sacri- 
ilce,' — acts  rather  than  offerings — practical  godliness,  not  legal  forms 
-—divine  sympathy  with  the  lost,  rather  than  only  the  empty  show  of 
outward  worship — ^for  I  have  not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  to 
call  sinners  to  repentance.  I  expect  nothing  from  men  who  think 
they  are  righteous  and  despise  others.  Tliey  feel  no  need  of  me.  Jly 
help  is  needed  for  just  such  *  sinners*  as  they  would  have  me  leave  to 
perish." 

Jesus  had  not,  of  course,  the  bodily  sick  in  His  thoughts.  He  spoke 
of » the  mass  of  the  people  of  the  middle  and  lower  mniks;  tdo  Mdly 
marked  by  religious  shortcomings  and  un worthiness.  The  guests 
at  Matthew's  table  were,  doubtless,  more  or  less  open  to  accusationis 
of  covetousness;  impurity,  indifference  to  morality  and  religion;  and 
troublesomeness  as  citizens.  John  would  have  Kept  himself  aloof 
from  them,  unless  they  came  as  penitents,  for  baptism.  ^  He  had  lived  in 
wildernesses,  apart  from  men,  shrinking  from  the  turmoil  of  the  great 
world.  He  had  even  forbidden  lawful  enioyments  and  pleasures.  He 
had  sou^t  to  buildup  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  on  the  lonely  bauks 
of  the  Jordan,  far  from  men,  by  sternly  comhiauding  the  broken 
hearts  that  sought  peace  and  consolation  from  him,  to  live  lives  df 
Jewish  austerity  and  repeiitance.  Jesus  required  a  change  of  h6a*Pt 
no  less  than  he,  but  He  did  not  lead  men  out  of  the  World  to  secure  it, 
or  burden  life  with  the  anxiety  and  disicjuiet  of  an  outward  purity. 

He  came  trustfully  to  them  into  their  little  world,  bringing  with  Hiili 
a  heart  full  of  divine  benevolence  and  tender  gentleness.  In  His  eyes 
they  were  "sick,"  and  He  treated  them  like  a  true  physician,  entering 
into  all  their  interests,  sympathii^ing  with  their  cares  and  sorows,  realiz- 
ing their  special  wimts,  and  bearing  Himself  as  a  friend  among  frreiids. 
They  were  men,  and,  ad  such,  capable  of  soitow  for  sin,  and  effoHs 
towards  a  nobler  life.  They  had  hearts  to  recognize  goodness,  and 
might  thus  be  won  to  faith  in  Himself,  as  the  ideal  of  the  highest 
spiritual  life.  Nothing  cah  mark  the  gmndeur  of  His  enthusiasni 
for  humanity,  more  than  that  He  thus  proposed  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  His  kingdom  in  a  class  on  whicH  the  priests  and  theplogians,  and 
the  higher  ranks  of  the  day,  looked  down  with  hiaughty  contempt  and 
moral  aversion.    It  shows  how  deeply  He  looked  into  things,  tliat  He 


le  early 

IS  Was  a 
'attliew. 
lieen  of 
jetabies, 
tjppcalert 

agc#-an 
tddl  go 
cian,b\it 
^ere,  and 
lot  sacrl- 
;al  forms 

show  of 
IS,  but  to 
hothitik  ; 
me.    My 
3  leave  tp 

He  Spoke 
tdo  Bjkdly 
lie  guests 
jctisatiotrs 
giou;  and 
self  aloof 
id  lived  hi 

the  great 
lures.  He 
|ely  batiks 

le  brokeii 

e  lives  cif 
|e  of  h^a^t 

secure  it, 


[with  Him 
His  eyes 
\,  eutenng 
ws,  realiz- 
ig  f  rieiids. 
[nd  eflotts 
Iness,  and 
[e  highest 
itlmslasm 
)undation 
^iaus,  and 
imptaud 
Is,  tliat  He 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

recognized  the  greater  openness  for  the  Truth,  of  castes  thus  disr 
cr^iited;  ,their  franker  aiwl  more  decisive  bearing  towards  the  start- 
ling innovations  of  His  teacj^ingv  their  deeper  longing  for  peace  of 
conscience  and  reconciliation  to  orod      It  was  thesende  of  this  that 
luid  le4  tp  the  choice  of  His  first  disciples  from  the  ranks  of  the 
people;,  ai^d  it  was  this,  in  part,  that  led  to  that  of  Matthew.     In  hin 
case,  tioii^ever,  there  was,  also,  the  proclamation  of  His  indiffcrcnco 
to  outwardt  distinctions,  or  rules,  afterwards  formulated  by  Peter,  wha 
had  jiever  forgotten  tlje  lei^n,  into  the  memorable  woi*ds^— **  Of  a 
truth  r  pcaifceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but,  in  every  ; 
nat|on>he  tiut  feareth  i^Iim,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  f 
of  Hin)L"   A  truth  evident  enough  to-day,  but  carrying  with  it,  wheu 
inaugurated  by  Jesus,  an  eatif*e  revolution  in  the  religioud  history  of  *. 
mankind.  ^  ..     '     'f' 

The  divine  cliarity,  that  ran  'so  cwuteir  to  the  narrow  pride  of  the 
l^bbis  was  no  less  startling  to  the  disciples  of  John,  but  there  wercf 
other  ^ifiSf^nUipfi,  t^  Vp|th.  *  I^o  oj^cn  l^'each  had  yet^taken  place^and  > 
n  ffiendly  cpiiferisnc^ might  explain  much,;      Jesus  had  silently  lef^i) 
the  hai;sU  4^^P^^^^  ^  m^tipg  behind,  and  had  prescribed  no  £prmal>I 
rules  for  pniyer,  such  as  were  common  to  the  Rahbis  and  their  disvjl 
ciples,^na  t^>  those  of  the  Baptist;  ahd  pow  a  deputation  came  to  ask 
llim  fQr,^n  e;splanatiou.!     The  law  of .  Moses  had  appointed  only  one 
fast  in  the  year,  on  tli/9  Day  of  Atoiiement,  but  the  Rabbis  had  adde^'W 
mauy,,)bpth  publip.ai^d  pifivate.     They  enjoined  one  for  the  destruc-^ii^ 
tion  of ,  Jerusal<mi  by  t^e  Chaldeans,  and  others,  for  various  ii:icidentao> 
coiinected  wiUi  tlie  ^ieg(2^,.or  tlip  troubles  of  the  flrst  period  after  thW'^  ' 
Captiyity.    Tliere  was  another  to  lament  the  day  on  which  the  trans-it 
lation  ptthe  Scriptures  into.  Greek  had  lieen  finished,  and  every  publicj'** 
calamity  <m:  emergei^y  vv(as  signaUzed  by  a  fast  specially  enjoined  byV'f 
the  authori^^^ips.    -It  wa?  rather  to  private  fasts,  however,  that  allhsiou'*^ 
was  made.    _Strict  jPhj^-isees,  aiming  at  the  highest  degree  of  merit,  \o 
fasted  yQlvfBJIiaijily.  every  Monday  and  Thursday„to  comm^nomte.t^? 
respectiy^ly,  the  going  up  of  Moses  to  the  Mount  on  the  fifth  day,  K^y 
receive  the  renewed  tabjes  of  the  Commandments,  and  his  descent  on.  i 
the  second  .  They  often  addetJ  other  fasts,  to  have  lucky  dreams,  and:i'> 
to  obtain  their  interpretation,  ^or,  like  the  Essenes,  the  Phari^ee^ 
looked  on  fasts  as  a  preparation  for  receiving  revelations.    Theyf « 
fasted,  also  to  avert  evil,,  or  to  procure  some  good.    Mortification  and-'I J 
fielf-infiictiofl  had  become  a  fovmal  religious  merit,  in  the  mercenary 
theology  of  the  day,  and  was  paraded  before  the  world  by  some,  to 
heighten  their  reputation  for  holihess.      The  idea  had,  al  first,  risen  J  i 
from  a  fancied  opposition  betweeu  thC;  body  and  Uie  soiil;  as  if  th(3*of 
latter  cou^d  only  be  duly  raised  by  depressing  the  former.    But  ascet- 
icism was  contrary  to  the  genius  of  the  new  kingdom  of  God,  Which 
kid  no  stress  on  meat,  or  drink,  or  abstinence  from  them,  but  on, 
"righteousn^s,s,pcace,  and  joy,  in  the  Holy  Gho«t."  li^^ 

Even  pray9^  had  Ijc^eii  reduced  to  a  mechanical  system,  as  part  ofVii' 


m 


i.»jt.*ilt    *r»>«i*f.  - 


t'lto 


:t*fllS^LIFE  OI^^JtiHHIBt; 


i^i^  i' 


■  ! : 


H  ! 


'%H(feMt6iiityi  U\t,m  ajjiatimti  system  bf^'io^tHkeitl^'iMbbiiiles] 

tvttHiy  tKaii  iiiatiyfo\iii(l;dVe*'^^yi8t;ifi  the  Riibbh;  rdspectUi^tfa*  tvUe 
'mt^  of  -pr%«t ;  IBtit,  Ih  giitetteci  tljese  Mghdp  iencMiiga  lUd  fitlto 
into  wide  disuse.  It.  hdrdt^iiie  tor  be  tedioi^fbr  lci:i^,mii$alibiiBdcid 
tfi  lepfeii«ior[#.  Ttxediiiles for coT^6cti«»yer.irew  taxigiitv'^Wtlifljted 
liotU^;  andpt^Mtibcd  fotms,  And  'strfjet^tfous^povfer  wjik  atsi^d  to 
^ih^  ftwitfe  teordl    '  Tli^  liousehoiaci' Wftfe  to  repeat  thd'Seh'itJB^  in  i  Ms 


Jw5tSM  ^b«6h'6vbtiit(^'^o  di^ve*  a^ay  evil'  spirits.'    To  sjt^  itwthfea<ln 
1(64  ^^  like  jgras^t^  ft  twoiedg^d'  sword,  %&  Mlaf  tlie  iissaUKinir; 


detnoAs;  ■  The  itiftfe  rorin  of  pi^ycr,  if  !€p<»1»d^T%ht^  i^^ 
"  "WAS  <^iited  as  merit  laid  up  in  iMfavefl/   To  ri^peat  t^:  Scli/lQiif^wKs, 
lii  fatt^  Iti  tlte^ht^olf  tlicltat)l!>isi'  *'  to  maketliOkiDg^^ 

^Bi^  to  ihd  ■  oUjfecttott  i^espef  ting-  prayi^r,^  He  iaildiesaedillimbeUiilo 

it&eqtiestion  Of  fasting.     "'Hisf  presence  nnrith  His'  disdpfli^a  w^fr^c 

thdt  of  k  bf'idi$grooi&  wltH  Hi^  companlo^s^'darin^  t&e*  «ialfibf6ftBe- 

vjbibin^^.     Ccmd  Heask  th^nn  to  fiidt  while  Hfe*  was  #i(iiiaicftt8('^tt 

w<^d  tye  tififie  f or  th^m  to  do  so  Wh^  fie*  WitSlaken  (awiaiyil^om 

lli^iKi,    Tli^yiWi^tildi  fast  thenf     Seizing  tbenQppiortmiit^»ifodi)Bd< 

^si^ti^'  the  disol^es  of  Jtihn  especially,  oHc^iii^ttf  e^ten  ffuilfaAr. 

i*^'<Jbh}i^%d;^ught  to  do'what  wo^  wd#se4natii»hopeiiQs»<<i<toireti6w^^tte 

'  old  tfeoei^cy;  by- ttierely  exterilalrefdrm;  tor  patch  |£p  :UMir  <di}/(Qid 

'  tbr^'1^0)^  6t'  ^i^drtistfi,  imd.make it  £erVd  a  vewrsi^iid .  It  wasnistMn 

<JB  ai(i)tkb^s^^wftt|g;  ti  piece  oi  raw  iinlea^d  cloth  on  ihenmit^oiiattt^ 

' ^tto'etitj'  thb  pat^h  ^ould'oal^  tear  off  ^go  ToiacM  mdre^«itd'isiak«'  the 

'  r^t  W6r^,  WWild  tHio  patchjwo^ia  itsoK  he^lliter^  itored.  vOiii  il^jwas 

"fili(^V|[]^ttfj^  |i4w>tr46e  Ihtb-^^^lh^  tbsMck  imisii^^bui^/^iMfaeli  the 

wine  fermeftted.      New  teaching,  like  His,  mjust  be  piutbJlttl©"  n^ 

bottlfes;  tile  forms  and  rites  t'hKt  had  served  tiH  now  weite  of  no  more 

Use :  a  new  dispensation  had  come,  whicli  these  forms  ^vould  only 

cumbfer.    New  forms  were  needed  for  ttiii  new  religious  life  He  came 

to  intrgduce."  *  :        j  ■ 

:  Woitls  so  fatal  to  cherished  prejudices  must  have  struck' dee j^,  but 

the  hearts  He  had  unavoidably  wounded  wer0  liiot  left  Wit^iOiit  tender 

soothing.      "It  was  no  wonder  that  John  had  clung  to  the  faith  of 

his  fathers,  even  in  its  outward  accidents.    He  had  drubk  of  the  ok) 

wine,  and  would  not  change  it  for  "new,  contented  to  know  that  '  the 

old  wttS* good."*     Henceforth,  however,  the  positioh  of  Jesus  to  the 

woru-out  forms  of  the  past  was  unmistakable.      He  had  chosen  His 

pkth,  and  woiild  lead  mankind  from  the  bondage  of  the  letter  to  the 

freedom  of  the  spirit,  and  the  Worshippers  of  the  letter  aitayed  them- 

gelves  ttgaiustHim. '  Asbecame  the  founder  of  the  nrtt  tdlii^ii  of 


t 


THE  i  OPE  OP  CHBI8T. 


i^Hbiinded 

iifiStttlUiitC 

»|i'o^t' "Ion 

Ld  make*  the 

.  Qui  i*  was 
i^n^li^  tbe 

of  no  more 
would  only 
Ife  He  came 


thertpirlt  alone,  the  world  had  seeoi  He  henceforth  silenlly  ignored 
tho  oeremmiial  kvw,  avcHding  open  condemnation,  but  beaoing  Him- 
self tcywhrdB  it  throughout,  as  He  did  in  the  matter  of  circumnison, 
which  He  never  enforced^on  JmsifUeieiples.^oi'  demanded  from  believ- 
ing fauMttheu,  uid  never  domitieikled,  though  He  never,  in  words,  con- 
dtSBiidd  lt.^'!Thb>whot«  ritual  system,  of  which  iti  was  thenmst  protii- 
iuentieaturef,^^  treated  as  mert^ly  indifferent.,  ,.  ,:  ,  , /,r  . 
•  It  <ra0  It^d^scribal)^  touchkg  to  see,  at;  the  ypry  threoliQld.of  q^t 
liordi'si public  Kfe,  ti^at  even  when.  He  uses  s0  joyous  ^an  Im'f^^  of 
Himself  4^  th^t  ot  a' bridegroom^  He  da^hei^-m  the  picture  wUh 
il)ad6W.;i  He  had  bogiin  His:course>  by  the  Te^ptaiiem.  Mf;f9m,1t 
till  the  close;  His'pobhjay  through  struggle,  sneering,  ^d  ,se]|-£|a<>ri- 
fied,  to  a  fad^btherglor^ithan  tliat  vflw  JthQ  wprld  ejlpect^  mii^ 
Mesiillh;  He.^ould^andced,.  have  K^  Hi£^na(»<m^  i^,  itheir 
Romliiih'imaster9;!t%a  dominant  PhiUrifiees,  and  tepHe^hood.  Mi^Tt 
not  to  have  foreseen,  from  the  first,  tliat  He  would  havie,  to.p^ 
tluvui^iildij  fiercc&fecidniflfjst,  onl^.tQ,  reiM^ntrHgie  end*  .  Tho^^fs  of 
sdlf ^denial,  aelf-jacr^dboe;  :^en  to  ^he  surmnder  s  *4  Ufe;  ?of  losing  li^c 
mti  £te  ihi^htc  g^li&iti  bf  the  :eorn  dyin^  thai:;  it  might i  bring  f(Hrth 
Mit^  nmulce  a  )dai2k  thread  J&rough&U  His, difloourses,^  the  very 
end;i'< fie  semis  ^:a|)p8tled..:fqrth)  iil&g  sheep  ^amongst  v^olves^  fojoe- 
tellalhelriiUfferai^j^  tl$  bitterest  perseoutiont  and; consols  them  only 
wMlh<tliejOhe  Ihbu^  Uiat  it  .Should  ebnlenli, the  disciple.  to^be.OVi  we 
«anieifo0ting  wUb  Himsell  In  the  sermon  on  the  Mount,  19e  p|redi<^ 
thit^all  ti^o  belteyebn  Him  will  suffer  hatfod  And  evil  trMoiteH^t. 
He.recoji^ljfes  those  QvAy  as  His  true  lolliOwOrs rwbo,  deny|Qg«  them- 
selves, tike'  upHis  cri^sand  bcai:  it.  He  hai5;B0(tliihgtoprpmise.Hia 
disctpjes h\it that theYAhould  ha  senrint8,iSubpaiUihg  patiently  t^vih^i 
^xtrenMsti\i9i^b(i;g»  ana  .has  no  higher  vi^on  even  i^  HimseM..  H^ 
may  ndloifie  ^  the  bcidegriQiom:  wM^h  ^iti  .friends*  for  a^tlme,  rbut  wyi 
Booii  b0.taken  aMr^  frohi  tbe^.^  A  kingdom  founded  <»n  jpch  a  JMa 
of  delibedlte  telf '^Bnial  ftnd  ^^w^rifice,  U  unique  m  V^  b^o^^  9I 


•^h 


:^^mvi*y'^iomui'mr 


u 


l;f 


THB  CHOICE  OF  THB  TWEUTE,  AND  THE  SERMON  OH  THSi  MOU9T. 

How.V>ng  Jesus  remained  at  OapcrhiiUm  ^9  ^i>t  told^ti^'ltiiitWritinAy 
readily  believe  that  He  Wa^  glad  to  leaiv^  it,  with  (ts'^tnd'mk 'Oppo- 
sition, as  sboh  is  possiblS^.  Il  was  His  cfinlrfe  ,of'actldnJ' but  th^ 
kingdom  needed  to  be  prb<dlainied  over  tlie  t^hple  land^  Pr^achlilg 


Ad  the  first  founder  of  a  rcligjlon  whipji'l^ad  no  '^bde 'of 
law^,  and  repudiated  idrce,  jaddi^essing  iSfeff  soldy  to  tTO^rec'c'o'n- 
victioisof^en,  the  living  word  and  Its  Illustration  in  His  own  Itfe, 
were  lUone  open  tp  Him  as  means  for  its  dllrasibti.'  llie  tora/iiid 
Bouls  must  be  won  ovef  16  the  highest/  trtith,  by  pidrtodlng  thd  cbh- 


Stereotyped  lifelessness  pf  the  I^abt^l^,  and  excitiBd  uniyersal  astdiiish- 
mei^t  by  its  originality,  powi^r.  and  resistless  rati!iTn$iasriii'  ;\l^tf 'a  falter 
time,  whe!d  His  'Vnew  dbctrifce"  had 'roused  thd  pppjomtioh'bf  tiie 
autl^jrities,  the  uf»  cf  the  syli^^ogiiesSVa^  no  lorigerp^r^ltte^ 
Biit,  even  from  thefli'st.  He  diduot  confine  Hitn^Jf  to  fixei  tithes  or 
placeC  *  He  ittddrcss6d  the  people  on  theshores  df'.te'lake^  pntiie 
Ibifely.  slopes  ;ahd  valleys  of  the  iifn&,  it  tnb  strejet^  khd' tnarkct-^ 
of  towns  aiiav'?la^i?3,  at  th6  crossip^  pbints'bf  ^he  pnblfc' rbMs/'aiid 

to  Him.        _  ^ 

f H)itn  the  GosiJels  ^oiigiiout.   'M  ^Tti 

Shepherd  seeking  to  bring  back  the  lost  sheep  to  the  heaVftfil 

to  quicken  and  turn  towards  Ood  the  weak,  sinful  human  will,  apd 

to  breathe  into  the  soul  aspirations  after  a  higher  spiritual  life,  frbm 

the  fullness  of  His  own  perfect  example. 

To  win  all,  He  moved  as  a  man  among  men,  a  friend  among  frien(J.s^ 
a  helper  amongst  all  who  needed  help,  declining  every  outward  honour 
or  flattery,  or  even  the  appearance  of  either.  While  advancing  tlio 
most  amazing  pretensions  as  His  kingly  prerogative,  He  was,  person- 
ally, so  meek  and  lowly  that  He  cobld  make  this  gentle  humility  a 
ground  for  the  trust  and  unembarrassed  approach  of  all  who  were 
troubled.  Content  with  obscurity,  and  leaving  to  others  the  struggle 
for  distinction  or  place,  He  chose  a  life  so  humble  that  the  poorest 
liad  no  awe  of  His  dignity,  but  gathered  round  Him  as  their  special 
friend.  His  tastes  Were  m  keeping  with  this  simplicity,  for  He  de- 
lighted in  the  society  of  the  lowly,  and  <ihildirbn'clust«rea  iH  Hi^  i^ips 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


411 


with  the  natural  instinct  tlmt  detects  one  who  loves  thetn.  He  was 
never  engrossed  by  His  own  affairs,  but  ever  readv  to  give  Himself 
up  to  thosie  of*  others — to  counsel  them  in  difflcultiGs,  to  sympathize 
with  them  in  their  sorrows  or  joyS)  and  to  relieve  their  sickness  or 
Wants.  It  is  His  grand  peculiarity,  that  there  is  a  total  oblivion  of 
self  in  His  Whole  life.  The 'enthusiasm  of  a  divine  love,  ia  the  pure 
light  of  which  no  selfish  thouglit  could  live,  filled  His  whole  soul.  He 
showed  abiding  sympathy  for  human  weakness,  and  to  cheer  the  out- 
cast ^hd  hopeless,  He  announced  that  He  came  to  seek  such  as  to 
otl|Lers  seemied'lost.  In  fits  ioy  oyer  a  sinner  won  back  to  righteous- 
ness He  heara  even  the  angels,  of  God  rejoicing.  * 

There  had  neveir  ftppeared  in  any  age  such  a  man,  such  a  friend, 
6ir£|uch  a  helper.  He  i^eniied  the  contrast  of  a  king  or  prince,  and 
vet.airHis  words  Were  Idngly;  all  His  acts  a  succession  of  the  king- 
lies't  dee4s>  <l^lsi6ns,  and  commands,  and  His  whole  public  life,  the 
silent  and  yet  tniest  foundation  of  an  everlasting  kingdom.  He 
must.  Indeedv  have  seemed  anything  rather  than  the  founder  of  a  now 
socieiy,  or  of  a  heW  empire,  and  it  muscthave  startled  men  when  they 
found  ihat  He  had,  by  His  works  iind  life,  established  in  the  midst 
of  the  6I4  theocracy  the'frameiwork  of  the  most  imperidiable  and  the 
widesf-i'ea^hing  empire  this  eart.h  has  ever  seen;  an  empire  before 
which  all  former  ^Igious  systems  we»e  to  fad^  away.  But  though 
His  absolute  self-c6nti*bl  Was  never  intermitted,  th^re  were  times 
whep  the  cMms  of  the  ttuth,  or  the  service  of  Hid  khigdom,  brou^it 
otti  the  full  grandeur  of  His  power  and  kingly  greatness.  It  was  thus 
when  He,  hiad'  to  meet  and  confute  prejudice  aim  error,  or  to  heal  the 
sick  and  diseased.  At  ti^bb  we  she^ll  see  Him  forced  to,  blame  and 
cQiiijlen^,  biit  this  was  only  a  passing  shadow  on  the  cl^ar  heaven  K)f 
^is  unvaryirig  grace  and  love.  It  is  impossible  to  realize  su<ih  an 
appearance,  t;>ui  we  can  imagine  it  in  sOme  measure.  The  stainless 
truth  an(^  uprightness  which  filled  His  whole  nature;  the  exhaustlcss 
love  ia;ad  pity,  which  were  the  very  breath  of  jHis  spirit;  the  radif^nt 
joy  of  the  bridegroom  wedding  redeemed  humanity;  the  calm  light 
as  o^;qtlier  Worlds^itt  tiisevefy  look,  may  well  account  for  the  death- 
less love  apd  devotion  He  inspired  ill  those  whom  He  suffered  to  fol« 
low  Him". ' 

The  widening  success  of  His  work  had  already  teijuired  an  addition 
to  tli^ei^^ll  circle.  Of  His  immediate  attendants.  But  a  single  acce^ 
sion,'  like  that  6t  Matthew,  was,  erelong,  not  enough.  It  soon  became 
necessary  to  select  a  larger  number  who  might  be  constantly  in  His 
c6hij)ahy,  and  receive  His  instructions,  that  they  might,  in  due  time, 

f  6  forth  to  proclaim  the  kingdotn  over  a  wider  area  than  He  could 
tiniself  rbach.  Its  laws,  its  morality,  its  relations  to  the  Old  Dispen- 
^Uoh,  must  be  taught  them,  and  they  must  catch  His  enthusiasm  by 
suck^  atengtheried  intercourse  in  the  fatailiarity  of  private  life,  as 
Iw-Mtl^  female  in  their  soiilithe  Jcleal  He  presented;  That  they  should 
loitow  IBmaVall  would b«  left'tp; t|vcniSQlve.s,  bilt  the  (Jhoico , Would 


4m 


THE  Ur^  OF  .CHRIST. 


f 


be  made  by  Himself,  of  such  as,  oo  various  grovndti,  He  isaw  fi^t^st. 
They  w^re  to  be  Apostles,  or  missionaries,  and -wiouli}  haye,  for  their 
high  commission,  the  o^ganii:ation  of  the  new  kingclpm  ol'  jGU)d,  fir^t, 
*n  Israel,  and  tlien  through  the  world.  .,       !   i  .    ' 

To  accept  such  an  invltatioh  implied  no  little,  enthusiasm.  Ko 
earthly  reward  was  held  out,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  sacrifl<je  pf  all 
personal  claims  wai^  demanded.  They  were  to  abandon  their  former 
calling^  whatever  it  might  be,  with  all  its  present  or  \i>vf.i^,_7G  k 
vantages,  to  ^ive  up  all  family  ties,  to  heui  ilic  worst  indignities  anfl 
ill-treatmient,  and  yet  represseven  just  wsjentment.  They  were  tohqid 
tlioir  lives  at  His  service,  and  wiflingly  yield  theix»,  if  it  li^quired  the 
siicriflce.  A  measure  of  self -restriction  is  implied  as  the  basis  of  any 
state,  for  no  society  could  ilourish  where  its  interests,  as  ayvhale,  ase, 
not  spontaheously  considered  before  those  of  the  individjuaj'pitizcli. 
But  the  self-kbtie^tion  requhred  bjr  Jesus  ix\  \\\6b0  admitted  tg, thl^t 
which  Heivas  how  founding,  wa&  without  a  patallel/ for  while  e^fthly 
states  T6tuni  an  eiqQiyaient,  in  mauy  wayp,  for,  the  seiNujteip^er  t][i(^y 
impdse.  He  proclaimed  from  the  fltst  that  tbo^e  who  joii^di  His,  kii^. 
dora  must  do  so  **  hoping  ifor  ho|hing  again",  to  coij^evjaat?  f<^y;>iy 
seif-^crifice,  «vea  tlie  greatest.;  In  the  case  of  tha  "  Ajpostl^,"  thesm- 
fiurrenderwas  not  merely  contingent,  but  presciiit  and  final,  foijfffi 
held  before  theiii  «o  prospect  through,  life  butp.  rjvation.  atjid  :pers*fcd- 
tion,  and  even  possible  martyi^dcm.  In  the, next  World,  indeed,  He 
propiised  rewards,  but  He  precluded  mere  mercenary  hopes  even  ctt' 
ihe^,  by  making  them  conditional  on  unfeigned  sincerity  |u  the  Qlijg- 
diencc  to  His  laws  and  lov6  of  His  person.  The  meire  liyppcylte^-Td^ 
aetor^-rCould  have  no  object  in  joining  Hiitt,  a^d  Was  im^n&i^tw 
denounced.  The  triiest  hbhfesty  in  "Word  and  deed  were  filftPe  ^<pep(ra,. 
and  the  want  of  it;  in  any  degree,  i^'as  the  one  fatal  nioratd^e^J,  ■?; 

It  iS  no*  iBUrprising,  therefore^;  that  all  ^w^ho  oflfered  thetn^vie,s  S 
His  followers  were  not  accepteid.'  Wher^  ,Hq  §aw  uniBt»^^V  ,|if  T!^- 
pelled  advauices.  To  d,  Rabbi  ^ho  came  i|al]iiting Hipx  as  ^*  fesijcMt, 
and  ptofessing  his  willingness  to  follow  Him  a?  His  jLllsciple,  He  ?fi* 
turned  the  discouraging  answer,  that  the  1*0X08. had  holes,  and  thp 
birds  of  tho  air  nests,  but  the  Sdn  of  Mani^the  jVIesi?iah--rhad  not 
where  to  lay  His  head.  It  might  have  seemed  of  moment  to  s^ciirib 
the  support  Of  a  I^abbl,  but  Jesus  had  SCen  the  wo^lc^ly  bent  of  his 
thoughts,  and  thus  turnedliim  aside,  by  Wasting  any.  hopes, of  a^viiT^- 
tage  Or  honoiif  in  joining  Him,  Even  indecision  or  hesitation,  wfjat;- 
?ver  the  ffround,  wa]5  fatal  to  admittance  to  His  favour.  TI|e  rcqujes^ 
of  a  disciple  to  go  ^rst  and  bury  his  father,  before  finally  following 
Him,  was  only  met  by  the  command  to  follow  Him  at  o^ce,  and  Ibav^ 
the  spiritually  dead  to  bury  the  corporeally  dead:  top^t  off  <lecisipir, 
even  for  so  worthy  a  cause  as  desire  to  perform  the!  las*  oflSce?  to  a 
father,  was  dangerous!  **  Go,  thQii,  and  preach  the  kingdoin  of.;Go(J^' 
The  devotion  due  to  U,  unreservedly,  could  not,b<p  s^arod,  eveii,  by 
ihi^  ^;|^|mS;0t,llff^cy9fl;  ^t?4  et^rttoJutiesv ;  >i(r«qu^st,tp.:l^ 


THE*  LIFE  OP  CHRIHT. 


4t8 


JUJ  Ind  his  household  fwewell.hcf ore  Anally  leaving  thetn,  ^as  metby 
a  similar  answer — "No  man  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and 
looking-  back:,  is  Hi  for  the  kingdom  of  God,"  The  indispensable 
condition  of  admittance  Into  tlte  inner  cijrCile  >vho  followed  and  lived 
:\vith  Him,  \^f»s  an  en^ossing  enthusiasm  for  Himself  and  His  work, 
:iy)uch  permitted  concern  for  no  second  interest  whatever.  ' 

'  He  had  'determined  to  surround  Himself  with  a  small  body  of  such 
trustworthy  followers,  Ihniting  the  number,  by  im  association  natural 
to  His  race,  to  twelve.  They  wejre  to  fcfttn  the  closest,  inmost  circle 
of,  His  disciples,  and  to  be,  in  faet,  His  friends  and  companions.  He 
would  give  tliem  His  fullest  confidence:  open  His  mind  to  them  more 
fully,  than  to  othera:  atnd,  by  Jiving  among  them,  inspire  them  with 
His  own  fervour^  and  mould  them  to  His  own  likeness.  They  would 
see'  how  His  soul uevief  unbent  from  its  grand  enthusiasm:  how  He 
never  wearied  in  Hifltransceadent  devotion  of  body  and  spirit  to  His 
work.  In  seeing  flkiid  hearing  Him,  they  would  gain  experience  I  in 
the  opposition  and  ttials  they  met  in  His  company  their  fidelity  would 
be  put  to  the  test,  and,  in  theend,  they  would* .  j.  qualified  for  the 
special- work  foi?  which  they  had  been  cho$on-^tobe  sent  forth, to 
preach,  tmd  to  repeat  the  miraculous  Works  of  their  JIastcrj,  as  Evi- 
dence Of  His  divine  authority.  ■  .  /  l  -  „ : :  :  ;  -;/,  ^v  C;f  ^v '  \  uii% 
,  rit  ia  not  stated  definitely  Where  the  isdlftctibn  Of  tw  Apostle  Vite 
ans4e.  His  preaching  liad  already  gained  a  *  *  great  multitude"  of  dis- 
cinlies-wbo  lollowcd  Him  in  His  jotirney  f rom  tpwn  to  town,  along 
.\^ith  a  Vastcrowd  drawn  after  Him  by  various  motived.  The  movfe- 
,mentw;asrapidly  assuming  an  Importance  like  th(it  of  John's;  it  was 
txten<[fihg  over  the  nation.  Withdrawing  Himself,  as  Was  His  frequent 
ctistbm,  worn  the  throng,  by  night,  He  retired  once  more  ifttothe  hill^ 
-to  t)ray,  and  continued  in  ctevotiontill  morning.  Brought  tip  ttm'on^ 
hillSs  He  was  ever  f^ind  of  their  i«oIitude,  their  pure  ail?  and  open,  sky, 
which  seemed  to  bring  Him  nearer  His  Fattier.  It  was  somcwherp 
appaifeatly^  in  the,  hilly  bael<ground  of  the  $ea  6f  Galilee,  for  thou/^h 
^spoken  of  as  '(th0  mountain,  "^.  there  are:  no  meajis  of  deciding  the 
priDcise  locality.  ■  When  the  day  brolte,. instead  of  seeking  rest,  lib 
showed  the  subject  of  His  night-long  oommunion  with  His  Heaveijly 
i'dtUer,.  Vy  piroceeding  to  select  His  future  Apostles.  The  crowd  of 
His  disciples  had  returned  with  the  new  day,  from  th0  neigliouring 
towha  and  villages  where  they  had  spent  the  night,  when  Jesus,  com- 
ing down  from  His  solitary  devotions,  gathered  them  once  more  round 
iJXtm,  and  "calling  to  Him  whom  He  Himself  would,"  "appointed 
twelve,  that  they  might  be  with  Him,. and  that  He  should  send  them 
j^orth  to  preach— to  heal  sicknesses,  and  to  oast  out  devils." 
',  His  choice  was  necessarily  made  from  a  aompai-atively  small  num- 
iber,  for  the  majority  must  have  lately  joined  Him,  and  must  thus 
liave  been,  as  ycit,  littte  known.  So  far  as.  possijile  He  made  His  e/i: 
lectlQU from ihose  who  had  hoen  longest  with. Himv  and  whom  Hf 
&^ii  in  gbme  measure,  provod;  but  tlioy  were  as  a  whole,  simi^,  w» 


F 


li. 


! 


f  ii 


414 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


learned,  plastic  men  of  the  people,  for  Jesus  had  already  seen  that  the 

Siiritual  regeneration  of  Israel  must  rise  from  the  humbler  cliMse9. 
e  knew  that  the  educated  men  of  tlie  nation,  the  Rabbis  and  priests, 
were  perverted  and  prejudiced,  and  He  could  not  look  to  the  officials 
or  authorities  of  any  gmde,  or  to  the  prevailing  religious  schools. 
The  commonalty  were  sounder,  freer  from  the  errors  of  the  age,-^ 
more  open  to  the  eternal  truths  He  came  to  announce,  and  more  ready 
to  accept  the  spiritual  kingdom  He  came  to  fonnd.  Yet,  it  mav  be, 
that  had  the  choice  been  widdi*,  some  one  might  have  been  available 
from  the  tmined  intellects  of  the  nation,  with  results  it  would  be  vain 
to  conjecture.  Had  Paul  been  one  of  the  twelve,  now  ehosen  by 
Christr  how  much  might  the  genius,  the  Rabbinical  training,  i^a 
breadtb  of  mind,  and  the  grand  loving  enthiisiasm  which  almost 
founded  Westerri  CSiristianity,  have  (Changed,  in  the  history  told  by 
the  Gospels?  He  laid  no  stress  on  their  former  social  position,  or. 
religious  party,  for  they  Included,  on  the  one  iside,  a  publican,  who 
was  also  a  Levite,  amd  on  the  bther,  one  who  bad  belonged  to  the 
ultra'-puritan  Zealots,  the  fanatical  party  of s  Judas  the  Galilaean.  -  Nor 
did  He  require  them  to  be  unmarried,  for  Peter,  we  know^  hadawifep 
and  if  we  may  trust  the  tradition  of  the  Armenian  €hurcii,  ithe  only 
Apostles  who  were  single  were  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  and  Thomat. 
The  Capernaum  circle  yielded  Him  no  fewer  than  seven  of  the  twelve; 
•—Peter,  and  his  brother  Andrew,  who  lived  with  him;  two  sons  from 
the  house  of  Zabdai, — James  and  John ;  two  sons  of  Alphseus,— Jaime0 
the  little^  and  Jude,:  who  is  commonly  distinguished  as  LebbseuA,  the 
stout-hearted,— ^or  ThaddeeuSj  the  brave.  The  publican  Matthewi  waa 
also 'from  Qapemaum,  and  was  the  third  from  the  houseliold  of  Ah- 
phffius,  if  the  name  refer  to  the  father  of  James  the  Little  and  Judej 
and  Philip  belonged  to  the  village  of  Bcthsaida  in  ita  immediate 
neighbourhood,  making  in  all,  eight  of  die  twelve,  virtuaily  from  the 
same  favoured  place.  Of  the  remaining  four,  Nathanael/the  sonat 
Talmai,  the  Bartholomew  of  our  version,  was  from  Cada,  on  l^e 
north  iide  of  the  plain  of  El  Battauf ,  on  which  Jesus  had  sb  oft^n 
looked  down  from  the  Nazaretli  hill-top.  Thomas— ready  to  die,  but 
slow  to  beiifeve:  manly  and  full  of  grave  tenderness,— whose  H$brew 
name  was  sometimes  turned  into  the  Greek  equivalent  Didymus,  tbe 
twin, — was  the  same  person, — one  tradition  says,— ^as  Jwdaa,itbie 
brother  of  Jesus,  as  if  Mary  had  had  a  double  birth,  after  bearing 
her  eldest  son.  If  so,  one  of  the  household  amongst  Avhom  oul* 
Saviour  had  grown  up,  one  son  of  His  mother,  redeemed  the  general 
coldness  of  the  rest.  The  name  of  Simon  the  Zealot,  another  Gali- 
Isean,  and  that  of  the  only  Apostle  from  Judea, — Judas,  the  traitor; 
of  the  village  of  Kerioth,  in  the  south  of  Judar— close  the  list,  v?  d 
Such  was  the  band  which  Jesus  now  gathered  round  Him.  Al 
least  four,^^^ames  and  John,  and  Jameis  the  Little  and  Jude,— seem 
to  have  been  His  redbtions,  or  connections,  to  whom,  if  w<^  accept  the 
tradition  I  hare  quoted.we*  must  add  Thomai..    One,  at  least,  waa  of 


■tr  '  0*'^ 


irOi ./  i-  »-KUv 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


4t8 


ttf!U:i' 


priestly  rac^,<^thc  dcgeneThte  Levite,  MMtheW,  who  had  sunk  to  an 
oitite  neTd  so  utterly  Infamous  as  a  publican's.  He  and  the  sons  ofx 
Zebedec  eeom  to  have  been  in  a  fair  position,  but  Peter,  whom  we  see 
in  the  forty  days  after  the  Resurrection,  once  more  busy  asaflsher^ 
man,  in  his  boat  on  the  Lake  of  Galilee;  naked,  perhaps  literally,  as 
the  fishermen  there  still  often  are,  that  he  might  the  better,  like  them, 
dra^  the  net  after  him  through  the  water,  as  he  swam  with  it;  of 
castihg  his  fisher's  coat  round  him,  and  leaping  into  the  Lake  to  swim 
ashore  to  Jesus,  is,  it  maybe,  a  fair  illustration  of  the  social  position 
of  most  of  His  brethren  in  the  Apostolate. 

In  the  lists  given  in  the  Gospels,  Peter,  the  host  of  His  Lord,  at 
Capernaum,  always  holds  the  first  place,  but  there  are  Tariations  in 
the  order  assigned  to  others.  A  tnie  Galitoean— Peter  was  energetic 
and  fiery,  rather  than  self-contained  and  reflective.  Warm-hearted 
and  impulsive,  he  had  at  once  the  strength'  and  weakness  of  such  a 
tehiperament.  He  is  always  the  first  to 'speak  for  his  brethren;  ho 
eraves  earnestlv  one  moment  what  he  as  earnestly  refused  the  moment 
befoYe^  he  is  the  first  to  draw  the  sword  for  Jesus,  but  also  the  fij*8t 
to  deny  Him.  John  recognizes  his  risen  Master  first  at  the  La&o  of 
Galilee,  but  Peter  thtx)Ws  himself  forthwith  into  the  Lake;  and  is  the 
first  to  reaich  Jesus'  feet;  he  acts  on  the  moment,  and  has  even  to  be 
rebuked  for  being  too  ready  with  his  counsel.  Though  for  a  moment 
he4enies  Christ,  a  look  tnelts  him,  and  tradition  only  fills  up  what 
w^  feel  a  true  ^cture,when  it  tells  u&  that  he  rose  ^ch  Dight»! 
through  life,  at  the  hour  at  which  lie  had  sinned  so  weakly,  to  prav 
for  forgiveness;  or  Syhen  it  spbaks  of  him,  at.  last,  as  crucified  with 
hib  head  downwards,  thinkiUj^  himself  unworthy  of  a  ikearer  approach 
to  the  death  of  his  Lord.  '  ■■•'^  '■  »  'vr.•,ph^"  r/.'  '^'^•T'>-^*4."ffmii  ^imhi'-i'  trM 

In  Peter,  Jesus  had  an  apd^tle  who  grtve  tip  hlrf  wh6le  Wing  tb  hia 
Master.  No  one  was  more  receptive  of  lofty  impresaons,  and  with 
this  moral  SehsibiHty,  there  was  a  ready,  quick,  happy  insight,  which 
divined  the  slgnificante  of  his  Master's  words  with  swift  intelligence. 
Yet,  with  this  delicacy  of  forecast,  and  true  coniception  of  the  inner 
and  the  expressed  thoughts  of  Jesus;  with  his  quick  eye  for  the  signs 
of  the  times,  and  his  zeal  to  act  on  their  indications,  he  was  deficient 
in  sharj)  logical  power  of  thought^  and  in  tenacious  strength  of  will. 
,  In  this  coim)ination  of  strength  and  weakness,  he  was  the  most  p3r» 
feet  type  of  the  Galilsean  in  the  Apostolate,  and  became  a  special 
friend  of  Jesus,  who  found  in  him  the  most  enthusiastic  of  His  f oh 
lowers;  the  reflection,  In  some  respects,  of  His  own  nature,  and  a 
heai't  than  which  none  beat  truer,  though  in  the  most  decisive  momenta 
he  proved  no  firm  support,  but  a  bending  reed,  weakfTom momentary 
trust  in  himself  rather  than  on  his  Lord.  •       '     , .*(. -f  Hi i 

James  und  John,  the  sous  of  Zabdai,  were  ilnen'of  a  different  mould, 
They:  supplied  what  was' wanting  in  Peter,  Ready  to  aooept'thQ 
he w*  tde^iis,  and  re^toduohig'  l^em  for  themsolvesi  with  mingled  en* 
thusiasm  and  freshness  of  eonceptioh,  they  had  the  same  intense  dovo* 


Ill 


41% 


THI>  X»IFB  or  OHRISl^; 


■     !■ 
'Ill 


I! 


ticite  >  to  their  Mistiir  as  Peterr^Uh  aomething,  «t  timen,  of  the  aami 
artless  and  unooDBctoiis  self-prominence.  Their  energy  of  wiU,  add 
qiiicic  tlaming  up  at  anv  oppositibn,  were  marked  fenturcs  of  both» 
and  obtained  f»r  them,  from  Jesus,  the  name  of  "tlio  Bons  of  Thun« 
der."  In  tlicir  zeal  for  their  Master  they  wouhl  have  called  down 
judgment  from  heaven  against  an  inhospitable  village,  and  wlHlied  to 
silence  an  unlcnown  worker  ivho  spoke  in  the  name  of  Christ,  without 
bcfonging  to  the  twelve.  In  James,  the  Apostles  hiul  their  firnt  mar- 
tyr, but  Jolm  ^ived  to  be  the  last  survivor  of  tiiem  all.  Hot  xeal, 
basKed  on  intense  devotion,  was,  however,  only  a  passing  clinractcrlstlo, 
at  least  6i  Johii.  He,  'of  all  the  twelve,  drank  dnopoMl  uito  Ids  Mostov'S 
Spirit,  land  realized  it  most.  Self-contained,  meditativo,  tender,  he 
thought  less  of  Christ's  acts,  than  of  the  words  which  wore  tlio  TiiVt- 
lations  of  His  inner  Being.  HivH  whole  spiritual  nature  gave  itself  up 
to  loving  contemplation  of  the  wondrous  life  nas^iing  before  him: 
We  owe  to  him,  in  his  Gospel,  an  image  of  the  higher  nature  of  our 
Lord;  such  as  only  one  to  whom  He  was  all  in  all  could  have  painted. 
If  perfect  love  beget  love  in  return,  it  was  inevitable  that  John  should 
^in  the  supreme  place  in  Christ's  affection.  If  the  diHCiple  Icantd 
on  the  Master's  bosom,  it  was  because  he  had  shown  the  loVc  that  A^i 
thfe  last  brought  him«  alone,  of  the  twelve,  to  the  foot  of  the  Cross.  '. 
Of  Andrew,  the-  brother  of  Peter,  we  know  vciT  little.  Wo  Jmve 
to  trust  to  traditk>n,  alone,  for  his  history,  •fter  Clirist's  death.  Mti 
is  said,  by  one  legend,  tohavo  gone  amon^  the  Scytliians,  and,  on  thil 
ground,  the  Russian^  have  made  him  their  national  ISuint.  AnOthei: 
assigns  Greece,  and  afterwards  Asia  Minor  and  Thrace,  at  the  scene 
c^f  his  work,  and  speaks  of  him  as  put  to  death  in  Achaia,  on  a  croM 
of  the  form  since  known  by  his  name.  The  incidental  notices  of  tha 
ot^eHB,  in' the -Gospels,  are  very  slight,' and  need  not  be  anticipated. 
Philfp  is  said,  in  the  ecclesiastical  legends,  to  htive  been  a  chariot 
driver;  Bartholomew,  a  shep^ierd,  or  gardener.  But  no  name  is  mor^ 
striking^  in  the  Hst  than  that  of  Simon  the  Zealot,  for  to  none  of  Xti6 
twelve  Could  the  contrast  be  so  vivid  between  their  former  and  thoi^ 
ne#  position.  What  revolution  of  thought  and  heart  coUld  be 
grsittcr  than  that  which  hod  thus  changed  into  a  fbllower  of  Jesus 
one  of  the  tierce  war'party  of  the  day,  which  looked  on  the  presunoe 
of  Rome  in  t^e  Holy  Land  as  ti^eason  against  the  Majesty  of  Jehovah 
i— a  party  who  were  fanatical  in  tlieir' Jewish  strictneis  and  exclUHive- 
ness?  Like  many  others  of  the  twetve,  he  Is  little  more  than  a  name. 
Indeed,  even  in  4he  iseCond  century,  the  vaguest  traditions  were  all 
that  survived  of  any  but  two  or  three  of  thera.  They  were  men  of 
no  high  commanding  powers,  to  make  their  names  riae  on  nil  men's 
tongues,  but  they,  doubtless,  in  every  case  but  that  of  the  betrayer, 
did  their  work  faithfully,  and  ejected  results  of  pennunont  value  in 
the  spread  of  the  Kingdom.  Still  more,  they  displayed  befiOve  the 
\voi1d>  for  the  first' 4ittte,  the  then  v  i^iaasing  apectaele  and  teaching  of 
a^Oimtian'lif^*  l^hait  we  ka^w  so  little. ox  auw  wl|io.we|e  jiudi  slgnil^ 


.i«--- 


THE  LIFE  GP  onmST. 


417 


belief iictnts  of  the  nee,  is  only  what  wo  have  to  ponder  in  the  cases 
of  th«()8e  t6  whom  the  world  has  ow«d  most.  It  is  the  law,  in  tlie 
moral  ns  in  the  physical  world,  that  one  sows  and  another  reaps,  and 
the  seed  which  Wars  the  golden  ears  has  long  died  awuy  unromein- 
bered,  before  the  gathering  of  the  autumn  sheaves. 

It  is  touching  to  think  of  Jesus  surrounded  by  the  little  band  lie 
had  thus  ch6scn — simple,  true-hearted  men,  indeed,  but  needing  so 
much  to  fit  them  for  their  amazing  honour,  and  momentous  duties. 
No  wonder  they  were  timid  and  reverent  before  Him;  no  wonder 
that  He  was  so  sorely  tried  with  their  dull  apprehension  and  weak 
human  shortcomings,  as  to  speak  sternly  or  sadly  to  thorn  at  times; 
orico  indeed,  with  the  words,  "  O  unl)erieving  generation,  how  long 
shall  I  be  with  you,  how  long  shall  I  suffer  youV"  He  calls  theiii 
r* of  little  understanding.'  "hftrdcncd,"  "fearful,"  "worldly,"  an<l 
*ftft  little  faith."  But  amidst  all,  they  "continued  with  Him  in  HU 
trhils"  till  the  end,  and  He  forgot  tlieir  failings  in  the  tender  thought, 
that  if  tlielr^esh  was  weak,  their  spirit  was  wHling.  They  were  His 
^' brethren, ?'^His  "servants,"  His  "fellow-workers,"  His  "  little  chil 
dren,"  His  "little  ones,"  and,  even,  as  the  end  approached,  "His 
friends."  He  mighty  at  times,  have  to  reprove  them,  but  His  bearing 
to'ivards  them;  day  by  (lay,  was  a  loving  condescension  to  their  weak- 
ness, and  a  patient  enort  to  draw  them  to  Himself,  as^  far  ^s  possible. 
There  is  no  ti^ce  of  suotpformat  instrui^tion  as  the  Rabbis  gave  their 
followers;  they  had  rather  to  listen  to  His  words  to  the  people,  and 
nsk  Him  in  private  for  explanation  where  needed.  He  rather  trained 
and  developed  their  spiritual  cliaracter,  than  indoctrinated  them  in 
systematic  theology.  Above  all.  He  lived  before  them,  and  was  Him- 
self ttieir  great  lesson.  Nor  can  there  be  a  more  striking  illustration 
of  tfe0  completeness  #ith  vehich  they  forgot  their  own  haing  in  the 
preseiiceof  their  Master,  than  the  silence  of  the  writers  of  the  60s- 
p^iSTespecting  themselves  in  their  records  of  Jesus.  He,  alone,  filled 
tiieit^  eye,  their  thoughts,  their  heartSi  They  had  been  like  children 
before  Him,  while  He  was  with  them,  and  in  the  hallowed  reverence 
of  their  remembered  intercourse,  His  image  tilled  the  whole  retrospect, 
to  the  utter  solbordination  of  all  things  else.  The  months  they  had 
spent  in  His  company  under  the  palm-trees,  or  on  the  hills,  or  by  the 
sea;  when  they  br<^athed  the  same  air  with  Him;  heard  His  voice; 
saw  His  life;  and  wondered  at  His  mighty  acts, — raised  them,  in 
their  own  belief,  above  the  prophets  and  the  kings,  who  had  longed 
fbr  such  a  vision' of  the  Messiah,  but  had  not  had  it.  vouchsafed 
them.  ■  '•  '•  -■  ■'  ■'!'  ■  .••■ 
?"'()f  the  preaching  of  Jcstis,  the  Gospel  preserves  numerous  frag- 
ments, but  no  lengthened  abstract  of  any  single  discourse,  except  that 
of  the  "-Sermon  on  the  Mount."  It  seems  to  have  been  delivered 
iriimediiately  after  the  choice  of  the  twelve,  to  the  dl^iples  at  large 
and  the^mUltitudeWha thronged  to  hefir  the  newHabbi.  Descending 
Irom  tb»  t|iigiM]vpeiiiti.to  wmch'  He  ^had  <^Ued.up  His  Apostles,  Uo 


tH«^^IPE^  Ol?  OHWLifff, 


I   : 


ill 


came  towardatbe  crowd,  ^hich  wtiked  for  Him  atift'te^^aieo  below, 
Thetfi  were  i^umben  from  evei^  pa|t----from^Udea'aiia>j4)rusal0m 
in  tl&e  floutli,  and  eyen  from  tbe  sea-coast  ollTyre  a(iidSidon;iiBome;to 
hear  Him.  others  to  be>  cured  of  their  diseased,  and  many  ctoi  be 
delivered  from  micIeaA  i^irit0.  ^  The  cQmmotiot^<and  excitaaieii^  were 
great  ul  Hifl  appearance,  f<^  it  had  been  f otind'  tbiiit  to^  touch  Him^.wn8 
to  be  cured,  and,  hence,  all  sought,  either- by  their  own  «flort)R, 
or  with  tlKl  help  of  friends,  to  get  near  enough  .to  Him  4o  do^  so. 
After.a  time,  however,  ithetumidtiwas  stayed,  alljliavingbefaiheidod, 
and  He  pr6cee<}ed,  befbie  they  J>foke  up,  to  care  ifor  theiv  apiritiinl, 
ais  He  had  §Ine»ady  foi  their  physical  wants^  -  ,;.»!.:  i 

Tradition  has  ahoscn  the:  hjill  known  as  the  ^  Horns  of  Hattki^Vi  tmq 
hom-IilEe  heights,  rising  sixty  fcet<  al)ove  the  plain:  betweentliemt^ 
two  honrs  west  of  Til)erias,  at  the  mouth  of  the  ^gor^e  wl^ii^  o|>eDs, 
past  Magdiala,'  into  the  wild  cliffs  of  Arbeita.)  ;fan}iOus  m  the  history  of 
the  Zealots  as  th^ir  hiding-place,  and  famous  al^  for  Herod's  battles 
in  mid-air  atthe  mouths  pi  their  caves,  bymean&'Of  ^eat  cages  Jlled 
with  soldiers  letdown  the  precipices.  It  is  greatly  m  mvoiw  of/ithis 
site,  t6  find  iSuch  ajwriter  as  Dean  Stanley  sayings  that  the  )situait|pn 
so  strHiihgly  coincides  with  the  intimations  of  |he  Gospel  Bari;atife, 
iRs<alm'08t  to  force  the  inference^  that,  in  ^this  hi^tance^  tiie.eye  of  Idiosc 
who  selected  the  spot  was  rightly  guided.  The  plain  on  which  tlie 
hill  sta^nds  is  easily  accessible  from  the  J^ke,  and  -it  is  oniy  a  &w 
minutes'  wd,lk  from  it  to  the  summit,  before  reaching  whioh,  a^  broad 
I'**  level  place"  lias  to  be  crossed-^^xactly  suited  fear  the  gathefing  of 
a  multitude  together.  It' w«a  to  this,  app&rendy,  that  Jesuaeamc 
down,  from  one  of  the  higher  horns,  to  address  this  peio^e^r«fiedted 
on  some  slightly  elevated  rock— for  the  teachers  alwrays  »,t  while  he 
taught-~the  people  and  the  diseiplessitting  at  Hisfeet,  oft-the  igrass; 
the  cloudless  Syrian  sky  oyer  them;  the  blue  Lateen  with  its  jpno^ing 
life,  on  the  one  handy  and^  in  the  far  north^i  the  grand  45qi^  ef 
Hermon,  glittering  in  the  upper  air;  He  began  what  !i&4o;iiSiHe 
Magna  ChartA  of  our  faith,  and  to  the  hearers;  must  Ji»ve<  beenn  lihe 
^  formal  Inaugui^tion  of  th6  new  kingdom  of  God.  f  )  '■■><  •  , 
'  ^  The  choice  of  the  twelve  Apostles  and  the  SemM»i  on  the  Mouirt 
mark  a  turning  point  in  the  publiclife  of  Jesus.-.  A i crisis  inoUie 
dcveJoptkent  of  His  work  had  arrived.  He  had,>4ill  now^  taken  rno 
stepjsi  towards  a  formal  and  open  «epamtion  from  Judaism^  but  hud 
cotitented  Himself  with  gathering  converts,  whom  He  left  to  follow 
the  ne^  life  He  taught,  without  any  organization  >as  a  distinct  com- 
munion. Tlie  symptoms  of  an  approaching  rupture  widi  the  piiests 
and  Rabbis  had,  however,  forced  on  Him  more  dedsiye  octioni  He 
had  met  the  murmurs  at  the  healing  of  the  paralytic,  l)y.  the  tdum- 
pliant  vindication  of  the  language  which  had-given  onence<r;Tiie 
choice  of  a  publican  as  a  disciple  imntediately  after, ^ikadj' been;  a 
fiuthef  expression  of  the  fundamental  opposition  between  His;  ideas 
wad  those  of  the  schools  and  the  Temple^  and  His  juatificaUpn  of  the 


THfii  %W%  OB  ]fiJlTO8T. 


r 


m 


vtita^;  in  tUe  oyea  o£  iUie  OTtUodoxy  xd^  jh9  My^*  ^Mwi,  beea  anQthor.  stetp 
in  tiie  iia^o«  Utve^TiVeot.  pMh.  He  ,hiM  a^n^  jsancUo9e4  tbe  onu^^ipn 
of  f«£t^.  aj|d  oftmeotMiaical  rulos  for  pir»y^>; which  wero  sacred  wMh 
the','Bftohi;9k.  fHeliad  «yen.,s0t  tiM»  old  iftt^  iiewordei!of  thiDgB  in 
contrast,  And  had  thiM  assuniied  ipd^pend^nta^horlty,  a^a  i«^^ 
teaohar;  (h«  attnt of  all .oiffencis ia.a rigid  theocracj^n . >  r.  r;^.j  •» >  .. ? 
The  oho^eof  (he,  jtw^Ke^  and  thie  8ermoa  on  (lieHoun^  were  tho 
final '  and  dii^tiiKCtivproQlaniation  oil  ^ia  now  posidioni  The  4po9tles 
inu£/iha:ve-fleei9ed, 'to  a  Jew,  the  twelve  patdatchs  of  a  new  spiritual 
liSlael,  to  be  substituted  foFjthe  old;^  $1^  heads  of  new  tribes^  .to  be 
gathered,  by  (their  fisaehia^ >a»;  the  future,  people  of.  QoiL  The.  old 
skiosj had.  been  proyedunni  for -the  new  w;ine;  hei^eeforth,  new  eliiins 
must  be-providtedi;  new  fonns^,;for  a  new  fai^  The  society  thus 
organised  needed. a  piianiulgajiton  of  ithe i laws  under  which  it. waS:  to 
hire,  and  thiSf  it:  reoeived  in  M»^.  3ermpn{  OIL  the  Mount. 
f>  The  audience  addressed  cbhsisted  of  thenewlyjQhosen  twelve;  tlie 
unknown  eiroiWdr  who.  .heatd  Him  with  lavouf,  amd  were,  heiice, 
spoken  of  as  His  disciples;  and  the  promiscuous  iimUllbude  drawn  to 
Him,  for  the  tin)e,.by  rariousniotii^.  Jesus  had  n^^outer  and iniier 
dridcvfor  publie  and wSecretidocitrines,,  like  the  .Hahhis,.  Cor,  ^^migh 
Heesplained  to  thetkelve,  InimiFate,  any; points  in  His  disoourses 
they,  had' not  understood^  the  discourses  themselves^  were  df^vered 
to  all  who  oameito  hear  them,  Thi»  Sermon,  which  is  the  if  idlest 
statemfintweiiaveof  the  nature  of  His  kingdom,  and  of  th9  condition 
and  duUes  of  its  ohizeni^iip,  was  spoken  under  the  open,  sky,  to  aU 
who  happened  to  form  iH^  audience,  r  .  .       v 

.1  In  this  great;  dcelaration<  of  the  priacipies  and  laws  of  the  Christian 
ropubli^f— a  repnblic  in  the  relations  of  Us  citiKens  toi  each  other— 
a  kiaj^dom,^ Jn  their,  relations  to <  Jesus,' the,  o^fti^sions  are  no  less 
strikinig  than  the  demands.  There  is  no  reference  to  the  priej^or 
iRabbis^till  then  the  u^ndlsputed  authoritsies  iju  rdlgion-— nor  is  the 
titeiof  circumcision  eyen  mentioned,  though  it  made  the  Jew  a 
V  ember  of  the  Old  Covenant,  as  a  mere  theocratic  form,  apart  from 
moral  requirements;  It  is  not  condemned,  but  it  is  ignored.  Till 
now,  a  vital  condition  of  entrance,  into  the  kingdom  of  Qod,  it  Js 
so  Ao  morei  Nor  are  any  other  outward  forms  more  in  favour. 
The  new  kingdom  is  to  be  founded  only  on  righteousness  and. love, 
and  tiontrasts  with  the  old  by  it^  spiritual  freeaomt.uintmmmeled.by 
outward  rules.  ,  It  opposes  to  the  nationality  land  limitation  of  the 
old  tlmocracy  a  universal  invitation,  with  ua»^  restriction  except  that 
of  chamoter  and  conduct  ,  Citiaenahip  is  oSer^  to  all  who  sincerely 
believe  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah^  ana  honestly  repent  before  ^od. 
Bven  the,  few  opening  sentences  mark  the  revolution  in  religious 
conceptions  which  the. new  faith  involves.  Temporai  evil,  whic^ 
under  the  former  diepei|sation  had  been  thee  mark  of  diyincifdis* 
•jf^leasnre,  became,  in  the  toaehing  qI^  , Jesus*  t)^  marh  (^JeU^tir4iiD 


mi 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


S 


^tid':p\^d^^  6t  hen^eijly  reivard.    The-  f>p|i>iof4  of  til^^dfKr  F«^fd^;^ 
poverty;  nufiger,  troiil>Hr,  and-  poraecuU on  ias  pmiiebiiifiti!^  for  ^  $  He 
enumerates'  them-  as  Uesetafitiik    Throngboat  tlie  ^ole  Sermoiif  j^o 
pdlHicRl  or  theocratic  ideas;  And  place,'  but  Uttjy  ^piiituali- .  Fqr  tiip , 
tirst  tim^  m  Hie  history  of  reH^ion,  n  cummiifiiofa  is  fiH]|Pde4  withoiit 
a  prlenthood,  or  Offerings,  or  n  Tenipie,  of  cerenit^iiial  sendees;  wi^boutj* 
symbolical -wprshipi  or  a  visible  toQCtuaiy;    ^r%ere  is  fm  utt^r  iabsj^nce 
of  overythiitj^  external  or- sensuous:  the  grfind' spiritici^l  inilJ>s ^>t 
absolute  religious  freedom^  love^'  and  ri^hteousnese;,  tAone  are  hcflrdr  i 
Nor  is  the  kingdom,  tShus  founded;  in  itself  Tisil^le,  or'  corporate,  ip  ' 
any.brdinaiy  senser  it  isfntmifclsted  only  by/^e  witness  of  the  ■Spirit 
inthe  heart,  aiid  by  the  powergoing  forth  irorjiiit  in  the  iffel    lurtlie 
line  lytyrds  of  Herder,  CMstidnitylvfls  founded  in  dii^^t  opposition 
tof  thfe  'Stupjd  depen^nce  on^  customs^  formuli^,  and  enipty  usage/»«; 
It'^humblad  the  Jewish,  and  ctcu  the  Rcnnan  n|ttiqnail  prid^:  the 
moribund  Levitical  worship  and  •idQi^ati^j.hP1veTer.£R|iatic%lly  ^^ 

ed^'WererWOUnded^t<^deatb.":'      r-' -,"■,[■., -!r^'i:^rr''-^^fr'rt   'rc-'hp^:''\''^l^^.T" 

Kotliing  cant  be  more  'certafti  thau  that  Jesus^ ha^.  nev'^  «tudi^ 
under  the  Soplieritn,  or  Scribes.    His  c6BtemporairieB,.the  KabbliB.^f 
J^noalem/  leavu  uo  doubt  of  this,  for  they  frankly  avowed  tueir 
^vondto,  at  His  knowledge  of  their  theology,  and  p^wer  pf  Bcriptural 
exposition,  tiiou^  He  &id  neyer:  learned  theological  jpiencie  'in  tlia^- 
schools;  ^The  same  minute  acqUainiancef  with  tlie  opliiions  an4  teaMiliT , 
ingftJof  tJie  day  is  seen  tlirpugh  the  whole  of  ^h^. Hill  ^rttiOQ. ;  ^piaH-f 
from  His  miysterious!  divinity;  He-was  a  man  like  purselyes,  ■  Vgrol^^ng 
in  Vi^sdom"  with  His  years,  and,  therefore,  indebted  in  a  meadtiref  at,' 
leost^  to  the  influences  and  me^ns  around  ^^in)>  for  |Iis  liuman  knpwX^  ^ 
ed;'  and  oplnidns/'  It  ^pieaks  voiuraes  for  His  early  training  by f His 
motner  and  Joseph,  that  He  should  have  known  the  Scriptures  asftl^e 
did/for  il  J8  iu  ehildlliood  that  the  memory  gets  the  bent  which  marks,^ 
it^  streiiigth  in  mahiioodr    The  synagogue  -school,  aud  cohBtf nt|y 
recurring:  services,  must,  however,  have,  been  the  great  iBcminArypf 
thetroBaroUiBoy.    Passage^,  of  the  Law  had  been  His  Qnlyscl^ool-" 
book,    ahdy   doubtless;   the   village  teacher,    ste^i^ed   iU   rejected 
Rsbbiniipn,  had  often  flattered  his  harmless  vanity  by  a  display 
before  ms  ydung  charge,  of  his  kno v\^ledge  of  the  traditions  and 
gh)sses, 'Whujh  won  so  much  honour  to  t!ie  Scribes.    The  SabbaJ^ji 
and^  week-day  homilies  of  the  Synagog^te  had  made  Him '{^eonstanit 
listener  to  looal' or  travelling  Rabbis,  till,  in  the  tliifty  yearp  of  Iftis 
Nazaretii  life.  His  mi&d  ati^  memol'y  had,  doubtless,  been  satUrat^^ 
with  their  modes  of '  thoulght,  and  the  opinions  of  all  the  dttfer^^i^t 
schools.    TlieolDgy,  lUoreover,  was  the  staple  of'  village  conversation 
in  Kaza^th,  f»  elsewhere,  for  his  religion  was  also  the  politics  of  the 
Jew^  and  the  V^tifleation  of  his  haughty  national  pride.    Doubtlej^^ 
alabi  in  Joscp'8cot(^i|;e.  there  was  a  maduscriptof  the  Law,  a^d.  V 
8OQlill|ed^ith^deTtiy0t>kr,to  Hf$  Heavenly  l?atber»  like  ^hat  of  Je^;^ 
'IM^ld  fiikl  dome  of  the  Prophets,  either  there  or  among  His  faimly 


t    I.,! 


^Tl!??-'l^#5m 


m^ 


cAy^sAkkptdoiitacI '  Mik  ckjjirttdfliis  <^f  intellect^  Hitf  transparent  .inno^^ 
oetibe  <3f '  6o#};  Hi»  fittotfom  of  spiiit/and  iratt^Gadent  Joftinoss  ot 
mbfaJa  Wiei^  «ffl  Uk  t) wnj  im  thisy  muBt  have  used;  f br  tlieir  iiigli  «ind^,  < 
tliW'facHitiito  arottnd  Him/   a'Hc  vet^y  nfigkUourlKi^  of  a  lieatkion 
p^}iulat!6il  %bfy  Have  ha^  ^its  ijiDudace  in  brcmkins  dpwn ; th^;  h^redi^t 
tiirj  tiarrcKvness  of  Hfe  racci.'and  who  can i  tu)l>^hat  ardouramay-. 
liav(fe^ti^i*kin«led  hythe  wotidrous  view  fr^nt  the  iiilltop  of  Naawctht.' 
Fi^eTi^nt  iail  tlHyught  of  HiAHself ::  flllfid  wi(h'a;dfviaG  eiitliusidscri.  for 
His  Ff^her  abaVe  and  for  huinanity,  these  mountains^  that  azure  aky^f 
the  sweeping  tdble-land  beyond  thci  Jordan,  the  wide  glory  of  htoven 
and  earth,  Veiling,  above,  the  eternal  kingdoms,  and,  at  His  feet,  rcr-  ■ 
vealihg  the  endhantiilg  homes  of  wide  popalations  differing  in  blood  • 
and  in  faith,  but  all  alik¥fI!S'brcth^fl;'iAay  have  coloured  nota  few 
of  the  sacred  utterane^s<)f  the  Bermoh  on  the  Mount 

This  unique  example  of  our  Saviour's  teaching  displaTs  In  one  view  ? 
neati^'Ml  'ffte^  c^i^Jei5istics  presented ""by^  tlie  moro  detached  ittps- 
traiiohii^^presl^ved  !h  tlie  6i9d)^l8^    Never 'sysjtematic,  the  dTscoursearr 
o!  Jesu^ycr^Vather  pointed  utterancies  of  *  special  truths  demanded.  ^ 
bytlifeolccasion; '  ^to^perfedt  ihner  harmdny 'with  «aeh<>Uinr, theaev 
sdi^tidu^^eaoMa^  lit  time^-  appear  to^  con^lictv^or  they  ore.  often  . 
de^ig^riM^td  pr^nt  opposite  sidtes  of  Iho  aame  itnjth^  as  the  disthoct:  ^ 
p65i^  to  b^  "meX,  reiyaircd.    The  eJttcrniil  aud  *  aensuoua  m^  i4l  Hi#  i 
tekibhhigs,  hdwerver,  A^as  always  made  the-  vehicle  of  abanneir  andr- 
heavenly*  letedni    Be 'hGC^sajilylollot^ried  the  mode  to  which  Hia  ^ 
iieai^fs  were^uded,  arid'taiigjht  them  as  their  own  Rabbis  wer^  woiit^^ ' 
that-He'  migh^eng«^6  attention,  k  (At  times  He  puts  diiQct.qucstiomftv 
at  iwhert;  Kfe  is  Tii€!torieal  oif  polemic,  or*  spctlks  ia  proverbs^  or\6i 
m<^r^'lleiij^h^ed  discourse.'    Hooften  uses  parables,  and  somctimeA* 
e#ti^iyh|bdlical  aotieais;  if^alwa^^ spottiaiieoa»andreEidy ;  and eveni , 
at  tinies/ poihts  His  Wbrds  by  friendly  Of  cutting  irony.    But  whilct' 
ttms^lh  tminy  Ways  adopting'  the  siyle*  of  ithd  KabbiSi  His  toaehijjg  r 
vf^  v^ty  different  even  ill  outward  cliaracte^istics;    They  deliveiod,  i 
paihfally,'  what  tliey  had  teamed  ^  like  children^  oveiiayingi  evet^T 
addi^SB  v^ith  citatidus,  in  theirfearof  ?saying  a  \^ord  cl  their  own  j' 
but  the'-tesicUing  of'Ghtist  was  the  free  expression  of  His  owk 
tho^ht^'  iind  feelings,  and  thfis,wlth  the  weight  of  thri  teachinj? 
itsk^tt",  g^Ve-  Him  power  over  the^  hearts  of  His  audience.    With  la 
mlhuter  and  'ckact   knowledge  of  the  teaehtng  of  the  schools,  Ho 
shf)W*,  by  repealed  use'  ^f  Rabbinical  proofs  land  atrguments^  that  Ho 
\^^  'familiar,  aiso,  with  tlte  cufront » mode*  -  oS  controversy,     llla  ■•■ 
feivdmr,^  His  <irg(nal5ty»,  find   the  f  raeldeur  ©t  the  Iruths   Hct  p^v 
claimied,  Were  ebdugh  in  thfenssolves  to  comctend  Hf s  '^plr^^a,  1m%\ 
He  feonstawtJj^  supports  them  by  the  supiWftC'  authotity'bf ;  ^d 
Swftmirea,  wthioU  wur©  famillai:  to  *  Efc|  tW^lii* 


.!•, 


k  '< 


4m 


Tp,ntXFE  OW^Q^^^r 


BimblCfAfiB  mlie,iii.al)  9e  says. He  yet  offen-o|)ens  glMpii^  into 
ttie  iiiflDite  Ibeightd;  whet«  no  htnri^n  i^hoiigivt  caii  f cAidi^'^mtil'^ .  the 
f/j^iiit  of*  I^  preificliiBgisastiiluisocnidentasits  ihfittyt',  /feadidriitM 
l^^a>elfc^U^j§f  love  pi^vail,  butr  there  is  not  watnifog^'wEen' needed,  the 
ftlernnessof  the  righteotis  judge.  Throughotit  the:  t^liole  Of  HJb 
mmistfy/and  notably,  in  the  8omon  pn  the  Mount,  He  ibeft^fiitti^f 
wi& -aJ^iiigly  gn^adiaaty  di«penE|iag  the  rewaiiis^  and  puniftfai^iti  6f 
the  World  to  conie ;  opening  the  Kingdom  of  Uearen  to  thoiiie  '^tiiy 
wjho  fulfil  His  reduirebi^hts,  and  resting  the  futuro  prospects  of  nien 
cm'  thie  reception  tiiey  give  His  Words.  Even  to  read  His  utteniiieiBS 
forced  from  all  the  confession  of  those  who  !hear4' Him,  that  ''!^ev4r 
■  man  .sttake  like  this/*-  ■■  -  ■^^'r^i-^V-r'^n-^  -'-•''V'riw.i 


-M^£^•Iol■Y^}aullo•  ..,  , 


If  .i>it*JJ'J>'. 


ill,; 


^.'-ji. 


':»U 


jW^^ 


•A>Xi 


f'^^^^■r^^jJ!^m  SEBSCpK  OK  THOi  MOUNT  (C4)»<rfMMef).  ;l  .7^^ 

,  ^  ioi'b^niiig  versed  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  mark  the  dbnti^t 
Detweeh  the  Inew 'Kingdom  of  Ood  and theOld.^  Thereis  no  m^em^n 
bif latins,  for  tho  whole  li|c  of  Jesus  was  one  unbroken  servici^  i)f 
God.^  The  Temple  Service,  and  the  burdehsoi^e  3aws>  of  8iicrit|fb% 
^e  'im#ed  over«  for  th'O  Sermon  .wa$  delivered  in  Oalilee,  far  from  '^lie 
Boliendour  of  the  on^,  or  the  Vexatious'miniitencjss  jsaaA  materiyi^  bf 

;l£e  oj^r. '  The  great  qttestion  of  cliean  and  uitcleai^  iiR|ii<:li  ai^d<id 
t&e  m^Ubii'wltJiin  itself;  made  life  a  slavery  to  ridcs;,imdkb)atedit^e 
Jew  ^om  air  brotherhood  with  humimity  at  large,  is  left  t<^  sink  ii)^ 
ind^erence  before  the  grand  spiritual  triiths  eh^mciatedr''  Tl^  jba)¥ 

^cftmewith  threaits,probibiti6ns,  aiid  commands;  the  I'Settrioali  '*  op& 
"inth  beriedictione,  ahd  moves  in  m  atmosphere  Of .  lirbmisesJaiid 
cnticenifiBls.  Its  nrst  sentenced  fUe  a  succesision  of  foffy.Cxmgifattitiik- 
tions^  those  whblte  spirit  and  bearing  ahready  ixrodBlfa  Uwm;^  I6r 

;ih4new society. •■  ■■  .'      v  .^;  -^  _;■>*?•,■.„   .^''^^^.-^r^^^m.^^y^m. 

t'tlflife  virtues  thus  praised  are  not  the  iictive  bnly,  but  the  l^ti^o; 
not  tUbse  of  doing  aloiie,  but  of  bearing.  *  "Blessed  are  th^  !P<^br  hi 
ipirit,  for  theirs  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven;  blessed  the  meek,  fOrHh^y 
•will  inj^eritr  the  tearth ;  blessed  they  that  mourn,  for  they  will  be  doni- 
forted;  blessed  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteopsia^e^,  for 
th^y^^l  b^  satifefiM;  blessed  the  merclful,^forttiey^'^ill  find  tftjoafbi'; 
Wessed  the  fje'a^s^-mjikers,  for  they  will  be  called  sons. of  Go'd,  byssed 
^.  th^y  that  have  been  persecuted  for  righteoiisness  sake,  for  theirs  Is- t«ie 
Kingdom  of  Heaven.  Blessed  eiie  ye,  when  they  khall  reproach  and 
persecxjite  yoUi^'and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  agaitist  you  fetlisely, 
lb?  My  Sake.  "Rejoice  and  exult,  for  yOur  reward  iagreat  in^Heavioh; 
f orV).  did  they  persecute  llie  "prophets  that  were  before  yOu.'vjn^';^  i' 
2  jThb  misgion'of  ClikSfitwaS  S£<id  by^Himself;  in  a  gudtation  from 
«  liAliili.  ti»  bd  to  prbIdH  (o  the  vpor,  apd  hence  itls  wuh^  nOvSmrpHg* 


iltt  toie  OP"  r^HRidT; 


M 


ijliftt  #ellii4  0jl^  Imk^  iaubstltiite  simply  "the  ]^oOt"  for  the'**  pod^jh 
8i|riC*  for  botH  a]f^  i;i|lit. '  The  Hm  dlwipted  were  wba  Ahnoet  ei- 
dlii9f^l3r  .from  ajpWg  &^  fewly.  •' The  coiktented  poor, *'  Jesvn 
w<ivt}d  fee  say^  *'  who  bear  their  burdeii  meekly,  sinfce  it  corned  froih 
Gb<^'  thos^tliiit  is;  who  Are  *  poor  in  6ptrit,'whave,  in  their  teiry 
ml^eK^ess;  th^  ii^  and  prbof  thftt,'  though  poor  iix  outward '  things, 
they  ajf6  ;rt(5h  in  liTgfe;  for  tK6y  Will,  M  mut^h  thi^  mo^e  surely,  % 
herea^l^r,  tlie;  'dj)ik>#€^  0:f  Whlit  they  arc  here.  They  iu-e'tii^  poor 
\v^li:o.J^ve  flbthi^  and  yet  h^^fe^  all.  -They  have  notfiing  of  this 
woiEld^  possesusocoiB,  and  have  n(^  yet  ifeceived  the  bleBsing  in  the 
trorld  to  conife.  But  the  very  longing  iPor  the  fiiture,  and  hope  of 
it,  are  virtually  a  present  possession.  Their  devout  ^jovertyia 
their  wealth,  for  it  secures  treasures  hereafter.  The  'Kingdom  of 
Heaven'  is  theirs  ab'eady."  Tliis  principle  runs  through  all  the 
beatitudes.  As  Chrii^'s  disciples,  the  future  will  be  the  contrast  to 
the  present;  riches  for  pbvdrty;  joy  for  mourning;  plenty  for  hun-? 
ger;  a  heavenhrt^rbwn  fbr  earthhr  sufFering  for  the  Master's  sake. 
TluBCpntrast  Qi  sin  and  pardon;  the  lowly  sense  of  needed  salvation, 
'^jii^  alr<;iady  has  in  iti^lf  the  assurance  that  salvatiott  is  gmnrte^, 
ar^  impHi^  in  ,al)l  tli^  statissof  heart  recounted.  ThrougliJiil,  th^re 
runs  the  deepest- is^Se  of  the  sinfulness  aud  troubles  of  tiie  present., 
ani^springihg  fromthW,  the  loftiest  religious  aspimtion^  rising  for 
above  Ih^  edrth,  to  ^rhal  realities.  They  thus  disclose  the  faimost 
^tid  eehtral  pHneiple  ef  the'  new  Kingdom;  the  wilUng  and  even 
jgyfut  surrender  of  thd  present,  in  lowly  hope  of  the  future— and 
t&atj.fwiii.hdlow'ef  lifkrtl^  thah  lovtog  obedience  and  fidelity  to 
Chrisjt;  y  Im^diate  seif-lt^tiBrest  is  to  t>e  disregarded,  for  the  infimte]^ 
high^  prospects  of  the  future  World:  The  one  passion  of  ;the  heart 
is  to  befbrgreater  rightediu^ness,— that  H  for  an  ever  more  ccraplfite 
s^lfTSiirrender  to  the  Win  of  6fod,  anA  actiVe  fulfilment  of  its  de- 
mands JP^orHiqiself  Jesus  claitiis  the  most  Ibyal  devotibn,  even  to 
the  Vnduraiice  of  ^'  all  ttistnrier  Of  evft,'*  for  His  sake-  To  seek 
happiue^s  is  to  fail  to  obtain  it,  but  self -surrender  to  God,  and' Mh 
inC^stais  tl^  Hemb;  i^  UieniselVed  bring Uy when  disinterest 
«n<i>ihc^b.r\-:i''\';;.;'ii:r'.r-   -  .:.-.-^- •^vx^'-'.^v  r-:^';:  :  :v- 

\,,J!|  Is  striking  to  note  the  anticipations  of  suffering  a^ciated  by 
.Jesu^  with , true  discipleship.  -SufFeriug  is  assumed  as  its  inevitable 
result,  j  He  holds  put  no  i^tiractidns  to Insinc'eHty  or  worldliness,  but 
at  th^  ^ry  mitset,  fans  the  oh^^  from  the  wheat,  and  repels  all  bilt 
the  eartiSest  and  de^y^ited:     '      -  L-^}-,  ■:. ^,1-^}!}^  .* 'Iri-^-'^-  -M^  'kpi-  ■ 

Four  benedictions  are  bestoWfea  6ii  IhepSfitetVevirr^ 
ivctive.  To  bear  povertv  with  lowly  resignation  to  God;  to,  mourn, 
and  yet'  tvtist  that  alXis  for  the  be^t;  to  reproduce  the  meekness  Whioh 
Jcsiis  Himself  displayed,  and  to  endure  trials  and  persecutions  loyally 
for  His  sake,  are  the  negative  graces  dettiftndea  as  conditions  xii 
fu^embershmbfthe  New  Kihg<loai;  .  M^  virtues  are  t^oiess 

re(]fti!red ;  tbe  hungering  and'  thiilsling  after  ^i^t^UBnesS,  whkh  fiias 


vmswrmo^^^jimmmrz 


i  !: 


I 


i^trivta  to  Toolia»  i»  tiUe  jsouj^ithe  w®?  o|  j^q^ii*^  l*>«^)g«iiWlPW%' 
Yvhicli  spreads  peace  around  it. '  .;  -  ,r /»nn  /  ^  f.,/^ 

:  <rii6^»^-it0te  <)£  all .  tUo  wU^rai^ces  of  :.^l)rist  rcv6afaiL^l|.^ ^jCfQ 
Ce.w^edltt«nc««<  r;^i$  IMn^do^a  i^  ato^po  iprcijpjjt  ar^ i^ttwm.',:  »F^«W^ 
b>f4ii«iU94oubUiig  faitMjm  ^i^  .ipiprimces  th#  ^j^^i^p^iprealSer,  p^t 
syx^ly  be  lUtaia^d:  future  ia^^hd'  &cti  ;that  i\i9r  |e#faatie^.^|  ite|pm 
was  j^lYfiQll^  the  life  tof:<>ine, .  tjnli^e  M\%  J^^prgiildnw  jfet  Hha ! 
tiiiiQ;^  ^pfj^!t%tio»{i*  over;  tiiakt  th^  l4^w  J&ing^pi^  )ifi)^  «few  ^Bjjqi 
a9ft]Wi^.T)QWeri«L)tUa;BQ^.di^u(4Dg  i^  bl^ssii^^s,  ^  oncjii  >y;M>|i^ 
aDd.$Tf)pQ9  its  meinbcm.    It  is  «^tabUsbed  in ito ^rights  atia,  ^uii^a.,  t^  , 
devolop.iiqdiidyjinoe,  heftcefortb>JUU,i^i  gjoyy  covieri  the  ijortjti.  r  I?i; 
oiM  Asppc^-'it  ia^inoomplete  tilliits  fuli  .reali^tioQ  jn  Uiq  qi8t4p% 
futuir.  inan^th^rvit is  alre^ypejrf<?c<i  fpr.it. pignji  j||i ey^ry  ffeg^. 
sonlLW;hich<  Iva*  Il^J|Jj%,  f^cecptecf  4qsii»  as  its  ,Kmg. ,  ri  tj  .      j^'i  ,f    >jija  i 
/.After  itbUk  iWtfiWWQ^,  JJo proceq<;i^,  tOr  onfpr^  Qjfk  I5g.'^)fifc|p(e%/ 
t|ic  (J^ea  oii1ib^J^;i?ipw  r^la(,iea.tQ  Jlim,  ap^  tp/^h^cir  t^gEj.iJjy^recjyJf : 

in^tiiQudigpityilt  qo^Ipw.  ;  '!i^<m  liaye^ indeed  gp9^,P^^s§  to,pfh,. 
;^Q«cei"^s4y£^|]^^  ^'a^d  tq.jjft  bray^  of  jbca^t,;  f o?;  y<>"  are  Ibj^.^fi^Jt  ^., 
the^artiitfN %btiaf  t|i^ Worl(l(i aiciiy set  ofx sl^J^V'    Hgre  QS1^f^k>J 
taiio^  >«r  wip^reparadfe  of  virtue,  w^e  ^jl?^QiT«|it  to.  ^m*  ^pHij 
i^mi^  Hls^^^tcbarge-ag^iivst  tjhei/;u?ted  ,r§hgioi^,pf  %jilaj,  t  m^, 
the  enthusiasm  of  true  goo^ess^  ,Ile  ^li§  t|ieni»  |QkVst  <pjt  nec^ssi^y^jjiva , 
8ee%ai)d.feljt.    rlii^  i0,^pi»^n.]i^y  ite  emxgSj  W^r^thereiS'  B^  ftcjitc 
vita) pa?^er.tthifre;is only  dea|«b.  >  tie; preisc^^l^  119, lenglj^^Q^icoda 
of  fdtt^f%  ;butv!tru^tg.;tf>it|jo  .^rdoJHr  and  qAyp^ioi^oi  loya^^  to  li\}Sij^ 
seJf,  is  &p^lfeq|«qiM^lpQ«(^   l)raiwn,to  pim  by  grai^i4,an4JoTiirljf 

else  directions,  and  outstrip,  all  formal  reqmrf^inei;^^  H^%  k%gdQrq|^ 
if. Jif  fit^rictlyupclert  law  a«  *ny  Pt|i%,  but,  fpj:  fbgi  endJ^ess  statutes 
c^  oartbly  i«onitrcb|es^.rfpd  the<eqf)aUy  jui^ji^nibere^  pre^riyi>jtlpns  ||4 
thftioiditheQcriicy;,  ^ft,sub^k#©8  ^.single  «lW>ffipiiiglaT;i^—tflie  l^\y 
of  ipy^iyi^b/imai^^se^  piiQniber  of  His  l^lpg^piaa  j^  l^wrfq  Uinir 
selfi  All  are  to  give  tbemselves  up  to  Him  as  unreservejijjyias  EC? 
hi»:giv!fi»iHimfelf  up  for.tbenv.^i  :-;:f-^i'  -k.,  ;•)i,s^;,\Ji•i■ .  '.;//6.;-u. l,.':' 
imema  smpeirity  ip  t^iis,  majijei  tbp  '"»ia«y?a«»<!»t  W^¥^n,w»  ^4|  ?«S 
own  persODf^l  ejfftmpi? tbf?|r , .sta^dar^ j  %q4; ,p%^p.  iTo  be, thCipiJiit 
of > ttte .wcirldi  t^y ;ifl^flf  .nee^s  lQQHjtpfIii^,f<?jPiHe  Ij^^/b^W^i 
applied  that  niime  to  Himsejf.  ...They  had  the.  ipimqnse  adya^tage^pf 
eyiwxplfii  so  paufife  niore  efffotm;  thanTpj??eepi.  .  I'Tl^o  ifeiw  Xjpg49?n 
-vfas;  \4inly  tbQ^  jrofl^Qti^n .  of  .Jiis,  own .  charac^r^^  an^r  ihus,f  pis ,  cfif 


m 


No  OTlldgin^  or  pi^:t^»J  devot'pn  .Tyou^di  stt%Q.  j  They  Dfiust  hfartu^ 
c^i^fpvm  their  inmost  b^ing  to  Hi&l^aiget  and  she^  i^^nfTi  pJ^jp^ilg 


'wn^m^^ormmm; 


m$ 


bHpfi^t  f^m  Hfiltiaelf J  Thufi  <M]miy,  ittsd  m  His  AiKtiirta'riptC'ltfid 
plfkti^.  He  Cdhsiitules  HimsMf  the  Moid  Id^lbf  htrtidnlty',  Midiiitfei 
f^^  tfifkt^tfaer^'is  fki^  rashness  or  iDCbngriillty  in  His  assmiiptioii  M  tbft 
stupendous  dignity.  -  '  *     ' 

-^l^^di^^howev^r;'18  human,  Mid  hence  ^«  feW  toldiiin  woMs  6f 
Wtmm^  afi: ' tiddei[).     *'^n  keeps  and  lA^kes  sOuHtf  %h*t  wdnld  elae  / 
coi^f'ii)^./  .  Biii'  inip.tire  vA\i  may  loeie  Ks  sMtAess,  aiid  Onc^  loM  it  ttai' 
iib(be*9s*ore(!.   What  was  feefort  bf  bli^ss^d  ilse,  is,  faenoeforth^  Worth- ' 


cie^y'ftre  i^hJhai^ibrjr  ^6ne.    Wlio  will  lakte  yOiHr  pXtkCif  Tfoti  willDo 


n^  lon*|ef'!it  f(Jr  the  woi*  I  have  assi^ed  yotf.  if  the  Salt  be  pure, 
it^  1^11  <hot  lose  U^f)>o^i'^  it  is  the  eaftlli  Und  fttipnritie^  n^xed  with 
iti'tJifi^t  mak^  it  w6rthles3;  and  so  ^^ou  hiust  tout  (tiVay  aYl  that  might 
make  ypu  go^  back,  if  you  vrotikl  be  trtie  discipltes.'  Yotir  lasting 
T^QirUV depends  6n  yoiiV'devotib'A  to  iiie  being  unqualified  ahd  ibso- 
la^:  Ybu  iirfe  to  «nlight«n  nicn  tiii  tlic  Sun  enlightens  the  world;  "I 
aiil  the  li^t  of  the  world:  you  shine  by  my  light:  see  that,  in  li^tOp 
\<m  -ilMiAihe  the  darkness  rbhnd  ybii. '  A  hght  is  to  siiine,  aOt  to  be 
htdddhi.  liike  a  l«np  o^  itssljiM,  it  is  your  dfficc  tb  shed  liglit^  and 
di^e  off  darttness.  '  Th^  beartts  Of  your  |6od'  wOtks  'Btutst^dhitte  b(?fofe 
nifen;  thtit^  iliey  may  hbiibui'GOd,  yoiir  Father,  ih  Heikvetf.  ^  Lik6» 
ci(^  set  <>»  UMW,  ywi  at^to  drttW  oh  you  all  eyes'*    ;    ■  niA^^a  /h>  ^m 

'^**«sfti5^  frtjAi'^ner^r  i)*incl^fe»  to  gpeciflc  details,  Jesus  iibw  pro- 
d^'^^'w- the'refetiwjS  of  His  «eSv  kikigilbin  to  theWdfthb- 
obi^jr/^Tfte  eftWr^  of  h0fetilfty«6  the  Law*  had  been  brought  iigfUihst 
Him,  Wd  woiiTd  be  lirgt^d  kgiiiiist  Mis  disi^iples.  *He  woiild  ihdiv^ 
theii^  t^tlie  ueW  root^  itsdlf  iii  ^eold,  tuid  is  m^edtnt'SetioB  M^ 
gtbi[Jiiii(>J'i«^-de9frti;ctibt|;-:  ;'■  ':-:•:■--:--■:  ■:■  ^'-r  ■>-.■,/■_, , 

'*^T?filfik^^;"'said  He,  *'fliat  1  *afaie  to' stipersede  y^r  ahcle^t 
Sdipa^^^^^e  Law  iind^?he  W^^^^ 

to  fu|fli':'  'Wbftiiless  forms,  Vom^otit  With  age,  ihfly  perish  And  must, 
b\j^trfot  the  least  jot.  or  tittle  of  the  sacred  trutlis  they  fcH"  a  time  h<lvo 
clbft6^,^i^II  'paM,'w  heaven  or  earth  endute.  The  forms  are 
not  tiie  Law.  RitAJS  and  ce^monies  are  only  helps,  f or,  feftnpte  oges^ 
vf lii^  ifced'  inaterfcil  symlKjls.  The  kiri^otn  of  God  has  noW^out- 
giwii'Weih.  The  trutli  hmst  henceforth  stfrnd  alone,  fappeiiliilg'fo 
tike^s^fH^^ithout  such  o«t#Ard  aids.  Local  iitid  national;  they  have 
sehri^iheir  day,  biit  *the  neW  kihgdbm  of  0dd,'whifell'!s  for  all  tittles 
atid  raee?,  khbws  only  tf  Wbr^hi^i  in  spirit  Aiid  ih  truth;  •  60  fftr  atti  I 
fiibm  siiflphting  or  destpying  tjic  truth  hidden  under  these  Otitward 
fo^ihs;  that  he  who  breaks  one' bf  the  least  spftitual  demands  of  the 
Law,  atid  toadied  iheh  to  copy  hini  iiidbinff$o;  shall  be  called  lea^t 
in  ihy  kingdoin  r  While  be  wW  obeys  fehd  t^ifches  lliem  as  a  Whole, 
shall  be  ealied  gtekt  in  iC  '  The  Law  is  fbv^cr  sacred.  I  oWy^  strip 
ir^'it^  otitwafd4M^^ntts/td'  reifsdal^tEe  %clteif  itd  ^fim-fi^itft^ 


^ 


"*•;.• 


^yp--' 


!       !^ 


a 


'4m 


aj|olwffj^qoU,|<i4Be^5|rq|i),l,  ,I^^w^         da  itjiopour;  ^  coiifiim 
ff^%  aJ«p  pQ,  qlew  It  ftp^.l»«n)i|p.  additions  ai4t:6rruptl<^"  ;  i 

,,  .1^119^  U^,%qs,sp{Q^|ig,,l^^  differ^at  conicepiion  of  t^  I^W 

fromdiat  of  the  Rabbi?.  To  Him  it  meant  tlie  sapred  moral  icoim 
^i^^  given,  fjton^  Biii^al.  T|i^  whole  apiparatns  of ',  <Mm^tiy  at^ 
mdj  att  $r6t(  f^mfn^t^^Mith.  t^em,  ,weFo  <»ily  cude  eict^al  a<k;omtnoda- 
i^ionfff  to  tbQ  cbildboodv  of  rptighn,  to  aid  tfae  fdmbl^  and  gi^^ideas 
ffilf^ly  ag^i^  toothing  beneatia  tlie  i^ymbol  to  il^  essential; ti*u(b;  it 
was  a  ][ofty,  pmA^^V^.  mpiiV  Aad.  social  legislation,  fat'  ^eejpe^  ;wlier. 
l)9Vifii;»,an^  niofe.cQm^lete  ^fin  tl^e  highest  human  systeiii  yttp/ktiew 
)wMe  pfpphet^lia^.dcawnr  from  H.w«?.Ppfe  w^^^^^xaltcjdcjpnc^ 
ic^hy^  enfojr«edt  aB^icipa^ing  ^i  thei)r  spirituality  His  oVn  t^achin^. 
J^c^turies  lay  btityt^^en,  Hin^.  land  the  prQ|)het8,  aiid  Judai^  had 
^ink  tp,  fi  pain^^i  ^^(^ti:^  pf  the  .letter  and  outward  form  of  tlie^  ta^, 
^,t|fej;tjegleptp£/ita  spirit,  ^nq.^ub^anc  The  Exile  had  w^k^ed 
aiid; ;  perverted  tl^fj  na^onu  cbnsicicp^e,  and'  a  burning  zeal  fori^gjd 
^e^n^al.  9))se^a(ip^  of.ttie  l^ttqr  ifad  f6npwe4'tlip  Juist '  belief  tjaat 
the^  p^^^4;  troubjoiBL  1^  o^en  ^  punishment. for  previous  ajhor^- 

vj.^'pi^fjpharisee?,  v^^o^ye  the  tpue,tp,the  peopfe  filkd  U|)'t)befr  life 
.^itl^  a  w^y  Toui^4  of  pnerings,  ccreiinonies^'aua  r/i!ifi0c^^^ 
^ojt  content  ,wi^  t^e  pjrescr^'ptions  of  ^^Ipk^^'nadJad^d  a^tedfo^s 
Mp^cm  pi  ine|itorioi;is  wor^;^  tast^,  wa8hi%s>  alim^, ,  and  ^  p(my6ts. 
The  Essenes,  and  still  nxpre.JcMi^^  hafi  tiirnef)  oack  to  the  purc^  Sit  pjt 
»the^  pp:;Qpheta,  Irppo.  tl\is  barren;  ix^chanical  piety,,  and^had  t^ught^  that 
righ^pusness.  Ipye,  anji  liumad  i^mpatliy,  were  Ihe,  nikhesit  r^ufrc- 
zaenis)  of  U^e  l^aw. ,  ^Jjajt  the  yell yva^  stiU  pn  th«(r  ^yes;  Ihfeir  reforms 
^tf e»e  pai^tii^U  The  E^senea  ha^^^^n  i^^^^^e  w^h$iig9^.tban \tl|e  f^fiiiri- 
sees;  they  «M^«ve(J  mrriage,  prpptertV;  aijd,  the  w6rld,;.^'1»c 
Baptist  fasted,  and  required  rharisaic  forms.  Jesus  pierceg  to.tlio 
Jjwffl^tof  the  trajth<!  i,?V'^P^^'*^^^^  ^^.^^^  ^^^^^     of ., Hie  and 


iymbpl.  and  renudiMAting'all  hum 


X^yriSi  iu  divipe  Weal,  as  binding  fpr^ 


ness  ex<;eed  thai;  of  the  Spribes  and  iPliariMes,'V|Je  con^^^^ 
will  npt  enter  ,JUitp  ,tl^e  ^in^^onf^  ^^  heayen.  He  cnarg^  theyii^  iact 
only  with  theipselyei  breawnff  the  copmaiidnientis,  by  tneiijcas|^islr^' 
aiul  th^ir  immoral  adciitip^srbut  Vith  leading  men'  at  large;  MUta 
jfi^e  evil  patk '..,','/'  ,,",',;  '  ' +u.'.  »/•',  T  ..- "„^  ^'. ''.'■"'''.  :^'^'^'^^. 
v,|,The  fundaii|iei^tal  principle  of  tlie  Fharisaic  concepti(7n  of  rijg^lifeiOi;^- 
i^cffl  which  J^esu^  thus  strenuously  ppppsed/ was  theif  idea  tl^at  ai'^et 
pb^rvance  pf  the  traclJ^lpns  anu  comnianfk  %cir  schools^  in  itscli 
aatj|8li94  therequirenici^ts.of  God.    Fulfilment  biwhatw^ivTitieWiii 


tiii^ttt^E  o«*  fcHRti^; 


m 


qonpepUoii 91  ^noralev^u  by-flUbUe discf imtnikti(ti^9 of  casutstiy.  In 
triads  t^vinoet  ^i^ect  miaiit^ilessVafr  rcKjttiired,  butin  greater  matters 
Wfi  p^ffcf^les  o|  ioorality  w^re  boldly  unddi^Qiittod  or  siirreiidered. 
*tbQ,%}UilM  1^^  iijij^tit,  djn,  apd  tummiiifT-mqfe  glirdefl  hert)»^wa3 
yibir  bi\t  gn^V'e  qiijeattt:]»M  6t  riglit  ftnd  ^*Totjg  ivere'  treated  Sdtli 
i^iaiffei^ence.  :irhii  mpral  |»ifUdery  aM  pcditntry,  "^hich  0tn4»od  the 
w|^.be|or9  dr|n{cia^  it,  lest  a  fly  might  haV0  fallenioto  it'fliii^  made 


tliQ  study  (jf  the  La:v  jtself,  but  liiuch  on  that  of  thd  commeittariorol 
tliig^lti^libii,  ii6w'enibodled[iii  the  Mi^hna  and  Ciemara.  tlie  Rab> 
bini,^,traditi6h;«(o  amplified  aiid  twisted  iheworda  of  the  Law,  as  ip 
ma!i:^i,t  eXp^^^  the  oppoi^to  of  its  nitnral  meatiin^. 

u^Ugton  had:  become  iMmdstl'^wholly  a  iheebattical  sdrvicef,  'withbat 
re,i?^eud^  i^  tlKe  ^eart  ^  in  other  t)^eooratic  cdihmunitie^/ a  fnan 
niigtit  be  eniiaehtly  religious^  in  the  Phari^to^hse;  and  yet  utterly 
4epravefl  an4  immoral.^  The  teaching  of  the  prophets,  which  (de- 
ma,nded  i^riternal  gbdfine'ss,  Ifas  slightea,  ^njl  the  study  of  their writ- 
ings.alhiost  enttr^y  put  aside. for  that  of  the  iegaf  tradtttonskna'di 
tlf^  X«^w.  The  desire  to  4cflnb,  to  ^e  sbaUest  detail,  what  the  i^w 
reqhicc^.  had /ted,  in  the  (^nrde  Of  ag^s,  to!  a  mass  of  cbnfl|dting 
K^H^uf^l  <b^  darkened  rather  than  explained  eadh 

qongiTn^nd.  '  TliiB^*'hedg^^^  Law  had  proved  a  hedge'  bt 

tliprns,  for  Babb^sand  peopW  alike.  The  duestiori  wias,  not  what  Was 
rightr  or  wrong,  but  what  the  Law»  as  expounded  by' (iie':Ritbbli, 
dernaji^jied^  ana  ss^I  was  stimulated  by  the  to0r^enaiv  exp^ct^tibn^df 
i^f^  ei^u^y^Ient  1)9 ward,  for  ^ruixi^lo^^  -  /  ^  '/' 

:,;.J^\}cffjer  illustration  of  Jth^  i^orat  w^rthles^hess  pt'thV^iiat^MiKJ 
i<fc£jso|  /ig^oiii^ess  could  hw-dly,  perhaps,  be  found,  tliiEtu  iti  the 
ijaq^.tHp,  with  all  their  bstentaiiou^  tey«rence  for  thfe  Scriptnt^s,  hb 
who''t6uched  a  copy  of  them  was,  thereby,  made  uncletin.  "  Axs66rd' 
ir^tQ^y^UirSaid  the  Sadduceespf  their  rivals,.  **  the  Scriptures  d^ftfe 
tl^q.  hHndi,  while  Homier  (Joes  not."  The  skins  on  which  the  sacred 
ijooltsfwere^  written  n^igbt  have  been  those  olan  unclean  beast,  or,  at 
least,  rtliey  were  part  of  a  dead  body.     But  the  Phadse^  had  their 


cees,  '*i6lse  we  would  make  spoons  of  the  borieiS  of  our  rfelativ^" 
"  Ju^t  so,"  r^grUjd  the  Pharisees,  "it  is  the  value  we  isttachf  to.the 
Bcriptures/whicI^-  lias  ^made  us;  decide  thtii  they^  de^'  the  faabds, 
wiiilq.Hpmer  does  not."  They  wprshippki  tb<^  letter,  but  misc6^- 
celv^d' the  e^sejnce  of  Scripture:  treated  morality  as  a  tr^,  andftrift^s 
.as^  on^y  i^^igion/  In  their  early  jdlays,  flred  oya'truejjealfor  Gtiid; 
they  had  dqgenerate^^'  ds  a  boAy;  iiitomer^'**  actors."'    '*  There  were 


■'*;< 


,'ii 


rm 


Tim  t ifB  of  CHllKPr. 


ploaty  of  Pliariaccs,"  wy«  eyw  Jo^t»,  Mmaclt »  jcii«',  **  who  tiscA  the 
qppeamnce  of  pioty  as  ftdoolc.  fori  shameful,  end?,"  K^r 'did  H^U 
escape  the  people,  ,ci?pccialiy  09  ilicse  hypoctitej^,  sou^I^t  to  at'tract 
attention  hy  cxaffgeraled  displays,  and  conteoiipKUbus  hynaniGs  Wero 
prcBoiitljy,f;ivcn  tociB,.  The  name  of  Ph4ti8c,e  capie.  to  tbe  likbtlirt 
ofJc^uit  in  the  mouth  of  f  Hends.  or  opponetLt^^  l^vcn  Phllb  ^tltk  not 
i?icntk3iik  it^  and  it  soon  died  out  of  tlio  motUh  of  ^he  p^q^le,  ioi^if&i^^ 
Tivcd  only  as  a  term  of  the  schools.  •,      ^        •  ' 

->'\Vith;  1^  tystcm  so  utterly  hollow,  and  yet  no  i^$p^yi<i6fed-ii\ 
popular  favour,  Jesua  could  hold.no  terms,  with  the  p^tt'ef  sl^r<^  of 
Pharisaism  He  liad  much  in  common,  but,  a^  it  jshowed  ii8^1f,'ih  its 
growii^  corruption,  He  could  only  condemn  it  ^ealdtei  pit  -Words 
andfoniis;  lofty  in  abstract  views;  the  mouthpiece  of  thcnfttibio^at 
kurce,  in  ita  religious  and  jooUtical  ^piratiQns,  there  must;h$ve  yepn 
Httie  real  sonndnessiin  a  bday  at  large,,  of  iiyhlcl^  $, spirit  so  kentle  as  tnat 
of  Christeould  speak  as  whited  ^pulclirea  ahd  a  gcnjprat^n  of  vlti(^. 
inTo' illustrate  His  meaiUpg,  Jesus  proceeds  to  ^Ive  example  of 
Pharisaic  abuse  of  the  Law^  holding  up  what'  is  implied  in  iti^^i^c 
cfhservance»  that  He  may  show  how  it  was  broken  by  its  prof ^sii^ 
zet^oiis.  defenders.  Tli^  sublime  morality  of  thel^ew  Eingqbrp/ilvllh 
itsilofty  spiritualization  of  me  Law,  i9»  He  implies,  the  true  ponseihrd^ 

tism^tlsHisopponents  who  are  undermimiigit,}  ^  ' 

t:Tfte  Mosaic  prohibition  of  murder  had  been'liiiiitcd.by  theH^fib^ 
to  literal  homicide,!  and  they,  had  added  to  the  brief  wo^d^  of  <  iWe 
Law,  that  the  criminal  was  in  danger  of ;  Jbe  jud^njient  of  jOod;  Iq 
some.cases^and  of  the  Sanhedrim  in  ojther^. ' ,  ^Ut  this  did  iiot  sat^st^ 
the  hi^h  spirituality  of  the  New  Kingdom.  It  mcluded  ;in  th^  nrfef 
iltteranpe-  of  Crpdt^through  Moses,  a  «oudemn$[tiQ|i  even  ojt  ai^^i^ 
words  or  ttboughts.^  1  **  t,  say.  unto  you,  that  every  one  who  it  anOT 
W^  his  brother  will  be  liable  to  the  judgine^il;  pf  Ood^,  and' wh^^ 
ever  shall  express  contempt  for  Ids  brother,  will  be  HaMe^tp  t^e  Sii£it 
hedijm;  and  whosoever  shaU  say,  ilidu  worthless  pj^e,  ^illm '^fibfe 
to^heH  fire.  I  go  beyond  the  Scribes,  fpr  I  declare,  as  th^fui^^ft^ 
of  the  LaWi  that  lUnrighteous  anger  is  worthy  of  ]  th^.fuil  ptinisi^ment 
they  atttxch  to  its  overt  result  in  homicide;  flay,  more,  1  cfe^l^re  the 
expre^pn  of  stich  anger  in  bitter  words  as  inci^rrlng  the  dUn^^  Pf 
hell.'  Not  to  love  <one's  .'brother'  is,  with  nie,  the  essencie  of'tiie 
t;rihie  condemned  by  the  Law:  the  lesser  eXpresslbhs  of  anj^r  1  de^ 
•xiQunoe  as  worthy  of  divine,  though  temporal  punishniem,;;  in  t^^ 
.worst  cases,  as  worthy  of  punishment  in  th^, world  tp.cpme."  J^^iVh^ 
Witli  *  brother  entails  the :  anger  and  judgment  of  God :  public  re- 
ptoaeb  merits  a  public  penalty,  but  he  , who  would  consign  atiPt^iter 
to  iii^lis  hiniself  in  danger  of  Imn^  sent  to  it.  lie  does  not  ^p^Pse 
'His  disciples  could  possibly  commit  .the  crimp  oif  murder,  t)r^en 
^eak  mto,^n  violence,  but>  IJe  ranks  unider  ap  equal  ^ilt  t|ie  ^^'^ 


fticlQ»  "TiirhWK  ri«9d;  to  ti)em^4  tin  charges:  th^  murdeiK  ^^ 

kgainsttlie  hinS  tfiat Snk^s,  but  ttic  hcan  i^^^  ^-^^  '^^ 


THI5rWFE.ORX?m«^3f, 


m 


„fnbla,,7aiifAtartUi)g  eniM>gIv]i)ut  t^e  applioation  made  of  it  muat 
l>»;ir^  foiifpclipd  no  lif^aiii, ,  T*^!Ot^ripl^  pure  ini^eaift  can  see  God,  and 
hence  it  is  Vain  for  you  to  seek  His  presetice  by  tin  offering,  il  you 
baye  in  a^^wav.tlMi^  olfcmlcd^^'  If  yoi|  have,  i^nd  in:  the  solemn  imo- 
mp^^fiappea^Dg.b^fpt^  Gjpdtreme^^  it,^vil  thougli  men  thin); 
its^i  w>ift  OH'O^li^terru^p^^  oitertng  bo^orelho 

alwi.ft^ettJlUm^hfpi  ypi;  ))iayewrpnged,,apd' be  reconciled  to  hlmi 
and,  |ben,  come  and  offer  Voiir  gift.  You  hi^te  iRrrpnged  0od,  not 
inai))^^;r.  3ewftre  Ipet,  if  you  do  not  make  peace  with  Hfah,  \iy 
infltwitt  atbpemont  to,  your  btptUer,  If  e  act,  to  you  as.  a  creditor  does 
Wjiith;  aVde^Qr,  W  tneets  Jn  t|iie  ^street-T^whbnr  he  ^cl|vei:s  ujpf  to  thq 
judge/ s^dvWJilongk  the  iudg0  hAtids  over  to  the  officer  to  cadt  into 
p^ira.  .Xtellyou^ilt  Qpi^thus  let  Uls  ^iagev  kindle  upon,  you,  yow 
wU^not  comp  Q^t  iil^ya^  liayq  palq  the  la^  -; 

>nt%&^ariu9aipaopM:me  Qf,marr|^^  and  aivorco  was  neii 

i^tmairiqgly  cpi^df^tnnea, ;a9  an  ^padequate  expression  of  tlie  Bfi\tii  ^ 
the  Jaiv.>  it  viiwKtp^mvilery  tfitlje  crime  itself,  ^nd  it  sanetionoa 
diifpii^  M  itb^.u^re  ^vh)iI^  of  the  l^usband.  Doubtless  indivldiiai 
]$ivb^  .rppres^ted  |i€*ltilucr  views;  than  others, .  ^t  they  di!G|«  not 
^if^t  ,i|xe  preyajliing  tPme;  As  wjth  ho^cii^,  to,  in.  adultery,  th^e 
ni9r;i|i|^.  of  tl)ie,-,New  Kingdom  traqed  the.  Crime  home  to  the  nefirt, 
and  condemned  the-  uJ^(ilean.  glaipceft^s  a  virtual  commission  of  Uat^ 
crij^e  ^tself  .,.,/T[iv5  tli^u^hts  Were  nothing,,  in  tlir?  loose  morality  of  tj|M 
d;|y;iautjl^^  arraigiia  the  secret  lusts  of  the  breast,  "(iriih  ^n^ear^est- 
nesf J^^kntxwfttQthe  lUbbis..  Unconditiona}' sel^morti^catioii  |s  (<) 
\)i^Jmtn^ii  mU  •when<  jguijty  ithoiights  im^ril  tjie  9pui  '  "  If  ybuir 
rij^tj?ye,^V?  says  He,  ;'•<??  yo^^Mr  rlgbt  hand,  your  sight  or  y oiiir  toodjf 
I&id,yi(HiinAp.teiAptkticin,iH  i?  better  fjpr  you  to  pjuck  out  t^^one; 
and^ut  q|t  the  other,  'rather,  than  be  led  astray,  and  not  only  lOse  a 
sh^ri4iiAiy  lUnkdoqi,  bufbecaf^tl^^  hereafter/' (  Not  thatile 

meantthiisinahard  an,d  literal,  $eh8e.  ^he  sin  is  yith  Hint;  in  Uie 
heart, .^ut; the  si?^  ftrelts  in^Jruments^  and  no  gpard  can  be  to^ 
strict,  iWiseltrestrmnt  too  CT^^  tl^ey  endanger  splri^l  parity, 
.  ,!)rhi»^^aris^ic  laws  ptdivorce  were  shamefully  loose.  **il  an^ 
9^e,''r«|w4.  ^e  Babbls,.*'s^e  a  woman  handsomer  than  his  wife;  he 
'")mis»hls  wife  and  tnarry  that  '^oman,"  and  they  had  the  au(Uu> 


ity 't^  jii^ify  this  by  a'.text  of  Scripture.  Eyen  the  strict  dcham^«ai 
held  that  if  a  wifowentput  withoujb  being, shroud9d  in  the  Toil  which 
IJasiern  women  atiU  w^r,  she  mighV  be  divorced,  and  hence  m^ny 
Rttbfe  locked,  up  their  wjv^  wheii  they  went  out!  While  «omo 
h6ld,jiMMkt  divorce  should  be  lawful  only  for  adultery,  others,  like 
Jo8j^phw$,.c^imed  the.  Hght  to  send  away  their  wives  if  they  were 
Aq^,{^sied  V^iUh  theii^  behaiviour.  .The  sclwipl  o^f  HUlel  even  maii\- 
tuia^iBati.if,a:wife  cooked  her  huslmnd'sj^bdbttdly,  by  over-Salting 
oJL'  py^^iloasting  it*  be  ^ig^t  put  her  away^  and  be  might  also  do  so  n 
she  w!we  stricken  by  any  grievous  bodily  afia^ction!  t^e facility  of 
divorce  a£um|  Uie^^^  pi^f^4>  ji^f^^.^  g^  ^Jf^^^M^ 


«w 


tft*  HfU  o^  (jHrtljirr: 


4»tM' ahfiORtf  tbelr  hcfttthen  ncffghbouni.  that  th^^  IftHbbtf  WDi^  fain 
to  boast  of  it  as  a  privilege  gvanted  ttl  Israel,  but  |iot  id  f»tlier  ha* 
ll(rtwf'    ■  '■    ■  '••    '•■•'"    ■■■;■  ~   *  ;'  ■  •   :    • 

The  woman  diroWed  was  at  onie  free  to  irti^ity,  hor  lottef  M  dlfh 
mfssal,  simicd  by  Witnesses,  eiifit^ty  tointing  hi»r  tli»  liberty  ^  ftV)  so. 

Risinjir  o^irb  abov^  all  thlilr  festrirtnr  brprtciftty',  th^  lawoftbe^^w 
K1ntd6m  soainded  Mit,  cleajr  and  dedsW  "|t  haa  b^eb  said  by 
Mdsefii',*'  coiitinulBd  Jiesus,  "  Whoi^vfer  shall  put  away  Ills  wife,  let 
iiim  giTc  her  a  bill  rtf  divdi«ce.  Bin  I  say'unto  you,  tfiat  whosoever 
^all  ^t  away  his  Wife,  ejccept  f6r  fotrnieatiop,  cnimi  her  to  be  the 
decasion  6f  adtilter^  if  she  tnarry  agaih,  for  she  la  ^ttll  awlf^:  fl(t(d 
Whosofever  ttiarries  ber,  when  put  aWay,  thus  comhilts  aduYt^ry.  '*  U' ' 
^  The  uis«  ttf  oaths  "v^as  hd  less  piievaietit  in  Chriit's  daV  ithan  )f  inU 
is  iu  the  East,  and  th^  RabblE^  had  sanctioned  the  practice  W  Mvihg 
ddi^rn' taftiUte  rUles  for  its  regulation.  The  Iftw  Of  Hosts  had  ibso- 
lutchf  forbidden  jjerjinry,  but  thte  casuistry  of  the  Bubbls  ha^  io  dark- 
<^tiecrtHei  whole  sujiect  of  oath^,  that  they  had,  tti  effect,  be<|0hi6 
utterty  ^rthless.  They  were  formally  classed  \ai^^v  dltfeHsnt  hijads, 
ih'Rabbinicflil  Jurisprudence,  abd  endless  refliieihents  opened  fac|nli|^ 
ttft  auy  ont  to  break  then*  who  wished.  Their  number  wal  endl^ ; 
nieiiWore'by  heaven,  by  the  earth,  by  tho  suii,  by  the'  ptotihetf,  b^ 
the  Tlemplle/by  Jenisaleto,  by  the  altar,  by  the  wood  Uied  for  H,.to 
tt^  i^nt<»lcefl:  hv  th«V  Ti^nrtile  veftsels.  hv  thfllr  AWii  h«iida.    1   "■'r  ^  r"; 

milk 

abuse, 

To'the prohibition  of  Moses,  ''Thou  shalt  not  swear  falsely,"  they 
Kfid  ttdded  the  chiir^,  «'but  Shalt  perfoilM  Unto  the  Lord  thine  oa^.^' 
ahd'fromlhi&it  wis  argued  that  no  Okth  was  bihdltlg,  either  on  pne¥- 
self  or  towards  others,  liWiiQh  had  no  voSv  of  sacrifice  as  a  pfti*t  of  It, 
01*  if  the  ^rcfRr  had  befeA  punctually  fulfilled."  Any  oath,  uuy  dec/^j^- 
tiOn  towlEirds  GOd  Or  iinaii,»and  even  plei'iury  itself,  was  thus  eanc- 
tiob€!d,  ff  it  ^re  ouly  kjOftsetifeted'  eitid  purified  by  an  offering,    the 

fariiriicrdii  exaggeratiu^,  Ci*«fty  Jew  needed  to  be  Cheeked,  rather  than 
ielped  in  h!9  tititruthfttlness,  Mt  thef  gui^dlatii  of  the  purit^r  ofHie 
ILbW  liad  ifa'^^ted  endle^  baths;  Wi^  niinute  discrimination^,  and 
verbal  ^had^'ahd  catches;  Which  did  hot  expresidy  ham^  6ody^  the 
'Pethple,  Orflke  altar,  aAd  these  the  people  might  use,  wlthdut  tfcnible^ 
vidtk  Mtths,  hattnlepii  to  themselves  And  of  no  binding  force!    *'     • 

Against  such  equiVoi^ation  fend  consecrated  hypocrisy  JoiKUS  lifted 
Hlsr  vbice:  "I^y  urito  yOu,  Swear  not  at  allj  neither'  by  heii^^fa, 
for^it  is'Obd's  throne;  neither  by  the  cttrthi  fot  it  Is  ttls  footstool; 
nk>t'by  Jenfealeth.'forit  is  the  dty  of  the  Great  King.  Yott/MrouW 
tieiiiblfe  to  sW^ar  by  Gddi'biit  when  yoU  swear  by  anythtoflf  cOniieoied 
\#fch  |fi^  wO^k^  Oi»  His  W<k«hip,  yott  sw-ettf,  lu  r<ittilty,  by  liinifi^lf. 
No^  shfaU'ybii  Ert<r€»r  bV  ybiir  head,  for  you  cannot  male  iT  hair;  pf  it 
White^oi^blafek;  ihd,  tfius,  yOur  odths  by  it  are  t4lev^ordi.  But  let 
ft^apemiWii^}!t*f^i^<A  ^^'^foir  what  exoeedi' theii  U  firbni  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHHI8T. 


'cvit  on%*  M  mj  disciples,  your  word  U  enough:  you  will  apMk 
onfvM^verin  the  nresencc  of  Qod.''  ;   ,  i  v-p  /;iv:  ,! 

"tlid  theory  of  Hfe  under  the  Now  Kingdom,  m  we  have  leeBrWaf 
tlie  very  prposite  of  that  held  by  the  schools  of  the  day.  Prosperity, 
with' then).',  was  an  unbroken  enjoyment  of  life. to  extreme  old  age^ 
aUu2it^ajoC6  Of  worldly  comforts,  and  continuous  success  in  nil  under- 
taking^, ^nd  triumphant  victory  over  all  enemies;    All  thi»-vvas<  ei^ 


V 


p^crea  aa  the  just  reward  of  a  strict  obedience  ta  Rabbinical  prescrip- 
tlQnir,'>hlch  oonstitut^iii  the  ' '  righteousness  of  the  Law. "  Jesus  hf4d 
fortlMtee  v^ry  oppos're  o^  All  this  as  the  blessedness  to  h9  sought  in 
th^  IX^v^  Kmgaom.  "Pbyerty,  sorrow,  and  persecution*  weFo  rto  be 
thenatunU  lot  of  Hid  followers,  but  their  transcendent  reward,  berif- 
afjt^r.  a^d'tHie.'IbVe  ^hlch  inspired  such  devotion,  iransflgured  tiiem 
to  inim  and  honour,  and  demanded  the  highest  Joy. 

to'inako  the  conti^t^  more  vivid  between  the  Old  Kingdom^  and 
fU^'^T^W.  H^  had  added  "woes*'  in  connection  with  all  that  |^ 
foiinieti  Imd  prai^^d  ak  s|iobially  blessed.  The  rich,wbo^4iavQ  %hiit 
rieW^Ird  ih  their  ^ithiv  possessions;  the  prosperou8,.who.iqa]!^  >fior 
n<jfmiig'^xcept  thl^  ^orld,  would  suffer  hunger  hertefter;  thosc^whp 
^fiTOd'ohty  for  pi'eseh^  joy/ would  one  day,  mourn  and  weept^tlioae 
whinn .  in(i<6to  praised;  would  ^A^  the  praise  only  deceiving  flattei^c 
Patietlde,  humility,  gentleniess,  resignation,  and  love;  were*  io.charaa* 
teri^  thd  Ne^^  Israel^  the  virtues  and  rewards  of  the  soul;  the,  pie^y 
of  foJbqa  ^nd  rewards  in  this  world,  were  discountenanced.  The 
]^&^,  Kh)gld6m  wus  to  win  hearts  )»y  spiritual  attraeUons^  till  now 

li^PfyS^d'.  -^        .  ■",...  M;.  t.:     ,<T 

AS  a/lfiirac^ca^  application  of  the  ideal,  thus  sketched,  He  requi^ 
HU  ^d^p^ers  to  repudiate  the  Old  Testament  doctrine  of  ;reti^Uatio«yi 
wiih  t^€$  e^dt^9  tefinenients  of  the  Rabbis,  and  to  adopt,  ki  its  p)ap<^' 
thep^ticiWfe'  M  overcoming  evil  wilih  good.  -  Antiquity,  both  -ile^l^L 
a^4j^^tueti,^6)li^ri8hed  the  idea  of  revenge  for  injuries;  To^^/Xequit^ 
]ili^%ii^  like'was  assun^d  as  both  just  and  rig[hteous.,  Sven^ocJateii 
ha4  nQ'h^Ueir  i<^e«^df  vlriiie  than  to  surpass  fnendsin  showing  Js<ipi]r 
n6ss,'  4ti<l  en6)iii^  iti,  ihniotii^  hurt.  Plato,  indeed,  held  that  rev^n(g& 
^^^. ^r(5zi^,  a'nd  that  no  one  should  do  evil  on.anygroundi;  that  lit 
\\ras  tird^e'to^  db  ^ong  thaii  to  suffer  it,  and  that  tlie  virtuoms-  pian 
would  ,nQt  injure  any  one,  because  tq  rdo  so  injured,  hbp«9lf< -;  j^¥t 
Plato  had  only  in  his  mind,  in  these  noble  sentiments,  the  relations 
of  Ureek,  (^itizens  io  each  other,  to  the  exclusion  of  slaves,  and  of  all 
the  world  but  his  own  race;  and  the  motive  for  his  magnaninuty  was' 
not  love  for  the  individual  man,  or  for  ideal  humanity,  but  only  polit- 
ical justice  and  right.  Roman  stoicism  rose  higher,  but  its  injunctions 
of  kindness  to  enemies  were  rather  the  expression  of  self  approving 
virtue  than  of  loving  moral  conviction.  Among  the  Jews,  retdiation 
had  tlv2  sanction  of  Moses.  Eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,  hand  for 
luvnd,  fpol  for  f90t,  burning  for  burning,  wound  for  wound,  stripcifor 
Btjiipej  are  reg^uirod  by,  him^    The  stern  fiadducee  party  clung  to  ilup, 


1-1 


k: 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

letter  of  the  Law,  but  the  milder  Phwiseea  had  invented  a  scale  of 
money  payments  instead.  As  in  our  own  middle  ages,  a, tariff  of 
fines  was  constructed  &a;  (ssvch  personal  injury;  for  tearing  the  hair, 
for  a  cuff  on  the  ear,  a  blow  on  the  back,  spitting  on  the  person, 
taking  away  aiiundergannent^  uncovering  ariiromnQ's  head,  and  the 
like.  The  value  of  a  hand,  or  foot,  or  an  eye,  was.  cpmput^.by^  the 
'diftpWctfltldft  11  would  have  iSiadein  tlie  value  of  a j^Jave  ;  jL^blmy^Qn 
<the  eai*  wiis  Variouisly  «et  at  the  fine  of  a^i^illing  ot  a  po^iid;.  0,  l^lo^v 
on  the  one  cheek  at  two  hundred .zuzees;  on  both  ch€;elif ,  ||t  dqublc. 


Thi#TUde  and  of teii  irieifceniiiTr  W tcriiH^^  St'  thi^  hctrsliiigs  p|  the 
old  Law  fell  wholly  below  the  requirements  of  the  !New  jLin^(!jDih. 
$t»nis^beir8tnu«t  suffer  wrong  patiently,  that  the  cooscienc^  of  ^ifie 
Wfott^'doer*,— become  its  own  accuiser.-^mighilbe  won  to  repefltatioq, 
fey  the  leftBon  of  uwresisting  meekuesd.  Christ's  o^ni  divine  cjjij^rlly 
nfid'fo'i^^vfeniBSs  was  to  be  repeated  by  His  followers.  Siti  was  tb^  fee 
%(5ii<5ftiei'ed  by  being  made  tb  feel  the  power  of  goodness.  The  pi-^nt 
iwas;  at  best,  onlya  i(K«ci{^i6e  for  the  future,  and  the  patient'  ei^^^r- 

'  "of:fi^3 

have 

,  ijbotii 

^6t  a  tobth.'  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  resist  pot  th^  cyil  n^arf  jr  t)i\i,t 
wlibsofever  snftites^ieeipri  the  right  check,  turn  to  him  the  oItoV;  fiilo). 
And  to  him  who  desires  to  contend  with  thee  and  tak^^il^y'bqyi^, 
^V^'hiiA  thy  eloAk  also.*  And  whosoever  shall  press  thee  oiie  iiiue, 
|H!K%itii<him  two.  To  him  that  asks  thee,jfiye,  anU  f rom  thii  ithat 
^sires  to  borrow  of  thee,  tutn  not  aWay . "  The  spirit  of  such  Inl^inc- 
"tidnff  4s  evident.  *  Hasty  retaltati6ri ;  readiness  to  &tant\  on  bfae'Sti''  g^^s 
iaaH'ftasesrde^berate  revenge  rather  than  pity,  are uuworthy  a  ntem- 
ly^fr'of  the  Niw  Kingdom.  It  is  for  him  to  teach  by.  b^rinnlg,  yietd- 
Itigi  and  giving,  and  not  by  words  only.  The  virtues  he  commeh(js 
he U  to  illufetnite.  But  it  is  far  from  the  tcaehitig  of  Chri^^ that  -few 
Is  ta  <ieafie,  or  that  the  evil-doer  is  to  have  everything  ^t  hi?  thetty. 
Only,  as  far  as  possible,  the  principle  of  *'is  kingdom  &  tc'b^, the 
purest,  detpeatt  self-sacrificing  love. .  ,  ^ : 


COI^C 

estbi 
JE^Ihe 


ffCDera 

af4keJa 
cPW|d,h 

W^ 

TljeyS 
b^q*use, 
looJted .: 
wbtild'se 
Jews,  j}^ 

"Mn,    J 
pei'formj 

and  ai  tfii 

Still,  abo 

vant— the 

sense,  gre 

Jew  was 

truth. 

^  The  he 

for  its  pro 

gods  and 

friend.  tJi 

wncere  ag< 


J 


i;^!^nn  qo'a-^M-rfHt'" 


«-<»ik' 


scale  of 
tarifE  of 
he  ha\T, 

person, 

and  the 
dby^the 

IdQuhic. 

icfi  otlpe 
jpeiitaticp,    . 

«iejcl)MlJy 
waB:io;^e 

aaxt  of  jns 

nd^W; 

oiJietBl^. 

one  miie, 
titailiat 
fec^iitoltinc- 
biiVsMts 

%nng,yi6ld- 
,  commends 
tethat  law 
^biimetfcy. 


6 


CHAPTOR  XXXVn 


ul^  Hrrirt' VVff      TWi  SEtotojx  ov  rnnuoxrsvt{G>nehided). 

;^  Jf|C|^ua,Iiiu|  led  His  audience ,  step  b;^ step  toliieher  and  higher 
Coi^Mieptioh^  and  i^Qvr,  by  aa< easy, ii^asitibn»  raised  tEem  tathe  mgh- 

,  X^^<^baract^r  of  any  religion  depends  on. its  id>3a  of  God)  The 
Jewabac)  no  loftier,  thought  of  Him  than  as  a  national  deity,  the 
Father  oif  Israel  and  of  its  proselytes,  but  not  the  God  of  the  world  at 
li^'p^  .!J]bey,looI^don  Himalspasa  jealous  God«  and  tlie  Pharisee 
i|f^(l.,)iini^li^-  ^>^  painful,  zeal  in  hia  fulfilment  of  Uie  Law  by^tihe 
ij^4gU^^thfit.thQ  sin^  iO|  the  ^ther  were  visited  on  the  thicd  4in.4fQurth 
giijl^^ift^tion.  Jlih^  c^o^ized  to  carry  out  a  thousand  minute  prescript' 
t|o^«  ii,,ibe  Essieni^  sepli;4ed  him^lC  in  hurtful  lonelmess^if  the  6aa* 
du9,i^e  Jtoiled  to  disgh^ge  all  that  was  required  in  thefieryiceof  t)]be 
l^j^|Qpi4,tf^nd|n^ the, presentation  of  offerings,  if  tba  people taottiped 
in^t%  apprehension  that.God  luujL  forsaken  them,  it  was  becausel  fdl 
a|ike  loQ^od  ,\ip  to  j^^elng  wbo,  as  they  belie ved»  required  what  they 
cpu|dJ^d|y ,  ii^nd^.  Tbey  should  have  •.  drawn,  other  ^^nqeptioufl 
fi'oif^  their,,  ancient^, Scriptures,  but  thcjf  did  not  TheVhad  alw^ayji 
Iqarn^  ^\^U  tb^  /w4^<  tru«i  and  sublime  from  the  Law  and  rtke 
Filbpljiej^j-'the  !!!i|Cajesty  of  God  and  the  dependence  of  the  creatur&<- 
tl)ie,4ig9)'^y  <^  m^  a^.ihe  divine  image,  and  the  kingly  relation  o| 
Jeupvalf  ,tq  Isr^jeWl^a  squ.  His  iir^t-born.  His  bride,  His  spona^.^ 
Tlieyiiiia  nCiV^r  lost  thei  conviction  that  their  nation  could  not  pensh>i^' 
bepaaseV;tlip  boi^pur  o|  God  was  pledged  to.4efend  it,  and  they  ev^'^ 
loo)f£^^i|ppcwar^^^^  earnestness,  to  a  future  when  Hf^^ 

WQtildsena^Iiis  Messiah,  and  raise  (tliem  above  all  the  nations.;  i^ 
Je^s,  npiafiy  >donbttess  ,df ^^  comfort  from  the  divine  words,  that,  like 
a^Ai^tb^r  pitii^th  jii^.QbHdren.so  the  Lord  pitkth  them  that  fear 
Him.  il0i||;  .th^ic  theology  had  sunk  to  a  n^ere  mercenary  relation  of 
pdi'f ocmaiice  and  vew»xa. .  Xho  idea  of ,  la :  strict  return  of  good  fo?Y 
good,* pr; evil ,  for  evil,  extended  to  the  next  world  as  well . ios  this, 
add  ai  the  best,  God  was  only  the  Father  c":  Israel,  not  oif  nmnkindf 
Still,  above  all,  the  Master,  looking  fof^  service  from  man  as  theseri** 
vant>-thc  f oud  thought  of  His  fatherhood,  even  in  its  limited  national 
sense,  grew  more  and  more  common  as  Christ's  day  grew  near.  The 
Jew  was  being  educated  for  the  divine  announcement  of  the  whole 
truth. 

The  heathen  world,  also,  had  long  been  unconsciously  preparing 
for  its  proclamation.    Greek  philosophy  had  spoken  of  the  Father  of 
gods  and  men.    Man  was  the  divine  image  and  of  divine  origin— ^the 
friend,  tlie  f ell6w-citizen,  the  emanation,  the  Son,  of  God.    In  an  in*^^ 
diacere  age,  when  fine  words  were  used  as  mere  rhetorical  floadflha%^> 


{if 


_L 


484 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


li 


1^    * 


spiipgini^  from  no  conviction  or  earnestness^  Seneca.  i&  gienerftfloii 
later*  was  able  to  speak  almost  like  a  Christian.  "The  gods/' said 
he,  "are  full  of  pity  and  friendliness — do  everything  for  our  good/ 
and  for  our  benefit  have  cx^t^ all  kindi 6^ ^blessings,  -with  exhaust^ 
less  bounty,  and  prepared  eyerytl^ng  for  us  beforehand.  What  they 
have  they  makb  ovei*  to  us:  that  ii^ how  they  use  things;  and  they  ard 
imweati^d^  day  and  ni^t,  dispeniring  their  benefits'^  th<eif%rdt^tbrs 
of  the  Jbiuman  race.  We  are  loved  by  t^iem  as  child^hi  of  theil'  bos6fo^, 
and,  like  loving  parents,  they  smile  at  the  faults  of  their  cMdren, 
and  ceade  not  to  bestow  kindness  on  kindnesa  to  us ;  ^tH^  tib  •  b^f^re 
we  ask*<  ai^d  coiitinue  to  do  s6,  atthbugh  We  do  n6t  thank ^th^ii^.'a^ttd 
even  though  we  cry  oiit  defiantly,  *  rshrtll  take  hothmg'froirt  theiil  j 
let  thein  keep  what  they  have  for  themselves!'  •  Th^  sun  rises  d^ifti* 
th?  unjust,  and  the  seas  spread  out  even  fbrs^ai  robbers.  The  ^'r^ 
fdfe  ^easily  appeased,  never  unforgiving;  how  unfortunate  were  w*e  if 
they  were  not  so!"  Thuii  also  * 'The  way  of  than,  in  which  tiie^  god- 
like walks,  goes  upwards  to  the  gbds,  who  reach  out  the^  htind'  to'^ 
without  pride  or  jealousy,  to  help  us  to  rise:  We  need  hd^^temt!>Ife; 
hor  ev^n  to  lift  up  our  hands  to  heaven :  God  id  near*  t9ie^*=  the  Hdfj^ 
S^rit,  the  Watcher  over  good  or  evil,  who  e^er,  unweariedly,'Mdi  tis 
to  Crod.  '*  Words  like  these  sound  Christian,  thou^  we  kttow  that 
t^ey  wpy®  oJ*ly  artificial  rhetoric,  composed  io  turn  aside  the  (ihiitg^e 
of  worshipping  stocks  and  stones.  Faith  in  the  di'Vinity^  bf^ti  ^Ves 
way,  in  Seneca,  before  hau^ty  pride  In  humanity,  and  mat'pridi^,  in 
turn,  sinks  before  the  dark  future.  The  fancy  jnayeid  over  the  ddrk 
abyss  wit(h  empty  words  of  comfort,  respecting  the  father4%e  ^d^ 
and^c»4-lik6  man,  but  ^Ven  pr6^perity«buld  hardly  amuse  kself  Willi 
tlienj,  and  the liour of  trial  repeated  them  with  hollow  laili^t^r  ai^d 
salf-miirder.  Yet  they  ^ere  mere  toiise  for  the  highesit '^obd ;  had 
men  chosen.  The  religous  education  of  the  world  had  grttdualiy, 
though,  long  ages,  become  ready  for  the  teachings  of  Jei^;  '       »^ 

The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  was  spoken  While  every  sigh  pfthrt 
Wrath  of  God  With  the  nation  lay  like  a  burden  oh  all/and^  ptjrptex^d 
the  masters  in  Israel.  Yet  it  was  then  that  J^suS  revi^aled  ihvH  QM 
was  the  Father  of  men,  and  had  loVed  them  from  the  beginhihg  df 
the  world,  appealing  for  proof  even  to  the  lilies  of  th6  field  aim  the  bird^ 
of  the  air.  For  the  first  time;  men'  heard  that  the  whole  race  wer6 
the  sons  of  the  great  heavenly  Father;  that  the  world  lay  in  the  sun- 
shine of  His  eternal  love,  and  that  all  alike  were  invited  tO' sef^k  His 
face.  It  was  the  first  proclamation  of  a  universal  relig^.on,  and,  as 
such,  an  event  imique  in  the  history  of  mankind.  In  the  early  ages 
of  the  world,  war  was  perpetual.  Even  after  men  had  long  adopted 
city  life  and  its  civilization,  a  stranger  and  an  enemy  Were  synony- 
mous. ,  Thus,  in  the  first  ages  of  Rome,  a  stronger  who  had  not  put 
himself  formally  imder  the  potectiwi  of  some  Roman,  htid  i!ioi4jghtS 
and  Ho  protection.  What  the  Roman  citizen  took  ft-orl  him  was  ai3 
laA^fUl  gain-as  the  shell  which  no  one  -owwcd;  picked  Up  6n  the'iea^ 


A  k 


THfivUFE  OF-OHRIST. 


4^ 


nerftfloa 
ls,"8ald 
tr  good, 
BXhaiist-i 
hat  they 
they  are 
rdttkitbrs 

jliUdren, 
jB  h<if6re 
i^rit,  atid 
>kii  thelil  * 
Ises  d^ifti^ 
me  $^^ 
<^refw*eif 
tii^gBd- 

iiitemtel^; 
the'Hol^ 

iHirn  that 

re^h  gives 
s  t)iid«l,  lii 
r  the  ddYk 
ilfke'godA 
tsetftvitli 
/ht^p  aftd 
jotod^liad 
S^ttduaHy. 

rh  of  Ihrt 
perpitexfed 
Ihtft  a«d 
tahltfg^tif 
Ithebirdi^ 
rtice  werte 
the  BoH- 

n,  and, -as 
early  ages 
adopted 
synbny- 
id  not  put 
'■*ioTri!ght!s 
inti  was  ais 
the  left'' 


shc|ir$<  He  was  like  a  wild  beast,  to  be  hunted  and  preyed  on  at  any 
ouels  will*  To  use  MommBeh's  figure,  a  tribe  or  people  must  be 
either  the  linvil  or  tb?  hammer.  Ulysses-  was  only  the  type  of  the 
worlct  &t  Ifucge  in  his  da/  when,  in  the  early  ptart  of  his  wanderings, 
he  landed  in  Thrace,  ana  Ha  vingfound  a  city,  instantly  sacked  it 
and  killed  all  the  inbabitants.  Where  there  was  no  express  treaty, 
plunder  and  murder  were  always  to  be  dreaded.  The  only  safety  of 
mdividuais  or  communities  was  their  own  capacity  of  self-defence. 
As  tribes  and  clans  expanded  to  nations,  the  blood  connection 
secured  peace,  more  or  less,  in  the  area  they  occupied,  and,  ultimately, 
the-interests  of  commerce,  or  tbc  impulse  of  '^;lf-perservation,  joined 
even  states  of  diff^ent  nationalities  in  .peaceful  alliances.  Isolated 
nations,  like  the  Jews,  stUl  kept  up  the  intense  aversion  to  all  but 
their  own  race,  but  tli^  p|nogfes;8  of  the  world  made<  tbem  inore  an^ 
moTjp  exceptional/.^ , .  „ ,?  vm/^  ' ;  ^ihv-yi^-     ■   '       ^if:  ^^^jrfiiX'^p'J/c        '  ^j^ 

■Before  the  age  of  Clirist,  tne  conquests  of  Ronieliad  broken  down 
the  dividing  walls  of  jQationality  over  the  civilized  earth,  and  bad 
united  all  races  under  a  common  government,  which  secured  a  wlde- 
s{»?e«d  peace,  hitherto  unknown.  Men  of  races  living  far  apart  fotind 
themselves  free  t9  compete  for  the  highest  honours  of  piiblic  life  or 
(^^ietterS)  and  Rome  accepted  emperors  and  m^  jq|  g^nius^  alik^Eij 
hem  the  obscure  populations  of  the  provinces,      t '  r^;  •        ;  ^  'I'H  j 

Hut  though  conquest  had  forced  the  nations  into  ah  outward  uniti*, 
there  was  n::,  real  fusion  or  brotherhood.  Man,  as  man,  had  gained 
nothings  The  barbariau  and  the  slave  were  no  less  despised  than 
before,  and  ha^  gained  no  more  rights.  The  Romans  liad  been  forced, 
for  their  own  sakes^  to  raise  thecontpered  to  more  or  less  political 
equality  with  themselves,  but  they  did  so  from  no  sentiment  of  rcr 
spect  to  them  as  fellow-men,  andstiU  bore  tliemBelves  towards  thl^n^ 
with  the  same  haughty  superiority  and  ill-concealed  aversion.  It 
was  the  peace  of  political  and  ev^i  moral  death;.  All  numkind  had 
become  ^e  slaves  of  the  despot  on  the  Tiber.  Ahcient  virtues  had 
passed  away ^  and  vice  and  coiruption,  unequilted,  x>crhaps,  ifi  an^ 
ag9,>  Ifi^'  like  a  deadly  miasma  over  universal  society.  The  union  of 
the  world  was  regretted,  as  supei^eding  the  times  when  Rome  could 
indulge  ild  tastes  in  war  and  plunder.  It  was  a  political  compo'eheu- 
siouy  not  a  moral  federation^  The  hostility  of  the  pastwas  impos- 
sible, ]^t  the  world  had  only  become  a  mob,  not  a  brotherhood,  of 
uatiozia,  and  had  sunk  in  morality,  as  it  had  advanced  in  outward  alli- 
ancB. 

With  the  Jews,  the  old  hatred  of  all  races  but  their  own  had  grown 
with  the  calamities  of  the  nation.  It  seemed  to  them  a,  duty  to  hate 
the  heathen  and  the. Samaritan,  but  their  cynicism  extended,  besides, 
to  all  respecting  whom  the  jealousy  for  the  honour  of  the  Law  had 
raised  suspicion.  They  hated  the  publicans;  the. Rabbi  hated  the 
priest^  the  Pharisee  the  Sudducee,  and  both  loathed  and  hated  the 
(^Hoamon  people,*  whodid  not  know  the  ten  thousand  injunctions  of 


sill!'! 

if 

J  f 


I 


I 


I 


i 


I 


486 


rai;  UKP  QF.CHBIST. 


l'i[ 


i 

i 

■ 

'      1       ■ 

IB 

1: 

jJK  r 

[              '           , 

the  scfaooli.  They  bad  forgotten  wliat  the  Old  J^statifiQQt  taj^^t 
of  tliie  love  of  God  tdw.ttrds  mcQ,  and  of  the  loVc  diic  Vyman  tbnjis 
fcXkiw.  They  leinSembcted  that  they  liad  been  comm0hdod  tal^^'fr 
no  favonr  to  the  sunken  nations  of  Canaan,  but  they  forgot  tliat  thfey 
had  not  been  iold  to  bate  them.  The  Law  hrd  said  "  Thou  ^^ft  i 
love  thy  neighbour  aa  thyself;'*  but  their  nci^hlwur,  they  asstipii^4.  * 
meant  only  a  Jew  o*  a  proselyte,  and  tljey  had  added  that  they  should 
"hatetheif  enemlcsi"  "If  a  Jeivsee  a  Gentile  fall  into  the  seii," 
wrote  Maimonldes,  still  cherishing  the  old  feeling  centuries  later,  /'let 
hiift  by  no  means  take  him  out;  for  it  is  written,  '  Thou  sliaU  nov  dsc 
ufpagain<<t  the  blood  of  thy  neighbour/ but  this  is  not  thy  neighbour,*' 
The  spirit  of  rcvfenge  which  prevailed,  embittered  even,  private  life 
among  the  Jews  themselves.  Each  had  h'is  own  enemies,  ^hora  hp 
felt  free  to  hftt^  and  to  injure,  and  all,  alike,  hated  wl^oleclo^a  of 
their  own  nation,  and  the  whole  heathen  mces.  :  ;  -^'isi 

Jesuawas,'ndw,l)y a  simple  utterance,  tio  crt^ti^ » iafew  religibus^i^nfa. 
•♦Ye  have  heard,  ^'  said  He,  "  that  it  Was  6aid,  Thou  sh^Jt  love  thy^ 
neighibour  and  hd-te  thine  enemy.  BuJt  I  say  unto  you,  Lovq  jottr 
enemies,  nndjjir'ay  foir  them  who  persecute  jiou;  that  ye  may  becpmb 
soBsdf  you*  Father,'  who  iij in  heaven;  for  Hemakes  ijis  sun  to  tiso  oil 
the  CYil  and  go()d,  and  sends  rain  on  this  righteous  ahd'vmri^hteoti&i, 
For  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  Jiave  ye?  (i;n  iajy^ 
kidgdomy.  Do  not  even  the  (hated)  publicans  the  same  I  .  And  ijf  tp 
salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  that  exceeds  f  Do  not  eycin  thib 
(healhen)  G<»ntile8  the  same  thing?  Be  ye,  tl^reforc,  perfijct,  as  youi' 
heavenly  Fatheria  perfect.*^'  '■■  ■  ■:,■  -.^'rd^rv/'^  irfl}"];:'  j'^iyfjM'^'-'ulfl 
'It  was  a  n^w  era  f oi  man.  Heathenism  liacT,  fine  oetiraint^T^  mit 
thfey  were  wipported  by  too  high  morality,  and  no  living  hopes,  Jl^^ 
OM  Teiitament  often  commendiid  kindness  and  inercy;  bul  it  also 
sanctumed  revenge  and  triuraiA  ovet  the  fall  of  fin  caemy,  aiw,tv  oven 
ih  th^  Klnbst  atttnctive  passages,  it  «eem^  as^  if  .piQ^:^'^re  expeqted 
to  make  the  ai^rof  God  6n  one's  adversai  'es  the  more  certain.  ,Bu$ 
Jesus  throws  down  the  dividing  prejudices  of  nationality,  and  teaches 
universal  love  without  distinction  of  race,  mt^rit,  or  ronk.  A  m^^ls 
neighbour,' henceforth,  was  every  one  w^ho  he<jde4  help*  even  a^ 
eneBdy.  All  men,  from  the  slave  to  tJiQ  highest,  were  isona  ctf  bue 
Father  in  heaven,  and  should  feel  ahd  act  towardflf  each  other,  £^s 
brethren.  No  human  stslindard  of  virtue  would  suffipe :  no  imitation  of 
the  Idftiest  examples  amon^  men.  Moral  perfection  had  beei^  i^'cbg- 
nized,  alike  by  heathen  and  Jews,  as  found  only  in  likeness  to  jtho 
divine,  tod  fhtit  Jesns  proclaims  as',  henceforth,  the  one  ideal  for  all 
humanity.  With  a  sublime  enthusiasm  and  brotlierly  loVe  for  the  rrice; 


nuiker  was  entirely  changed.:    The  love  of  a  child  to  a  fathcrlooft 
iS)c  place  of  fitur,  as  a  motiv^  ioHiBMtyic^;    A  jdcw  spint^ui^ .  Uwg; 


fM'tAFWoP  bHRtST. 


.'«'•, 


m 


a6hV'of  UTial  love  >nd  obedience  wj^s  called  iuto  beiug,  with  Ulial 
Vdurofikgs  ajfter  Hiitt,  and  vhiklUk|»  dbv6t(i,6n  to  His  will<rr^  kingdom 
In  wAibE  tlie  liuinble,  the  meek,  and  the  merciful  foimd  theif  l^eaven, 
and  in  #Iiich  j^l'wlio  hungered  and  thirsted  after  r^hteousx^ess  felt 
t^at  tnejr  could  b^  satisfied.  The  piire  in  heart  were,  as  ^inch,  ita 
jDUi^eiis;  ^esobls  who  love  the  things  of  peace  were  called  it»eh^dren, 
iri,ad'ttLp|^  who  bore  ^resecution  and  sarro\\r  for  the  sake  of  righteoua- 
liete  \Vere  to  inberit  it.  .  ' 

, ,  To  1^  '*  |ierfeet  asf  the  ffreat  Tether  in  heaven  is  perfect/'  i»  Uy  do 
G6d's  \^in  onearth  as  the  an^ls  do  it  above,  luid^  iience,  the  new 
kingdptii  13  thh^  sp9ken  of  elsewhere.  It  was  to  be  wholly  s^^iitual, 
iijl  contr^t  to  the  political  dreams  of  the  Pharisees.  They  had  trans- 
forined'the  predictions  or  the'  prophets  to  a  pQlitical.  programme, 
SVliicM  should  be  realized  by  war  against  Rome,  and  zealous  agitatipii 
A^^inst  tt^e  Badduceau  aristocracy.    They  thought  of  anothei'  Mac- 

giib{eai]f  Svar,  to  be  followed  by  a  revelation  of  the  Messiah  from 
cavcui.  The  kingdoux  of  Jesus,  on  the  contrary,  was  not  to  rise  lifce 
Ki  Btate,  so*  that  men  could  say  it  was  here,  or  there,  because  it 
was  al^ready  in*  their  midst.  It  could  not  be  otherwise.  Ue  had  pro- 
Clainii^  that  God  was  the  great  Father,, and,  as  6i|.ch,;the  lovrng. 
.flUal  desire  that  they  might  be  His  children  thrust  aside  the  ^o\d 
tU(mgiht  of  reward,  ^hich  had  hitherto  ruled.  Ho  proclaimed  that 
tJodToved  tlierri,  not  in  rdiiirnfor  their  services,  but  froni  the  love 
lipid  tehderiiess  of  a  Father's  heart;  wliich  sent  forth  His  sun  over  good 
ahd'bad  alike,  uhd  rejoiced  more  over  a  sihner*a  repentance  than  over 
Uie  weary,  exactness  in  Rablnnical  rulei  pi  fifty  Who  thought  them- 
selves irigljiteous.  The  fundamental  principle  of  the  Judaism  of  the 
My  was  ttndeiTnihed  by  the  njew  4octrine.  "Wliat  need  was  therh 
loiigep  for  ofjferings,  for  Temple  ritual,  for  washings  pr  fastings,- or 
Bcrurfulous  tithings,  when  the  great  Father  sought  only  the  heart  of 
Xlisp^hitehtchild?  The  hope  of  thp  Rabbis  that  they  could  hold  God 
t6  t^ie  f»iiltiiij»ei(t6f  wh^t  Uie^f  tiioughtHisppomises,  if  only  the  Mosaic 
ideal  of  thcJ  tl^eocracy,  in  their  sebs^;  was  restored,  fell  to  tiie  ground. 
Thbfe(jliiti6u  of  the  Jews,  and  their  glory  as  the  chosen  people  of  Godj 
wei*e  things  of  the  past.  One  part  of  tho  theo^cy  after  the  other 
\v*a3  doomed  to  fall  before  this  grand  prociamation,  for  its  foundations 
WeVo  sapped.  'Flio  Fatherhood  of  Qod,  which  now  falls  like  an 
empty  jsound  on  tha  car  of  jtl^  multitude,  was,  at  its  utterancej  t^© 
<,  uhlioh  bf-a  new  worid.  -  ^<    "  ?*?";!-        ^  a  * 

JeSusluul,  now,  set  forth, the  characteristics,  of  citizenship  in  His 
iWvv  kingdom,  i^nd  the  hew  law;  He  passed,  next,  to  the  new  life. 
A  warning  was  needed  to  guard  His  followers,  in  their  religioi^ 
duties,  from  the  abiises  of  the  Rabbinical  party.  ^^ 

.  j^Inxsgiving  had  been  eicalted  by  the  Scribes  to  an  act  in  itself 
Meritorious  before  God.  The  words  "  alms,"  and  **  righteoasnoss," 
tircjre.  Indeed',  used  intertshangcablyj  "  Fbr  one  farthing  given  tQ  the 
ptibt; "  said  the  Rjibbis,  * '  a  man  will  receive  heaven.  ^    The  wbrdsy 


i 


.ri.  tr 


.  >   ' 


408 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


1-      ■!'! 


''I  sliall  behold  Thy  face  in  righteousness,"  were  rendered  in  the 
S^QBH  'Vhepause,  of  alms."  "Tma  monevi"  said  pthers,  "goes  for 
alms,  that  my  sons  may  live,  and  that  X  may  obtain;  tljiie  world  tto 
come." I  ;  "A  man's  table  now  exmates  by  alms»  as,, ,$1^, altar, 
heretofore,  did  by  sacrifice. "  "He  who  gives  alms wllJi :be >kept  from 
all  evil. "  in  an  age  when  the  religious  spirit  was  dead,  outward  acts 
of  .religion  were  ostentatipiii^y  practised,  at  o^e  to  earn  a  reward 
from  God,  and  to  secure  honour  for  holiness  from  men^  Beligion 
was  acted  for  ^aln,  either  present  or  future.;  Against  ^uch  hopocrisy 
Jesus  warns  Hisfollowers.  "  Takel^eed  thatye  do  not^your  righteousk- 
ness  before  men,  to  be  seen  by,them,  otherwise  you  haveno  reward  with 
your  Father  who  is  in  heaveu^,"  They  were  to  draw  no  attentapn  to 
theiy;C]|iarity,  by  having  it  proclaimed.in  the  synagogue,  or  by  osteur 
tatiqusly  giving  it  in  the  streets^  to  earn  praise  of  men,  hut  were^  to 
hide  i4  as  ii  they  would  ^ot  e^ven  let  their  left  hand  •  Icinow  what  tJ^i^lr 
right  lumd  was  do»i^.  Sincerity  only,  gave  charity  value.  Tluj 
iMPOLOUnt  was  not  essential:  the  spirit  was  all.  Insincerity  had  no 
wjward  but  the  empty  honour  from  men,  got  by  deceit;  smcerity  w«ui 
jrewardod  by  their  J^^ather  in  Heaven,  who  saw  tli^  secret  deed.  ; , 
>  Even  prayer  Jmd  become  a  formal  mechftQical  act,;  prescribed  by 
exact  roles.  The  hours,  the  matter,  the  manner,  were  alllaid,doitYn. 
A  rigid  Pharisee  prayed  many  ti^es  a  day,  and  too  many  took  ca^e 
to  have  the  hours  of  prayer  overtake  them,  decked  in  theur  broad 
phylacteries,  at  the  stueet  comers,  that  they  might  publicly  show  their 
devoutness, — or  went  to  the  synagogue  that  the  congregation  might 
Bfte  it*  Nor  were  they  content  with  short  pravers,  but  lengthened 
thoir  devotions  as  if  tp  make  a  merit  of  their  dumtion.  Instead  of 
ikm,]  the  inembers  of  the  new  kingdom  were  to  retire  to  strict  secrecy 
whentheyprayed,andaddres8  their  Father  who  sees  in  secret^  anu 
would  reward  them  hereafter,  in  the  future  world,  for  their  sincerity. 
Kor  were  they  to  use  r  tl>e  foolish  repetitions  in  vpgue  with ;  the 
heathen,  fwho  thought  they  would  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking* 
T]^e  j^«at  Fatheriknows  what  we  need  before  we  ask  Him*  ^nd  ve^ 
quxnes  no  lengthened  petitions*  Prayer  in  the  congregation  is  :not  for- 
bidden, tor  4tm»  Himself  frequented  the  synagogue,  and  j(»ne4  M^ 
public .  devotions.  But  private  prayer  must  be  private,  to  gijiard 
against  human  weakness  corruptmg  it  into  worthless  parade.  The 
simplest,  shortest  prayer,  imheard  by  human  ear,  is  accepted  of  Cfqd, 
if  it  rise  from  the  heart:  if  the  heart  be  wantpg,  all  P^M^r 4*  W?^ 

It  is  always  much  eaiser,  however,  to  follow  a  pattern  than  a  precept) 
and,  hence,  Jesus  proceeded  to  sot  before  them  a  model  prayer.  '  'After 
this  manner,  therefore,  pray  ^e.  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven, 
hidlowed  be  Thy  name.  Thy  kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be  done,  as 
in  heaven,  so  also  or  earth.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.* ;  And 
iEorgive  us  our  debts  (to  Tliec),  as  we,  also,  have  forgiven  pur<lebtors. 
Aiw  1^*4,U^  iiot,int9,temptationj  but  4*|liver  u^jfrt^pi  the  A^^o^stp,,'* 

'hLc.j!nOjZ  rJ    ■'■toil,';   'V:il[\fi  -{^^i]  c*  :^M:.t  /^;-u    0?  .n-jCif    vt^if   %m{.]<l^ 


^'■'\j  ai   tjji 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST^ 


r  bU/Js.'i'J  iie»ii,' 


1* 


Ha  fi^<t^  that  mif  Tieing  fdrgiv^n  out*  frespdsiDes  by  God  depended  on 
otir  fd^Iving  men  theirs  against  us. 

li  was  the  custom  of  every  Rabbi  to  teach  his  disciples  a  form  of 
prayer, land  in  "The  Lord's  Prayer,"  Jesus,  iis  Jphn  already  had 
doue,- followed  the  example.  But  what  a  difference  between  IIU 
model  and  that  of  other  teachers!  He  had  created  a  pcW  heaven, 
and  a.  new  earth,  for  the  soul,  and  in  this  prayer  the  mighty  reveki- 
tion  of  the  Fatherhood  of  God  shines,  like  a  sun,  over  nil  humanity. 
The  highest  conceivable  ideal  of  perfection  and  felicity  for  the  race, 
id  offered  in  the  will  of  the  Eternal  Father  being  done  on  earth  as  it 
is  in  heaven.  Childlike  trust  and  dependence  as(k,  and  are  contented 
with*  d$ily  bounty  from  that  Father's  hand.  His  mercy  is  pleaded 
by  hearts  that  already  have  learned  to  shovf  it  \'o  others.  The  splHt 
stands  before  Him  clothed  in  humility,  a.ad  full  of  IcJvo  and  tender- 
ness towards  its  fellows.  Conscious  weakness  stretches  out  its  haod 
for  heavenly  help,  distrusting  itself,  but  stronn  in  a  Higher.  Each 
clausef  almost  each  word,  is  full  of  the  dcei)est  signiflcaace.  Kach,  is 
filled  with  divine  light.  After  eighteen  centuries,  Christendom  knows 
no  ekpression  of  thoughts  and  feelings  so  full  hi  so  ^mall  a  compa«3, 
so  rich,  so  majestic  in  praise  and  petition.  Halldwed  phrases,  cut- 
rent  in  His  day,  may  be  quoted  as  parallels  of  single  parts,  but  Ho 
alonfetinited  them  to  words  of  His  own  witli  a  l)readth  atid  solidity,  a 
childlike  simplicity  and  wisdom,  a  strength  and  lowliness  wholly  \jn-i, 
kliown  in  Jewish  literature. 

Fasting  had  become  one  of  the  prominent  religious  usages  of  onr 
Saviour's  day.  Though  only  one  fast  had  been  appointed  by  Mdses- 
-rthat  of  tlie  Day  of  Atonement— the  Pharisees  had  added  numerous 
others,  63pecially  on  the  two  days  Of  the  week,  Monday  o-nd  Thursday;' 
on  which  synagogue  w^orship  was  held.  Whefli  faKting,  they  strewed 
their  heads  with  ashes,  and  neither  washed  nor  anointed  tueniselves 
nor  trimiAdd  th^ir  beards,  but  put  on  wretched  clothing,  and  showed 
themselves  in  all  the  outward  signs  of  mourning  and  sadness  us$d  for 
the  dead.  Inisincerrty  made  capital  of  feigned  humiliation  andcontri- 
tion,  till  even  the  Roman  theatre  noticied  it.  In  one  of  the  plays  of 
the  time,  a  cariiel,  covered  wfth  a  mourning  cloth,  was  led  on  tho 
stage.  "Why  is  the  camel  in  mourning?"  asked  one  of  the  players. 
"  Because  lihe  Jews  ar6  keeping  the  Sabbath  jnear,  and  grow  nothing, 
but  are  living  on  thistles.  The  camel  is  mourning  because  its  food  is 
thus  taken  from  it."  Rabbis  were  forbidden  to  anoint  themselves 
before  jgoing  out,  and  it  was  recorded  of  a  specially  famous  doctor, 
that  his  face  was  ahvays  black  with  fasting.  All  ppetence  was  abhor- 
rent to^^  the  soul  of  Jesus,  (jspecially  in  religion.  "  When  pe  fasit,'* 
saldHe,  "benotas  the  hypocrites,  of  a  sad  countetiance;  for  they 
disfigure  their  faces,  that  they  may  appear  uiito  men  to  faet.  Verily 
I  say  unto  ydu.  They  have  their  reward.  But  do  thou,  when  thoti 
fastest,  anoint  thine  head  and  wasli  thy  face;  that  thoit  mayfest  not 
appear  unto  men  to  fast,  but  to  thy  Father  who  is  in  secret,  and 


.! 


•I, 
if"  J 


M 


;i! 


ii 


r 


II 


'Mi' 


i   mi 


M 


iB 


■;iil 


!llii'ii:i 


lldl  ElTE  ^F  chrijS¥!  ' 


applausp,  credit,  or  g?ln,  ,_by  a  show  of  godliness,  pbiist  tie  etunn^fl 
'  ■■       '  '''^(iw 'Kingdom.    It  would  bq  bettdi' tb'ldtifen 


'^q^bers'of  t^'e 


itTvould  bq  bettdi'  tb'lidt 
)t6d  to  use  religibn  foi'tilteHbr  . 
from  the  eye  of  strjingersvtihej^trt^ii- 
seerecy  of  the  iireast.  It  ,  .  .1! 
Hd  had  already  Ppoken  of  the  need  of  care  In  the  rig|it  u^e  ^^  i^^ 
bl<^ssingii'6f  life,  biit  He  knew  our  proneness  to  forget,  tipA  rettirijs'tp 
the  stiqjcct  once  niprc.  "Heap  not  up  for  yourselves,** satdi'H^ 
*:  trciasurda'  on  earth,  where  in6th  and  rust  coti&unic,  aA4 '  ■^nerp 
thieves  Tbreak- through,  and  steal.  But  treasure  up  for  yoiiirs^tH'c^ 
treipL^ureS  in  hcaV^n,  Where  neither  ipoth  nor  rust  conaiimea,  and  "^hcif^ 
tmete^  ^o'uot  hrcj^ak  through  nor  steal.  For,  if  your  trea.^ri'  ia^  on 
e^rti^^ybur  heAH'jmust  needs  be  careless  of  heaven.  But  if  ft  m  'm 
hWie'n,  your  ^ipans  will  be  there  also.  To  hav^  it  there,  jK)u  imi^ 
haVie;th;eiiiiier light  jn  yoiir  souls,— your'  mind  and  heaft— by  Vliid^ 
j't/ff  ^ercejvo  and  <!herish  the  truth— uhclondedi  If  they  be  darkendft 
It  Wai  ivttn  "tour  Mart  away  from  the  right  and  divine,    'fue  Vocij 


"  00 not  fancy,"  He  continued,  *'  thatyou  can  Join  the  strivln'g'lot 


tXie  other.'    You  cannot  wofship  the  God  of  hcayeri,  aiill 

^MiMop,'  *the  ^Od  6t  riches.    To  serve  God,  and  ydt  makb,  mnneV 

yp\ji*:1(lfil,l,sinijpbasib|el    They  are  oppositesr  .C'l''^: 

« .t  A%i'«^/ifir/i/«a"i4'^etjt.t,  Which  worships  God  alone,  and  tnists  Jifliji 


**' Aiiuhdiyfded  "heait.  Which  worshl^^^ 

oi'  itJhi^uM,  iV  rs^ised.  above  an;t5ety  for  ejirihly  wants.    'TheriBfdi*6, 

I;(5e^ tiitto you  Be iiot anxious fcir  ybur life,  what  ye  shaU'feiar,  tiiipf 

yiiitS^iquthjdiy,  what  ye  shhll  pUt  on/    Is  not  the  life'  more  t*h{^i 

the  fOPui  and  t)ie  body  thak  the  taibi^JitV    Behoffl  the  birds',<j^  in 
.*LL  ^^^..^^^j.4.  ^^:ri.„- -^„^  j^^^j.  gj^gjp^j.  itita  ijarns, 'and y^et'w 

Aric '  ye  net  nnich  better  tb^ii  thfe 


air:  i%^ffi^  ^At.  nej&er  rerip,  nor 


^jeavenf/ Fntlier  feeds  thenil 

"TOicll  «6f  you,  by  anxious  thought;  cati  add  one  cubit  t6  t)ie  ]em 
of  jiisliie'?  "Ana  giboirt  raiment  why  are  ye  aniious?  Cbnsitetno 
lilies  bf  the  fi^id,  how  fair  and  beautiful  they  grow.  The)^'  toit  to, 
niiltijer  do  they  spin,  and  yet  Solomon,  in  his  royal  robes.  Was  ii<it 
aryayed  like' pnfe  pi  these.  Arid  if  Gbd  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  fi'em, 
whtpiijto-day'  is,  aifd  to-morrow  is  ca^t  into  an  oven,  Will  Ite  not  ii)ticb 
n^ptje  cldth^  you,  Q  ye  of  little  faith?  Be  hot,  therefore,  ^nxfous; 
8j^yi]Dg,;'\Vliat'6liatl.'We  eat,  orwhdt  shall  we  drink,  or  what  shall  Wjp 
pM'3o4?  ,F6t  the  Gentiles  seek;  after  all  these  things.  Biit  your 
i^4vetdy  Fftth'eif  knows  tl^at  ye  have  heed  of  them'.  '  Sfefek,  first,  Itik 
klDgd^^m'&hd  Hghteou^hess;  and  they  sijall  all  be  added  to  Voti;  So 
nbt,  therefore,  enxioua  for  the  motrow.    The  mbrroW  will  jia\^er'ra 


i 

Ml  i 


THE  J^IF^  OF  CHRJOT. 


m 


;ar([j8.    Each  day'H  evil  is  suiHcient  ^or,^ic  di\j%".    H^.^BJoinf 


Fatlie^,  (ind  amidst  all  the  trials  aud  straits  cyea  of,  euch  4  i^tiia^r 
life  a«  Iiad  been  predicted  for  them,  niiglit  ani|iiiQi4d^Tetalu.Cj[^lmjin4 
uqsUaken  confidence  in  the  sustaiulug  tiad  g\ii(UQg  wi^qm  ^im  Jp^^ 
of  Gq4*  A^  Uis  children,  they  had  au Cxpres^pgUt  to  (Ipgliy  |(|rj|lia 
^,l,l,si^fii©ntcare.  ,     '  .  , 

;  Jjfq  vifio  was  more  rank  among  the  Jews,  thrpugli  the  m^^epce,of 
ijipir' piciestly  Olid  Rabbinical  leaders,  than  iiarrow.tjgjjjotry,  i^lq^i 
,c(^li^if^mid  all  opinions  varying  in  the  le^t  fropi'^^ek,oiy«u  .  l^ey 
were  tramed  to  Uke  it  for  granted  that  their  \Yhole  retigipiiB  svste^ 
i^  its  miuutosi,  forpaia  and  rules— their  religious  thougpit..i^i^f.p^]^d 
Jife-T-had,  been  revealed  by  God  from  heaven.  Thcv  wejrt^ti  jnatibn^  pf 
i"(ma(ies,  ready  to  fight  ,tp  tae  death  for  any  oijc  of  the  ,te^j'^if|us;^ji 
ritoial  injupctiona  qF  their  religious  teachers.  A  dii^cpiir?^,  de^g;i;i69 
tp  proclaim  the  advent,  charac^r,.and  laws*  of  tj^  nejv^  tjiepcr^cy, 
could  not  close  without  touching  on  the  duties  of  sopiaUifti^  ifud^y- 
ii^g  down  pi;inciples  fof  guidance.  He  had  £njoi^qa  the'  bx^d  h^^  ot 
l^entl^  Ipye,  as  the  rulptpr  int^jycourse  with  men  ajli  krge,„,;il^ftp)y 
iJLliistrfttes, it  in  additional  applications.  y    \.v  s  j  1   j  i  ,V  i' 

'•^udgCi  npt,"  aaid  He,  "  t|iat  ye  be  not  judged!  (by  Cfpq);  fiqnq^^ 
jiot,;^d  ypshalljiot  be  condemned;  forgive,  andyea^li  peiorgiveu. 
For  with  whaV  judgment  ye  judge  (men)  yp  shall  be  judg;ed  (hej-p- 
after).  Give,  and  it^  will  b^  given  to  youj  good  measure,  Pr|e^d 
dPFU*  shal^eu  liogether,  running  pver,  will  tliey  give  ip to  ypuj^^p^m. 
For  With  what  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measuri^d  to  ypu.  ,^ 
chariim>le  respecitiijg  ,the  errors  and  pJ^iprtcpming^jOf'  Athera,,tl^at  xoh 
jnay.pot^ave  your  pwn  sins  brought  against  yo)Li.  at  the '^e^t  ^a&, 
^4  ^^^  ^^®  <i^6  condeumfiUon  ,you  have  ypm'self i  ^TO  l^^^^e^ .  jSt 
is  a,  fearful  thiing  for  you,  who  arp  to  teii9h , men,  totall  away;  »^^ 
the  truths  for  ho A^,  the,u,>ill  you  instruct  ginfj^l'me^i  i^rightV  .Ef 
the  bUn^d  attenipt  to  lea4  thp^jind  botl>  fa^  ii:»to  ii  oi^h,  anj]^  you 
ypurseivpa  bp  wvpng  you  cannot  lead  others,  wlio  tono^  ji(^thing  pj  i^t, 
po  thp  saiyatWA  pt  the  New  Kingdom.  You  will  ho\pi  ^^'.  m'o^^  jiu^ 
n^re  hopelelsly  wrong,  till,  at  last,  you. sink  into  Gehetnual  TJliPse  ypu 
teach  cannot  be  wiser  than  you,  their  teacher^,^  for  a  disqipip;  is;  not 
above  bis  mastpr,  but  comes,  at  best,  in  the  end,  to  be  like^i)i.;.  If, 
tlien,  ypu  would  not  be  blind  leaders  of  the  blind,  take  care,  before  you 
essay  to  judge  and  better  tlie  religious*  state  of  others,  to  examine 
ypurpwn  spiritual  condition,  and  reform  wbatever  is  wrp|i|f  iu.it. 
Why  should  ypu  mark  the  atom  of  straw  or  dust  that  is  in  ypiir 
brother's  eye-phis  petty  fault— if  yoU  do  not,  in  vpur  self-rightepv^jih 
ne^s.^p  the  beam  that  is  in  your  own  eye?  Belf-blinded  b;fj)Pprit^J 
;liif.st  cast,  the  be^mout  pf  your  ow^n  eye,  ai^d  t^nyQif^5viJi's^,fil|i^ 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 

'  "'"'TduKvIll  Bd^  with  meD,"  He  continued,  who,  -when  the  dhriiM 
tittth  is  offered  them,  will  only  profane  it — ^men  utterly  ungodly  and 
hardened,  who  wilfully  reject  the  counsel  of  God,  with  bltspheniy, 
mocking,  and  slandering.  T)o  not  put  it  in  their  power  to  dishcnour  it. 
To'do  so  is  like  casting  a  holy  thins  to  the  street  dogs,  or  throwing 
pearls  loef ore  wild  swine,  who  wouul  only  trample  them  as  worthteM 
uiider  their  feet,  and  turn  against  yourselves  and  rend  you.''  f  nlv  ll 
**  You  Will  need  hdp  from  God  myour  great  task;  for  your  own 
spiritual  welfare,  and  for  success  in  your  work.  Ask,  therefore,  and 
it  will  begiveh  you ;  seek,  and  ye  will  nnd ;  knock,  and  it  will  heopened 
to  Vou;  For  everyone  that  asks  receives;  and  he  that  seeks llndH; 
and  to  him  that  knocks  it  shall  be  opened.  If  voiir  son  ask  bread,  do 
joti  mock  him  by  giving  him  a  stone?  or,  if  ho  ask  a  fish,  doyoi^ 
mock  him  by  giving  him  a  serpent?  or,  if  he  ask  an  egg,  will  yw 
gite  him  a  scorpion?  You  need,  then,  have  no  fear  of  refusal  of 
'spiritua)  help  from  your  Heavenly  Father,  for  if  you  who  are  sinful, 
thoughmembeTsof  the  New  Kingdom,  would  not  think  of  refusing 
to  supply  the  wants  of  your  children,  far  less  will  vour  Father  above 
refuse  you.  His  spiritual  children,  what  you  need.  ■:  V^ft  riitv^l^jV. 
'  Jei^uls  had  now  come  to  the  close  of  His  exposition  et  the  natjrb 
and  duties  of  His  kingdom,  and  ended  His  statement  of  them  by  it 
brief  recapitulation  and  summary  of  all  He  bad  said  of  the  latter,  in 
their  relation  to  men  at  large.  "All  things,  therefore,  whatsoever 
ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  yc  also  so  to  them,  for  this  is 
the  law  and  th6  prophets. "  The  Law  had  said,  ' '  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
nelghbotir  as  thyself,"' but  it  had  meant  by  neighbour  a  Jew  or  a 
proselyte,  and  had  commanded  the  extirpation  of  the  CanaaniteB,  and . 
sanctioned  merciless  war  with  the  heathen  around.  These  grand 
words  were,  therefore,  a  rule  for  the  nation  towards  its  own  members, 
but  no  great  law  for  mankind.  But  Jesus  ignore  this  narrowness, 
andjH'^daujlS  all  niten  brethren,  as  common  children  of  one  Fatha* 
in  Heaven.  This  golden  rule  had  been  proclaimed  more  or  less  f uHy 
before.  It  is  found  in  Socrates  and  Menander,  and  even  in  the 
Chinese tlassics.  Philo  quotes,  asnn  (4d  Jewish  saying,  "Do not  tct 
others  whiftt  you  would  be  imwilling  to  euffei';"  and  the  book  of  Tobit 
enjoins,  "Do  that  to  no  man  which  thou  hatest."  lu  the  generatiou 
before  Jesus  it  had  been  repeated  hy  Hiliel  to  a  heathen,  who  mock- 
ingly asked  liim  if  he  could  teach  him  the  whole  Law  while  ho  btood 
on  one  foot.  "  What  you  would  not  like  done  *o  yourself,  do  not  to 
thy  neighbour,''  replied  the^  Rabbi — "this  is  the  whole  Law :  nil  the 
rest  is  a  <!Jommentary  on  it-^go  learn  this."  But,  as  Ilillel  gave  it, 
this  noble  answer  was  only  misleading.  It  was  striking  to  fjn4  a 
Rabbi  with  such  enlightened  insight  into  the  essence  of  "the  Law  as 
td  seid  that  all  its  ordinances  and  rites  had  a  moral  end,  but  the  Law 
was  nHKih  more  than  a  mere  code  of  morals  between  man  and  man. 
itxr fitting  summary  is  much  rather  that  central  requirement  repeated 
eacli  dty,  even  till  now,  by  every  Jew  in  hia  prayers — ^'^  ^'hou^Aialt 


THM  LIFE  OP  0HR16T. 


loTothe  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine  heatii  and- with  aUth^  soiil^  Und 
With  «n  thT  might."  Morality,  apart  IVom  its  roligioiM  baai*  and 
supreTfiio  enforcement,  degrades  the  Law  1o  n  level  With  the  common 
morality  of  the  world  nt  large.  It  was  reserved  for  Jeans  to^annotthce 
our  duty  to  man  in  itsi  8n1)ordination  to  our  higher  relatloii  to  God;  to 
make  it  onlv  part  of  that  filial  love  which  r^ects  tho '  tenderness  cm 
all  our  brethren  which  it  feels  supremely  towards  their  Father  and 
oitr*.  irt  'Heaven.  With  Him,  love  of  nnivprwil  humfVni^y  has  its  deep 
religious  ground  in  the  love  of  Godwhom  vtg  are  to  resemble, — tdwards 
all  th«;  riUie,'as  His  children.  The  love  of  man,  He' tells  us,  i^lhe 
secotifd  great  commandment;  not  the  first;  itis  the  moon  shining  l^ 
light  borrowed  from  tliat  Sun.  The  highest  of  the  Rabbis  Oannot 
stand  ib  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  ?Iary  I  .   ;     . 

Hd  iiad  reached  His  peroration.  It  remained  Onlv  to  add  nolonni 
warnings,  and  these  He  now  gavei  *•  Enter  in,"  said  'He,  *'  tlirougti 
the  hafrow  gate,'  for  narrow  is  the  gate  and  straitened  is  tho  Way  of 
Bdlf-dehidil  and  struggle  that  leads  to  life,  and  few  there  are 'that 
find  it.  Bnt  wide  is  the  gate  and  broad  is  tl»e  way  of  sin  that  leads 
to  flestructiori,  and  those  wlio  enter  tlirough  it  are  many.  •  Beware  of 
false  teachers,  who  would  turn'you  aside  from  the  safe  road.  Thdy 
will  come  to  you  affecting  to  be  my  followers,  but  thenr  will  be  only 
wolv68  in  sheep's '  clothing.  You  will  know  them  fully  by  their 
f ruits^that  is,  by  their  lives.  Do  men  gather  grapes  off  thorns,  or 
figs  off  thistles?  So,  every  good  tree  brings  forth  good  fruit;  but  the 
corrtipt  tree  brings  forth  evil  f niit.  The  good,  out  of  the  good  trelas« 
ure  of  the  heart,  bring  forth  that  which  is  good;  and  the  evil  mam, 
oiit  of  the  evil,  brings  forth  that  which  is  evil ;  for  out  of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart  his  mouth  speaks:  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  eril 
fruit ;  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit.  Have  nothing 
to  do  wyt.h  them,  and'  do  not  follow  tihem,  for  every"  tree  that  brings 
not  forth  good  fruit  is  cut  down,  and  cast  into  the  nre.  So,  tlie»,  % 
their  fruits  ye  will  know  them  ftilly." 

•'  NOr  is  the  danger  of  being  led  astray  by  false  teachers  light,  for 
not  all^vho  adkiioWledge  me  a9)their  Master  will  enter  into  the  glory 
of  the  heavenly  Kingdom,  but  those  only  who  do  the  will  of  wty 
Father,  Who  is  in  heaven.  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day,  •  Lord, 
Ijjol'd;  did  WcJ  not  teach  in  Thy  nameeolifessing  TheeasJesns  Messias, 
and  by  the  power  of  Thy  name  cast  out  devils,  and,  by  the  same 
power,  did  we  not  do  many  mighty  worlds,  owning  Thee,  and  work- 
ing through  Thee,  in  all  things?*  And  then  shall  I  Say  unto  them, 
'i  never  knew  you;  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity.*;  Take 
warning,  for  even  some  of  you  call  me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the 
things  which  I  say." 

That  one  in  the  position  of  Jesus,  an  unknown  Galilcean;  untrained 
in  the^hools;  in  early  manhood;  with  no  support  from  the  learned 
or  the  powerful,  should  have  used  such  words,  in  a  discourse  "sotni^ 
Bcehdeiitlj^  lofty  in  its^  teachings,  is  to  be  explained  only  oa>tbe  ftouiid 


ti 


11 


,■!  ■      'i       t 


<iWi« 


TflS  LIFS  OP  iQHIM^. 


sbpyl4  iierenCt^r  bo  t\m  Ju<]gQ,pf  matikloU.    IIo  Ciili^ly  ;^9iuoaf|.a 

kingdom  in  wUioh  the  only  rewardi^  and  punlKhntcnti  ore  lhqfp.i}fXho 

^QfiBQience^^te,  and  tho96  ot  eternity,  vMov  (Icutli.    Ho  boMtllim- 

^)f«  and  speaks,  oa  a  Kingj  supcrscaeH  or  perfects  tho  Jows  of  t^c 

existing  theocracy  ss  Ho  thinks  best;  inviti's  tftlberenty,  bvtiv<^'^^ 

alleicQeptthQ  truly  godly  and  sincere,  l)y.  boldlng  out  the  tuostUiB- 

eoucaffing  pix^pects  througli  bfe;  keensaliouf  from  tlio  civil  ^  i>«cie- 

jMastical  autjbarUies^  and  acts  independently  of  bull).    Fiott%,  as  the 

^Qpelawiif  His  invisible  kingdom  in  tho  voultt  ojf  qten,  Ilq  I'^quircs 

;SupneinQ  lovoi  and  devotion  to  Himfclf,  and  di^inauds  that  tlds  be 

stjiQwn  byhmnblo  and  continuous  efforts  oiter  llkeuemi  tu  Qod.jand  by 

tho  imitation  of  His  o\vn  pufc  and  universal  love  tojtn^i^ki^d.    ^o 

haveconeeiyied  a  spiritual  empire  ho  unique  in  tlieilil/tttory  of  religion, 

.i9  to  have  proved  His  title  to  His  highest  ^Itilms.  •  t 

His  coQciudtng  words  arC; in  keeping  with  these.  He  hnd  ani^ounccd 


.^hftt  He;  would  judge  the  ^yorld  at  Uio  great  day.  and  npw  mak^s 
hearty  acceptance  and  performanco  cf  Ills  comnmnds  the  canuitlou 
;0f  future  salvation  or  rum. ,  "Every  cnc,  thwefpie  (wow,  or  hereafter), 
iwh0  hears  these  sayings  of  mine  and  obeys  thein,  is  like  n  man„)||vl^o, 
,1^  building. a  house,  digged  deep,  and  laid  a  fouitdation  i^pon/the 
r<)ck.  And  the  winter  ro^ns  fell,  ond  tho  torrents  ro^p,  and  ^be 
4t9rmQ;b]pw.  a^id  beat  upon  thatr  house,  oi^d  did  not  shake  U,  t^iucaviio 
it  was  well  built,  and  had  been  founded  xipou  the  rock.  "Buti.eytjjy 
one  who  hears  them,  and  does  not  obey  them,  is  like  a  foolish  moii, 
who,  without  a  foundation,  built  his  house  upon  the  f*andy  earth. 
And  the  rain  descended,  and  the  torrents  i;usl)ed  down,  and  the  winds 
blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house,  and  straightway  it  fell,  and  the  ruiu 
of  that  house  w^as  gi-eat."    iv^i^;i}-M>^  >^>tv 

r^i^Q  Wo^«i^>^hat;  <wiien  He  hftd  finished  aucb  an  addi^es^,  jttffe^p^^lti- 
jtud#»  w^i»  astoqisli^d.  at  Hi^  teaching.    1  hey  Inid  been  accmj^toflied 
to  the  tame  and  slavish  servility  vl  the  Rabwii,  witb  tbelr'dreiid  of 
rvarylingaword  from  precedent. apd  authority;  their  eobweljbeiyof 
,e;n(uesssQpldstrjea  and  .verbal  triflii^;  theU'  Uiloriousdiss^^tatiphs  on 
the  infinitely  little;  their  unconscious  oversight  of  all  (hat  cpuldajpct 
the  heart;  their  industrious 4rackings  through  the,  jungles ><u  traditfon 
and  preaoription;  and  felt  that  in  the  preacUng  of  Je^u^,  thoy,  iqtihe 
-first  t(ime,i  had  something  that  stirred  their  iouls,  and  catqc  hotJ^t;  to 
their  consciences.    One  of  the  Rabbis  had  boasted  that  eyery  verso 
of  the  Bible  was  capable  of  six  hundred  thousand  dlffeifent  cxplkna- 
,tionsr  and  there  were  seventy  different  modes  of  interpretation,  cur- 
rent, but  t^ieva^t  mass  of  explanations  and  interpretations  wefc  no 
better  than  pedantic  folly,  concerning  itself  with  mere  insignificant 
^minutis^  which  had  no  bearing  on  religion  or  morals.    Instead  of 
^Ihisi  Jesus  had  spoken  as  a  legislator,  vested  w^h  greater,  ^ti^Orily 
■ijiiimi  Motm.    T-Pv  transmit,  un^bauged,  the  ti'adltloria  vfiC^iv^Q.pm 
:  llu)  past,  was  the  one  idea  of  all  other  (eochersi  but  JU,Mii^M^M^ 


Tfltt-tilFB^F  GFiRISt: 


i^'iibt'ftfHkl(Min  orittbiKc.  to  reject,  nnil  ♦©  iiit{)pl^ent.  '  1^)i;ent!nH> 
ou  originalitv,  and  independence  was  non  cthing  hitherto  unknoM^ni 
fbe  life  of  Joftiifl,  in  All  itfl  Aflpertd,  i^  tlie  i^reat  loMOh  of  humanity: 
Hi!4  death  is  its  hope.  Btit  tliere  lies  a  ^'>udrous  tre&fmre  in  His 
words.  What  but  a  pure  and  f^intess  soul  couid  have  conceived  such 
an  idea  of  God  as  the  Father  of  manlcind,  draining  us  to  Himself  br 
tlie  attraction  of  holy  and  cxhatistless  love?  "It  could  only  riser 
says  Ha'Usrath,  "in  a  spiHt  that  stood  putt*,  {guiltless,  and  sinless  be- 
fore God-i-Hi  spirit  in  which  ail  liuman  unrest  and  dfotiirbance  wevd 
unltnown,  on  which  tlierc  lay  no  sense  of  the  Httlenef«  of  life,  no 
distracting  fueling  of  disappointed  ambition.  Sinful  man,  wtth  » 
stained  or  even  uneasy  cohscicnce,  will  always  thinlc  of  God  as  jeal- 
ous, wrathful,  and  about  to  avenge  Himself.  The  rcvelalion '  tliitt 
God  is  the  Father  of  men  could  rise  only  in  a  mind  in  which  tho 
image  of  God  mirrored  itself  iu  calm  completenefs,*  because  the  mlf- 
rof  Tiad  no  species  to  mar  it.  The  revelation  of  God  as-  Vhe  Pi^icr 
i^  the  strongest  proof  of  the  absolute  perfection  of  the  human  taatut« 
in'Jestis."    •  ■.••■•  i  ,  ,    ..  •..■,•,,•.■..•,  ;.,  .,, 

"  H6  has  left  us  not  only  a  life,  but  a  rich  world  of  thoughts,"  ^^i^s 
Kdm,  "in  which  all  th^best  inspirations^  and  longings  Of  mankind 
meetatid  aire  reflected.  It  is  the  expression  of  theplir^st'and'diret^est 
truths  whfch' rise  in  the  depths  of  the  soul,  and  they  are  made  com* 
mon  to  all  mankind  by  being  uttered  in  the  simplest  and  most  popli- 
larfortn."    •'  ■    <  ^    .■■■■.>>    »,,     .  .,...?■ 


'       r    '  .It.         )     J\l 

1  ♦?+('<»  J         ;     <f;*l)'l)" 


.:>nlv/;ajf  J  to  .//^'.'''-CHAPTER    XXXVIH. 

OPE27  CONFLICT. 

OWuS  had  now  been  some  months  in  Galilee,  and  the  seiison  of  the 
ffreWf^aSts  had  returned.  It  was  tneet  that  Judea,  which  hftd  i«|^t^d 
Bimtvnen  He  first  preached  in  It,  should  be  once  more  visited,  and 
the  hews  Of  the  Etngdonl  ohce  more  sent  abroad  Among  the  throngs 
of  pilgtlins  frbm  every  part  of  the  world,  attracted  at'  such  times  to 
JerujSflidin.  "■  •  ''■      ^^.  ..■  (;^^.';iv.i::'-i-.U: 

Xi^a,v!h|f  thd  north;  therefore,  for  a  time,  He  again  jottWieyed'S6\3rtli? 
perhaps bj?"  short  stages,  preaching  as  He  went;  perliaps  with  bne'of 
the  bands  of  pilgrims  which  gathered  from  each  neighbourhood  to  go 
up  to  "the  House  of  the  Lord.'^  ISfo  voice  woifld  join  with  so  rapt 
a  devotion  in  the  joyful  solemnities  of  such  a  journey, — in  tlib 
psklms  that  enlivened  the  way, — or  the  formal  devotions  ot  morning 
arid  eveniiig.  But  what  feast  it  was  He  thus  honoured'  is  not  toUy 
nor  are  there  means  for  deciding.  That  of  Purita,A  ihonth  before 
the  Passover,  the  Passover  itself ,  Pentecost,  and  the  F^ast  of  Taber 


I 


'• 


!■   I 


^   I 


4M 


THB^  lilFE  OF-CHRISf?; 


riOf  tiie  Visit  we 'know  only:  onQ  wqideiit,  but  i%  "^m.tk^xp^T^i^' 
point  in  the  life  of  our  Lord.  I'^'fn  >  m^i-^r^vii .  ,  v  v^'i »).,!,,  t 
Jerusalem  in  those  days  was  a  contrast  in  its  water  supprjr^a^  |n 
much  else,  to  the  fallen  glory  of  its  present ;  condition.  Several  natural 
springs  seemed  to  have  flowed  in  the  city  or  near  it,  In  ancient  times, 
but  they  have  long  been  choked  up,  with  the  ekception  of  the  single 
*'.FouiitaiiLof  the  Virgin,"  still  found  in  the  Kedion  valley.  There 
is  now,  besides,  only  a  single  well— that  of  Joab,  at  the  junction  of 
the  Kedron  and  Hinnom  valleys,  near*  Biloam,  south-east  .from  t^e 
town.  •  It  was  doubtless  used  ia  Christ's  day,  and  it  }s  still  one^of  tl^ 
prinlslpal  sources  of  summer  supply  for  Jerusalem,,  though,, like  ^ye^xy- 
thing'  elsc>  Under  the  withering  spell  of  Turkish  rule,  it  is  in  suqh. dis- 
repair that  its  water,  drawn  frqm  a  depth  of  125  feet,  is  tain  ted  .with 
sewage.  The  ancient  suppl;f,  ho wever^  seems  to  have  been  i  mainly 
obtained  by. collecting  the  rain  water  in  pools  and  cisterns,  and  by 
aqueducts  w'ich  dramed  distant  lulls,  and  brought  abundauce  in <ip 
the.  various  public  pools  and  reservoirs  of  the  city  and  Temple^J^he 
space  beneath  which  was  honeycombed  by  immense  rock-hewn  cis- 
terns. Many  houses,  also,  had  cisterns,  hewn  in  the  rqck,  in  the  shape 
of  an  inverted  funnel,  to  collect  the  rain,  but  it  was  from  tlie  nune^er- 
ous  "  pools  "  that  the  public  supply  was  mainly  derived.  JDigh^  ^tjll 
remain,  in  greater  or  less  extreme  decay,  and  tJierc  appear  to  iiavebetjji 
at  least  three  others,  in  ancient  times.  , 

One  of  the  most  famous  of  these,  in  Christ's'  day,  was  known  fts 
the  Pool  of  Bethesda,  which  recent  explorations  appear  to  have  re- 
discovered at  the  north-west  corner  of  the  Temple  enclosure.  If  tlio 
identification  be  valid,  tho  pool. was  a  :great  reservoir,  165  feet  in 
length,  hewn  in  the  limestone  rock  to  a  breadth  of  48  feet,  and  divided 

.,  in  halves  by  a  pier  of  masonry  5  feet  thick,  built  across  it.  Water 
Btif}  enters  it  from  the  north-west  corner,  and  is  probably  an  abundj(mt 
spring,  vhough  now  so  mixt^d  with  drainage  as  to  be  unfit  for  drinft- 
iag.'  Eusebius  speaks  of  the  Bethesda  of  his  day  as  "twin  pools, 
one  ol  which  is  filled  by  the  rains  of  the  year,  but  the  .other  ha3 
water  tinged  in*  an  extraordinarv  way  with  red,"  Thi^  cff^sct  was 
likely  produced  by  the  rapid  influx  of  water  through  undergroupd 

<  chasnuield,  after  heavy  rains.    It  is  said  by  St.  John  to  haves  been  close 
to  the  "  Sheep  Gate  " — the  entrance,  doubtless,  of  the  numerous, floelfs 

i  for  the  Temple  market. 

/     Bathing  in  mineral  waters  lias,  in  all  ages,  been  regarded  as  one  of 

S  the  most  potent  aids  to  recovery  from  various  diseases,  and  jn  the 

•  East,  where  water  is  everything,  this  belief  has  always  jproyailed. 
,  t  The  Pool  of  Bethesda,  from  whatever  cause,  waa  in  especial  fj^vour 

-  for  its  curative  powers,  which  were  supposed  to  l)e  most  effective 
when  the  waters  were  "troubled,"  cither  by  the  discoloration  after 

i  heavy  rains,  or  by 'periodical  flowing  after  inte^'mission,.as,is,  s^tiU  tho 
'I  Cftse  with  the  Fountain  of  the  Virgin,  near  Siloam.. 

Natural  explanations  of  ordinary  phenomena  wclre  uulm^wiL  !,in 


^MM  UFt  op  CHltlSt. 


447 


unknowDi  xn 


thes^'lsftm^fe  times,  f 6*  there  was  no  such  thing  tis  science.  Aty^!»; 
the  Jews,  as  amon^  other  races,  eveirthin^  was'  atfril>!itie(l  to  the 
direct  action  of  supernatural  beings.  In  the  Boole  of  Jubilees,  which 
shows  the  populOT  ideas  of  Christ's  day,  there  are  angels  of  adora- 
tion, of  flre,  wirid,  clouds,  hail,  hoar  frost,  valleys,  thunder,  lig^itning^, 
winter,  sprihff,  stihimer,  and  autumn,  and  of  "all  things  in  the  heavens 
and  fearth,  aria  in  all  valleys;  of  darkness,  of  light,  of  dawn,  and>  of 
evCnihff.**'  The  healing  po wets  of  tlie  Bethesda  waters' were,  hence, 
asfcribea  to  periodical  visits  of  an  angel,  who  ** troubled  the  water*" 
Populai^  fancy  hud,  indeed,  created  a  complicated  legend  to  account 
fcrt-  the  ^^'onder:  At  least  as  far  back  as  the  days  of  Nehemiah,  the 
ebbing  and  flowing  of  some  springs  had  been  ascribed  to  a  great 
dragon  which  lived  at  the  source,  and  drank  up  the  waters  when  it 
woke',  Ic^vin^  them  to  fiow  only  while  it  waa  asleep.  It  was  evensaKl 
that  a  good  angel  dwelt  beside  healing  springs,  and  each  morning 
gave  them  their  virtue  afresh,  and  a  Rabbi  had  gone  so  far  as  to 
report 'that,  n,^  fte  sat  by  ia  fountain,  the  good  angel  who  dwelt  in  it 
appeared  to  him,  iarid  '^aid  that  !a  demon  was  trying  vo  get  into  it,  to. 
hiirt  tliosc  who  f i'equcnted  it.  He  was.  therefore,  to  go  and  telltj^o 
townsfoljcs  to  come  with  hammers,  or  iron  rods  or  bars,  and  beat  the 
wiatertilfit  grew  red  with  thick  drops  of  blood — the  sign  that  the 
demo  A  viras  confituered  and'  slain.   *  ■ ;  '*<''^-'  ■  ■•  ->  j  m  . '  ^  ^  •••  >*  n*  >  'f$^  ui.- 

Some  such  fanciful  notions,  ba9^*,  Vct^  probably,  on  real  <i<irative 
poWers  in  the  water  at  certain  seasons,  attracted  daily  to  Bethcj*^  a 
multitude  of  unfortiinates  who  hoped  to  be  healed  of  blindness, 
atrophy,  lameness,  and'otlier  iriflrmities,  by  bathing  at  the  right  mo 
Thent,  a  sufficient  'number  of  times.  Charity  had  built  five  iporchies 
round  the  pool,  to  afford' the  crowd  a  shelter,  and  these,  and  the  great 
step's  leading  dow  n  to*  the  waters,  were  constantly  thronged,  like  the 
steps  of 'a  sach;d  bathing-plade  to-dav,  on  the  Ganges.  < 

Amdng  the  sufferers  was  One  who  had  been  helplessly  crippled  by 
rheumatism  or  paralysis  for  thirty -eight  years,  but  still  clung  to  the 
iiop6  that'he  would;  one  day,  be  healed.  He  had,  apparently,  had 
himself  brought  from  a  distant  part,  for  he  had  no  friends  on  the  spot, 
and^  henee,  had  the  paiu  of  many  times  seeing  others,  less  helpless, 
cro\vd  into  the  waters,  while  he  lay  on  his  mat  for  want  Of  some 
pitying  aid.'*"'''^.'*  **^^*'''*^*'''^''''**-'-'^^^^^^  ."M»>^^<"<<^^i^(f4,* 

Jesus  had  every  motive,  at  this  time,  to  avoid'  attrfictingTatfention 
in  Jerusalem,  for  it  might  rouse  the  open  hostility  of  the  Ciuirch 
autliorities,  which  already  only  waited  an  opportunity.  The  pitiful 
plight  6f  the  sufferei*,  howevet*,  awoke  His  compassion,  and  in  syfti- 
patliy  for  his  story,  though  without  committing  Himself  to  his 
notions,  he  healed  him  by  a  word,  telling  him  to  "rise,  take  up  hia 
sleeping-mat,  and  walk."  '  •■  ;■  v  ii 

The  commbn  feelings  of  humanity,  one  might  have  thought,  w(^d 
have  followed  an  act  so  tender  and  beautiful,  with  admiration  and 
heftrty  appro'^al.    Biit'tliere  is  no  cHme  that  may  not -be  dene  bjr  JW 


m  I 


;  \ 

■   «{ 


U 


40 


THELIPJS  OP  €Hia81l 


t 


I 


n:m 


I     I 


Datieism  allied  to  religious  opinion?;  no  doadness  to  triie  n)lfgfoa  too 
profound  for  tlie  championship  of  fancied  orthodoxy.  Pity,  charity, 
recognition  of  woitb,  or  nobleness  of  act  or  word,  give  place  to 
remorsjtjless  hatred  and  bloodthirsty  vengeance  where  there  is  relig- 
ious hatred.  Inquisitors  who  sent  thousands  to  the  stake  for  an 
abstract  proposition,  or  immured  them  in  dungeons,  and  feasted  on 
tiioir  torture  for  incapacity  to  repeat  some  vTetched  Shibboleth, 
havd  been  amiable  and  gentle  in  all  other  relations.  The  hierarcliical 
party  in  Jerusalem  comprised  men  of  all  dispositions,  aqd  of  every 
fihmGoi  sincerity,  and  its  opposite.  But  it  had  been  touched  in  its 
tenderest.susceptibilitiea  bvthe  preaching  of  the  Baptist;  for  it  h»d 
'been  called  to  account,  aud  had  had  its  shortcomings  held  up  before 
the  nation.  The  instinct  of  self-preservation,  and.  the  conservatism 
of  a  priestly  and  legal  order,  were  instantly  rousedi  and  assailed  the 
Reformer  with  the  cry  that  the  Law  aud  the  Temple  were  in  danger. 
The  Baptist  had  already  fallen;  most  likely  by  their  help;  but  a  suc- 
cessor more  to  be  dreaded,  had  risen  in  Jesus.  They  had  watched  His 
course  in- Galilee  with  anxiety,  which  had  already  show;n  itself  during 
Hisfirstshort  visit  to  Jerusalem  at  the  Passover  before,  and  in  His 
isubsequent  circuits  through  Judea.  Spies,  sent  from  Jerusalem, 
dogged  His  steps  and  noted  His  words  and  acts,  to  report  them  duly 
to  the  ecclesiastical  authorities,  who  had  seen  more  clearly,  day  biy 
day,:  that  a  mortal  struggle  was  inevitable  between  the  old  Theocracy 
and  the  Innovator.  Everything  was  in  their  favour.  They  were  in 
power,  and  could  at  any  moment  bring  Him  before  their  own  courts 
pn  trial,  even  for  life.  But  tliey  dreaded  overt  hostility,  and  for  a 
time  preferred  to  undermine  Him  secretiy,  by  mooting  suspicions 
amcmg  the  people  of  His  being  a  heretic,  or  affecting  to  think  Him 
a  mere  crazed  enthusiast.  His  most  innocent -sayings  were  perverted 
to  evil;  His  purest  aims  purposely  misconstrued.  Only  the  favour 
of  the  people,  aud  His  own  moderation,  prudence,  and  wisdom, 
wiifded  off  open  violence.  ,.  C 

:/'^iHe  hud  now,  however,  given  a  pretext  for  more  decided  action  than 
tiiey  had  ydt  taken.  No  feature  of  the  Jewish  system  was  so  marked 
as  their  extraordinary  strictness  in  the  outward  observance  of  the 
Sabbath,  as  a  day  of  entire  rest.  The  Scribes  had  elaborated  from 
the  command  of  Moses,  a  vast  array  of  prohibitions  and  injunctions, 
covering  the  whole  of  social,  individual,  and  public  life,  arid  carried 
it  to  the  extreme  of  ridiculous  caricature.  Lengthened,  rules  werei 
prescribed  as  to  the  kinds  of  knots  which  might  legally  be  tied  ou 
Sabbath.  The  camel-driver's  knot  aud  the  sailor's  were  unlawful, 
and  it  was  equally  illegal  to  tie  or  to  loose  them.  A  knot  which 
could  be  uutied  with  9ue  hand  might  be  undone.  A  shoo  or  sandal, 
a  woman's  cup,  a  wine  or  oil-skin,  or  a  flesh-pot  might  be  tied.  A 
pitcher  at  a  spring  wight  be  tied  to;  the  body-sash,  but  not  with  a 
.«prd. 
I  ,.  It  w^torbidd«n  to  write  tw«  letters,  tiithec  with,  the  right  Uantd  or 


THE  lilFB  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


the  left,  Whether  of  the  samcr  size  or  of  different  sizes,  br  with  difi 
ferent  inks,  or  in  different  languages,  or  with  any  pigment;  witli 
ruddle,  gum,  vitriol,  or  anything  that  can  make  marks;  or  even  to 
wFTEe'two  letters,  one  on  each  side  of  a  corner  of  two  walls,  or  on 
two  leaves  of  a  writiug-tablet,  if  •they  could  be  read  together,  or  ta 
write  tiiem  on  the  body.  But  they  might  be  written  on  any  dark 
fluid,  dn  the  sap  of  a  fruit-tree,  op  road-dust,  on  sand,  or  on  anything 
in  which  the  writing  did  not  remain.  If  they  were  written  with  tha 
hand  turned  upside  down,  or  with  the  foot,  or  the  mouth,  or  thei 
elbow,' or  if  one  letter  were  Added  to  another  previousdy  made,  or. 
^thef  letters  traced  over,  or  if  a  person  designed  to  write  tlie  letteif 

and  only  wrote  two  ,  or  if  ho  wrote  one  Tetter  on  the  ground  cmd 
one  on  tlie  wall,  or  on  two  walls,  or  on  two  pages  of  a  book,  90  that 
they  could  not  be  read  together,  it  was  not  illegal.  If  a  person, 
through  for^etfulness,  wrote  two  characters  at  different  times,  ond[ 
in  tlie'mornmg,  the  other,  perhaps  towards  evening,  it  was  a  question 
amoftg  tiio  Rabbis  whether  he  had  or  had  not  broken  the  Sabbath. 

The  quantity  of  food  that  might  be  carried  on  Sabbath  from  one 
place  to  another  wa^  duly  settled.  It  must  be  less  in  bulk  than  a 
dried  flg:  if  of  iiouey,  only  as  much  as  would  anoint  a  wound;  if 
water,  as  much  as  would  make  eye  salve;  if  paper,  a;}  much  as  would 
be  put  in  a  phylactery;  if  ink,  as  much  as  would  form  two  letters. 

To  kindle- or  exthiguish  a  tire  on  the  Sabbath  was  a  great  desecra- 
tion of  the  day,  nor  was  tven  sickness  allowed  to  violate  liabbinical 
rules.  It  was  forbidden  to  give  an  emetic  on  Sabbath— to  set  a 
broken  bone,  or  put  back  a  dislocated  joint,  though  some  Rabbis, 
more  libeml,  held  that  whatever  endangered  life  made  the  Sabbatk' 
law  void,  "for  the  Commands  were  given  to  Israel  only  that  the}!!. 
might  live  by  them."  One  who  was  buried  under  ruins  on  Sabbatlv 
might  be  dug  for  and  taken  out,  if  alive,  but,  if  dead,  he  was  to  be  left 
where  he  was,  till  the  Sabbath  was  over. 

The   holy  dav  beg  m  with  sunset  on  Frida3%  and  ended  with  the 
sunset  of  Saturaay,  but  as  the  disapjjearance  of  the  sim  was  the  only 
mark  of  the  time,  its  commencement  was  different  on  a  hill-top  and 
in  a  valley.   If  it  wet*e  cloudy,  the  hens  going  to  roost  was  the  signal. 
The   beginning  and  close  of  the  Sabbath  were  announced  by  a 
trumpet  from  the  Temple,  and  in  the  different  towns.     From  the 
decline  of  the  sun  on  Friday,  to  its  setting,  was  Sabbath-eve,  and  no 
work  which  Avould  continue  into  the  hours  of  Sabbath,  could  Uo 
done  in  this  interval.     All  food  must  be  prepared,  all  vessels  washed^' 
and  all  lights  kindled,  before  sunset.     The  money  gi'idle  must  be 
taken  off,  and  all  tools  laid  aside.    "On  Friday,  before  the  beginning 
of  tlie  Sabbath,"  said  one  law,  "no  one  must  go  out  of  his   house 
witli  a  needle  or  a  pen,  lest  he  forget  to  lay  them'aside  before  the  Sabn' 
bath  opens.      Every  one  must  also  search  his  pockets  at  that  time,.tq 
see  thut  there  is  nothing  left  in  them  with  which  it  is  forbidden  to  g», 
out  on  ^bt  Babbdth."    IHie.  refinemefiti  nf  Rabbinical  casut^iy -were," 


n 


f  ■• 


po 


THE  UFB  OF  CHmST. 


■  111 


lit 
ill 


indee^l,  endless.    To  wear  one  kind  of  sandals  was  canying  a  Iracdtn^ 

while  to  wear  anoth^t  kind  was  not.      One  might  carry  a  burden|On 

jfiis  sh.oaldei',  bnt  it  must  not  be  slung  between  twov  >  It  was  ualaw- 

fiilt^go  oiit  ivitli  wooden  sandals  or  shoes  which  had  nails  in  the 

'^dle^j  or  with  tt  shoe  and  a  slipper,  unless  one  foot  were  hurt.    It  was 

'4hl^tvful  for  any  one  to  cariT  a  loaf  on  the  public  str^t,  but  if  two 

•  •  ^arHfed  %  it  was  not  unlawfuL    The  Sabbath  was  believed  >to  prevail 

in  an  its  strictness,  from  eternity,  throughoui  the  universe.  .AU  the 

tlhhbliiicaJ  precepts  respecting  it  had  been  revealed  to  Jacob  from  the 

ptl^nals  on  the  tablets  of  heaven.     Even  in  hell  the  lost  had  n^st 

frftm  their  torments  on  its  sacred  hours,  and  the  waters  of  Bethesda 

might  be  troubled  on  Other  days,  but  were  still  and  unmoved  <  on 

tlliS,    ,        ,  _  ,  ■  .  .W.  7  Ajii-^   no ;  .'kii^Aii  • .  -, 

Iti  ah  tfifeincero  age  such  excessive  strictness  lea  to  ioonsteni  eva- 
sions by  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  alike.  To  escape  the  restricUdns 
whiph  liiiiited  a  journey  on  Sabbath  to  2,000  cubits  from  a  town  or 
city)  they,  carried  food  on  Friday  evening  to  a  spot  that  distance  be- 
yond, the' wall^  and  assumed,' by  a  fiction,  that  this  made  that  spot 
also  their  dwelliri^.  They  could  thus  on  the  Babbath  walk  the  full 
distance  to  it,  and  a'n  equal  distance  beyond  it,  this  journey  being  .only 
t^e  le^al  distance  from  the  fictitious  place  of  residence!  To  make  it 
hi"WtVil  t6  eat  together  on  the  Sabbath  the  Rabbis  put  chains  across 
the  tivQ  ends' of  a  street,  in  which  the  members  of  a  special  fraternity 
Uvefljjdi^d  called  it  a  single  dwelling,  while  to  excuse  their  tjarrying 
the'Thiiterials  of  their  Sabbath  repast  to  the  common  hall,  they  each 
laid  soiiie  food  in  it  on  Friday  evening,  to  create  the  fiction  of  its 
being  part  of  the  common  dwelling.  The  priestly  Sadducees,  on  the 
other  hand,  made  no  scruple  to  have  even  the  beasts  destined  for  tlieir 
kitchen  driven  to  their  shambles  on  the  Sabbnth,  on  the  pretext. that 
their  common  meals  were  only  a  continuation  of  tiie  Temple  service, 
by  wliich  the  rest  of  the  Sabbath  was  not  legally  broken. 

Nor  were  such  equivocations  the  only  liberties  taken  with  the 
sact-ed  day,  for,  however  uncompromising  with  others,  the  Phm'Isccs 
were  disposed  to  violate  the  Sabbath  laws  when  occasion  demanded. 
They  had  one  m&xim,  tiuiidly  ap|)Iie:l  it  is  true,  but  still  thciis; 
"The  Sabbath  is  for  you, but  you  are  not  for  the  Sabbath;!'  and 
another,  still  bolder,  "  Slake  a  common  day  of  j:our  Sabbath  rather 
than  goto  your  nei.'i^libour for  help."  '*     - 

The  priests  and  Rabbis,  thus  secretly  indulgent  to.  themselves,  but 
austerely  strict  before  the  world,  found  an  opportunity  iu  the  cure  at 
Bethesda  for  parading  their  hollow  puritauism,  and  at  the  same. time 
raising  a  charge,  against  Jesus,  for  the  man  had  been  healed  oathc 
Sa'bbath,  and  had  been  told  to  carry  his  sleeping-mat  witli  him  to  his 
horne.  This  was  enough.  Met  in  the  street,  carrying,  his  pallet,  by 
onle"  of  these  purists,  he  had  been  reprimanded  for  domg  sous  cou- 
trajy  tifji  the  Law,  and  had  trhielded  himself  by  the  command  of  Him 
who'  hd;d  mitaich  'oudy  cured  him.    It  was  not  till  ibme  iim&  sdUr, 


ams  across 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. .  «1 

whsn  Jesus  had  come  upon  him  ia  the  Temple,  that  he  kn^yr  the 
name  of  his  benefactor,  for  Jesus  liad  hurriea  away  ffoih  the  pool, 
after  curing  hina,  to  avoid  excitinj:?  the  multitude  round. 

It  seems  from  the  <;aution  given  him  nt  this  second  meeting,  to 
•*  sin  no  more,  lest  something  wprse  should  l?efall  him,'*  as  if  the  man 
hud  broUdit  his  infirmity  on  himself  by  misconduct.  Nor  did  his 
after  conduct  do  him  much  credit  He  had  no  sooner  discovered  the 
fact  than  he  went  to  the  officials  and  told  who  had  healed  him:.  From, 
tliat  moment  the  doom  of  Jesus  was  fixed.  Pharisee  and  Sadducee, 
liabbi  and  priest,  forgetting  their  mutual  hatreds,  caballed,  hence- 
forth, to  fasten  such  accusations  upon  Him  as  would  secure  His  dea^h, 
and  never  faltered  in  their  resolve  till  they  earned  it  out,  two  years 
later,  on  Cjilvary, 

Jesus  seems  forthwith  to  have  been  for  the  first  time  cited  before . 
the  authorities,  on  the  formal  charge  of  Sabbath-breaking;  but  His 
judges  were  little  prepared  for  the  tone  of  His  defence.  Left  to 
answer  for  Himself,  lie  threw  the  assembly  into  a  paroxysm  of  relig- 
ious fury  by  claiming  to  work  at  all  times  for  the  good  of  men,  since 
it  was  only  what  God,  His  Father,  had  done,  notwithstsmding  the 
Sabbath  Law,  from,  the  beginning  As  His  Son,  He  Wiia  as  little  to 
l)C  fettered  by  that  Law  or  subjeci;  to  it,  and  was  Lord  of  the  Sabbath. 
The  assembly  saw  v.^hat  t!ii^  implied.  He  had  added  to  His  Sabbath 
desectation  the  higher  crime  of  blasphemously  "making  Himself 
equal  with  God,  by  culling  Him  specially  His  Father."  The  excite- 
ment must  have  been  great,  for  Orientals  give  free  vent  to  their  feel- 
ings, under  any  circumstances.  Sonic  years  after,  the  same  tribunal, 
with  tlio  crowd  of  spectators,  gnashed  their  teeth  at  the  martyr  Stephen 
in  their  infuriated  bigotry,  and  cried  out  with  loud  voices,  and  stopped 
their  ears  at  his  words.  In  all  probability  a  similar  storm  rose  around 
Jesus  now.  But  He  remained  peri*  cily* calm,  and  when  silenpe  was 
in  a  measure  restored,  proceeded  with  Ills  defence  against  this  second 
charge. 

He  did  not  for  a  moment  deny  that  they  were  right  in  the  meaning 
they  put  on  His  wovdr,,  ]jiit  stated  more  f  iilly  why  He  used  them,  It 
was  impossible  for  Him  to  act  independently  of  His  Father;  He  could 
only  do  so  if  He  were  not  His  Son.  There  was  absolute  oineness  in 
the  spirit  and  aim  of  the  works  of  both,  as  in  those  of  a  son  who  looks 
■\rith  reverence  at  the  acts  of  n  father,  and  lias  no  thought  but  to  re- 
produce them.  "My  Father,  God,  in  His  love  for  me,  the  Son,  lays 
ever  open  before  me,  in  direct  sell-discloHure,  all  that  He  Himself^ 
does,  that  I  may  do  the  same.  You  marvel  at  my  healing  the  lame 
man,  but  the  Father  will  shov;  me  greate^'  Tvorks  than  this,  that  I  may 
repeat  them  here  on  earth,  and  that  you  may  wonder,  not  in  curiosity 
OS  now,  but  in  shame  at  your  unbelief  " 

"Let  mC  tell  you,"  He  continued,  ''what  these  great-er  works  are. 
In  your  Law  it  is  the  special  prerogative  of  the  Father  to  awaken  '>nd 
quickon  the  doad,  bMi  it  id  mine  also,  for  I,  the  Bon,  quidkftn  -W'mxm  I 


)>'  ! 


'■'i    i 


1^  t 


THE  'LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


451 

wflV^^  Anfd.asto  judgiupT  iaen  hero  (us  to  their  Bpiritual  state),  It  Is  ,- 
left  t()  nie  alone  by  itiy  Father,  that  all  men  may  honour  me  as  His  > 
representative,  as  they  honour  Him.    He  who  does  irot  honour  me.;t 
thd*Boo,  does  not  honour  the  Father  who  sent  me.    If  you  wish  to 
know  whom  I  spiritually  quicken,  they  are  those  who  hear  m^  word, 
and  Mieve  ilim  who  sent  me,  for  they  have  cvcrla&tinff  hfe  even 
l^ea^,  and  ftiro  not  under  condenmatiou,  but  have  passed,  from  de^th. 
tomfii  i  Verilv,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  The  hour  is  coming,  and  np\\»\ 
is,  when  the  (spiritually)  dead  will  hear  my  voice — the  vojce  of  the, , 
'  Boa  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  it  shall  live.    I  tht^s  wake  tlipm  to, " 
life,  b6C4us^  the  Father  lias  made  me  the  divine  fountain  of  life,  as 
He  Himselr,  the  living  God,  is.    He  has  also  given  me  authority  ^o 
Judge/ men,  because  I  am  the  Son  of  man.    '  ,    ;.i 

*^Bttt'marvel.not  at  what  I  have  said  of  waking  and  judging  th^i* 
spiritually  dead,  for  I  w  ill  do  yet  greater  works.  I  shall  one  (^ay ' 
rai|E|0  the  actually  dead  from  their  graves,  and  will  judge,  them  at  the 
gtesA,  d&^,  ra!$ing  those  that  did  good  in  this  world  to  the  rcsurrectiori 
of  life,  and  those  that  did  evil  to  a  resurrection  of  judgment.  Nor  h 
ther^  «:  fear  of  error,  .for  I  can  do  nothing  of  myself.  I  judge  as  \ 
hear  from  God,  who,  in  His  abiding  cornmunion  with  me,  makes, 
^nc^t^  His  divine  judgment,  which,  alone,  I  utter.  Hence  my  judgf  ■ 
ipent  cannot  err,  because  I  speak  only  that  of  God.  .'■ 

v'f^ou  may  say  that  I  am  bearing  witness  respecting  myself,  andf 
tbat^  therefore;  it  isof  no  value,  but,  if  yhw  think  thus,  there  is  another 
that -bfetirs  witness  tome,  and  ye  know  that  His  testimony  is  true— F 
mean  Grod,.  Himself.    You  sent  to  John,  and  he  bore  witness  tothe^i 
trut^.  /^ut  the  testimony  I  receive  is  not  that  of  man.    I  only  jsny 
the6©  things  that  you  may  be  saved,  by  taking  John's  testimony  to 
hearty  and  being  waked  by  it  to  faitli  in  nie,  and  a  share  in  the  salva-r 
tion  which^as  the  Messi<ih,  I  offer  you.     What  a  wondrous  appearance 
John  w^as!    Hci  was  a  burning  and  sliming  lamp,  and  you  wished  for 
a  time- to  rejoice  in  hi*  l^ht,  but  when  you  found  that  he  called  you 
to  repenu^ncc  rather  than  to  national  f.;lory  and  worldly  prosper! tyiv 
you  forsook  him  and  became  his  cnecjics.     The  light  he  shed  was^ioi: 
of  the  kiad  you  desired.  . ;  ^.f? j 

*•  But  I  have  a  witness  which  is  greater  than  that  of  John.  The 
work  which -the  Father  has  given  me,  to  bring  to  compietTon-^the 
work  of  founding  and  raising  the  new  kingdom  of  God,  as  His  Mes^ 
siah,— Uiis;  inall.  tliat  it  implies  of  outward  and  spiritualWondeis, 
bears  rivitnoss  that  the  Fathw  ht»s  sent  me.  And  not  only  does  Gi)d 
Himself  testify  of  me  indiii^ctly,  by  my  work  as  His  Messiah  He 
does  s{)  dirootly,  in  your  Scriptures.  But  ye  have  not  recognized  the 
voice  of  this  testimony,  nor  rcolized  the  image  of  me  it  presents.  You 
are-spiritually  deaf  to  tlie  one.  and  blijid  to  the  other.  Ye  have  not 
fhjB-tMie  s^je^of  God's  word  in  your  consciences,  for  you  So  not  be: 
li^elqkiM&^Mes^iah,  whoin  Hehas  sent,  andol^Vhowt  these  Sorij)tiiix»f> 
tebtify.    Hiey  ■^ilncFs  to  mc  as  the  mediator  of  eternal  life,  atid,  there* 


THK  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


4» 


fore,  every  oBe  who  humbly  studies  thcni  as  the  £uiUo  to  that  life, 
•will  be  |K)ilited  by  them  to  me.  You  search  the  Scnptiiresprofesgttig 
to  Wish  to  find  life,  and  yet  refuse  to  accept  me'  How  delf -contra- 
dictory and  self-condemning! 

'•I  do  not;  reproach  you  thus,  from  any  feeling  of  wounded  pride, 
for  I  care  nothing  for  the  applause  of  men.  I  do  it  because  I  Know 
the  grouna  of  your  disbelief — you  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  your 
heart».  If  you  had*  you  would  recognize  and  receive  His  Son,  whom 
lie  has  sent.  I  have  come  in  my  Father's  name,  as  His  cotnmissiohed 
representrttive — ^the  true  Messiah-^and  vou  have  rejected  me  with  un- 
believing contemj)t,  but  when  a  false  Messiah  comes  in  his  own  name, 
y^u  will  receive  him  1  It  is  no  wonder  you  have  rejected  me,  for  how 
IS  it  possible  that  such  as  you  could  believe,  who  have  nohigher  crav- 
ing than  to  give  and  accept  empty  earthly  honours,  and  are  indifferent 
to  the  only  true  honour  that  comes  from  being  acknowledged  and 
ptaised  of  God?  ' 

'^iYou  trust  in  Moses,  who,  you  think,  lias  promised  you  favour 
with  God,  here  and  hereafter.  Beware!  there  is  no  need  that  X  should 
apcuse  you  before  my  !Father,  for  your  unbelief  in  me.  Hoses,  him* 
self,  in  the  books  in  which  you  trust,  is  your  accuser,  for  if  ye  had 
believed  His  writings  ye  would'have  believed  me,  for  hfe  wrote  of  ixie. 
But  if  ye  be  so  blinded  as  neither  to  see,  nor  to  believe  his  wtiitings, 
how  will  ye  believe  my  words?" 

The  autiiorities  had  never  had  such  a  prisoner  before  them.  They 
i^cw  not  whjit  to  do  with  Hf?m,  and,  in  their  confusion  and  Utter 
defeat,  could  only  let  Him  depart  \inharmcd.  They  had  not  yet  sum- 
moned courage  to  proceed  to  open  violence.  * 

This  was  the  turning  point  in  the  life  of  Jesus.  TUl  n6w.  He  hAd 
enjoyed  a  measure. of  toleration  and  even  of  acceptance,  but,. hence' 
forth,  all  was  changed.  Jei"usalem  was  no  longer  safe  for  Him,  and, 
even  in  Galilee,  He  was  dogged  by  determined  enmity.  The  fthad^w 
of  the  Cross  darkened  His  whole  future  career. ' 

Free  from  His  enemies,  Jesus  appeal's  to  have  i^turned  at  Once  to 
Gahiee/in  the  hope,  i)erhapfl,  that  there,  fixr  from  Jerusalem,  witliits 
fierce  reIigio?is  fanaticism  and  malevolent  hypocrisy.  He  COuld  breathe 
more  freely ,  in  the  still  and  clear  air  of  the  hills.  But  reli^ous  hatred 
is  beyond  all  others  intense  and  persistent.  There  were  liabbis  and 
priests  there,  as  weJl  as  in  the  south,  and  they'WAtqh^  HU.jCTeffy 
step.'  ■■  .irr:B^         '^/f  ^ft■■:"Y-^..^^' :^ 

A  fresh  occasion  for  accusation  could  not  be  long  of  rising,  tie 
had  left  Jerusalem  immediately  after  the  Passover,  and  on  the  Sabbath 
after  the  second  day  of  the  Feast — or,  it  may  be,  a .  Sabbath  later-^a 
new  charge  was  brought  against  Him.  In  the  short  distance  which 
it  was  lawful  to  walk  on  a  Sabbath — less  than  three-quartefs  o|  a 
mUe— the  p^th  lay  through  ripening  fields  of  barley— for:  Niisan,  tlie 
Passover  month,  waa  the  ancient  Abib,  or  month  of  earii)^,  ani,4  .^^ 
firdt  eariy  shea|  was  o££cred  on  the  second  day  of  tli4  V^i^m.' }  || 


8 


^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRlBT. 


I 


'; 


m  «' 


M 


'  ,vaa  \>T  the  Law,  and  by  Eastern  custom,  free  to  all  tp  pliick  etra 

.  .cnotigE  in  a  corn-field,  or  grapes  enough  from  a  vine,  to  supply  liun 

gcr,  and  the  didciples,  as  every  Oriental  still  does  in  the  same  circum- 

A(ance9,  availied  themselves  ot  this  liberty,  plucking  some  ears'  of  the 

.  Iiartey,  and  rubbing  them  with  their  hands  as  they  went  on.    The 

..  field  tajust  have  been  near  some  town,  most  likely  Capernaum,  for  a 

number  of  people  were  about,  and  among  others,  some  spies.    It  was 

;  jno  wonder  both  He  and  the  disciples  were  hungry,  for  no  Jew  could 

break  his  fast  till  after  the  raoniin^  service  at  the  synagogue,  or  take 

.ipupper  till  after  the  evening  service,   but  He  had  sanctioned  two 

.  Q^enGes  against  the  Sabbath  Taws.    The  plucking  the  ears  was  a  kind 

pf  reajiinp;,  and  the  rubbing  was  a  kind  of  grmding  or  threshing. 

Besides,  it  was  required  that  all  food  should  be  prepared  on  Friday, 

,  Jt)efpre  stmset,  and  the  rubbing  was  a  preparation.     On  any  other  day 

'  4here  would  have  been  no  cause  of  blame,  but  to  break  the  Sabbath 

rather  than  differ  hunger  for  a  few  hom*s,  was  gull  t  worthy  of  stoning. 

Was  it  not  their  twast  that  Jews  were  known,  over  the  world,  by 

_  Iheir  readiness  to  die  rather  than  break  the  holy  day?    Every  one 

bad  stories  of  grand  fidelity  to  it.    The  Jewish  sailor  had  refused, 

eyen  t?.hen  threatened  with  death,  tg  touch  the  helm  a  moment  af |^r 

the  sun  had  set  on  Friday,  though  a  storm  was  raging;  and  had  not 

thousands  let  themselves  be  butchered  rather  than  touch  a  weapon  in 

self-defence  pn  the  Sabbath?    The  "new  doctrine"  of  Jesus  would 

,  turn  the  world  upside  down  if  not  stopped! 

.  -The  spies  of  tlie  hierarchical  party,  who  had  seen  the  offence,  at 
"once  accused  Him  for  allowing  it,  but  His  answer  only  made  matters 
.  worse.  He  reminded  them  hpw  David,  when  pressi;d  by  hunger,  in 
his  fligl^t  from  ^aul,  had  eaten  the  holy  bread  and  given  it  to  his  fol- 
Iow<jw,  though  it  was  not  lawful  for  any  but  priests  to  eat  it.  Did 
that  npt  show  that  the  claims  of  nature  overrode  those  of  a  cere- 
monial rule?  that  the  necessity  of  David  and  his  followers  was  to  be 
cpnsidered  before  the  observance  of  a  tradition?  The  law  of  nature 
came  from  God,  the  theocratic  prohibition  vras  of  man.  '*  And  have 
you  not  read  in  the  Law/'  added  He,  "  how  the  priests  work  at  tjieh- 
duties  on  the  Sabbath,  and  yet  are  held  blameless,  though  they  are  in 
fact  breaking  the  holy  day,  if  your  traditions  and  rules  are  to  be  the 
unbending  standard?  What  is  lawful  for  the  servants  of  the  Temple 
to  do  on  raabbath  must  much  more  be  lawful  for  my  servants  to  do 
on  that  day,  for  1  am  greater  than  the  Temple.  You  condemn  my 
disciples  because  your  thoughts  are  so  flexed  on  outward  rites  that  you 
have  forgotten  how  God  thinks  less  of  them  than  of  acts  of  mercy. 
Does  He  not  say,  *I  will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice?'  It  is  in 
your  want  of  mercy  that  you  accuse  my  followers.  They  have, 
besides,  acted  under  my  authority.  The  Sabbath  was  made  for  man, 
ii^t  iniaii  for  tlie  Sabbath,  as  even  the  Pharisees  allow,  and  therefore, 
im^^^y  case,  its  laws  must  give  vreiif  before  human  necedsities.  But 
J.  Uit  JSou  pf  Han—- the  representative  of  man  aU  mau-^the  Mewiah 


1  II 


Ti!ir  LIFE  OF  OHHT^t. 


P'Wtfi 


of  Ood— ATfi  still  higher  thai!  any  individual  man  ai^  abore  an  your 
Sabbath  Ikws."-,"^--/  '■  -V'V'  • '"  ' '-''-'  "  "'• '  '  -'   "  '  "^  ' 

Siich  a  retort  hfad  ffti^h  trariicend^rif  cWima  may  well  hi#G  sdartlcd 
Tlis  »iccu8ers,  but  they  only  deepened  their  hntrad,  for  bigotry  is  blind 
and  deaf  to  any  reason.  Charge  was  being  added  to  chiirge,  aoonsa- 
t'otito  acciisatibri.  He  had  claimed  tliiB  power  to  forgive  shis;  He 
liiid  iBssp<?iated  with  publicans  and  sinners;  Hehadsliown  no  zeal  for 
washings  or  fasts,  and,  now,  He  had,  a  second  time,  openly  desMrftted 
the  Sabbath.  '"  *"  *      i  if 

His  defence  had  only  made  His  position  towards  the  Pliarisaic 
lawa  niorc  antagonistic  than  ever,  for  it  had  denied  that  they  were 
unconditionally  binding.  Their  authority  depended  on  circum- 
stances: they  were  not  owned  as  directly  diVinle.  God  had  planted  a 
higher  law  in  the  human  breast,  and  the  system  of  the  Rabbis  must 
yield  before  it.  He  liad  virtually^  alleged  that  the  time  was  come  to 
free  Israel  from  the  yolce  of  traditional  observancci  and  to  taise  anew 
spiritual  kingdom  on  thie  imperishable  basis  of  truly  divine  laW.  By 
their  system  man  was  subordinated  to  the  Sabbath,  not  th&  BabbMh 
toman.  This  harshness  was  not  the  design  or  will  of  God.  The 
Sabbath  had  been  given  by  Hin>  for  the  good  of  man,  and  was  to  be 
a  day  of  refreshment,  peace,  and  joy,  not  of  pain,  sorrow,  and  terror. 
Jesus,  therefore,  proclaimed  expriessly  that  man  is  greater  than  the 
Sabbath,  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  Pliarisaic  teaching.  Which 
made  tlie  Sabbath  of  immeasurably  greater  worth  than  man.  Mdn, 
and  still  more  Himself,  as  the  repnjsuntative  of  humanity,  in  its  Abid- 
ing dignity  and  rights — the  Son  of  Man — is  the  Lord  o'f  the  Sabbath. 
It  was  a  proclamation  of  spiritual  freedom.  '^   ^      ■'' 

The  lowering  schoolmen  of  the"  day,  and  the  priestly  pArty,  ft\t 
themselves  threatened  in  their  most  cherished  hopes,  wii^es,  and  in- 
terests. The  breach  between  them  and  Jesus  had  been  final,  slrice 
His  half-cpntemptuous  words  about  the  old  garment  and  the  old 
bottles.  They  had  marked  Him,  definitely,  as  opposed  1o  traditional 
Ivabbinism,  as  a  dangerous  agitator,  and  an  enemy  of  the  venerated 
"Hedge  of  the  Law,"  the  glory  of  successive  generations  oT  Rabins. 
Tlic  hierarchy  would  at  once  have  indicted"  Him  publicly,  but  for 
lii;  wide  popularity;  the  devotion  felt  for  Him  by  the  multitudes  He 
bad  healed  or  comforted;  the  transparent  singleness  of  His  alms  and 
labours;  the  gentleness  and  dignity  of  His  character,  which  enforced 
reverence;  and  His  divine  humility  and  lowliness  of  heart, which 
made  Him  so  unassailable.  .     . 

The  synagogues  werx^".  as  yet,  open  to  Him,  and  He  still  frequented 
them,  for  the  facilities  they  offered  of  tear^hing  the  people.  Another 
violation  of  the  Pharisaic  laws  of  the  Sabbath  soon  followed,  in  one 
of  the  services.  He  liad  gone  to  the  synagogue,  and  was  teaching  in 
it,  when  He  noticed  a  man  whose  right  hand,  withered  by  long-stand- 
inj;  local  paralysis  and,  its.  consequent  atrdphy,  hung  helpless  W*  his 
side.    Meanwhile,  the  Scribes  and  other  Pharisees,  now  eonsttntl^on 


m 


WMm 


1. ';  »■. 


lii. 


ISB 


TO^.UF^  OF  CIIK18T. 


the  T^i^tch  against  Him,  sat  with  keen  eyes  to  sec  if  II(;  woyld  venture 
to  brealc  their  Sabbath  laws  once  more,  by  healing  tlie  sufferer,  wlio 
Could  claim  no  help  till  the  sacred  day  was  over,  na  he  was  in  no  im- 
mediate danger  of  life.  Their  finc-spnu  ctisuistiy  had  elaborated 
endless  rules  for  the  treatment  of  all  malndies  on  the  sacred  day.  A 
person  in  liealtli  was  not  to  take  medicine  on  the  Babbath.  FOr  the 
toothache,  vinegar  iniglit  be  put  in  the  inouth,  if  it  were  afterwards 
■  uwallowed,  but  it  must  not  be  spat  out  again.  A  sore  throat  must 
not  be  gargled  with  oil,  but  the  oil  might  be  swallowed.  Il  was  un- 
lawful to  rub  ti.o  teeth  with  sweet  spice  for  a  cure,  but,  if  it  were 
done  to  sweeten  the  breath,  it  was  permitted.  No  fomentations,  £:v., 
could  be  put  to  affected  parts  of  the  body.    One  prohibition  I  muf:!t 

give  in  Latin.  "Qui  pediculum  occidit  sabb.  idem  est  ac  si  utti- 
eret  camelum."  The  school  of  Schammai  held  it  unlawful  to  com- 
fort the  sick,  or  visit  the  mourner  on  the  Sabbath,  but  the  school  of 
llillel  pennitt(jd  it. 

It  was  clear,  therefore,  that,  if  any  cure  of  the  withered  hand  were 
attempted,  there  would  be  ground  for  another  formal  charge  of  Bab- 
bath-breaking,  which  brought  with  it  death  by  stoning. 

But  Jesus  never  feared  to  do  right.  Ko  thought  of  self  evtr  come 
between  Him  and  II  is  witness  to  the  truth.  Looking  over  at  His 
enemies,  as  they  sat  on  the  chief  seats,  He  read  their  hearts,  and  felt 
that  fidelity  to  the  very  l;iw  which  His  expected  action  would  be  held 
/to  have  broken,  demanded  that  that  act  be  done. 
.''■■r'^ls  whole  soul  was  kindled  with  righteous  anger  and  sorrow  at  the 
hdrdness  which  forced  conscience  to  be  .silent,  rather  than  confess  the 
truth.  It  was  needful  tliat  such  hollow?icss  and  wilful  peiwersity 
should  be  exposed.  As  the  Son- of  Gcd—iuo  Messiah — sent  to  fount! 
a  kingdom  of  pure  spiritual  religion.  He  felt  that  the  wisdom  of  the 
schools,  priestly  mediation,  sacrifices,  Temple  rites,  and  Sabbatli  laws, 
were  only  a  glittering  veil,  which,  shut  out  the  knowledge  of  eternal 
truth,  alike  towards  God  and  towards  man.  He  hud  taught  and 
healed,  announced  tJjie  kingdom  of  spirit  and  truth,  cheered  the  poor, 
reproved  sinners,  lifted  the  humble  from  the  dust,  and  gatbereq  the 
godly  round  Himself.  Dull,  mechanical  obedience  to  wortldess 
forms;  or  love,  from  the  fulness  of  the  heart,  was  now  the  question, 
in  religion  and  morals.  Should  true  religion  be  spread,  or  error  con 
firmed?  Should  He  silently  let  blinded  men  fancy  their  blind 
leaders  right,  or  shovdd  He  brave  all,  to  open  their  eyes  and  lead  them 
into  the  true  ways  of  His  Father?  Looking  at  the  paralyzed  man, 
He  bade  him  rise  from  the  floor,  on  which,  With  the  rest  of  the  c?on- 
gregfttion,  he  had  been  sitting,  and  stand  forth  in  the  midst,  and,  oa 
liis  doing  so,  in  ready  obedience  to  one  so  famous.,  turned  once  more 
to, the  scowling  Rabbis  on  the  dais.  "Is  it  lawful  on  the  Sabbath 
day^"  He  asked  them,  "to  do  good,  or  to  do  evil,  to  save  life,  or  to 
destroy  it?"  '  Biit  they  held  their  peace,  fearing  they  niight  commit 

mwm^Y^\^w^Yiwif^  iprit)^^t,  9^!^ 


toS^ife  di*  (^ilHtW.* 


m 


blc,  Is  it  not,"  He  resumed,  "  to  lay  hold  on  a  eiieep  which  has  fallen 
into  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  help  it  out?  How  much  then,  is 
a  maa  better  than  a  sheep?  Wherefore  it  is  lawful  to  do  well  on  (he 
Sabbath."  "  Stretch  forth  thy  hand,"  aiid  He,  continuing,  to  the  mt- 
ferer;-rand  the  liand  which,  till  then,  had  hung  wasted  and  lifclesa 
Ht  his  side,  was  healthy  and  strong  as  the  other. 

Jesus  felt  the  si.^uiticauce  of  the  moment.    He  felt  that  the  silence 
of  His  aceusar:*  Wiis  not  from  conviction,  but  sullen  obstinacy,  which 
had  shut  Its  cans  against  the  truth.     He  felt  that,  between  film  tm4 
till)  leadtcr.s  of  the  niition,  there  "was  henceforth  a  hopeless  separatiou'., 
They  had  Anally  rejected  Him,  and  e'nikl  henceforward  6nly  seek** 
His  destruction.     Their  fanaticism,   now  fairly  roused,  forgot   all 
minor  hatreds,  and  united  tlie  hostile  factions  of  the  nation  in  common" 
zeiil  for  His  destruction.     No  parties  could  be  more  opposed  than  the 
nationalists  or  Pharisees,  and  the  Friends  of  Home  gathered  round 
lliirod  Antipas  at  Tiberias,  bi^t  they  now  united  to  hunt  Jesus  to  tjie 
death     The  atliance  boded  the  greatest  danger,  for  it  showed  thslt, , 
in  addition  to  religious  fanaticism.  He  had  now  to  encounter  the' 
suspicion  of  designing  political   revolution.     The?  Church  and  the 
JHat'j  had  banded  together  to  put  "  the  deceiver  of  the  people"  out  pf 
llic  way  as  soon  as  possible.  ' 

It  had  been  inevitable  from  the  first  that  it  should  be  so..  The 
Jerusalem  party  expected  tlio  "  Salvation  oT  Israel"  from  the  tmcon-' 
ditional  restoration  of  the  theocracy,  with  themselves  at  Its  head,  and 
from  the  strictcjst  enforcement  of  outward  legal  observances.  "Wliile 
tho  contrast  between  Judaism  and  heathenism  was,  meanj^hile,' ^ 
iuteusifled  and  embittered  to  the  utmost,  they  hoped  before  long  to 
crush  Rome,  or  perish  in  the  attempt.  Thcy^ould  have  greeted! 
any  one  who  proved  able  to  impose  their  law,  m  all  its  strictness,  on ' 
mankind, — as  a  deliverer,  as  the  stem  from  the  root  of  David,  as  tho; 
Saviour  and  Messiah.  In  Jesus,  on  the  contrary,  there  iappeai^Cd  one  j 
wliQ,  wMlq  constraining  their  wonder  at  His  lofty  morality  and; 
spiritual  greatness,  was  tlie  very  opposite  of  all  theV  wished  antJ^ 
hoped.  He  claimed  to  be  the  Hessiali,  but  ITis  ideal  of  the  Messiah' ' 
ship  was  the  antithesis  of  that  of  the  RaT)bi^  and  priesthood.  He  had] 
aanounced  Himself  as  the  founder  of  a  new  theocracy  more  spirittlal! 
aud  more  holy  than  that  of  Moses.  He  had  throwp  a  new  light  oii; 
the  Scriptures;  had  revealed  God  in  a  new  aspect — as  no  raerej 
national  deity,  but  the  Father  of  all  mankind,  arid  He  had  taught  tho! 
inost  startling  novelties  as  to  the  freedom  of  the  individual  conscience. ' 
Tile  Kabbis  had  enjoyed,  as  their  exclusive  prerogative,  the  exposition' 
of  Scripture,  but  now  found  themselves  dethroned  by  the  roligioua, 
freedom.Jesus  had  proclaitiied,  and  He  had  even  spoken  of  them  &s' 
■.'d  hindrance  of  true  knowledge.  The  spirit  of  His  teaching  COtn-. 
proiaised  the  whole  state  of  things  in  the  religious  world.  'He  pro-:^ 
ciamie^  a  new  futiure,:  the  vested  rigUts  of  the  day  cltmg  to  th^  W^tll 
with  wtiinh  fheir  iiitefests  and  thetf  0S^'6lon«  i^ite4'l[Kfltifle4'''-f*=^^-'^^ 


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33  WfST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14SS0 

(716)  873-4503 


'%'• 


^  Am, 


I 


Ti^ 


T^^.limQiR,QBmH% 


.  The  DQxr  ^rioie  was  thus  lUieady  bmsti9gf  Uie  old  bottlof^i^^thd 
Insult  qotlld  not  be  doubtffil.  Confiecvatism  f^t  itself  in^ts^t^i?^  lor 
it  bad  beeh'  weighed,  and  fom^d  wanting.  The  priedihood^h^d 
Iwicome  a  dividing  wall  between  God  and  l£irael.  The  reii^km^depay 
oif  the  nation,  found  in  it  its  exptessios.  The  sacrifices  were  mere 
outward  forms;  the  Tempte;  notwithstanding  the  glory  wi^wiaicU 
Qerod*8  love  of  magnificence  and  bypocriticu  piety  bad  adornecb  it, 
wa8asyi^d)ol.otexclu$ivene8S,  intolerance^  and  hatred  Qf,,pttmanity 
at  large;,  the  high  oi^cialisbi  of  the  day,  a  dam  against  j^eryy^rm, 
eti^^breathoffitiah  religious  thought,  aad^every  j^te^^igili^i  ti£R^ 
spiritual lifo^ >    ;:^:'    .    ^  ,  .  ■•  '  /  :-n,:r;..:/u  t{;i.,-:  . 


I! 


'f1  - « 


GHAPTEB  :s:^^MX, 


aALiiJSB; 


■^/■f' 


'ly^'X^'f'^ 


r 
I: 


Uiyffjt^v^^ 

iWoppbkition  of  the  it^ibbis  and  prtests,  hiiK^Teif'  mal!gg|to^aiid 
fi^ed»  was  as  yet  coniined'to  secret  plottlngs.  With  the  pe<^^jat 
lar^e^iJesiis  continued  even  increasingly,  popular.  It  was  lUivisgJble, 
however,  to  avoid  any  pretext  for  overt  hostility^  and  hei^c^rHe 
withdrew  from  Capernaum  for  a,  time^  on  another  missicm  to.itlie 
towns,  and  viliagea  on  tha  edge  of,  the  Lake,  till  tide  stonn>  in  a 
measure,  blew  over.  To  the  chagrin  of  His  enemies,  the  muitltudes 
attriEK^tiBd  t6  see  and  hear  Him  were  lai'^er  than  ever  The  eixcitQineDt 
wai  evidently  spreading  through  all  Palestine,  for  numbers,  stiilr con- 
tinued .to  conie  from  Jecusalettn  and  Idutoea  on  the  south;  fi^om 
Perea%ud  Decapblis  and  other  part^  on  the  east,  aii^  even  frop|i  /Uio 
lieathen  district  round  Tyre  and  ^idon  on  the  north.  The^e  Were 
Biidny  Jew^  settled  in  every  part, of  the  land,  and  the  concourjserwas 
no  doubt'6f  such  almbst  exclusively.  It  was  even  found  nec^fsary 
t|iat  a  boat  should  Attend  Hm,  as  m  journeyed  along  the  shoi^/that 
He  hught  betake  Himself  tQ  it  wh^n;  the  tljrong  grew  ©j^pl^Q8siye. 
Hirac^Taiks  cdses :  in«  ,g^e&t  number  increased  the  excitenicDt,  iptpy 
wlio  crowd  3d  iound  Him  finding  relief  bjr  touching  eycnHi&ciejthes, 
ajud  unelea^apirits  falling  down  .before  Him  in  involuntary  confei^on 
of  His  beiiig  ttie  Son  of  God.  But  though  His  pity  would  npjt  refuse 
tp  Ileal  BQjr  who  came,  He  still  sought  to  avoid  tb«  oll^nce  of  too 
great  hotonet^,  by  requiring  seqrecy.  His  gentle  and  unostentatious 
progress  Was  m  such  vivid  cotitrast  to  the  boisvand  disjputetjioui^i^a}] 
of  tne  Rabbis,  that  St.  Matthew  saw  in  it  a  fumlmeht  of  the  Mes^isjais 
visions  of  Isaiah,  f  0r  He  did  hot  Mriye,  nor  cry  alpudy  |U>r/W^  His 
voice  hea.rd  in  the  streets,  and  in  His  tender  gentleness  Me  yi^ould  Pot 
biicak  a  bruised  reed,  or  quench  even  the  smoking  tia*.j  :;.  j  ";  j 
]  /^he  Go^pelis  do  noit  enable  us  to  follow  any  chronolci|^6tjtl'  seouence 
liniihe  incidents  recorded  by.them,o£'these  nignth^  of  o^^  Xprd's 
ministry)  .but  itjtousLbaYe  been  about  thia  t!me,peri»ap3on  HiSjretum 
it»;Oapeniaiiun^iroin  this  mis|<UQQ»  thattwe  I^^8|  4«te,^ii9  .Qf  iig^pipst 


TBfi  LIFB  QFrCHRIftt* 


fit 


intereiitiii^  dif  'tbei?  narrativ^es.  He  had  scarc^  reached-  bome^  after 
His  eirotiljt,  "wbeii  |i  deputation  of  "  the  elders  m  the  Jetvs"  uniit^  oil 
Him;  They  were  the  foremost  mien  in  the  Oaperaaiim  comrnunity— 
the  gbveraiog  bodj  of  the  synagogue,  and,  as  sueh,  tlie  Jewish  magis- 
trates of  the  towDt.  ti  is  the  habit  in  the  Easft  t04»end  sqch  embasnes 
whefn'any  request  is  to  b6  made  or  invitation  given  with  circumstances 
of  special  'respiect,  but  there  was  a  featui^  in  this  ca.^e  that  mad^  it 
▼ery  itnusual  The  members  of  the  deputation,  thoiUgh  Jetrish  ecole- 
eiastieal  officials^  <»me  a^  the  representatives  of  a  heathen,  possiiAy  of 
a  &imiriiaiiv  Lying  on  tiie  ed^  of  his  territory,  Herod  AntlpaSRept 
a  small  garrison  in  Capernaum,  and  this,  at  that  time,  was  under 
•command  of  a  centurion^  who,  like  many  of  the  better  heathen  of  the 
day,  had  been  drawn  towards  Judaism  by  its  favourable  contrast  with 
idolatry.  He  had  showia  hiis  sympathy  with  the  nation^  and  his 
generous  spirit,  in  a  way  then  uot  i^ncommon  among  the  Wealthy,  by 
building  a  synagogue  in  the  town — perhap  that  of  which  the  massive 
ruinb^^itl  remain.  One  6!  his  slaves  had  been  struck  with  a  paralytic 
aife&tton,  iM^d  was  fast  siuking;  and  with  a  tenderness  that  did  bim 
infinite  bouour  in  ap  a^e,  when  a  slave,  with  many  mavSters,  and  et^n 
in  the  ^yept  tUe  Roman  law,  was'treated  as  a  merer  chattel,  he  prayed 
JesUs,  through  the  Jewish  eldeVs,  to  heal  him.  Their  request  #as  ^t 
ohce  (io^ipUed  wJth^  a^d .  f^m  fc^bwitb,  set  out^with  them  toi  Ibe 
centarl[oh>'Q^^«rters.,^^?■•!'  -'.'■^^^ •*■*-•'  '^''  ^''^\   :^-^^^^'^'i^)  'A't-rjif^Jra   ^ 

But  the  zeal  of  the  iriessengers  had  dutrhn  their  coiAmission,  fcstj^M 
Jesuilrappeaached;  the  house,  a  second  deputation  met  JSim,  to  depre- 
cate ni»  being  >put  to  so  much  trouble,  and  to  apologize;  bya^hunible 
expfes^ieo  of  the  ceuturioni's  sense  of  his  unworthinessof  thi^  hondur 
of  such,  in  One  comliig;  lihder  his  roof.  He,  himself,  appeal^  to  Ua^e 
folk)Wed;  a$  if •  it  had  been  too'  g#eat  a  liberty  to  approak;fa  Je^is 
except  at  the  distance  of  two  mediation^.  *•  Lorn,?'  said  htej  ♦•  trottble 
not  Thyself  {  for  I  aim  jacft  worthy  that  Thou  shonTdst  dntei^uUderttiy 
roof.  WhereloVcj  neflthe^  tkmight  I  myself  worthy  to  comb  to  Thfee ; 
but  siy  iu  a;  word,  ana  ray  servant  shall  be  healed.  J'or  I,  iilso;'atti  a 
m^tt  set  under  authority  (^lid  render  ■ol)edleiiC0  to  my^  superiors),  and 
have  soWUiars' Under  me,  «nd  1  say  to  this  one,  Gk),  and  he  goe«:'to 
anotliC!^,  Cbme,  and  he  comes;  and  to  my  servant,  .Do  this,  aid  he 
does  it.  lf»  therefore,  Ybu  indicate  Yotlr  pleasure/ only  by  a  word, 
the  demons  Who  cause  diseases  will  at  once  obey  You  and  leave- the 
sick  itt^n,f<xt  they  are  under  YoUr  authoiity  as  my  servants  are  under 
mine/'  ■•■  ■  '■     '  •      '  ■       ■  '■' '    ,■•-■:■■•  ^--^  ,,  • 

Faith  s6  clear,  undoubting,  and  humble/hadneVer  before  cheered 
the  heart  of  Jesus,  even  from  a  Jew,  and,  coming  as  it' did  from  the 
lips  of  a  heathen,  it  seemed' the  first-fruits  of  a  vast  harvest,  outside 
the  limits  of  the  Ancient  People.  Hfe  had  found  a  wdconie  in 
Samaria  when  teiected  in^  Judea;  and  liow  it  was  from  a  heathen  He 
received  this  lowly  homage.  The  clouds  that  had  lain  ovter  the  world 
throu|^  ^thf^^  jMlBt  (iMmtfd^tiBi  braak  away»  and  ^  new  terth  ^^nrwdltMlf 


i 


■:?l 


1* 


ill' 


4m 


i'jV^:vr-H, 


Iv'.-i'  -'j!("i 


l^  welcomed,  by,  t^e. despised .  gentile  nations/    "  Verilv,**  ma  mil 
'Vl-tellypu,  Ijhave  Qpt,  found  so  great  faith,  ji(^,  not  in  'istiiel,_  Aiicl 


I  say  pntQ  yon  that  many  shall  com^  fom  the  ea^t  aind  t^ '#e9ti  ai^d' 
Ijie  aowp  at  the  tatfle  of  God  in  tl^e  kingdom  of.  tlieMe^waujii^. 
Hpn^iiypd  guests,  witU  Al?rahaui,  Isaac^  and  ^afbbi  while  th^  ■'J'ci^r,'' 


who  piji^de^,  himself  op,  j^eih§,  by  birth,  the  clfijld  pf  ^'e  hei 

,  as  doomed  to  sit  'jn  the 
^  .      ,  \Iessiah,  will  hate  to.  efiank^/M^^^, 

wj^h  jiibeinf  *    1<?  His  hearers  such  language  would  spe^kwim^jferc^ 


tiMnt 


^l 


rn,  and,  despised  iaii  others,  ai^  doomed  to  sll 
outside  the  banquei  hall  o^  the  Messiah,  "Will  hate 
,  efnf  *   Tif  His  hearers  such  language  would  s, 
to  he  mea^iured  only  by  their  fierce  pnde  and  intolefah(fe.    To'  iih^^e. 


t6j|,i;«||ectipii^nd  despair  aye  to^  pe .theirs  | .  The  cphtrast^  bi9tTv*eeh  0es^3 
apq,|hq,papbi3  w^a^qailv  ppc9ming  mo^-e  i;^arkipd,  for  now  He  ^dai^' to  J 
fdl.^dsej^jfra^d  vision  pf  a  imiversal  religion,  afnd  of  a  kffi^dojatl'pt' 
(lie  liJ^essiah,  no  logger  national,  but  iieiiding  a  w^Icop^e  to  ^Mr'nii^ 
Sanity  who, will  su%it  ^^)mn.r/'^/;^^^^^^^^ 

-Go  thy  way,*'  added  He,  to  the  ^nftirteC  « i^a^^  0i)f  W* 
Mievf d,. «),J)^,^^4pfte l^^,^^',^J^^^jl^^  ;|^l|^^Jii^  I 
very  hour.  ,  t  ?,  a^ ,  »^^^u 

«t|te,h^d 
thf|,ne36jtf8 

o^  ijth^  i?,brtlM,      _,^-  ,    _    _         ,  ,  „  .  ,   _      ___  ...  ._ 

Qa^tem^nd  of  the  great  pl^in  of  Esdraelon'. ;  Jt  wm  stiUih'^feiarttawl,* 
iwa^jilap  time  of  U^  mi,nistiy,  an^  ^rowds  fpllpw^d'HInq  yftien^eirWp^ 
appealed.,  uWn,  ,#^i^  ^is  npw  a  poor  an,d  miseitibre  l^iamliet.  ih?^ 
habit^  ointy  by  a  fe^^^  iauaj^iqal^J^Tjuionftetan^^^  raa^  then'hj^ye  d<^8eitxb(t 
its .nanje^the  IpautiruU,  Th^  phlj^,  a^ticjui^lies  f^bout  i^/^^ 
t<}^bs  hewn, in  tlie  hills,  seen  as  you  approach,  beside  tMrd^d,;wlucIir 
wia49,u|)l  to  the  village.    The  presehc^  pf  tjbie  B^'fade  bf  Xife.:^th,|i' 
thfoni.of  disciples  an5  followers,  might  well  hi^ye  bahished'fte 
crf,fl^au^ss»  but,,sh946w^  everywhere  lie  ^ide  hy  side MAi^'ihpfi^t' 
Afi  USi  came ,  Aear*  another  proce^sipn  met ,  Himf,  descehaihff^  fMti' 
&in,;the  dismal  Jsounds  rising  frpni  l^.  evetf  at  a  pistai^fefe,  i^nhg^ib6^ 
plainly  what  it  was.    Death  hfld  been  biisy'  under  these  blue  te|nlm6^ 
skies,  and  its,  prey  w^^  now  b^ing,  borne;  Mni(^st  tlipjwajiidti'p^^^^ 
mopiiQer,  to  its  lai^t^  Tostii^g-place.    A  colder  heart  tliai' tW 
W0jul4  have  been  touchccl,  for  it  was  a  case,  so  sad  t^at  thewl)o!i3"t6Wn. 
hftd  ppured  foyth  to  show  its  sympathy  with  the  'brdke|i  heari.'Ji(ftt 
foilpwed  next  ,tl^e, bier.    Xt  was  the  funeral* of  a|;outig:m'at)i,'the  pnj^J 
amM  ^  i?^*dpw,  .nowM  iijijWi 

Sya veryww Hours  Iwfore.    3l6vtifr*wrm  tlfi^'pItj^AttattlSlMs* 


?E^^tt,pF,(?pp(^ 


^m 


instipct  with  Him,  Jesus  co^lc|.not  let  ilie  train  sweep  on.  It  was  not 
M^  ^  dfefitU  kmi]d  teap  Itfl  triumph  in  His  preseiico:  Stewing 
towaraer  the' poor  inothcr,  He  dried  up  the  fountain  of  her  tears  ny  a 
spft'apiieid.  '^Wecp  not,"  said  fie,  and  theft  nioved  to  the  bier,  cuire- 
16ss'i)fthe  defilement  which  would  have  made  a  Habbi  pass  as  far  a» 
lie  c(?tild  from  tiie  dead.  Ttniching  it,  those  who  bore  tlic  body  at 
otiice  stfiod  stilt  It  was,  doubtless,  a  mere  open  frame,  like  ^hatstlill 
usefffor  such  purpotes  in  Palestine.  "Young  man,*' said  He,  "I 
aky  triitb  tlice.  Arise. "  It  waft  enough.  •  *  He  that  wds  dead  sat  fip 
and  'b(^gan  to  speak.    AnJi  He  delivered  him  to  his  mother. " 

It  wftsit  ShUJieni,  now  Solani,  a  village  on  the  other  side  of  the 
.vfer)f  hill'on  which  Naiii.  stood,  that  Elisha  had  raised  the  only  ton  of 
the  lady  who  had  hospitably  entertained  him ;  and  the  luxuriant  plain 
of  Jezreel,  stretchiflg  out  beneath,  had  been  the  scene  of  the  greatest 
eVentfi  ih  tlie  life  6f  Elijah,  who  had  raised  to  life  the  son  'of  the 
Ti^idOw  in  the  Phedician  village  of  Sarfepta,  on  the  fat  northern  coast. 
No  proiider  sign  trf  their  greatness '  as  prophets  had  lingered'  in  the 
ii[iini.d  of  the  nation  than  such  triumphs  over  the  jgrave,  and  in  no 
pilac^' could  sueh  associations  have  been  inore  rife'thah  in  the  vet;y 
sb^i^^of  thelifebf  botii.  At  the  sight  of  the  ybuiis  man!  once  more 
ainre,  the  memory  of  Elijah  and  iElisha  wdis  on  ^very  lip,  and  cries 
rps^  oi^  ail  sides  that  a  great  prophet  had  ^gaia  risen,  and  that' €k)d' 
hai^  visited  His  people.  Nor  did  the  report  Confine  itself  to  these 
upit^nd  regibn's.  It  now  far  and  near  to  Judea  in  the  souths  and  evto 
to  th^  remote  Perca, 

JFot  ^ow,  six  months;  it  may  be  fbr  tnore  than  a  year,  the  Baptist 
•^the  pne  miiii'  hitherto  reco^ize^  in  these  days,  as  a  prophiet,  had 
J^tn  a  prisonec  in  the  di^geoiis  61  Hachaerus-^oubtless;  in  hourly 
ei^pect^tipii'  of  dedth~a .  man,  yoiing  in  j'c'ars,  but  '^^osted  tviUi  his 
0^  i^ry  zeal,  and  now  by  the  shadows  of  hid  priton^-houae.  But 
Atitipas'had  nbt'yet  det^miued  what  to  do  with  hnn.  ShieldihgMo^ 
froiri  tte  fiiW  of  Hetodias,  and  yet  dreading  to  let  him  ^  free,  he 
still  ifliff^red  htpi,  ^  Felix  permitted  Paul  long  afterwards,"  at  Ossarea, 
tbr^^iy^i, visits  ftom  his  disciple^,  as  if  almost  asliamed  to  contiho 
one.'sQ  bjl^meless.  ThB  rumours  of  Christ's  doings  had  thus,  all  alob^, 
r^tjfed  ijie  iofty  castle  wher6  he  lay,  and,  doubtless,  were  the  one 
Meat  siimect  of  his  thought  and  conversation.  As  a  Jew,  he  had 
wtihg  tbtftwt^  ideas*  of  the  Messiah,  expecting,  apparentlyj  a  national 
nabvemfent  which  would  establish  a  pure  theocrac^;  tinder  ■  Jesus. 
Wi|y  .haS  He  left  hiih  to  langilish  in  prison  ?  Why  had  He  not  Used 
His  sWpe^tiatunil  powers  to  ^vance  the  kingdom  of  God? 

j'osdlve  such  questions.  Which  could  not  be  repressed,  two  of  his 
dl^i'^l^s  were  deputed  to  visit  Jesiis,  and  learn  from  Himself  Whether 
He  w-as,  Indeed,  the  Hes^ah,  or  whether  the  nation  should  still  look 
fM'  anbthett  ¥>Mh  fir^  to  last,  more  than  sixty  claimants  of  the  title 
Tfrere  to  rise.  Jbhti  ihiglif  well  wonder  if  the  pndt  'werd  not  a  dreiA, 
lUid  Jiett^  poly  a  Itig^ia  likd  liimsell;    He  bad  evetything^  todtj^tci^ 


il 


m 


^P» 


THi9  HFS  OF  -CHMflt. 


:  hiia.  :A  child  of  the  (iescrt,  laccustoihed  to  its  wild  Tlreedom,  he  juns 

-'])o^«^ged  in  a  dismal  fbrtresa,  with  ho  outlook  ex6e^:  blablE'^Uva^ 

crags,  and  d^ep  gorges,  yawning  in  seemingly  hottpnitesB  depths. 

Burning  with  z^ai.  he  fonnd  himself  set  aside  as  if  ibrigo^n  pf  Qod, 

or  of  no  use  in  His  kingdom.    £ren  the  people  appealed  to  n^Tie  itAr- 

gotten  him,  for  their  Hcklc  applause  had  begun  to  les«eir,'ei^n^  before 
is  Imprisonment.    His  work  seemed  to  have  been  without  T^shlt^i  a 
momentary  Excitement  which  had  already  died  p.way.    He  qoii^djiot 
hope  for  visits  from  Jefeus  which  could  only  hdve  given  it.i^ond  ;pHs- 
!^pper  to  ■Machaerus—^*  the  Black  Castle."  ,;^,- 

:-'  I'he  reaction  from  the  sense  of  boundless  Ifbertjr  in  the  ,dfesia1i  to 
the  foiled  inaction  and  close  walls  of  a  prisoto,  and  from  the  i^ifi^and 
enthusiasm  of  the  great  asi^mblies  at  the  fords  of  the  Jordim,  atfeidted 
even  the  strong  and  firm  soul  of  the  hero,  as  siihilar  infliifehifneS'mtve 
iffeoted  even  the  bravest  hearts  since  hi^dayl  Hoses  and  Mijah^had 
.  1»^  their  times  of  profound  desbondehCy,  and  it  was  ho  #i(^iter 
that  a  passing  61oud  threw  its  shadow  even  over  the  Baptist.   ^^^   •■ 

iThe  answer  of  Jesus  was  full  of  calm  dignity.    Isaiah,  t&e  jsp^tiial 
favourite  of  John,  had  given  the  marks,  ages  before,  by  whira  the 
%Messiah  should  be  known,  and  these  Jeisus ,  proqeeded  atdnce  tp'dis- 
pla}!^  to  the  disciples  sent  from  Machaerus.  JllmPng  the  drowds  arbmid 
Hiim,  there  were  alAJrays  muiy  Yl'ho  had  been  attracted  by  the  hope 
of  a  miraculous  ,cure  of  their  diseases  or  Jnfinnitieii^  ahd  thei^  He 
forthwith  summoned  to  His  presence,  and  healed.    John  wdiiM  Un- 
derstand the  significance  of  such  an  answer,  and  it  left.updisttirbed 
rthe  delicacy  which  shrJink  from:  verbal  self -assertion,    t^ikracki'^nd, 
^Ubttess,  the  words  that  accompanied  them,  werie' Ipft  tb  sipe^k  for 
Him.    It  was  enough  that  He  should  rcfe^  them  tp  I^iah,  an4  \o 
.  wl^i^t  they  had  seen.     "Go  your  way,  and  tell  John  what  yon  pave 
j^cn  and  heard.  The:t)lind  8e6,  the  lame  Walk,  the  lepers  are  cl^an^, 
the;  dciaf  hear,  the  d6ad  are  raised,  and  the  poor  have  the  j8bkt)el 
;  '|)reach0d  to  them. "    '  •  Tell  hihi,  moreovet,  that  1  khoVi*:  hiiw  he  is 
,  temptfed;  but  let  him  comfort  himself  with  the  thought  that  hfe!  irho 
f  Jiolds&lst  his-faitli  in  spite  of  all  fiery  trials,  and  dotei^  not  rejeet  the 
'kingdom  of  Ood  because  of  itd  small  beginiiin^s,  and  still,'  sj^ritual 
gentleness,  so  different  from  thfe  worldly  power  and  gloi^  ejqptectied. 
^already  has  the  blessings  it  is  sent  to  bring;'*  ;    ;    v 

T  ^;^*rhe  messengers  haa  hardly  departed,  when  His  full  ifeart; broke 
out  intP  a  eulogy  on  John,  tender,  lofty,  ''and  fervent.    '"^^  was  no 
'Weak  and  Wavering  man,"  said  He,  '^bending  this  Way  and  4hat,  like 
the  tall  Jordan  reeds,  that  ye  went  out  in  bands  to  the  desert  bahks 
of  "the  Jordan  to  seel    Uo  soft  and  silken  man,  tridted  out  iti  splen- 
did dress,  and  living  on  dainty  fare,  like  the  glittering  courtieris  at 
Tiberias!    John  was  a  prophet  of  €k)d— aye,  the  last  and  the igreatest 
of  prpphets,  for  he.  was  sent  as  the  hierald  to  {Hvpare  the  way  lor-  Me, 
>^ .  ;the  Messiah !    I  tell  you, '  among  «11  th^t  hav«  been  born  df  women;  a 
l^grt^erand more hoikmred  thah<  Johh  the  Baptist  hasnot  jf|a<!i|,!?i v > 


t^tiFfi  OFGHttfst; 


'4tt 


;Piwfi»g:f^iJi-|h|«,te9toMbutp,  wWch.Hc  had  ajroa^y  paifjr Jo 
Hia  great  {Qrcmnnerv  ^y;Qn  Mqire  ,^1^0  authoritiea  at  aerufl^leii),  ne 
proceeded^  11^  was  me>^t, ,  ^o  point  but  the  greater  privileges  en- 
joyed by  Pis  b,eJiTQr8,  than  even  hy  one  so  famous.  "  He  v^as  ffreat 
indeed  iPv  the  $ui?passing  digpity  of  his  office,  lis  the  heriJd  of  t^e 
Kingdom;  »yet  one  far  less,  but  still  a  member  of  tluilj.  ICingdoili, 
wliidi  is.ww  set  up  among  you,  is  greater  in  the  honour  of  Ills 
cUizeuahip  thau  he,  forhe  stood  outside.  But  he  did  a  might^-worl^; 
he  roused  the  land  to  a  gFand,  earnestness  for  the!  kiidgdom  of  the 


T^.ai^wish  av»ienci^  po  hpnour  could  be  so  great  as  thifli,  IJQr 
Elijahvwae  the  greatest  ot  all  tlie  prophets.     "Elijah  appeared.    sa;^8 
the  sdn  ot  Sirach,  /!  aprpi^et  likq.  ore.  and  his  words  ^urubalikcJ  a 
torch.    He  brought  down  famineon  Israel,  and  bV  his  ^tbrmy  zeat, 
het(ioi»  it  Away..    Thrpngb. the  Word  of  the  Xiprd  he  shut  \i^  the 
heavens,  and  thrice.,  brought  down,  fire  from  them.    Of  hqyir  iyejjt 
thou  magnified,  6  ^jah,  by  thy  mighty  deeds,  .a\nd  yh(1>  c^n  bb^^ 
that  he is/tbiine, equal!    lie  raised  the  dead  to  life,  apd  bro^^^ht  th^tti 
from  ^he»:under, world  by  the  word  of  the  Highest,    He  ca^  kJhj^j 
to  des^pctl^,  and  tiie  noble  from,  t^ir  seats,     ^e  r^c^iVed  ^f?)^y(e^^ 
to  puuiph^  on  @inai>  and  ji^dgments  on  Hqreb.    He  anbihted  Hiuips  v^^ 
reven^  ^i%  and  prophets  jto  be  his  successors-    ^e  was  ca^iea  up\ 
in  a Jiainipg  stonn,  in  a  chariot  with  hoi;^ses  of  fire;  he  is  appdin\<ja  ' 
for  the  tO<prre.qtV)n  pfi  tim^s  tp.xionoie,, to  a^te  (J9ds  wrajth  bjffpir^ 
Judgment  b^  let  Iqose,  to  turn  the  heart  of  the  father  to  tho  90ni 
and  tQ,re^tbre  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  ,.lt  is  >vell  for^t^di^ie  whp;  bjiall 
behold  thee  I"  ^All  the  majesty  of  fhe  prophetic  pjpce  si^^med^jn^pj- 
porateih  thie  TWhbitc^  ajijd,y#  thiqdid  uot  seem  en^u^h  to  j^9ii6Tp 
express; IhedilfnitjrpiJphn,  fo^  he; was  more  than  a  profeh^l,  and  ' 
nogreateifJwidjByerrisenramongall  thesonsof  n>pn,j,     r       Q  i 

The  message  from  Johu  was  only  tlie,  expression  oi  the  g^nj^rw ,, 
feelin^v  ;^hich,  by.  it^  want  pf  spiritual  elevation,  , questioned  l^m' 
Messiahship  of  Jesus,  isecai^e  H?  had  not  realized  tti^.nattonand^ 
of  a  Jewish  hero-king,  at  the  head  of  a  great  revolt  frbiri  Romfe,  d6f 
stroyjng^the  heathen,  and  establishing  the  theocracy  by  wonders  like 
the  diMHng  of  the  Red  Sea,  or  the  thunderinffs  of  Biuai.    It  stnick 
home  tft  the  heart  of  the  Saviour,  that  even  His  herald  should  baye 
no  high^  or  worthier  conception  of  tlie  true  nature  of  theiklngdohi 
of  God^r-rthat  even  he,  so.  near  the  light, -should  have  caught  so  little 
of  itshiightness.    No  wonder  tjie  people^  as  a  mass,  rejected  Him. 
How  Ipng  l»ii  He  taught  in  the  towns  of  Gililee,  and.yethow  disprp-^ 
:  portionately  amaflf was  the  number.He  h^d  re^ly  wpn,  in  ^mte  of  the 
throngs  who  had  I  piressed  wjth  ^9g|E|r  curipsay  ^m^  y|?;6ng^r;T5pnM, 
Him,  and  the  respect  He.  hid  excited  by  ok  teachings!  '  Um  imn 


w|i|  bowed  witii  Bprrow.  He.%ad(^metoIllitowii,infl'j7!8(Bri^ 
no^  receive  Him.  Inflnitc  loye  and  pity  for  them  flfled  HM  amK'Wt 
He  was  Himself  a  son  of  Israel,  a^d  i^'Onld  fain  bav«'lcd  Hi^  bi^thi^iit 
Iqto  the  New  Kingdom,  us  the  flt^t-fnliits  of  the  tiationi^.  Bit  ihcfy 
refused  to  let  themselves  be  delivered  from  the  stiirtttjal  lind  'mofiij 
slfivei^  m^er  which  they  had  long  sunk.  The  yokte'  of  the  Ewhiittii 
was  not  their^eatest  misfprhine.  That  of  the  deiid'  t6tt^r,-'And"^f 
frozen  forms  andformulee,  *whi6n  fchillisd  eV(5rv  nobler' asplraftWii'iiifd 
sl^ut  up  ^he  heaTit  aeaidst  tru^'repent«nco,  tiM  practical  noWne«(i/  t^ft 
a  f^  Apfiiier  calamity.  Bveh  their  hlgheiRt  ideal^the ' concfcptieiii^ of 
the  ,jn<^ia)^i)Lad  oecom^  a  heated  fantastlxi  dream  of  uiiit^M^ 
domioion/ apart  from  religious  Mform!  A  g|inips6  of  tothferflfeld^ 
whiph  promised  a  richer  harvest,  had,  ho^eVfer.  ofted  HIs'  spirit/  tb 
coBSotinjg  t^ioi^ght^,  .for  the  heathen  ccnttll'iort  had  shorfn  %e*fi*flH 
wWch  was,  wantyig  in  Israel.  His  homage  had  beeil  like  t!h«^*:ttTe^- 
oiferipg  .I)^fpr<i  Gfod,  9?  the  flret  sheaf  of  the  Ofentile  Wofldi  Hdai- 
tl^episjpa'  mjf ht  be  sui^  i^  error  arid  fein^  crinie  albd '  Itist,^  and' 'an 
n^qral  confusion  might  reign  widely  in  it;  thei*e  was  more*h(J^  of 
rcMritalice  an4  a  rptiirn  to,  a  better  life,'  frbm  heathen  iiidiflere^tie'o^ 
g^ut,  thin  from  Jewish  insane,  self-righteous  piltle.  ^^^i'ffiu^'  '  ^^  j 
•Tj^p  c?*owd  of  despised  coinmon  people  and  ptib|icani;'to'whdn 
^esus  had  addressed  His  eulogy  of  John,  repeivea  it^vith  delight,  {^ 
th€^  had  themselves  been  bapilaed  by  thfe  now  imprisoned  j)rbpliij^ 
There  w^re  hot  waating  btliers,  however,"  w^hom  it  greatly  ofienaod^ 
t^  Pharisees, and  Scribes  present  for  no  friendly  pui'pOseJ'  *Witii>thiB 
ini^ii^Ot'^ol,  monopoly,  they  condemned  (it  onde  tchkljEfi^f  hdd  nottbiti6 
through  the  legitimate, clianhels of  aut^orijied  tieacbinfr.'  "Theyht^ 
go^eout.^  Johi;i,  hut  with  the"  f6regj6n6  conclusion  to  heat]  cmich^,  * 
and  rpieci  tiiin  with  supcrpilious  coAtetopt,  as)  only  fit  for  tw  vufeM. 
ThiO];igh  a  priest's  son,  he  was  virtually  alayman,  tot  he  had'iibtw«i 
duly  ord^Jned.  He  might  be  godd  enough  iii  his  way^  tmt^hC'WYi^ 
not  a  Rabbi  He  Was  almost  guilty  of  '6chi8d;,nkd  Kordh!  *'H€i  t^*a^ 
npXMm^se^  by  the  authorities,  and  yet  prefach^dj  as,  indeed,  1^ 'that 
matter,  wa^  the  case  with  Jesiis  Himself.  Thfe  bitter  hdartiHtyb6«)li 
John  apd  He  had  met,  rose  the  mote  in  the  SaViout*s  mlrid  ^it  'the 
sight  of  the  Rabbis  oh  the  skirts  of  the  crowd,  and  thd  sadneifei'tttid 
indignation  of  pis  heart  broke  out  in  stehi  denunciation.^^  ""To 
what  shall  I  iikpn  the  mop  of  this  generation  ? .  They  are  like  cl^ldiren 
in  tlie  empty  'market-places,  plaving  at  marriages  and  mounaihgs; 
some  making  music  on  the  flute  ifertne  one;  some  acting  like  monra- 
ersfor  the  othor;  but  neither  the  cheerftil  piping,  nor  the  sad  beat- 
ing on  the  breast,  pleasing  the  companion  audience.  John  i^e 
Baptif^t  came  upholding  the  traditions  arid  customs  of  yotiRabhis; 
fprhe  fasted,  and  paid  attention  to  wasliihgs,  and  ieft  prayj^',  iaad 
enjoined  tj^se  on  his  disciples;  but  yon  said  he  wksloo^trict,  and 
.  MiiQuld  h)iy«  nc>thjng  to  do  with.hiiM,  aftd  thtit  he  spc(ke  in  i$o  strai^e 
A  way  D6c&use'he  had  a  devlL    I  ci^e  etting  and  drinkinjg-r-^ieitliier 


TOU ,  l»WM  ,OV.,  pHKf^. 


«5 


fiKft^^yMHQ  John;,  nor  requiring  ffli^ta  like  him;  nor  avoiding  the 
tablejof  lyl,  but,  the  ceremonially  PUi'o,  like  the  Pharls^s;  anaron 
9fty  1 4Hn  ^  foadof;  citing  and  of  wine,  and  still  worse,  tm  a  frieiid 
Qf.tb(*  publicans  iind  sinners  jou  despise.  But  the  true  divine  wls- 
d(M9  w)i|oii  bp^ii  he  qnd  I, have  proc^iinicd  is  justified  by  those  Mrho 
iM>Q|9U^raQd;fpnoW  4t,  for  they Iknow^  Its  surpassing  wqith,  thou^i 
you  txeai,  it  at  f oUy  \  The  divine  wisdom  of  both  his  and  my  conuiig 
a9,Fe,hf^v«,co)ne»  is  vindicated  >y  all  who  humbly  seek  to  he  ^Urise, 
and theioUvi  of  Jnen isi seen  in  their  fancied  wisdom."  ^- 

.,9flW;OUl4faJM (have  led  all  to  whom  He  bad  preache^  \d  Hlsfm- 
quw^jpurm^y^.  intp  the  way*  of  peace.  But  tender  the tjgh  Jf^wap, 
Hie  YTM  ai9o  9t?i*n,  wl^eu  stolid  oJb(|uracy  ^hut  its  eyes  on  the  socted 
ligh^^  h»^  brought  :to>  them.  Most  of  pis  mishtv  woirks  had  been 
(ipQ^,  4pdft(U0^t  Ot.ltis  no  less  mighty  words  had  been  spoken,  In 
Chor^zi'ii,  J9etlisaida,,a?id  Capernaum,  the  district  which'  He  had 
moide  Hi-ihomf}.  But  t^y  had  Jed  to  no  general  penitence.  Witli 
0  yoiq^  of  fUn^peakah^vsadnes^^  njliugled  with  holy  wrath,  He  de- 
npuftcofl  suph  wjlfiil  perversity.  .''^Voe  unto  thee,  Ohoraiin,  woo 
unto  thee,  BetbPaida,  Jor  ii  the  mighty  works  I  have  done  ih  yoii  had 
been  done  even  in  ^yre  and  Sidon,  thetype^  of  bcsfottcd  heathenism, 
theyvwwld  liaye .  .repeated ,  long  ago,  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  Bi^t  J 
-«ay  unto.iyQUi,  JtwUl  Ve  jnorc  tolerable  for  IVre  and  Bldoii  in  the 
Pfty  of  I ,  Jud^nent  than  for  you.  And  thou,  Caperiiaum,  exdlted  f  o 
JieaveA.by  my  dwelling  and  w^orking  in  you,  shalt  be  thrust  down  to 
Hades;  at  the  Pay  of  Judgment;,  for  if  the  mighty  works  I  liove.done 
4|i.thQe. hod  been  done  iqL, Sodom,  it  would  have  remained  untii  this 
day*;  ,But  I  pa^vmtoyou,  jt  vviU  be  more  tolerable  foV  the  jand  ^^ 
Mom*  iuthel>ay  of  j'ud^^ient,  than  for  thee!"  v  *    ' 

It  would  seem  as  if  at  this  point,  sonic  comniiii^cation  that  iiline^EHil 
ftm  IMibeen  made.to  JjbsUs.  Perhaps  His  discipies  had  told  Him 
i^Df,)w>me;SUccewPhtained  amoflg  the  simple  crowds  to  wfi6nii,thej')iad 
^reac^ed  the  New  Kingdom.  .  Whatever  it  wa8>  He  brokf  f^rth  on 
Jie^riiig  it  into  thankaSyihg;  **1  praise  Thee,  O  Pathei:,  Lord  of 
hej^vi^i  ftnd  esfftkf  that  Thoi^  li^  liid  t^e .  things  of  Thy  Kingdom 
froiUc  thg^  who  ai'e  thought,  and  who  think  themselves  wise,  and 
iq^aljyQed  to  judge^the  Jiabbis,  and  Priests,  and  Pharisees— and  hast 
revealed  tliem  to  simple  souli^,  unskilled  in  tlie  wisdom  of  tlie  schools. 
X.t^ijik  thee  tliat  what  is  well-pleasing  to  Thee  has  happened  tbus!" 
The  l^eiBK  Kingdom  was  not  to  rest  on  the  theology  of  the  schoolmen 
of.ihe'day,  or,  on  official  authoritv,  oron  tlie  sanction  of  a  corrupt 
Cinirch,  or  on  the  support  of  privileged  classes,  but  upon  child-like 
fwth  (an^  humble  iove.  It  was  not  to  spread  downwards,  from  amou^ 
th«  pWerful  and  influential,  but  to  rise  from  among  the  weak  and 
(ignoble,  the  poor  ai^d  lowly,  who  would  receive  itin  love  and  humility, 
ft  .wosftio  sprea^  up\Mttj;ds  by  no  ftrtiflcial  aids,  but  by  the  attractions 
rOf  itfi  p.wa  heavenly  vvo^h  ^lone.  It  was  a  vital  condition  of  its 
«|l»t^«  (^  li,slH>>ulj^  received  In  sincerity,' 

its  unaided  spiritual  beauty  wins  the  heart 


fm  hohR  ot'  '^RifW. 


nil 


'ill 


K 


Aiiioii^  tti^  ^'  bAtM"'w^  doiibtfiM  Iticluded  th4  c<nifeflMMm  to  fee 
won  frbm'  the  world  at  large,  and  not  from  larael  kilone,  fortli^'tow 
of  growth  from  below  upwards,  is  that  of  religious  mdrementft^ixt  lall 
^68  and  countries.  All  reformations  begin  with  the  laity,  and  wHh 
the  obseore.  Jei^s  had  nothing:  to  hot)e  but  eVerrthing  to  ha/t  fh>m 
th^  privll^zed  c]ai<*ic8,  tlie  learned  j^ildN,  tlie  eccleslastitial  anUiorHiei, 
and  the  ofncials  of  the  C%tirch  genet^lly.  It  .oiinds  Btarttlng  to  read 
of 'His  thanking  Qod  that  these  all-powerful  claf^ises  ifboWed  rieHli|«r 
sympathy  for  the  New  Kingdom  founded  by  Him^  nor  eveii  the'p^Wer 
of  oomprehendfaig  it,  and  that  it  was  left  to  the  simple  a|^diiM4ike 
mhidsof  the  commbn  people,  in  their  freedom*  f ron\  ptejudlce; Jo 
embrace  it  with  eagerness.  It  was  because  He  saw  ih  the  fact,  the 
divine  law  of  all' moral  and  religious  progress.  New  epochs  ih  the 
splfrtual. history  of  the  wdrld  always  spying  like  seeds 'in  .durkn^t^s 
and'rtbsctiHty,  and  only  show  th^mseltes  when  tliey  liave  ahtady 
Bti^ck  root  in  the  doil.  The  moral  and  religious  life,  finds  an  uhnottlc^d 
wetebme  Ih  the  mass  of  the  people',  when  the  higher  ranks  of  lay,  antl 
even  of  ecclesiastical  society,  are  mortally  and  ftpintuallv  effete,  nhift  to 
introduce  a  reform,  and  bound  by  their  interests  to  things  as  they  are. 
The  overflowing  fulness  of  heart,  which  had  found  utterance  ib 
jrayer.  added  a  few  sentences  more,  of  undying  interest  and  beauty. 
It  misht  he  feared  that,  if  old  guides  weie  forsaken,  those  who  took 
Him  for  their  leader  might  find  Him  unequal  to  direct  them  aright. 
To  dispel  any  such  apprehension  He  draws  aside  the  veil  from  some 
of  ^e  aNvftfl^mysteries  of  His  nature  and  His  relation 'to  th^  I^mbl, 
in  words  which  must  have  strahgely  comforted  the  sim'ple  douls  wlio 
heaitlthem  first,  and  which  still  carry  With  them  a  spirituiil  support, 

>  intensified  l)y  their  awful  sublimity  as  the  words  of  one,  ill  oUtwai'd 
seeming,  a  m'ah  like  oursielves.  i,  !i;.,_t; 

'  •  All  things  cdnceming  the^  New  Kingdom  are  delivered  tinto  tttd  ht 
my  Father-^its'  foiuiiding, 'its  establishment,  its  spl^aid.  "I  '^nii  th^re- 
forb,  the  king  and  leader  of  theiieW  pe(H>le  of  ^od^-Uhe/'htod  of  the 
new  Tlieocrucy,  divinely  cominis6i6n<jd  to  rute  dVe*' it.  '  AlttliWt  I 
teaeh  I  have  received  from  my  Fathei'.  ^  I  sp«eak^  in  all  things,  the 
mind  of  (xOd^  and  thus  you  are, f6r  ever -safe.  Noon^  knows  ftilly 
what  I  am)  and  what  measure  6f  gifts  I  have  receive  66  Messiah,  4!>ut . 
the  Father,  who  has  coiaimissioned  and  sent  mfe' forth—Me,  Hi»'801i. 
Nor  does  any  man  knoiv  the  Father,  in  Hie  counsels  for  th^  $^ati6n 
of  man,  as  I  His  Sbti  do,  and  those  to  whom  1  make  Hfnl  knewftf  I 
am  the  true  Light,  who  alone  can  lighten  men,  the  one  true  '1' eaciiier, 
who  cannot  mislead.  ,      ;  >.     in'  i 

••Come  unto  me,  therefore,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy 'laden 
with  the  burden  of  rites  and  traditions  of  men,  which  your  teachers 
lay  on  yoU^-you;  wlio ban  find  hb dellvferanee  fibm  themis^^f  your 
souls,  by  all  these  6bscrvances,  and!  v^  ill  give  your  spirits  rest.  GaSst 
oflf  thfeir  heavy  yoke  and  take  irfnt?,  5an(f  ife&m  of  me,  fttrl  aih  hot 

"hatd  and  hati^t^flike  ybu^  Rabbis^  bmv  mieek  ai^  ky'Mrly  ki'^leM^'ABd 


.t.^-:   V.-iJhBUii 


TftB  WFB  OF  CHRIST. 


^CT  I 


ve  nMlQijld  x^  ff '  yoMT  sodI^.  Tqr  t^  yol^e  I U^  pn  you— ttieliiw 
I  ToipjuU^yfO^  ^Q,]^oqour^i8  not  like  tM  Tivhicli  you  Uave  hithfrtd 
borne,  l))^^  lwipg»  |i(;alth  to  t||i«  spirit,  an^^qvj;  burden  \»  Ught.  for  \i 
iHthelA^of  iQye,"  ,        .;      i 

Language  \\ke  1)^9,  briefly  exp(^ud()a.  for  grea^r  pleamess,  demands 
rcverem  jnought.  yfhp  dpes  not  f(^l  th^t  sucti  worda  CQfuliA  pot  fall 
from,.t|(9Up<EfnOf  a, sinful  inap«  but  only  from  those  of  onewbos^ 
nature  <i^4  We  lay  %.at^y9  all  buman  imperfection?  Who^  even  of 
the  bigbe^,  or,  wisest,  pr,  b^st,  o/!.  buman  teacbera,  cotild  invite  all, 
witbp^ti|0^c^pt^onr  to  come  t^  Hbn,  with  tlie  promise  tbaj^  He  woiild 
give  tJjiem  leM  for  tb^lr  spul^?    ^d  wbo,  in  doing  so,  could 

sp^ak  91  it  ^51  a  thing  apparent  to  all  wbo  beard  Him,  that  He  wato 
meekfifhd  lowly  in  heart?  Who  woul^  tl^inlc  of  claiming  the  stately 
dignil^  pf  fiiqle  reiire^r^tat^y^  of  tlie  Unseen  Gpd,  and  who  cotdd 
speak  of  GIq4;  as  b^  wb^r,  iU  the  same  way  aa  Jesus?  And  wbp 
woul^iJlarfQ.tp  lUik  Himself  lyi^b  the  titernalin  a  Communion  so  awful 
and  anbi^er-revelation  soabsoiut^?  Hejnakes  us  feel  that  aswe  list^ 
w^, jiyy^oq^  ,%5f«?^..5?>^it|j8.  lucarn^^  IMyiii^, , 


>v    ^.^ 


CHAPtElt  XL. 


aiij^fia  ur;«tiARKBNmo  SHADOWS.*— life;  IK  OAIilLiaB. 

THBrupture  with  the  hierarchical  party  was  not  as  yet  so  irilnounced 
as  tq  preyi^nt^.  .more  qc  less  friendly  intercourse  between  /esus>  and 
gome  p£  its, iiu^n^bers.    An  Incident ,  connected  wjitb  one  bappeni^ 

uboi^iiiie  time.,,,:  >>. ,,1x1^,4.  k'  .;  , ;,^.:,4t,-^.i4j; /.Vjhv,! ;.■/(!  [ui'i^At'r 
A  Pharisee  of  the  name  of  Simon,  who^ms  t^d  n^Ti;  b$en  mgood 
social  ppsit^pn^  had  met  with  Jesus  in  some  of  the  Galilflean  towns, 
and  bivd  b^ign  ^  attrapied  by  Hini  that  beiuvited; .  Him  to  liis  btousc, 
to  e^t  withihlFn^,!  Tbw'.vas  a  piai^^  of  iigb  consideration  from  one  of 
a  party  89  Strict,,  for  a  Ph^ri^ee  was.  ,^.  pareful  as  a  Brahmin,  is,  with 
whombe^tjp*  (Defilement  was  temporary  lossof  cast^,  and  neutral- 


ized lpu2-pqu^|nued  effort,  tp.  attain  a. higher  grade  of  legal  puritv,  and 
it  lurked,  in,  a;,,  thousand  ,£orms«  behind  the  simplest  acts  of  daily  life 
and  iateroouTde.  To  invite  one  yvho  was  neither  a  Pharisee,  nor  a 
m3mlj>^r  9^,0 ven  the  lowest  grade  of  legal  guilds,  was  amazing  liber- 
i  ality  in,  a,  Jewish  precisian.^  It  would  seem  as  if  the  courtesy  had 
already  excited  timid  fear  of  haying  <?Qne  too  far,  when  Jesus  ac- 
cepted the  inviUitioa, — and  had  given  place  to  a  cold  patronizing  con- 
descension, ,which  fancied  it  had  conferred,  rather  than  received,  an 
[lionour  by  HIspresqpce,  . ,,  ,       .         . 

In  theea^U^ff  ages  p.t  the  nation  it  hadibeen  the  habit  to  sit  at  meals 
[on  niate,  ^yitb  Jth^  f ce^,  crosse4  benpatb  the  body,  as  at  present  in  the 
lEagt--rQuiid^i9W  taUetTTUpw.onl:^  9bout  a.foot  in.heig;ht.  But  the 
Iforeign  cu#toi9^(»  feoluung  on  Qusbions/long  in  tiM  aiiioiig  Hit  Pe^ 


in 


.0 


f laitf,  .Or«^k«,  Alul  nomans,  bAd  1)Dcn  Introduced  into  Pnlestlne  appa^ 
entlv  ds  curly  lis  tli6  i\uf&  of  Amos,  and  bnd  become  in^ucnikili^lm^ 
of  GiriHt.  Raised  (^vaiit^.  or  tabic  coucbes,  provided  with  (;u«Wox]| 
nna  almnged  on  fhree  ftldds  of  n  fiqtinre,  mpptidd  a  roul  for  ffiiepts, 
and  on  tbese  tbeylny  on  their  left  arm,  ^ith  their  feet  at  e«(«  peblnd 
|hem,,  outside.  The  place  of  honour  was  at  the  u]iper  cn0  of  the  right 
(tide,,  iiirhich  had  no  one  above  it,  while  all  Mow  could  ^asijy  lean 
bock  on  tiie  bosom  of  the  tw^rson  immediately  behind,  nospttp^jity 
iimong  the  poor  was  prefaced  by  various  courtesies  und  ittentionR 
tot^e^est,  more,  or  lesa  pieculiar  to  the  nation.-  To  enter  $  bouse 
I'icept  with  bare  feet  was  much  thd  ^nme  ias  our  doing  so  without  re* 
in9vinK  thQ  hat,  and,  thi>refore,  all  6hw»  and  sandals  were  taHen  off, 
phd  felt  at  the  threshold.  A  kiss  on  the  che(>k.  from  the  master  of 
tbe  hmiae,  yritli  the  invocation  "The  Lord  be  with  you,"  conveyed  a 
^pr^](  welcome,  nnd  was  followed,  on  the  guest  tailing  Hs.placeon 
Jhe  couch,  l)^  a  servant  briugmpr  water  and  washing  tbC' feet,  fo  cool 
jin.d  refresJi  ]lhem,  as  well  rs  to  remove  the  dust  of  tne  road  and  give 
^s^'tehionitil  cleahnc^s.  The  host  himself,  or  one  of  his  servantfi  next 
anointed  the  head  and  ItcaiHl  of  the  gue^^ts  With  fragrant  oil,  attention 
to  the  hair  being  a  great  roint  \yith  Orientals.  Before  eating,  wf ter 
was  again  brought  to  wash  the  hands,  as  the  requirements  of  Idral 
purity  demandol,  and  from  tlie  fact  that  the  food  was  taken  by  nip- 
ping  the  Angers,  or  a  piece  of  btead,  into  a  common  difh.  '•  Tp  wusJi 
the  bands  before  a  mea4,".says  the  Talmud,  "'is acoiumand :  U)  do  so 
during  fiating  is  left  matter  ot  choice,  but,  to  wai^^Uthcm  alter  it^jsa 
,4p^^^      :        '       ,     '  '  ■-■V 

.  '  With  all^  JeWa,  but  espiedally  with  scrupulous  fbrmalists  Jike  tbe 
l*barisecs,  religious  obsetvancerf  formed  'a  marked  feature  in  every 
^entertainment,  however  huirtble,  and,  as  these  were  duly  pre^ibed 
hy  the  Hdbbis,  we  are  able  t<>  picture  a  meal  like  that  given  to  Jesus  | 
by^Simon., 

f.  Houses  in  the  East  are  far  froni  enjoying  the  privacy  we  T)ri?e  sol 
bi^Iy.  !IBven  at  thi^  time,  dtraogers  pass  in  and  out  at  their  pleasure, 
to  s^e  the  guests,  and  join  In  coiivei'satidn  with  them  and  with  the 
host.  ,  Among  those  who  did  .^,  in  Simon's  house,  was  one  atwliose 
■presei^ce  iti,  hiS. dwelling,  uhder  any  circumstances,  he  must  bave  been 
"equally  astonished  and  disturbed.  Silently  gliding  into  the  chamber, 
perhaps  to  the  scat  round  the  wall,  came  a  woman,  tbouarh  women 
,c6uTd  not  with  propriety  make  their  appearance  at  such  entertain 
ments.  She  was,  moreover,  unveiled,  which,  in  itself,  w&f  contrary 
to  recognized  rules.  In  the  little  town  everyone  was  kno^fn,  and 
Bimon  saw,  at  the  first  glance,  that  she  was  no  other  than  one  known 
to  the  community  as  a  poor  fallen  womaU.  She  was  evidently  in 
distress,  but  he  liad  no  eyes  or  heart  for  such  a  consideration. '  She  liadl 
« compromised  his  respectability  ,.and  his  frigid  self -righteousness  eouldl 
tMnk  only  of  itself.  .  To  eat  with  publicans  or  sinners  was  the  sumi 
vof  idl  evilfl  t^  4  KidHsee.    It  was  Uie 'ftplp'roddi  of  puis  dnder  raoratl 


tl 


>•!• 


lestlneapw 

with  qwMoiA 
M  for  ffiiepts, 
It  «•(«  uebiiiid 
,4of  thorlgbt 

)nd  tttentionR 
enter  $  liouf« 
HO  witUQWt  re- 
rewi  taKen  off, 
,  the  mast^P'  of 
a,"  conveyed  a 

ng  W»  P^«<!»  on 
be  feet,  10  cool 

I  road  and  give 
R  seTvants,  next 
at  oil,  attention 
e  eating,  wfter 
jments  of  W^ 
18  taken  by  nip- 
pIi.  "Tpwush 
iinnmit  tpdoso 
ifcmaftcrit^Ua 

malistH  lilse  tbe 

c*ature  in  everj- 

duly  pre^ribcd 

given  to  Jesus 

icy  Wt[>^^«  so 
t  their  pleasure, 

n  and^ith  the 
as  one  at'wloso 
OTUHthavebeoB 
to  Ihe^liambcr, 
,  tboucb  women 
siicb  entertain 
if,  v;a^  contrary 
vaB  kno\<fn,  aiw 
tlian  one  known 
,'as  evidently  m 
ration.'  Sbehad 
Ijteowsne^eouWI 
iera  ?va8  the  suml 

ne  4ndeir  inon^ 

I    '-^ * .'  ~.  ■   "  ^ /.I 


THE  tiPR  OP  fcifradr. 


40if 


musnxA^^ffhiom  rary  neigbbourhood  wm  diaattTont,  and  yet,  Im^ 
he  was,  in  bis  own  house. 

A  tenderer  heart  than  his,  however,  knew  the  deeper  aHpeots  of  her 
case,  and  welcomed  her  approach.  Bhe  had  listened  to  toe  words  of 
Jesus,  petiiaps  to  Hin  invitation  to  the  weary  and  heavy-laden  to 
come  to  Him  for  re/it,  and  was  bowed  down  with  ncniiont  ahame  and 
contrition,  which  w«ro,  tlie  promisee  of  a  new  anu  purer  life.  ho$tt' 
till  now,  to  self-respect,  an  outcast  for  whom  no  one  cared,  she  bad 
found  ra'Hhn  that  there  wm  a  friend  of  sinners,  who  beckoned  even 
the  htost  liopeless  td  take  shcltetr  by  His  side.  In  Uim  i^nd  His  words 
hope.  bM  returned;  and  in  His  reaped  for  her  womanhood,  though 
fallen,  quickening  Helf -respect  liad  been  once  more  awakened  in  bt^r 
boMm.  She  "might  yet  bb  saved  from  her  degraidation;  mlaht  yei 
retrace  her  steps  irom  pollution  and  ttorrow,  to  a  pure  Ufe  ana  pisace 
of  tnind.  What  could  she  do  but  neek  the  presence  of  One  who  had 
won  bor  back  from  ruint  What  could  she  do  but  express'  her  lowly 
gratitude  for  the  sympathy  He  alone  had  shown;  the  belief  in  thie 
posBlbility  of  her  restoration  that  had  itself  restored  her! 

The  objefet  of  her  visit  was  not,  however,  long  a  mystery.  Kne^V 
ingddvm  behind  Jesus,  die  proceeded  to  anoint  His  feet  wiUi  fri^gnuiu 
ointment;  but  as  she  was  about  to  do  sO;  her  tears  fell  on  them  sfr^t 
that  ^^  was  fhin  to  wipe  them  with  her  long  hair,  which,  in  her  dis- 
trefss;  had  escaped  its  fastenings.  To  anoint  the  head  was  the  usual 
course,  biit  she  w^uld  not  ventut«  on  such  an  honour^  and  would 
only  make  bold  to  anoint  His  feet.  '  Unmindful  of  her  disorder* 
which '$ithOti  C6ldly  ndted  as  aia.  additional  shame,  she  could  think 
only  of  her  benefactor^  Weeping  and  wiping  away  the  tears,  and 
cofdrih^  the  feet  with  kisses,  her  heart  gave  itself  vent  till  it  was 
calmed 'entordj^  to'let  h6r  anoint  them,  and,  meuiwhile,  Jesus  left  hxx 
to  her  lowly,  loving  will.  -i     P 

Thie  Pharisee  WBs  horrified.  That  a  Babbi  shculd  allow  such  & 
womati,  dft,  indeed,  any  woman,  to  approach  him,  wa&  contrary  to  all 
the  t^iiditions,'  butr  it  was  increidibfy  worse  in  one  whom  the  peoj^e 
reg^tdM  as  a  prophet.  He  would  not  speak  aloud,  but  his  looks 
flhdwed  his  thou^ts.  "This  man,  if  H6  were  a  propliet,  would  havia 
known  what  kind  Of  woman  this  is  Uiat  touches  Him,  for  she  is.^ 
I  sinner."'''      '■'  .?«■.'!■•■  .  '  ' '  '  , 

Jesus  saw  Whit  was  passing  in  his  mind,  and  turning  to  hira.ni- 

I  quested  ail  ani^wer  to  a  question.     "  There  was  a  certain  credivor,*' 

said  He,  '^ who  had  two  debtors     The  one  owed  Uim  tlv&  hundred 

pence,  th^  othe^  fifty.   And  wheb  they  had  nothing  to^  pay,  be  frt^jkly 

torgayfe  them  both.    Tell  me,  therefore,  which  of  them  will  love  him 

[most?"  Utt€Jrly  tiittconsciousof  the  bearing  of  these  words  on  himself, 

[the  Phai^se^ieadilV  answered  that  he  supposed  he  to  whom  thecred 

litor  f dfga^c  most;  w6uld  love  him  most.  '  ^  Thou  hast  rightly  iu " 

It^ed  Jes^.    Th«n  like  K^kthan  with  Davi$l^  H9,f  rqpi^§^tf;)^^ 

Ithe  parable  home  to  his  conscaente. 


;t 


m 


Tm  hw^  PF  ,Qwsm. 


!(:■: 


viii'l 


J^Uipimg  i^tii^  WfiQimS,  PjeQitept  WQnciim  at  H^  fe^tr  and  ppintiafi^ 
to  lier^He  continued,  '•Simon,  seest  thou  this  ypifiant  I  entered* 
into  thine  houfe;  thoij^gayestinc  nq  water  for  my  im,  as  even  courr 
lefty  <JemajDi4ea;.bvt  she  ha3j?^shea  my  fe^t  wvih  te4i;s^  and  wiped 
^I^m  with  her  hair,  I  iTliou  ^aveVt'me  po  kiss  •  but  this  Voiaarij  since 
tli^.Um^l  ehter^^i,h|te  pot  ceasjed  to  )^iss  my  feet  tende'rly.  'Thou 
didst  iiot;  flii^int  my:  U^i^^  oil;  but  she  has  anoipited  my  feet 

wJJ^^ointjpGnt,  I  eay  unto  thee,  therefore,  tier  sins,  which' ire 
many,  are  forgiven,  for  sj^e  love4/,^ucli,  J)ut  one  to  wr^pm  little  ia 
fprgi^oii,  lojre^JiJtl^,"  ,  Thep  jid^te^^ingthe  sobbing  woman  hertelf, 
Hjii  told  her,  '*  TJiy  pins  are  forgiven.    Thy  faith  has  siiyed  thee.:  go 

.  ^'ha^J^shpW.Mtdw  to  for^ve  sins  had,  already  raised  a  charge 
oif  l^^hj^y  t^Uisj'  Him.  and  it  did  notpam  unnoticed  now,  But 
iheilpieiadnpt  yet  comp  for  open  hostility,  and  JTis  words,  in  the 
.n^eapwJiii^  wci;e  oulj!  treasured  up  to  be  lised-  against  Hina  hpreaftei;. 

We  ar^  ^plited  tp  a  np^ce  in  ^ytj^uke  fpr,a,glimi)se,;prl^^ 
pf .life  of  Jesusiij, tliem  months.  ] He  seemA  to  ,haVe  «^  thfsin In 
su^pf^ssive  diicipts,  frpnp^  Oapeirpai^m  as  a*  centre,  thrpiiga,an>.he  towns 
^n3rFifla0<e«  pjf  O^Ulee^  yery^i^^  th^  pahhis  were  iiccustojmea  tp 
doajMrtn^c^p^^Ty  at  Ja^ge.  Ij^  ilictse  jouirneys  fle  was  ai^eniled iJy^ 
th^^ywreiy©^  ij^*^,  by  a  group  of  ibyipg  women,  attracWd  to  H&aby 

rlaitaonship,  o?  %  Hi^  haviiig  hiealed  thena  of  vanous  <iiseas^;  who 


re] 


ppvidpd,in.part,  atJepist,  fcwf  Htis  wants,  ^n<i  those  of  pis  fojlo^ers. 
Th^He  was  hot  abi^lutely  poor,  in  the  sense  of  suffering  from  Ivant, 
is;hnpli^iin  Hi^  rpcpgiiitiop  ^as^  Rabbi,  and  even  as  a  prophet,  iiirhieh 
CMSCi^efd  Him  hospitsdity  and  ^yeli^pme.as  ap  act  of  sujpreihe  religious 
^merit,  ,j^he?eyei:  ,He  wenjt.  ^  To , entertain  a  15tabbi  was.  to  aePure  the 
favour  of  G(m,  aha  it  #*as  cbveted  as  a  specia,!  honour.  Jthiis^  tlwuglx 
He  had, no  home  He  cotild  call  His  own,  He  wpuld  never  want  r^'?iay 
^wel^oin^  in  the^ioi^f^S  of  othei:s  wherever  Heweht,  fipldnghspopplar 
pi-eJudi^Je  was  not  eycii^4  against  iQlim.  The  pottage  of  Lazarus  at 
feiihalny  i^as  only  onq  of  ptany  th^  ppened  its  doors  to  Hihf.  and  fi(; 
coulii  evpp  i:eckpn.op  a,  cheeriul  reception  so  conii|deptly^as  lb  invite 
Hisosielf  to  bpvise^  Uke  that  of  Zaccheuis,  or  that  of  hraiip  whose 
upper  I'Qom  H^Jnstituted  the  L^st  $uppet.  Many  disciples,  or  per- 
sons 'favdprabiy  inclined,  were. scattered  over  the  land.  'The  sim- 
plicity of  Eastern  Jife  favoured  such  kindly  relations;^  and  hence  His 
personal  support  would  be  freely  supplied,  except  ii^  desert  jparts,  or 
TtrhenHe  was  journeying  through  Samaria,  or  distant  places  on  the 
frontiers  of  Galilee.  ,  Ihe  ;willing  gifts  of  friends,  thrown  into  a 
common  .fimd,  supplied  so  fully  all  that  was  needed  in  such  cases, 
that  there  wad  always  a  surplus  from  which  even  to  give  to  the  poor. 
J  Tiie  ^anwjs  of  some  of  the  gi:pup  of  w«mep  who  thus  attended 
,Jesus  hitve.  been  htwded  dow^^  fitting  tribute  to  their  devotion, 
•JthileijthP^e  p|f  the  W#ft.  who  fpUowed  Him,  with  the  exce|^ion  of  the 
twelve  apostles,  areMost.  The  religipiis  p^thusdasm  of  the  age,  always 


trace  of  t 
embower 
caves,  Qvi 
ravine  at 
wliicli  it 
oleanders, 
Who  Ma] 
injustice, 
to  her,  as 
Tiie  cir 
above  all 
the  extern 
roligion  V 


THE  UFE  OF  CHBtS'l'. 


m 


Been  mo^t  jn  th^  gentler  sex,  had  alreadv  spread  amoiig  ^l  Jeyihh 
wome^,  tor  the  Pharisees  found  them  their  most  earnest  suppdrters. 
It  was  only  natural,  therefore,  that  JesuD  should  attract  a  sfanilalr 
devotipp,  His  purit^^  of  soul,  Ilia  reverend  courtesy  to  the  sex,  Hii 
champioiiship  of  their  eqaa*  digni^  with  man,,  before  Qod,  and  His 
demand  fpr  supreme  zoafin  all,  in  the  spread  of  the  ^^ew  Eihgdom^ 
drew,th«m  after  Him.  But  eo  accustomed  were  all  classes  to  such 
attendance  on  their  own  Ilabbxs,  that  even  the  enemi«;s  of  Jesus  found 
no  ground  for  censure  in  theu*  niinistrations. 
Of  tbese  earliest  m^the^  of  th&  Church,  fii 


,    ^  ,  five  are  iiyi)M/'  M»y3r 

Mir.iam,  of  the  town  of  Magdala,  from  whom  Jesus  had  cast  iseven 
devils;  Johanna,  the.  wife,  not  the  widow,  of  Chupza,  a  highoffldiil 
in  tlie  palace  of  Herod  Antipas,  ^t  Tiberias ;  Su^nha,  of  whom  bbly 
the  name  is  known;  Mary,  the  ipotbcr  of  J^mcs  the  Xess  and  of 
Joses,  and  wife  of  Klopas;  and  Bchelamith,  or  Salome,  mother  of 
J]imes  and  John,  aqd  wife  of  Zebedce  or  Zabdai,  perhaps,  also,  the 
lister  of  Marv,  the  mpther  pi  Jesus,  as  Mary,  iUe  wife  or  Klopais,  is 
also  thought  by  many  to  have  been.  Of  the  other  three,  whom  Jesus 
had  curea  of  various,  diseases,  a^ surpassing  interest  attaches  to  Httiy 
Miigdalene,  from  li|^  unfounded  identification  with  the  fallen  penitent 
who  did  Jesus,  honour  in  the  house  of  the  Pharisee  Simon.  Tl^ere  is 
nothing  whatever  to  connect  her  with  that  narrative,  for  it  qonfouilds 
what  tiie  Kew  Testament  distin^uigJiQs  by  the  clearest  latigixaj^,  to 
thmHof  her  having  led  a  sinful  life  from  the  fact  of  her  having  suf- 
fered from  demoniacal  possession.  NeVer,  perhaps,  has  a  figment  so 
utterly  baseless  obtained  so  wide  an  acceptance  as  that  which  we  con- 
nect with  her  name.  But  it  is  hopeless  to  try  to  explode  it,  for  the 
word  has  passed  into  the  vocabularies  of  Europe  as  a  syiionym  of 
peniteiit  frailty.  \ 

Ikfary  appears  to  have.bclonge^l  ^  the  village  cf  Magdala,  or  Migdol 
—the  Tower— about  three  miles  north  of  Tiberias,  on  the  water"^ 
edge,  at  the  south-east  corner  of  tlie  plain  of  Gennesareth.  It  is  now 
represented  oy  the  few  wretched  hovels  which  form  the  Mohammedan 
village  of  El-Mejdel,  with  a  solitary  thorn-busli  beside  it,  as  the  laSt 
trace  of  the  rich  groves  and  orchards,  amidst  which  it  was,  doubtless, 
embowered,  in  the  days  of  pur  Lord.  A  high  limestone  rock,  full  of 
caves,  overhangs  it  on  the  south-west,  and  beneath  this,  out  of  a  deep 
ravine  at  the  back  of  the  plain,  a  clear  stream  rushes  past  to  the  sea, 
which  it  enters  through  a  tangled  tliicket  of  thorn,  and  willows,  and 
oleanders,  covered  in  their  season  with  clouds  of  vaned  blossoms. 
Who  Mary  was,  or  what,  no  one  can  tell,  but  legend,  with  a  cruel 
injustice,  has  associated  her  name  for  ever  with  the  spot  now  sacred 
to  her,  as  the  lost  one  reclaimed  by  Jesus. 

The  circle  whicli,thus  attended  Him  on  His  journeys  was  peculiar, 
above  all  things,  in  an  age  of  intense  ritualism,  |.>y  its  slight  care  for 
the  external  observances  and  mortifications,  which  formed  the  sum  of 
religion  witli  so  mimy.    This  simplicity  was  made  the  great  aecU' 


mil 


47? 


rall^irE  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


[fliij^^t  ^csins^asjn  after  times,  the  absence  of  sacrifices  and 

. ,^  &(ithe  li'eath^n  to  chaTge  Chjlstianlty  with  atheism."  Efven 

t^  Mt'iatOry  i^t'e  of  baptism  had  fallen  into  aberaiice,  and  faeting, 
^S  ij^e'esitf^Wedi'ulesfbi'  ptarer  iand  ceremonial  purifications  were 
^in^^|ecfed,;^.s.  to  ijMe  remfarR  arid  animadver^on.  ■  There  is,  in- 
d^edi  greftt  i-easoii  for  the  belief  6f  sortie,  that  Jesus  and  Hiff-foll^mers 


4hft,teac4 


-  ^^  ,.^like  in  ^ress,  dem6an6ur,  m6de  of  life,  and  customs;  from 
!ihe  te|cjb^rs  of  il]e  4aj  apd  mCir  followers.  The  simple  ttmie  aAd 
upper  garihent  tiiay  have'  had  the  TallM  worn  by  all  ottier  j€Ws,;but 
^wamny  be^qej;ta|n  that  the  tdseels  at  its  corners  w'eris  in  coirtnfst  to 
jijbip'^Jtttig!?^  OstettMoiis  size  affected  by  the  Rabbis.  Npr  can  we 
,1^'g^ie,  thai'eilner  jSesiiK,  oi*  the  Twelve,  simctiobed  by  their  usethe 
jMt)(e^|^il]q<iug  leathern  phylacteries '"which  others  bound,  with  long 
■^filfejts^  6»  tbMr  ijpft  arm  a'litf  their  fcrth^ad,  at  prayers.  The  count- 
iesgrijO^s^iffieiji/.as  fiow^in  f6rM  lergth  of  the  stT^pfi^,for  the 

,,$ize.  Of-llie mtfecr ceDs  to  hold  the. prescribedtexts-^for  their  i^mpe, 
riiaiiul|i<|tw^,'^c,,  arid  even  for  the  exact  mode  of  winding  *he  straps 
rojAi^djftiQ  aim,  or  tying  theiti  on  the  fOreh^^d-^marked  too  stroogly 
'l|^^^'cb|4» '^PCh^^ical  Conceptions  of  prayer  theft  preTailim^^  to*  let  us 
,1|i^d^jB't^t'bu?^Xord  or  the  disciples  wor6  them      Theie  wSasup 


.fe^giejcl  of 'His  person  as  lioany  of  His  contemporaries  thoufarllt 
,,^  I^C^-t^jtB  ioliriess,  f6r  He  did  nbt  decline  the  Mointingof i Hiis 
iefidjPjc  l(]'C:*^da*  <)i' lU^^  Kis  feet,  rit  each  resting\-piacd.    iNor 

^Jtiffc  ti^dUir^  ilsceti6  restrictions  at  table,  foy  we  find  Him  peimit- 
■ting,^he  use  <?f  Avirie,'bi*eaA,  arid  ht)ney,and  of  fish, fie*,  and  fowl, 
fix  SetetTs  ;]^usfe  He  invited  others  tb  eat  \^ith  Hhn,  and  He  readily 
j^dc^piei  myit?tti6ns,  with,  all  the  customary  refiiiementsi'of  die  kiss 
ojf  sa3utji(tioidj  ari^  foot-waShing,  aiid  anointing  even  with  tlie  costliest 
perfume. '  The  t*hafirisfee  atoned  for  his  occasional  entertainmerils  by 


,th<^,iT^^,  {oi;^e  praised  the  Baptist  for  havifig  nothing  costly  or 
iC&niipaie  ip  jhis  dress,  hrid  He  enjoined  the  strictest  moderatioo, 
]j«tjiiri  ureg3  ftnid  living,  on  His  disciple^^^^ 

y  ■  it^s  t^e  gre&i  characteriiStic  of  Jes^us  that  He  elevated  ttte  comtnon 
'^etjtiiJs'oifHfe  to  the  loftiest  uses,  and  ennobled  even  the  familiar  and 
pimple.  In  IJis  cotiipany,  the  evenirig  meal,  when  not  forgotten  in 
the  press  of  oven<iieltniiig  labours,  was  an  opportimity  always  gladly 
embr9<^e0  fo^r  informal  instruction,  not  only  to  tjie  Twelve,  but  to 
jt^ie  many  strangers  whom  the  easy  manners  of  the  East  permitted  to 
jjattbei'  in  the  apartment.  After  evening  devotions,  the  family  group 
invited  the  familiar  and  imcoristrained  exchange  of  thought,  in  which 
Jc&vs  so  mu^ch  delighted.  As  the  Father  and  Head  of  tlie  circle,  He 
wbtjild,  doiibtless,  use  the  form  of  thanks  and  of  blessing  hallowed  by 
.t|[ie<?TJ^tQin^of  Jiis  riatioh.opieniirgthe  meal  by  the  bread  <and  uioe 
pM^a  round  to  be  tasted  by  etkch,  after  ttcknowlcdgmient  of  the 


THB  LIFE  OF  ikmif^. 


471 


bountydfCtod  end  His  gifts.  Tken  would  follow-a  word  to  alt.iip,' 
turn:  the  story  o£  tb^  day,  and  each  qne's  shafe ,  in  it,  would  t^  I'd- 
viewed  with  tender  blame,  ot  praise,  or  coiihsel;  a^the  fiEiithiand 
hope,  and  love  of  all  would  be  refreshed  by  their  very  ineejipg  roun^ 
the  tiabie.  How  dear  tiie?e  hours  of  quiqt  jj^omc  If^  wer^l '  to  Je^iis^ 
Himself,  is  seen  in  the  tenderness  with  which  He  sa^,  iii  the  g^OUfe 
they  brought  around  Him,  His  "  childrep, "— a^  if  tliey  rcjildoecrifn 
His  heart  the  household  affections  of  the  f ariiily;  dna  In'  tlie  vk\n; 
and  almost  womanly  fondness,  with  which  He  hesitated  to  rironoUftcQ 
His  last  fareTl^qll  to  them.  To  the  disciples  theinset^^es,  they  grew  t/i 
be  an  imperishaWe  memory,  v^rhich  tliey  were  faij^,  in  cpmrdimice 
wit^  their  Master's  wish,  to  prepetuate  daily,  in  liieir  brcs^Jn^  of 
bread!  The  greiatness  and  condescepsion,  the  lovlij^  fainiljaritji;  at^d 
fond  endearments  of  close  intercourse,  tiie,  peace  ind  q^i^  afte^'tho 
strife  of  the  day,  the  feeling  of  security  under  His  eyie  and  eare,  madi^ 
these  hours  a  recoUectaon  tliiat  grew  brighter  arid  nwre  sacied  willi)^ 
the  lapse  of  years,  and  deepened  the  longing  fpr  His  tetuni,  6r  ioi; 
their  departure  to  be  with  Him.  ,?  iR?'*'-!'''''  f 'L''!^  ' 

In  this  delightful  family  life  there  was,  hotrever;- ^|i(gi}ft^  1fkd]He»^ 
munism,  for  tbere  is, riot  a  trace  of  the  property  of  bach  beirig  thrbx^rti 
into  a  common  fund.  His  disciples  ha<^  indeed,  left  all:  but  ttifev 
had  not  sold  it,  to  help  the  general  treasury.  Some;  6^  fiij^ifn  still  re- 
tained furids  bf  their  own,  arid  the  women  who  af^potopahic^d  tlilsin 
still  kept  their  property.  Whgn  Jesus  paid  the  Teti^ple  ikx  for  T$S^k' 
self,  He  did  not  think  of  dping  so  for  His  disciplies  as  Well,  li'wi'i 
left  to  themto  pay  for  themselves.  The  simple  wants  pf  eacli  to 
were  provided  by  free  contributioris,  when  not  profferdd  by  hostoi- 


tality,  nor  did  He  receive  even  tlie^  from  His  disciples,  t'^oiimllalibia 
werie  penaitted  to  accept  a  honorarium  from  thelff  scUblara;'  "Ife 
have  received  for  nothing"  said  He,  "give  for  notliirig;"    He'fp'oT^  ho 


gifts  of  money  from  the  people,  nor  did  He  let  Jfli^^isci^les  efcflject 
alms,  as  the  Rabbis  did  their  scholars.  Tlie  only  btjljtrity  He  fiftcebted 
was  the  hospitality  and  shelter  always  reidyfor  Him  in  friendly  Oali^ 
lee.  From  the  generous  women  who  followed  Him,  He,  iridqedi  9^- 
cepted  passing  support,  but,  in  contrast  to  the  greed  of  the'ftaJbbiSi  Hp 
only  used  their  liberality  for  the  need  of  the  moment.  His  U^tld 
circle  was  never  allowed  to  suffer  want,  but  wa^  always  able  td'diss 
tribute  charity,  and,  though  He  seems  to  have  carrityd  no  moupyl  fto 
expressly  distinguishes  both  ^ii^sejf,  aad„J^f3  discjj^ies  j,frQi^  tlio 

poor.     ■  '•■■•■  '\.r^-^y-  '■■■\i'\--''i:^^t'l-^i/.:y^-^ 

His  presence  among  His  disciples  was  seldom,  even  for  a  btiei  In- 
terval, interrupted.  He  miffht  be  summoned  to  heal  somfe  aicl^  perr 
son,  or  invited  to  some  meal;  or  He  might  Wish  to  be  alone/for  a 
time,  in  His  chamber  or  among  the  hills,  while  He  prayed,  but  t1it;S<i 
were  only  absences  of  a  few.  hours.  It  would  seem  as  if  the  kiss  of 
salutation  in  such  cases  greeted  His  return.  He  gave  the  word  fdf 
setting  out  on  a  journey,  or  for  going  "by  boat,  arid  the  diic^i^^s'Jrt'o- 


;g 


471 


THIS  XI?E  OP  Cim^ST, 


^red  what  was  needed  by  tl^e  wa^,  if  by  laud»  an^l  plif^d  tb^  fp;  if 
ojnthJeLake.  ,      * 

(Me  always  travelled  on  foot,  and  was  oftep  tjia^kful  ic^r  a  ,dr*^ffbt 
01  water,  as  He  toiled  along  the  hot  sides  oi  the  whitp  liiUs,  f|^  for  a 
piece  of  btead,  procured  in  sqine  village  through  Vliich  He  ,  ^>a9sed. 
bometlmeB  ^e  went  wl^h  HW  disciples/sometlihes  bpfore  thein;  leav^ 
ibg  them  to  their  own  conversation,  but  noting  an^  i^pjrovjpgi  at 
once,  iheir  misunderstandings,  or  momentary  ijiisconceptiphs.    ., 

When  a  repti^g-pUvce  had  to  be  found  for  Ui^  night.  He  was  worit 
to  send  on  some  of  His  disciples  bgfore,  or  He  awaited  ah  iinvitation 
oh  His  arrival^;  His  disciples  sharing  ilie  proffered  hospitality,  or.  dis 
trihuting  themselves  in  other  houses.  The,  entertainment  inusV have 
viciried  m  different  dwellings,  from  the  simplicity  of  the  pi-dph(^t's 
c^hamber  ^here  the  Shunamitc  had  provided  a  bed,  a  table,  a  istopl, 
and  a  lamp,  to  the  friendship,  and  busy  womanly  ministrations,  uDd 
homage  of  lowly  discipleship,  of  homes  like  the  cottage  of  Bethany. 
"Where  H6  was  welcomed,  He  entered  \v^ith ..  the  invociitio,!^,  "  Ips&w 
he  to  this  house**— but,  unlike  the  Pharisees— without  ^HiiJg  any 
questions  as  to  the  levitical  cleanness  of  the  house,  or  its  tabli^4  or 
benches,  or  vessels.  It  was  very  rarely,  one  would  suppose,  tj«it;^^e 
was  iibt  gladly  received,  but  Vhen  at  any  time  He  met  inho.^itaij|^;,  \ 
HeonW"w/eht  ontb  the  next  village.  Sometiiues  H^  bore  |i^,  xeJCc- ' 
t|6h  silei^tly,  but  at  others,  hioved  at  their  hardness,  He  sjtiOQk^he 
very  dust  of  the  town  from  His  feet  on  leaving  it,  as  a  iprotest,  ^heu 
noieekncss  could  be  shown  He  showed  it,  but  where  the  cu'cumsiahces 
Remanded,  He  was  as  stern  as  commonly  He  was  gentle,.      .  ,,  i  f,/ 

It  is  not  easy  to  realize  the  daily  life  of  one  so  different  ftoth  pur- 
selves  as  Jesus,  but  a  fine  poetical  mind  has  iuiagined  the  scene  of 
the  healing  of  MaiyMagda^^      and  tlie  appearance  and  MCts  o,f  .Cluist 
•  so  flnely,  jthat  I  borrow  some  passages  from  his  pqh.  . ,.    r , 

The  fahding-place  at  Capernaum  was  at  the  south  side  of  m^'t6>i!yrn. 
Thither  the  boats  came, that  brought  oyer  ivortd  from  the  forests  of 
Gaulonitis,  and  thither  the  boat  steered  that  bore  Jcsus,  Hi^^  ioiir 
earliest  disciples  acting  as  boatmen.  He  had;beefa  oh  the  bther  side 
of  the  Lake,  and  had  returned  now,  in  the  eveninj*.  The  ^tiji  Was 
just  setting,  but  a  few  beams  seemed  toi  have  liuf^'Ved  to  die  aWay 
on  His  face,  and  the  full  moon  rose,  as  if  to  see  Ilmi  from  behii^d  iiwi 
brown  hills  stOl  bathed  in  purple.  The  soft  evening  Wind  hdd  risea 
to  cool  His  brow,  and  the  waters,  sparkling  in  the  moonlight,  rosC  an4 
fell  found  the  boat,  and  gently  rocked  it.  As  it  tonchea  the  shore 
there  were  few  people  about,  but  a  boat  from  Magdaid  lay  near,  with 
a  sick  person  in  it,  whom  it  had  taken  her  mother's  utmost  strength 
to  hold,  and  keep  from  uttering  loud  cries  of  distress.  She  hix(X  been 
broi^ht  in  the  hope  of  finding  Jesus,  that  He  might  cure  her. .' 
, .  *'  Master,"  said  John,  "  there  is  work  yonder  for  you  already."  " I 
must  always  be  doing  the  woi'k  of  Him  that  sent  me,"  replied  Jesus; 


THS^ttPE  OP  ctfnH^ 


a 


ucts  of  .Clx^ist 


sick  woman  had  recognized  Him  at  the  flfat  glance,  foi'  lio  qne  <?ouli 
mistake  l|i;n»  an(l  fprtli with  cried  out  with  a . heart-r^nditig  v^ceVf 
"  0  Jesus,; -our  heJper  and  teacher,  Tlipu  m^ssengeV ,  of  me  AH;'' 
Merciful,  Iieip,  my  poor  cliild,— ftir  the  Holy  ;0n6,  ijlessed^  be  liW 
D^me,  h/v9  heard  my  prayer  that  we  should,  find  *fh(?e,,  a'l^  Thou  v6^***; 
Peter  foftliwith,  with  the  Iielp  o^  tlie  other  two,  who  had  Ipt  th^uj'f 
oars  rest  i^iy  on  the  water,  ti^rned  the  boat,  so  tl^t  it  l^y  ai(Mig^i4^. 
the  one  Irom,  Hagdala,    Jesus  now  rose;  the  motlie^  'sank  oh  her 


knees;  hut  the  sicft  woman  tried  with  f^}]^)}§r  might  tp Jb^reak  ,a,way,|f 
and  tp  thr,ow  herself  into  t^iie  \\rater.  on  tne  f s,r  ^i]|e  of  the  boat,  tlio^' 
boatmisiii,  however,  and  John,,  who  had  sprung  over,  held  her  by  thp' 
arms,  while  her  motlier  juried  her  face  in  the  long  plaited  hair  of  her 
child,*  JBter.  tears  liad  9e{is3d  to  flow;  she  was  lost  in  i^itent  prayeii^ 
"Where  are  these  people  from?"  asked  Jesus  of  the  boatman,  an^, 
added,  to,jH(is  disciples,  when  He  heard  tht^t  she  came  from  Ma»da}?i,; 
' '  Woe  to  thip  Magdal^i,  f or,  it  w|ll  become  a  riii?^  for  its  wickeoiie^a ! 
The  rich  gifts  it  sends  to  Jerusalem  will  not  heipityforj,,  as  the  prophet^ 
says,  *  They  are  bought  with  the  wage*^  of  uncleax^iegs,  and  tp  that, 
thpy  will  ftgain  return. '"  "  Ihira  her  face  to  me  that  I  may  see  her^'[, 
adcfed  He.  It  >yas  not  ea^y  |o  do  this,  for  the  sick  onehela.h'or  fape,jj 
h^i^t  pvefrM  far  a^p6s3ibl|e,  towards  the  ,>vater.  Jojin  .managed 'ii^j 
however,  by  kind  wprd^  •'  Mary,  said,  be,  for  ihe  .had'  asked  heTj 
mother  her  name,  *'  do  you  wish  to  be  for  evqr  linder  thfe  power  oJT 
demons? .  Sep,  tlie  conqueror  of  demons  is  beifdre  tt^i^l  look  ph  l^m,l 
that  you  may  be  nealecJL  We  jire  all  praying  fpr  you,  21s  jVjLoses,  peac^* 
be  to  him,  once  prayed  fpr  his  sister^rr*  Q  ^94,  ^i^al  her.'  po  not* 
put  our  prjayer,  to  sharae;  now  is  the  nipmcnt  when  yoii  can  mfi^ke^ 
youra^f  and  your  mother  happy. "  Thq^e  wpr^s  tp)di,  and  ho  Ipnger^ 
opposingstr^igtj\to  strengtli,  she  let  tligm  raise  hjei*  head,4n4Vlwi'^i 
her  fac^  tp  Jjeaus.  But  when  she  saw  Him,  bei'  whole  bp^yw^^fS, so 
yioleptiJi^pnyulsp(l>  tUat  the  boat  swjf^ycd  t|Qandjfrp,  i^d  shjei  sbr^^^i^ 
out  the  most  piercing  w|dte,  Yhich  soi^mded  far  oVer  the  Jja^e.'.,  j, ; ,' 
Jesiis,, lio w^e^ veV;  fixed ; His jCyes on  hers,  aad  keptf hem' from 'tiif nmg 
away,  and  as*  He  gjized,  His  look  seen^ed  to  enter  lier  sonl,  and  brealc 
the  sevenfold,  chain  hi,  which  it  lay  bpund.  The  poor  r.aylng  preatiire. 
nosy  becapie  quiet  and  did  not  need  to  be  held;  heji*  cpnyulsiorial 
ceased,  the  contortions  of  her  features,  and  the  wildness  of  her  eyes, 
passed  off,  au^  prof  vise  sweat  burst  from  her  brpw,' and  mingled  witlv 
her  tears,  HermPther  stepped  back,  and  the  lietiled  one  sank  downj 
on  the  spot  where  her  motfier  had  been  praying,  and  muttered,  wit^^ 
subdued  trembling  words,  to  Jesus, — "  O  Lord,  I  am  a  great  sinner* 
is  the  door  of  repentance  still  open  for  mo?"  "Be  comforted,  my 
daughter,",  answered  He,  "  God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked;  thou  hast  been  a  habitation  of  evil  spirits,  become  now  a 
temple  pf  the  living  God."  The  mother,  unable  to  restrain  lierself,- 
broke,  out--*^  Thanks'  to  Thee,  Thou  Cbnsolaltion  of  israel,*^btlt  lie 
went  on,— "Return,  now;,  quickly/to  Magdala,  and  be  cialm,  iincl  give 


I 


i 


-.«■* 


419 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


•■*■•      iU    ,■.•>' 


■US'- 


ciV  .^j; 


t^iam  to  Ood  iri'rfiM^^^  ^rmrti  kejjppA^bnck  into  tholiMttHHifiliE^siiii; 
ai^a  the  other  boat  shot  out  into  the  Lake,  on  the  wa3^hoin6.  The 
t^jp  wojhew  sftf  pri  the  hiiddld  seat.  Mary  held  Rcr  mothc»r  in-  her 
«mi9  in  ^t^ful  thanks,  and  neither  spoke,  but  both  kept  their  eyes 
fixed  on  Jesus,  till  the  shore,  iuttitig  out  westwards^  hid  Hitnfroin 
tbeir'si^t'    '  '  '        "  .     ■  ,    ,    .  ;..  „ 

;'.^?([h,^h  the  boat  with  the  women  was  gone,  Peter  bound  Ms  to  the 
post  tci  which  the  other  had  b^en  tied,  but  Jesus  sat  still  in  deep 
thpught,  withoiit  lookfhg  rOund,  and  the  dis<^ples  remained  motion- 
less ,b<qsicie  Hiiji,  for  reVetfence  forbade  them  to  ask  Him  to  go  ashore. 
Meanwhile,  the  people  of' Capernaum,  men,  women,  and  chiWreii, 
Btreanicd  dowti  in  bands;  some  soldiers  6f  the  Roman-Herodian  gar* 
rlspp,  and  spme  strapge  faces  from  Perea,  Decapolis,  aBd-  Syiia^ 
among:  tlieitt;"  '  '"[  C"''''^' '  ^-v ;  ^^or^m  ,^'^^)t^odv s^o  '.fj^-^tm,  ' 
■jUeopG^^^  had  filled,  and  now'Peteir  rentured  to  wliisp^r ,  in 
a  low  voice  which  conoealed  his  impatience,  ''Mar&tiu  WS  Rabbtnu— 
Oi^r  Lord  aind  Master— ^the  people  hare  assembled  and  wait  for  Thee," 
On  t^»is  Jesus  ix)sfe;  P^t^r  ttiade  a  bridge  from  the  boat  to  the  shore 
wltlji  a  plank,  hastet^ing  a<jr6ss*  to  make  it  secure,  and:  to  open  the 
yvnyi  for  the  crowd  Was  irery  dense  at  the  ^dge  of  the  water.  ^  Chi^st 
now  I6ft  the  bbait,  foIToWed  fey  th^  three  other  disdples,  and,  wiusn 
He  had  stepped  ashore,  s«id  to  Peter,—"  Schhn'on  KMft'Wfor' tbijs 
H[e  J^ddresspa  liirini  when  He  had  need  of  his  faithful  and  zealkms 
serviqe' in  tliie  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God-^"!  shall  take  my 
sta^d  undci'  the  pabm-tree  yonder."  It  was  hard,  however;  to  mahJe 
way  through  the  croWd,  foi*  those  tvho  had  set  themselves  n^ardst  the 
water  were  mostly  sick  J)eOple*,^o  whom  the  others,  from  compassion, 
had  given  this  front  place!  Indeed,  Jesus  had  scarcely  landed^  before 
cries  for  help  rose,  in  different  dialects,  and  in  every  form  of^  appeal. 
••  J?abbj,  iH^bOni,*'  **  Holy  Oheof  thelilost  Highi"  "  Son  of?I)avidr 
*'  Son  of  God] ", mingled  one  With  the.  other.  Jesus,  however,  waving 
them  ba9k  witli  His  hand,  said,  "'Let  me  pass  I  to-ni^t  is  not  lo  be 
'for  the,  healing  of  ybiir  bodilv  trotibles,  but  that  you  may  hear  the 
."WpTftot  life,  for  the  good  oi  your  souls.**  On  hearing  this  they 
pressed  t'oVartls  ITim,  that  they  inight  at  least  touch  Him;  Whjen,  at 
last,  with  the  help  of  His  disciples,  He  made  His  way  to  the  palm, 
He  mctioned  to  the  people  to  sit  down  on  the  grass.  The  knoll  from 
which  the  palm  roRe  was  only  a  slight  one,  but  when  the  crowd  had 
sat  down  in  rows,  it  sufficed  to  raise  Him  sufficiently  above  them. 
The  men  sat  on  the  ground,  leaving  any  better  spots  for  the  women 
and  children. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  think  of  Jesus  standing  while  He  taught.  He 
stood  in  the  synagogue  at  Nazareth  while  the  Prophets  were  being 
read,  but  He  sat  down  to  teach.  He  sat  as  He  tauglit  in  the  Temple, 
and  when  He  addressed  the  multitude  whom  He  had  miraculously 
fed;  and  When  He  spoke  from  Simon  Peter's  boat,  He  did  sovsitting. 

Under  the  palm  lay  a  large  stone,  on  which  many  had  sat  before, 


to  enj 

The  I 

wasn* 

made 

simple 

sudar, 

wliich 

prescri 

requin 

grev  r 

had  sa 

moved 

becany 

the  rip] 

Asil 

on  His 

Thepec 

ing.  .    * 

Babban 

"Sons 

and  the 

Moses,  3 

Lordyo 

shall  ye 

Amen, : 

No  man 

but  the 

louder ; 

heavy-li 

learn  of , 

for  youJ 

drawififlL 

of  hcai^ 

and  the  f 

hare  wl[ 

money 

ears  to 


-■■:oVr. 


-^- 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


477 


to  enjoy  the  view  over  the  Lake,  or  the  shade  of  the  branches  above. 
The  Rabbis  often  ohose  such  open  air  spots  for  their  addresses.  Tlicre 
was  nothing  extraordinary,  therefore,  when  Jesus  sat  down  on  it,  and 
made  it  His  pulpit.  His  dress  wfis  clcMi  and  carefully  chosen,  but 
simple.  On  His  head,  held  in  its  place  by  a  cord.  He  wore  a  white 
sudar,  the  ends  of  which  hung  down  His  shoulder^.  Over  His  tunic, 
which  reached  to  the  hands  and  feet,  was  a  blue  TalliUi,  wiUi  the 
prescribed  tassels  at  the  foiir  cprnps,  b^t  on^ypaa;]{ifge.  is  ^Ibses 
required.  .  It  was  so  tlirown  ovei*  Jilmx,  and  so  iield  t^^uier,  that  the 
grev  redatnprd  under TgarmeiiMi  was  littjle  seen,  and  msfeet,  wbicli 
had  saDd^ls,  not  shoes,,  were  -only  noti9ed  occasipuf^Ujr,  yfhen  Hi 
moved.  When  He,  had  satjdawniand.  ^oked  pvi^r  it^e  peppl^,  they 
became  Miller  and  stUler,  till  nQthijqig  .>f^,^^af|^f^,tl^e^f^ft  jp^losh  of 
the  ripple  on  the  beach.  .;  y-ji^s^  j>m  rmi    ..^ 

As  He  sat  on  the  stone,  Simon  and  Andrew,  the  sons  of  tlToqas.  stood 
on  His  right  amd  left  hmid,  with  Jame&ai^d  John,  (the  sons  pf  2jal^ai. 
The  people  stood  aFound  i\m  slop^,  lor  as  yetBabbis  were  hearjct^  stand- 
ing. '  *' Sickness)  came  into  the  woiFld,t"  ^<lys  the  Ta^ipu^  when 
Babban  Gamaliel  died,  void  it  became  the  rule  tq  hear  t^e  Ls^w  sitting. " 
«'  Sons  of  IsraeU  Mem  of  Galilee, "  He  began,  * '  the  tipie  is  fulfilled, 
and  the  k:ingdom  of  God  haa  come:  repent^  and  be]li\eve  the  Clospel. 
lioses,  your  teacher,  peace  be  to  him,,  has  saidr-r^  A  pfophet  willf  he 
Lord  your  God  raise  iKoto  you  j^m  your  brethren*  like  unto  me.  Hlni 
shall  ye  kwj.  But  he  who  will  not  hear  this/  pr|[^het  shall  die{ ' 
AmeH,d^  say  unto  you:  Ho  who  believes  on  me  has  eyerl^ting  IffCf 
No  man  knows  the:  Father  but  the  Bop,  an4  no  n:mn^  knpWs  the  Son 
but  the  Fathei',  and  he  to  whom  the  Son  reveals  IJim,/'  TThenjiWith  a 
louder  ;Voice>  ite>  continued,  ♦■</ome  to. me,  all  ye  th^^  laboiir  and  are 
heavy-ladenvand  I  will  give  yon  rest.  .^Take  my  yoke  iipon  yoiiand 
learn  of'  na^  for  I  am  meek,  and  lOiWly  in  bearjt,  anjd  ^e  sna|l  nnd  rest 
for  your  sadjfiu  For  my  yoke  isr  pwy ,  apd  njiy  burden,  ^s  li^t.  *\  Tjken, 
drawing  to  a  ci0se>  He  added, , ','  'JaTteonyon,  the  yoke  of  thie  kmgdom 
of  ^ca^'^en,  for  tha  kingdom  jpf /heaven  is  the  mlfl|Ung  of  the  Law 
and  the  Prophets.  Give .  up  that  ^^hieh  is  worth  little^  that  you  may 
have  what  is  of  great  price.  Become  wise  changers  who  value  holy 
money  above  all  other,  and  the  p^!j^  of,  {price  above  all. ,  Hp  that  Img 
ears  to  hear,  let  liim  hear."       (.'wiqi>i#i    , 


'.d:»VUIi 


fU   •■iU) 


V.h 


♦  ••  r  1 1 

!i  i. 


\.'     X 


.(:.!  ->\> 


.;■'  .''■ 


CHAPTER  XLI.  ''       ' 

VBB.BUBiB'!CX7fa,  OV  THS  frrOBBf. 

,;K1hb  summer  passed  in  aflUccessionof  etcit^tncntd  anid  im  titil)^^n 
irecurrfiQce  of  exh»i^8tin^  toil.  WWetevoir  JesUlb  appearfed^'i*  iwi^r- 
rpimded  l^  crowds,  ittixTous  to  me  and  t6  hear;  The'  sicK'every^nerd 
pressed  inllia  way,  and  jfriendsbron^^li  the'bed-riddeiil  litidh^lm^i^  to 
Him,  from  irtl  quarters.  From'  early  taot'ntn^  tin  tiight,  dAy  W  ttWy, 
without  ^spite,  there  was  a  strain  on  tnind',  heart,' and'  b6dWkflke.' 
Even  the  retirement  of  the  hotuse  in  whidi  He  m%!it  hie  .-i^lilg, 
could  not  i^ye  Him  from  intrudinff  cmwds,  and  tiih^  or  fi^e  ^&p0e , 
foir  i9ie,^i|  wa(^  hardly  to  he  had.  ^ch  'tonsion  of  His  whi[>Ie  ntnuro 
mUst  bpiyo  told  on  Him;  and  mint'  h^e  affectM  !His  iiiPh61e\<'ner- 
vous  ana  physical  system.  To  he^ntiAiially  tturr6titt(Ied  hy 'Mi- 
ery,  jAerery  form,  is  itself  diAtressingt.  but;  irt'additidll^^fa,  td'h^ 
kf^^t  (on  the  6tram  by  the  higher  spiritMl  exlcivem^nt  of  h^nt  ^m- 
ioucf  cirii^s,  and  jljo  ^  overtaxed  in  mdrephy^cal 'demands,  cotiM  hot 
fairto/sho^  realuHs,  in  oaik>evirom  features,  feverifthness*'i)!f  tSicWii^.  i 
and  the  need *0f  t^mporaiy  quiet 'and  rest.  'Yfet'**^pathyWa4f elf  ' 
for  Him  only  by  a  few.  The  thouffWless  crowds  dldibt  r^lii^Hhl^t 
thi^y  were  consumi^ig  in  the  fires  of  it«  own  detbtioti  thcl  iiiiltire  t^ciy 
inl^pd^d^to  honour,  and  His  enemies,  seeing  every  th'&i^  o^y  thi^ti|li 
th^.^is^urbing  li^t  of  their  hatred,  inviented  a't|i^ry'fdrit  b!H'tbat 
w,as:iint8ter  ei^ou^.  •    ■  '  '•    ■-  '«•■'''  -■   "'  '  '^i  - -.' ^■i^-.j'''  /.' 

1i)ie  continued  and  increasingsiipport  JemisrecfeiV^df^dm  the^|^!&. 
w{^ a 4^Uy  growing «viil in  the  eyesof  the  «cd6teia§«ic^l<itrtjfoMfe^. 
They  '^i^re  jr^  danger  of  losing  their  Mitfaority^  wMch  they  idlehtii^d 
wiili  th^  int^rfests  of  orthodoity,  andinationat  favbiur»with*HG^dd'.  Tl£cjr 
hadlei  Him  choose  four  or  five  <J58CipIe8kWitliout  fedttg*a!iiiiii*^3fbr 
a  movei9ient  as  yet  so  insignificant  wa»  almost  ben^^'th^ir^'iibnci^.' 
TMchoice  of  A  publican  as  one  of  this  handful  had,  inde^;%p!piflf^ntly 
neviraji?ed  any  possible  danger,  Jby  tho  shock '  i*  gave  tC^'pubHfe'  feel- 
ing. The  further  choice  of  ithe  Twelve  w«s,  howeve'r,  itfOife'tfCribtis. 
It  seemed  like  consolidation,  and  progress  towards  Openyhi*i<^ '  TK^ire  ^ 
were,  already,  parties  in  Judaism,  but  there  were  nosects;  foT/aH  wfere 
alike  fanatically  loyal  to  the  Law,  the  Temple,  and  the  Scflbes;  dbd 
ready  to  unite  against  any  one  who  was  not  as  much  so  as  themselTcs, 
in  their  own  sense.  Criticism  was  utterly  proscribed:  blind  worship 
of  things  as  they  were  was  imperatively  required,  and,  hence,  Jesus, 
with  His  free  examination  of  received  opinions,  provoked  the  bitterest 
hostility.  As  long,  however,  as  He  had  no  following  He  was  little 
dreaded,  but  signs  of  organization  and  permanence,  such  as  the  choice 
of  the  Twelve,  and  the  growing  enthu^asm  of  the  p^oplb  towards 
Him,  die|termiaedr  the  authorities  «il  Tigorous  action.    InfO)rnlat]i;on 


THE  LIFE  QF  CHRI8T. 


47f 


1    •  I'k'J^ 

^fe  mm- 

Mty  ftr  Sky'. 

hble  ntoe 
Is.  cotMigt 

mm.  *tM 

>;  fot  feTl  v?ete 
!  St»tll)es;  Jliid 
8  tlieBfiselTcs, 
rlind  worship 
hence,  Jie^us, 
dthebittetest 
lie  tvas  little 
jistlteclioice 


was  laid  ae^inst  Hin^  at  Jerusalem,  where  He  had  already  been  clvU- 
Icn^ed,  ana  Rabbis  were  sent  down  jU>  Investigate  the  whole  question, 

Every  movement  which  did  not  rise  in  tjUe  Rabbinical  schools  wa^ 
suspected  by  the  Rabbis  and  their  disciples,  and  there  were  circuni' 
8tarice8^,ip.tliat,o|  .Jesws,  wbich  were  especially  formidable,  /nio 
sDpqrliulnfftn  powera^ ,  Hq  displayed  could  not  be  questioned,  and  th« 
R^bbi^Gp^ld  bt^a^t  of  npthin^  aa  impoaiug.  They  were  fallfng  into 
the  ^hf^  I,  ^Beapect  wa^,  growmg  for  Jeisus  among  the  people,  in  spitq, 
of  th^n^  .|i^s  claims  we^  dally  urged  more  frankly,  and  the  inassefi' 
were  di^088d;to>fe8aent  to,  [them.  On.  His  return  to  Capemaiiiii  Ha 
had  cu^ed  a  man  yfhQ  was  blind,  dumb,  and  mad,  and  possessed  be^ 
side^Wi^h  a  devil;  and^o  astounding  a  miracle  had  raised  the  ques- 
tion, f^r  ^i^d  wfide,  wh^jther»  in  spite  of  their  forhi^r  ideas.  He  wero  ' 
natlhe  Spi^  of  ^ayidr^fche  Messiah,  after  all.  !Men  had,1ndeed,  ex- 
pe(|tjpd  an  out wap:4  political  kingdom^  with  a  blaze  of  miracle  wf  bug^ht 
onb^lf.of  ti^  nation  at  large,  but  they  began  to  asl^  ^ach  otl^er' 
'  'When  ibe  ph^st  com^th  wiH  Hci  do  more  miracles  than  this  man 
has  done?"  ^t  cquld  not  be^ndured.  ;  The  movement  of  John  l^d 
just  been,  prustied,  audi  now,  m  restless  OaHlce,  one  far  ijEiore  daQ^(^rf 
ous  :to.j^be  Jervisalem  authorities  was  rapidly  taking  shape  and  cott^ 
»to<^;  it  musVbe  put  down  at  a»y  cost. '  m  '^' 

The  Itobbis  from  th6  capital,  reverend  and  grey,  did  not  Kno# 
w|iqt|i^;to  )^  fnoj^  bi^terat.  the  discredit  thrbwin  on  their  ow;h  claliAft 
to  sijipeffna,turjal  p,qw^'i:s,  or  vat.  thci  popular  favour  shown  ip  ^Jissuef* 
He  cast  out  devils,  indeed,  but  so  did  they,  and  their  disciples^  tJ^p 
exorfiista..,,!^.  was;  enpu^.for  Him,, however,  to  ipeak,  ahd^feW- 
fcrer;  wa^(  pured  ot  aU  ailniients  alike>  while  tiiey  used  adjurtitions- 
spplls^  apdmagle  f(^mul»  which  were  dangerously  like  the  j^pcrstir  ^ 
tibna;qf  ijj^e.de^pi^ed  heathens.-  .  They  laid  stress  oh  theii^  knoWi^ge 
of  !lhe,^qrei^. natives  of  God .  and.  the  ^angels.  1*0  utter  the  ciphei! 
which  ^HOQ^  jjor,  tj^iese,  wbs,  in  their  belief ,  to  set  in  motion  the  diylha 
nndan^i^pqwers.themselves.  ojida  whole  science  of  the  black  ait  ^ 
had  ifceji  (ipyei^d,  defining  how  and  for  what  ends  they  cou^d  i)e^ 
prassed,  ipitp  t^  service  <Jf  weir  .invoker^  like  the  geinii  of  the  Arabian 
Kiglvts  Mo  ^M  of  a  magician/^ ;^^^^^^^  i        • 

T^ip  cfij(m  dignity  and  simplicity  of  Jesus,  contrastei^  with  their, 
doubtful  ^  irttes,  WAS,  indeed,,  humiliating  to  them.  The  mightiest  61 
allagencies  a|;  their  comnumd  wa»  the  unutterable  imme  6f  "'Jehp- 
viih"— caUedi^ifi  the  Bookof  Enoch,  in  the  jargon  of  the  Ilabbinical 
exorci8ts-r,tl^e  oath  Aktl  and  **  the  number  of  Kesbeel.**  By  t^iia 
number,  or  oatj^,,  it  was  held,  all  tliat  is  has  its  being.  It  had  also  ,a 
I  secret  m^ica^  power. ,  B  was  made  known  to  nien  by  the  ;w^cKe(| 
aag;eis-?fT**,the.^on»«f  Ck>d"r-Twho  allied  themselves  with  womeiji,  aii<| /' 
br9ug]jiton  tiiedpodty  'Mtt  was  revealed  by  the  Head  pf  the  Oat^  tp. ' 
[the  tolyiqjies{^^^  in  majesty ;  and  hw  nMne  life  BeqaJ 

[And  ue  said  to  the  holy  Micliael  that  he  should  reveal  to  them  that 

3cret  name,  that  they  mijrht  see  it,  and  that  they  might  use  it  for  an 


« 


'ii'''' 

31: 


II' 


480 


THE  l^^B  or  CHRIST. 


(kth;  that  they  who  rcvc(|[l  to  tbiii  sons  of  mcn.pll  thr^t  i^hf^MTf^^ 
shrink  away  oeforc  that  naihc  and  that  onth.  And  this  is  itib  power 
oi  that  oatfi,  and  these  are  Its  wjcret  works,  and  these  thiing^  ^ero 
ea^ahlifihed  by  the  swearing  of  it.  the  heaven  was  htjiifl;:  tip  lor^Vct 
ana  evef'jfhy  %  before  tlio  world  "Wds  created^'  ©j^-'lt  the  carttj.^ajr, 
founded  above  ihc  water,  and  the  fii\t  streatns  cohie  by'ii'forae'tiisc 
of  the  living,  from  the  hidden  places  of  tlt6  Iil(l8,^fW)th'^t;H^f(mndHtlbn 
of  the  ea|;ih,  foir  (^ver.,  And  m  that  oath  was  the  W6i  tniuie,  ^^  un- 
de^eath.it  He  spread  the  s^cf,  to  restrain  ft  ^n  ttic  tlnoiri  of  it^ffkd, 
and  it  dare  not  pv^rstep  this  Ibc^iiiid  fropii  the  ct^aftiori  iof  the  H^otldTto 
eternity.  And  tlirough  <hat  path  the  ahy^sdii  airef '  c<)niJiined,'  a^d 
itasd,  and  move  not  1f*rom  their  place,  fronj  eteriiity  fe) 'ctertiity. 
And  tUicu^h  that  oath  the  si;n  and  thd  nioo^fMihdf  icoui^ 
tvrn  fioi  apidq  from  the  path  asfei^eq  tiiem,  lor  ev^f  and  evfer.  ^tA 
thronglji  that  oath  tiie  stars  lulm  thfeir  cbursfe,  aid  He  cAlfetheir 
i^ajm<^s,,^d  th^y  ^i^swerJ'^roih  etietnlky  Jo  eternity.  Atd  evfen  soi  the 
npirits  9f  tne  wat(?ra,  of  the  wfnds,  of  hn  niid,  aiid  thbir  ^^ays.-ftdebrd- 
Ing.  to  all  the  combipatioiis  of  th^  spi!riits.'  And  b^  thatt  oath'arc  the 
trcasurfes  ot  the  voice  of  thfe  'thiin^f  hnd  bt  the  brfi^hthes^  bf'thlft 
li^jtm'ng  maintained, Wd"  the  treiteiirii?s  ot  W&  rdih',  a^nd  ^of  '<h6  h^6^t 
fro8t»  and  of.  the  plouds,  and  df  the  fain,  ahd  6f  the  dew.  Aiid'^^ver 
fliemaU:^fe  oath  is  mighty. J^:  ■>l.novii.H' ^        ^^, 

;..;  possessing  spells  so  migh'^y  as  thpt  belfev^^^^  nanieS'o! 

the  higher  powers  thus  to  be,  wk  lRa1)bi*f  had  Created  a  ttotscfeiftie  of 
ii^aeic^  as  fantastic  as  that  of  mediaeval  superstition,  to  Drh)|^' these 
awf^J  powi^  to  hear  f»ri  the  mysferlies  of  the  fut\;^e,  and  the  alSefeses 
ai^d  ^ouWes  pf  the!  J^resen t.  Combinatibhs  of  hiimb^ra  of  Hifes,  or  olf 
letters  based  on  them,  were  believe^  Vd  ppt  tliem'  at'  th^  ^rvjfee  of '  tlife 
seer,  or  the  exorcist.  Resistless  tahsin'aiis,  pfbtectift^'amtfieti^  frl^f 
lul  pU^rseS)  by  which  miraicples  could  be  wrought,  the  i^^k  heMed,  and 
qempiis  put  to  flight,  Were  formed  in  tiis  way: ^^  Armed  with  A^Vstic 
tex.V  from  the  opening  pf  Genesis,  or  thfe  vfeiops  of  thtekietf,  or  the 
secret  niEtii^ppfQpd,  or  of  some  of  t^i^  angels,  Or  ¥ithi^retrihy fetc- 

.jioua  unions  of  letters,  the  t^abbls  %h<i  dMt  in  the  dark  AHs  haa  the 
ppwer  to  drifw  the  nioon  from  heaven,  Wto  bpen  the  abysms '6f  the 
eartl^  1 ,  Ilie  unitiitiated  iaaiv  onty  unmea'hiiig  ilfgns  in  thdr  Tiif#t  awful 
formtilae,  but  Ijjl  who  cpuld  TecKO^  their  mystic  value  ai-i]^  ^as 
jpaster  of  ,aiigejic  or  even  divine  attribntes.         .   .         j.     • 

,  The  appearance  Jof  Jesus  as  a  mlVacle-ydl'kier  s6  ^ffereht'  from 
themsejivep,  mu^t  have  excited  the  l^abbinipal  schools'  grje^tljf'.  "Th^y 
made  no  little  ,gajn  from  |h^if  exol^cii^ras,  ahd  ii6yr  thiey  Wereiti  dari- 
f  er  of  being  wholly  discredited,  At  a  loss  wh^t  to  d6,^y  deteir- 
Itytne4^^  slander  what  thejf  could  hot  d6hy,  4hd  attri^titelJhe  miracles 
m  jesiis  to  aleague  ivitli  tne  d^vil.    Th6y  had,  iidde^d,  forferbc  tirrie 

"mpk  been  w&isperin^  Wis'thsintfatlohiAbbttt^^  t«^  bolsdhthfe  mMsttf 
the  people  against  Him,  as  an  emissary  of  Satan,  dend'tbdi,  iit6es^iri)f , 
a  disguised  enemy  of  Israel,  and  of  man.    It  would  raise  superstitious 


terro 

;  Th 

that 
wide| 
andfi 
that  tj 

took  jc 
words 
put  d^ 
the  wp 
invari< 
file;  t|i 
god,  "3 

him.wa 
ofaliki 
^!j5i.,in 
w^u  the 
Dotad^ 
neceaaai; 
that  m 

contract 
theihj  ali 

demon 
mad." 
w^  P5ls 


hfe  was 
Was  it 
of  the 
Jnqral  i* 
after  ajil. 
He  only  1 
could  Hft 
What  a  rj 


7  "  ■•*^**fi*  C] 

the  weapi 
domisin 

ittprpcea' 
,  to  rum." 

IMstp 


THE  UFIr  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


terror,  if  tl^e^  OQuld  bnmd  Hioa  a»  a  mete,  iiutruiiient  of  the  kingdom 


;  lite  0fire  of f  iOMpf  tflnd.  d^nib,'«|id  pdsee^seA,  ^ib  90  nistouiidihjS^, 
tb«tf  t|i€rjEiiibp)8\  ventured  to  ipread  tUcir  malignant  slnodidrs  morb 
widely  tbati  Ixerelpfof^.  Jp9Us  liad  retired  to  Peters  hoii?^,  wcfiiHed 
and  mJint,  ^dOter  tne  miracle,  ^ut  tiie  ojiult^iudo  were  bo  greatly  excited 
that  tj^ev  crowoeql' li^to,tli6  ^m,;8(^  VfiaX  Ho  could  not  even  cat",  ati^ 
among, Ibem  %.Jem8i|^em  Sbrilies,  who  Were  so  blttci*  a^idiist  IQm'; 
took  care  iQ.flna  them^lyes.  He  rea(^  thciii'  faces,  ai^d  jkheW  (holt 
worils.  ''TtiisfeUpAy.unaUt])if:>i^^d  and  uneducated  as  H^  is,ca$^$ 
put  c^yil^  under  Beelzebub,  as  tbeir  ]|)rince/'  Tbey  bellcviNt  that 
the  wprifi,  of  evil  i^pirlta,  llKe  that  <4  the  aiigels,  foi^ihed  a, great  army, 
iu  vanous,  divls^om  eapu.  V^itli  its  hdjeui  aUd  subQfdihates,  its  ran](  and 
file ;  t^e , wingile  ijinder  tjii^  CQt^imand  of  Satan.  BoelsMibub— t!ie  **  fifth 
god,"— was  the  namegivcM  bV  Jewish  wit  and  cpntcmpt  to  Beelzebul, 
— :,'  Uie  ior(J<  pf  the  (iroyaj)  liaolliation"— a  gpd  of  tl^c  Phfehiclans.  To 
l^fm  waa^s^kncd  tht;  (^butrol  of  that  dlviilon  ivhich  Inflif^ted  disease 
of  au  Jdndy  on  inaa,  and  to'us,  they  hii^ted,  wa&  playing  a  ii^rt  itnddt 
hip),  ,in  iprpte^dU^  to  dnye  6tit  devils  from  the  sick,  thd^t  He  might 
w^u  U^e  people  to  ^lefqn  tP  His  pestiferous  teachltig,  They  Would 
QPt/adinit  t^at  Hlis  ppifer  Was  divine^  and  the  ideaa  of  the  tiinoi 
nepessfiirily  a^uped  that  it  n^dsit  be  the  opposi^t^.  It  was  of  ho  aVan 
that  iigiit  stretuned  in  on  them;  fo^  bigotty,  Uke  thei  pupu  of,  tlie  eye» 
contiiapt^  in  prpp(>rtion  to  the  (^utwaM  brlglithiQ^.  He  Was,  with 
theml  an  emissary  auj^  champlo^  oj^  the  kingdoni  oif  the  devil,  and  an 
en^ypfCfod.  V  .  "'  '  ''  ^     '    "":v--"i^ 

•jCJiey  evenyeni  faiilief.  '  !^^^  He  hi  lesagufi  wil^ffi^ 

tVaa 
nbW, 
mtoH^sjpfefenCie.  , 

Jesua  ^  once  f^^llenged'  them'fb^'th^ir  slanders^  and  bEdugfi!t 
thein,  fn,  1^ .p)i%sence  of  ^bg,inultitude,  tp  an  accbunt.  '*  His  whora 
life  Ttras  b^^QDf^  l^he^Woi'^d.  TW  aii^  aud  spirit  of  it  weifi^  trahsparei]^ 
\fa§  it  npt  jE^preaaly  to  ,%ht  ag$ii^  the  evil  and  66nfiisea  spii^ 
oif  t|ie  ciay;  ,  w  overthrow  att  Wfdkedne^  and  all  evil;  tP  resico^ 
moral  wm  ffi)|ritu^  spiindhess  in  the  pedple ;  did  He  m^t  ^tiiVb 
after  all  this,  with  Ihe  fnln^a^pf  lj?8  jppwer?  Whp  c6uld  deny  that 
He  only  sought  good,  ahd  spent' aJl  His  Energy  tp  advance  it?  And 
couldj|je  le^Ue  Hfi^olf  Tsj^ith  tli^  ptinfte  of  datrkftb^tp  do  gOPd? 
What  a  ridicukfci:^.  ^ejficpntradlctp^  charke!  Tp  tliihk  of  Him  over- 
coming pvDl  by  evil;  fighting  against  fhe  kin^pm  of  dar^e^,  with 
t^e  weap9ns  of  dan^n^c^is,  Wa$  ^moit  too  foPliah  to  tepeatl  Kp  kii^- 
domisiu  cpnflict  Witn  itself,  pr  if  ther^  be  divisipn  in  it,  ft  is  ahrea^ 
in  process  pt  q^sspliitib^n,  fPr  it  riebds  iiPthing  mpi-e  tp  biitig  it  quick 


•'V 


I*';' 


im 


THft  LIFE  OP  CSmfiT. 


«:' 


III 


"HI;*' Wild  Il«, '•'cart  out  devils  by  ther  power' of  BeelK^iili; by 
Wliam  4o  TOitr  disciples  cast  them  outY  You  do  not  attribute  tlM^ 
wor}{8  to  the  prince  of  devils,  why  do  you  do  so  With  mine?  Btit  if  I 
do  tliese  thln&s  by  the  jx>wcr  of  God,  I  prove  myself  to  be  isent  fiom 
lltnl,  and  to  tx;  His  Messiah,  and  where  the  Messiah  is,  thtlfe  stlso  \h 
ills  Kingdom.  Do  you  still  hesitate  to  draw  this  conclusion:?  -  Ask 
yoiirsclves,  then,  how  I  can  Invade  the  kincdoth  of  Satan,  and^  talce 
from  himi  his  servants,  InstrumontH,  and  victims,  the  sick,  and  <  the 
possc8sed,'wlthout  having  first  overcome  himself?  Th^'sttfcmciiUin's 
})aHice  can  only  be  i^poil^  wlicn  he,  himself,  is  first  bound.  It  Is  no 
light  matter  tq  puc  yourselves  in  the  position  you  take  towards  mei 
ii^  W!io  is  not  with  tue,  is,  as  may  be  seen  in  your  case,  my«toettiyt 
Ko  neuimftty  between  the  Messiah  and  the  devil  is  poesibto.  If  ytftt 
do  not  help,  with  me,  to  gather  in  the  harvest,  you  scatter  It,  amd 
hindeir  its  iKJing  gathered!'^  ,ii  ! 

i  Tlioftrgumenttfof  JfcsUs  wcreso  irresistible  that  the  Babbi«,<takdA 
in-  the  snared  they  bad  set  for  Him,  could  suy  nothing,  and,  oov^, 
trhlie  they  .Were  silenced  befqre  the  people  they  liad  striven  to  pervcfC, 
Jle  advanced  from  defence  to  attack.  They  clahned  to  be  the  rij^t* 
<0U9  of  ihe  land,  but  had  no  idea  of  what  true  irighte6uines8-]toeant.i 
9^esiis  had  come  to  ofter  forgiveness  to  signers,  not  to  ]ud^e  themf.' 
fie  desired  rather  to  deliver  them  from  their  guilt.  BUi  Heiaw  that 
His^  enemies,  the  theologians  and  clergy  of  the  day,  and  the' privileged 
classes  genemlly,  had  determined  to  reject  Him,  whatever  proofs  <tf 
!H^  divine  mission  He  might  Advance.  Their  prejudices  and' self 
^ntertist  had  blinded  them  till  their  religious  focult^  was  destiroyeft 
'^Hoy  ^ad  deliberately  refused  to  be  convmced,  and- conscience  knows 
■dcfaa^il  it^coHvidtions  are  iriighted.'  The  heart  g^ts  mcapable  of'see^ 
Ifig  the >ttnit&  acAindb  which  it  has  closed  itself.  They;  dared'  to  gpesk 
^iHheMxA^  Bpint  of  God  w«ho  hispired  the  New  Kingdom,  rtnrt  ih 
whose  fulness  Jesus  wrestled  against  selfishness  and  am!mion,lSK)bthed 
the  #oes^  of  the '  people,  opened'  A  pure  ahd  hedvenly  future;  nv4 
iiiought  tdwin  men  to  eternal  life,  a^  ti  spirit  of  evil.  Light  was  to 
^&a  flm-yaoGS&i  and  darkhess  light.  They  even  sought  to  i^ueridh  thb 
li^ht  in  its  source  by  plotting  against  His  life.  Thi%  He  tdld'  tb:m, 
■i^as  blasphemy  aialnst  the  Divine  Spirit.  They  had  wilfully  r^cted 
^0  clear  revt'latlon  of  His  presence  and  power, -a Ad  had  showii 
deliberate  and  conscious  enmity  against  Him.  "This  awful  sirl,^' 
•said  He,'  '*  cannot  be  forgiven,  because,  when  it  ocpurs;  the  religiotft 
faculty  has  been  voluntarily  destroyed,  and  wilful,  declared  oppOeitioh 
^i  heavenly  truth  has  possessed  the  soul  as  with  a  devil."  *'To  speak 
Against  me  as  a  man,"  He  continued,  "and  not  recognize  me  as  ttk 
MeiBiBli,  is  not  a  hopeless  sin,  for  better  knowledge,  a  change  of 
Jieart,  and  faith,  m^y  come,  and  I  may  be  ackn6wledg(Kl.  But  it  is 
^^el-ent  when  the  truth  itself  is  blasphemed ;  when  the  Holy  Spirit, 
^Wliom  alone  the  heart  can  be  changed,is  bontemnerf  ds  e\lL  Ttfp 
tioul  has4h€»  shut  out  the  light,  aud  has  chosen  darkh^'  ^  iJts  portitnd. 


THB  LIFE  OF  CHIU8T. 


jT   BUtWl 
e  sent  f i^m 

q;  fttid'  tdk« 
ck,  wtA  •  t^ 

d.    It  1ft  no 
towfcttlBine. 

bto/  lf'y<J^ 
fttter  H,  wd 

lnbbte,talioJ 
g,  *nd.  aoi^, 
en  to  pefvc/t, 

bcthetiflit- 

lititw-Aieftnt.i 

iHelawthAt 
the  pHvfleged 
'vcr  proofs  of 
loeg  ttitd  "BelJ- 
k-as  defetiroyetf. 
sotencd%rt>WB 
apftbtoofee^ 
Itored'to  «f«a? 
ie;d6in,  linrt  iti 

tlwa,  soothed 
f utui«5;  m^ 

Light  ^fts  tb 

to  ^t'^'^^^  ^ 
le  tdld'  ^ewy 
ilftdlyre^jC-cM 
A  had  6howii 
kg  a^ul  feirii^' 
s,  the  religiotts 
ired  opptisHlob 

'»  :*•  To  speak 

iize  i«e«8  thfe 

a  change  ot 

W.    But  it  is 

le  HoiT  Spirit. 
Idsevllc^   T«B 

Istettsportitw- 


"I  warn  you  to  hewaro of  speaking  tliut  onr  longer.  BHheY  dtodd<i 
tiiat  the  tree  is  irood  and  Its  fruit  conioquentiy  good,  or  that  It  la  bad 
and  ita  fruit  bau,  but  domot  act  so  foolishly  as  you  have  done  In  your 
judgment  on  me,  by  oallhig  tlio  tree  bad-~that  Is,  callhig  me  a  tool  of 
t!v3  dovU,  and  yet  ascribing  good  fruit  to  me—such,  Imean,  as  thD 
casting  out  devils.  X>o  not  think  what  you  say  is  mere  words,  for 
words  rise  from  the  heart,  as  if  from  the  root  of  the  man:  as  the  tree 
and  the  stem,  such  is  the  fruit.  See  that  you  do  your  duty  by  your- 
selves, that  the  tree  of  your  own  spiritual  being  be  good  and  beajr 
good  fruit.  The  tree  is  known  by  its  fruits.  It  is  no  wonder  yoijt 
laspheme  as  yon  have  done;  a  generation  of  vipers,  your  hearts  aro 
evil,  and  you  are  morally  inoapahln  of  acknowledging  the  truth,  foir 
the  lips  speak  as  the  heart  foolfl.  Witness  to  the  truth  flo  -^  from  thO 
lips  of  the  good;  such  language  as  yours,  from  the  lips  of  the  cviL 
But,  beware,  for  I  tell  you  that,  m  such  words  are  the  utterance  of 
the  hearty  and  show  how  you  am  aff<^ctod  towards  Gk)d  tind  His 
Spirit,  you  will  have  to  give  account  of  theip  when  I  come  aa  tho 
Messiah,  to  judgment.  Your  words  respecting  me  and  my  Kingdom 
will  tlien  justify  or  condemn  you. "     •  !  ;     ,  L 

At  tliis  pointy  as  was  common  in  the  most  solemn  Jewish  asteiik' 
Idjes,  He  was  interrupted  bv  some  of  tiio  Rabbis  present.  They 
demanded  In  strange  contradiction  to  the  theory  that  He  was  a  secMt 
a^ut  of  BeebiCbub,  some  astounding  miracle,  ks  a  sign  from  heaven 
iu  support  of  His  claims  as  the  Messiah:  as  hereafter  they  did,  !■ 
every  part  of  tlie  world;  from  tho  Apostles.  Tho  masses,  and  cvet^ 
tbeir  leaders,  expected  the  repetition  of  all  the  great  deeds  of  Mosed 
and  Joshua,  to  inaugurate  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  otbtf 
claimantsdid  not  venture  to  resist  the  demand.  Under  the  Procutator 
Fadus,  a  certain  Theudas  drew  out  the  people  to  the  Jordan  to  see 
Israol  walk  through,  once  more,  on  dry  ground.  Vnder  Felix,  a 
prophet  promised  to  throw  down  die  walls  of  Jerusalem,  as  Joshua 
did  those  of  Jericho,  and  gathered  thirtv  thousand  men  on  the  Mount 
of  Olives  to -see  them  fall.  Others  invited  the  nation  to  follow  them 
bito  the  wilderness,  where  they  promised  to  show  them  stupendous 
signs  of  the  kingdom  of  God  having  come.  It  might  have  seemed  a 
temptatiooL  to  One  possessing  supernatural  power,  to  silence  all  cavil 
by  a  mirade  of  irresL<»tible  grandeur.  But  outward  acknowledgment 
of  Ills  claims  Was  of  no  worth  in  a  kingdom  like  that  of  Christ's^ 
resting  on  love,  and  homage  to  holiness.  He  cared  nothing  for  popu- 
larity or  fame,  and  lived  in  unbroken  self-restraint,  using  His  mighty 
power  onl^  to  further  spiritual  ends.  It  was  easy,  therefore,  to  repel 
the  scdtiction,  which  He  had  alrejidy  overcome  in  His  first  ereat 
wildorjwss  sti-ugglc.  "An  evil  and  adultemus  generation,"  said  Hc 
— "  uuifaithful  to  God,  who  chose  Israel  for  His  bride — asks  for  a 
sign,  grand  beyond  aU  I  have  given,  that  I  am  the  Messiah. "  Th«!ji^ ^ 
predicting  His  violent  death,  He  went  on — "  There  shall  be  no  siiph ' 
given  it^  but  that  of  the  prop^iet.  Jonali.    For,  as  he  was  threO  dv^ 


m 


m 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


i':S 


I    li 


i!:;'  -'ii 


iiv  ;•: 

■ii, 


a* : 


1  1 » 


and  tblree  aights  In  the  belly  of  tlu;  iisli,  soslMl  the  fkm  of  Man  be 
three  days  "aud  three  nights  in  the  kingdom  of  ihe  dehdi."  /  The 
spiritual  miracle  of  His  life  and  words  were  the  oiily  signis  He  (fo^ld 
vouchsafe  wliile  He  lived,  for  at  no  time  did  He  lay  stre&ts  on  miracles 
albhe  as  a  means  of  gainiug  disciples,  but  subordinated  them  to  His 
proclamutioQ  of  the  Truth.  His  preaching  would  itself  be  a«iga  like 
tiiat  of  the  preaching  of  Jonah  to  the  Ninevites,  "  Tho  men.  of  that 
city,"  said  He,  "would  rise  in  the  judgment  day,  to  witness  against 
thisgeneration,  for  they  repented  at  the  preachingof  Jonab>  and //<; 
was  gie.ater  than  that  prophet.  The  Queen  of  the  South,  who  Came 
froni  Sheba  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon,  would  then  condemn 
them,  for  she  came  from  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,  and  great 
as  lliey  thought  the  glory  of  Solomon,  they  had  one  greater  than  he 
Ixefore  them,  in  Himself.  Vast  multitudes  had  gone  out  to  l^ar  John, 
at]d  had  professed  re}ientance",  vast  multitudes  had  followed  Himself, 
uikI,  yet,  the  result  had  been  only  temporaiy  and  super;ficial.  It 
would  prove  \yith  this  generation  as  with  a  man  from  whom  an 
lUiclean  spirit  lias  for  a  time  gone  out.  Meeting  no  suiting  rest  else- 
where; it  returns,  and  finding  its  former  dwelling  in  the  man's  soul 
ready  for  it,  it  allies  itself  v/ith  seven  demons  still  worse  than  itself, 
and  with  theii;  help  enters  the  man  once  moi^.  The  Reformation 
linder  John,  and  under  llmiself,  was  pnly  temporary;  the  nation 
would  fall  back  again  to  its  old  sinful  ways,  and  become  worse  than 
^Ver."'  H(B  foresaw  His  rejection,  and  thus  foretold  it, 
*  He  hud  silenced  the  Kabbia,  and  no  doubt;  by  doing  so  had  inten- 
sified .tlieir  liutred,  but  a  new  trial  awaited  JHim.  The  insinuation 
tliat  Tliy  brain  was  alfected  had  reached  His  family,  whosiill  lived 
at  Nazareth'.  The  effects  of  the  exhausting  toil,  and  constant. ezcite- 
rhent  of  these  months,  had,  apparently,  led  even  His  friends  to, fear 
that  lie  viroiitd. give  way  midw  such  tension,  and,  now,  the  hints  of 
the'Rabbls  that  He  was  possessed,  and  spoke  and  acted  as  He.  did, 
under  demoniacal  influence,  raised  the  fear  that  judiciul  action  would 
be  begun  ugaiiist  Him,  on  the  part  of  Uie  Jerusalenj  authorities.  Very 
possibly  the  simple  household  at  Nazareth,  who,  like  other  Jews, 
must  have  looked  on  tlie  Rabbis  witli  superstitious  reverence,  and 
IiaV6  shrunk  from  questioning  anything  they  said,  had  innocently 
accepted  the  iiisihuation,  that  He  was  really  out  of  His  mind,  as  a 
result  of  beii:,<^  possessed.  Prejudiced  in  favour  of  the  common  idea 
of  the  Irlesijiiili  r.s  a  national  hero,  at  the  head  of  .Jewish  armies,  they 
had  Jiot  risen  to  any  higher  conception,  and  felt  impelled  by  every 
motive  to  interfere,  and,  if  possible,  put  a  stop  to  what  seemed  to- 
them  an  unaccountable  course  of  action  on  His  part. .  It  was  only 
alxmt  ten  hours'  distance  from  Nazareth  to  Capernaum,  over  the 
hills;  they  would  go  and  see  for  themselves;  aud  so,  Mary,  and  the 
brothGrs  and  sistej*.^  of  Jesus^ — the  whole  household,  for  Joseph  was 
deatl — set  oat  for  Pcter'y  house.  _  ^.,  .    \.       .^ 

They  alrrivcd  while  tlic  crowd,  excited  by  the  miracle  they  had 


TSE^IJFE  OF  CHRIS'P;^ 


m 


just  seen,  and  half  believing  that  Jesii,s  must  be  the  expected  Messiah, 
Htill  tilled  the  house  and  thronged  the  courtyard,. so  that  the  Habbis»[f 
overawed,  could  do  nothing  against  Him,  Anxious  to  withdraw  ^ 
Him  from  His  dangerous  course,  and  imable  as  yet  t^^understantli: 
Him,  they  had  come  to  the  conclusion,  perhaps  at  the  instigation  of  • 
the  Rabbis,  that  the  best  pki'.  would  be  to  lay  hold  on  Him,  and  tata  , 
Him  home  by  force,  as  one  oeside  Himself.  If  they  could  kectpHim ; 
forathneat  Nazareth;  if  necessary,  under  restraint;  UitC' quiet,  theyij 
hoped,  would  calm  His  mind  and  free  Him  from  His  hallucinations. 
It  is  wonderful  that  they  could  argue  with  themselves  in  such  a  way,; 
—especially  that  Mary  could  have  fancied  it -madness  Uiat  He.  acted, 
as  He  did  and  called  Himself  the  Messiah;  but  vision,  in  spiritual; 
things  as  in  nature,  depends,  not  on  the  flood  of  light  around  us»  but; 
on  the  eye  on  which  it  falls.  ^         .  ..        ,    * 

Oncoming  near,  however,  they  found  they  could  not  make  th,eiri 
way  through  the  crowd,  md  had  to  request  those  near  to.  let  Him? 
know  their  presence,  and  that  they  wished  to  speak  witjli  Him.  ^-t? 
any  moment  when  busy  with  the  work  of  the  Kingdom,  all  lowor, 
relations,  lionds,  and  cares;  of  His  earlier  life,  ceased  to  engage  Him^ . 
but  much  more  was  it  so  at  a  time  like  tlu^  when  engrossed  with  itSf 
supreme  interests,  and  with  the  victory  over  its  enernies  .wMch  JRe, 
had  hardly  as  yet  completed;  The  most  sacred  of.  earthly  tie?  Jkwtj 
its  greatness  before  the  grandeur  of  spiritual ,  kinship  J^fith^  new.r 
deathless  communion  He  was  founding.  "  Who  is  my  mother?"? 
asked  He,  **  and  who  are  my  brethren  ?"  Then,  siretphing  His  hands/ 
tovVards  those  around  Him — -'Behold,"  said  He,  "my  rnqther  and 
my  brethrenl  For  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  may  Father  ii^  I 
Heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  arid  mother.','  It  was  tUo? 
same  answer,  in  effect,  a»  Ho  had,  perhaps  before  this,  gi\fen,, when,  i 
ii  woman  in  the  Crowd,  unable  to  restrain  herself,  had  express^  t- 
aloud  her  sense  of  the  surpassing  honour  of  her  who  hadborjie  aad  - 
nursed  Him.  "Yea/'  replied  lie,  "rather,  blessed  ai*e  they  that'; 
hear  t^ie  Word  of  God  ami  keep  it."  .        .      ,i , 

It  was' from  no  want  of  tenderness  Jesus  thus  spoke.    A  holy  duty 
to  Himself,  His  honour,  and  His  calling,  demanded  His  acting  as  He , 
did.    It  wsis  imperative  that  He  should  keep  Himself  from  the  hands^ 
even  of  His  nearest  friends,  to  prevent  their  unconsciously  carryhig ; 
out  the  plans  of  His  enemies,  by  violently  restraining  Him.-   He  liad, ; 
moreover,  founded  a  new  family  of .  which  He  was  the  Spiritual 
Heiui,  and  this,  henceforth,  as  it  spread  among  men,  was  to  be  His , 
Biiprenie  earthly  relationship.     The  ready  faith  of  the  Samaritans^,] 
and  the  surpassing  example  of  the  heathen  centurion,  had  forer:, 
shadowed  the  extension  of  the  New  Kingdom,  beyond  Israel,  to  all, 
nations.    To  do  the  will  of  mere  men,  whether  priests,  of  Rabbis^^  ' 
was  no  longer  the  condition;  of  heavenly  favour.    Henceforth,  aver>: 
the  earth;  to  do  the  will  of  God  was  the  one  condition  require^  Hi 


open  the  gates  of  the  wajt.pf  life- 


i  'iiii'Ml;$ifii 


rr 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


A     M. 


II  t 


I    i 


Foiled  in  their  attempt  to  brand  Jesus  publicly  as  in  league  with 
the  devil,  the  Pharisees  resolved  to  try  the  8ubtl0r  plan  of  pretendiEg 
friendliness,  and  inviting  Him  to  partake  of  their  hospitality,  that 
tjey  might  watch  what  He  said,  and,  it*  possible,  provoke  Him  to 
conmiit  Himself  in  some  way  that  would  bi  ing  Him  within  the  reach 
of  the  Law.  It  was  yet  early,  and  one  of  them  asked  Him,  with  this 
titeatiKerous  object,  to  join  the  light  morning  meal,  then  lately  intro- 
duced into  Palestine  by  the  Romans.  He  accepted  the  invitation, 
with  a  full  knowledge  of  the  spirit  in  which  it  had  been  given.  It 
had  been  expected,  perhaps^  that  the  honour  of  entertninment  in  a 
circle  of  Rabbis,  would  awe  a  layman  of  humble  standing  like  Jesus, 
but  He  took  care  to  show  His  true  bearing  towards  them  from  the 
moment  He  reclined  at  table.  Washing  the  hands  before  eating  was, 
in  all  cases,  a  vital  requirement  of  Pharisaic  duty.  A  Rabbi  would 
rather  have  suffered  death  than  eat  before  he  haa  done  so.  **It  is 
better,"  6ald  Rabbi  Akiba,  **in  a  time  of  persecution,  to  die  of  thirst 
^an  to  break  the  commandment,  and  thus  die  eternallyj"  and  pro- 
ceeded to  wash  hjs  hands  before  touching  food,  with  the  allowance 
of  drinking  water  brought  him  by  his  jailor.  But  observance  of 
Pharisaic  rules  I'equired  much  more.  Christ  had  just  come  from 
aniong  a  crowd,  and  had,  besides,  cast  out  a  devil,  and,  thus  doubly 
defied,  ought  to  have  purified  Himself  by  a  bath,  before  coming  to 
tdble  w;ith  those  who  were  LeviticaUy  clean.  A  Pharisee  always 
bathed  himself  before  eating,  on  coming  from  the  market-place,  to 
wash  awnvthe  defilement  ot  contact  with  the  unclean  multitude,  and 
it  was  to  have  been  expected  that  Jesus  would  have  been  equally 
scrupiilous.  He  had  committed  Himwlf,  however,  to  uncompromia- 
ing  oj^sition  to  a  system  which  substituted  forms  for  true  spiritual 
reH^ipn,  and  took  His  place  on  the  couch  without  any  ceremonial 
punfiefition.  The  host  and  his  guests  were  astonished,  and  l>etrayed, 
at  leaat  in  their  looks,  their  real  feelings  towards  Him;  bitter  enough 
before,  but  now  fiercer  than  ever,  at  this  defiant  affront  to  tlieir 
cherished  ysages, 

'Roused  by  their  uncourt^ous  hostility,  He  instantly  took  His  posi- 
tion of  calm  independence  and  superiority,  for  He  feared  no  ^uman 
face,  nor  any  combination  of  human  violence.  Knowing  perfectly 
that  He  was  alone  agaiL.st  the  world,  He  felt  that  the  Truth  required 
Him  to  witness  for  it,  come  what  might  to  Himself . 

,♦*!  see,"  said  He,  **  what  you  are  thinking.  You  Pharieees  dean 
the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the  platter,  but  you- fill  both,  within,  with 
the  pains  of  hypocritical  robbery  and  wickedness;  you  cleanse  the 
outside  of  a  cup,  and  think  nothing  of  your  own  souls  being  full  of 
ail  evil.  Fools!  did  not  He  who  made  the  outside  of  a  cup  make  the 
inside  as  well?  As  He  made  all  outward  and  visible  things,  has  lie 
not  also  made  all  inward  and  spiritual?  How  absurd  to  take  so  much 
cttfe  of  the  one,  and  to  neglect  the  other!  Let  me  tell  you  how  you 
ipay  attftin  true  purification,    Oive  with  willing,  loving  heaits^  what 


Mfi^tllM  Oli*  m«lSJl<. 


m 


you  hav6  in  your  cups  and  plaltere,  fts  alius,  aud  this  %fll  hiaKc'all 
ymt  ceremonM  washings  of  the  outside  superfluous;  ihdcleatisid 
both  the  vessels  and  yoiir  hearts.  The  llabbis  have  told  yoU  that 
^charity  is  worth  all  other  virtues  together,'  but  your  covetousnessis 
a  pwyverb,  for  you  devour  widows'  houses,  nnd  have  invented  excuses 
for*  a  son  robbing:  even  his  fatlier  for  your  good;  But  woe  *o  you[ 
Pharisees!  for  it" is  vain  to  expect  this  of  you,  who  know  nothing  of 
true  love.  You  lay  stress  On  externr:!  tnflefe,  and  neglect  thepriri* 
ciples  and  duties  Of  the  inner  life— you  tithe  petty  garden  hisrbs.  like 
mint.^nd  rue,  and  all  kinds  besides,  and  are  indiflTerent  to  ri^gftt  arid 
wrong,  and  to  the  lOve  of  God.  If  you  wish  to*  tithe  the  garcldi| 
herbs,  it  is  well  to  do  so,  but  ydu  sliould  be  as  zealous  for  w'hat  is 
mUch*mo;r<B  important.  Your  vanity  is  as  great  as  ybui*  graspln,^ 
hypocrisy!  Woe  unto  you,  Pharisees!  for  j'e  love  the  chief'  s^dts  iii 
tlie  synagogues,  and  to  be  flattered  by  men  rising  up  as  you  passj 
in  the  crowded  market-place,  and  greeting  you  with  revfei-end  sftltt^ 
tattions  of  Rabbi,  Rabbi,  yout*  reverence,  youi*  reverence.  Woe  dnto 
you!  you  aire  like  graves  sunk  in  the  earth,  ovi^r  Which  m^n  Wftlk,^ 
thinking  the  ground  clean,  and  are  defiled  when  they  Ib^st  suspetit  it: 
Men  think  themselves  With  saints  if  ii\  your  cotiipaitiy.  Intt  to  be  nea* 
v6u  is  to  be  near  pollution !"''^^fi'>  ^:'fcJ  J^sm  mux  Aru.Yv\^'^\nnm 
'  A  Rabbi  amrtng  tlie  guests  het^'iriterrupl^Mifh.  '"^Teacife,^ 
said  he,  "you  are  condemning  not  only  the  common  lay  Phariseesi 
but  us,  the* Rabbis.  -  The  interruption  only  directi?d  jesus  aj^id^'  th6 
"lawyers"  specially.  "Woe  to  ydu,  lawyers,  alsoT'  sftfdvHei  ^'fot 
ye  burden  m:en  with  burdens  grievous  tO  be  borneV  white  Jre,  youi* 
selveSi  touch  not  these  buMens  with  onebf  your  fingers  to'  liel|)^ 
shoulders  to  bear  them.  Ye  sit'iti  ^ttr  chamber  S'  and  sehoibid,  ahd 
create  tegal  rules,  endless,  harassing,  Ihtplenibl^,  for'the'jj!)feoiile,  but 
not  affectin;g  yourselves,^— shitt  out  ks  you  are  f¥«Otti  busy1il(^-  - '  Woe 
unto  you!  for  ye  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  biit  yourfalhiersf^ 
in  whose  acts  you  glory,  killed  them. '  Sh^me  for  tlieir  having  done 
80  might  make  you  wish  those  sacred  tombs  forgotten ;  but  yotr  haV€f 
no  shame,  and  rebuild  these  tombs '  to  win  fiiVour  with  the  people. 
While  in  your  hearts  you  are  ready  to  repeat  to  the  prophets  of  to-day 
the  deeds  of  your  fathers  towards  those  of  old !' YoUr  pretended 
reverence  for  these  martyrs,  shown  in  restoring  their  sepulchres,  ■Vvhil^ 
you  are  ready  to  repeat  the  wickedness  of  their  murderers,  makes 
these  tombs  a  witness  against  you.  The  Holy  Spirit  had  this  in  view, 
when  He  said  by  Me,  sometime  since,  'I  will  ^ond  them  pi-ophets  ana 
apostles,  and  some  of  them  they  will  persecute  and  kill ;  that  the' 
blood  of  all  the  prophets,  shed  from  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
may  be  recjtiired  of  this  generation— from  the  blood  of  Abel  to  that 
of  Zachariah,  who  perished  between  the  altar  and  the  Temple.*  Ytis,'' 
I  say  unto  you,  it  will  be  required  of  this  generation.  Under  thef 
guidance  of  you  lawyers  it  was,  that  the  people  treated  them  as  the ' 
3MJ    W**  to  you !  you  have  takeii  away  from  the  aatiou  th^  kfej^"^ 


Hi 


ii 


•*  I 


Is 


m 


THE  WFE  OF  CHRIftX 


f^if 


tl)p  temple  of  heavenly  knowledge— have  made  them  f^capaW^  pf 
recognizinff  the  truth, — by  your  teaching.  Xou,  your9elyes,  have 
not  entered,  and  you  have  hindered  those  from  entering  w]Up  were  on 
the  point  of  doing  so !" 

,  'V;The  die  was  nnaily  cast.  Henceforth  Jesus  stood  consciously 
alone,  the  rejected  of  the  leaders  of  His  nation.  There  was  before 
Him  only  a  weary  path  of  persecution,  and,  at  its  end,  the  Cross. 
An  incident,  recorded  by  St,  Luke,  seems  to  belong  to  this;  period. 
The  multitudes  thronging  to  hear  the  new  teaching  werei  daily 
greater,  in  spite  of  the  hostility  of  the  Rabbis,  for  thei  •  calunmies 
and  insinuations  had  not  yet  abated  the  general  excitemti^t.  "An 
innumerable  multitude"  waited  for  the  reappearance  of  JesL.",  and 
hung  on  His  lips  to  catch  every  word.  He  might  be  attacked  and 
slandefed  in  the  house  of  the  Pharisee,  but,  as  ^et,  the  crowd  looked 
on  Him  with  astonishment  and  respect.  Opinions  differed  only  as 
to  the  scope  of  His  action :  that  He  was  a  gieat  Rabbi,  was  felt  by  all. 

It  was  the  custom  to  refer  questions  of  all  kinds  to  the  Rabbis  for 
their  counsel  and  decision,  which  carried  ^reat  weight,  though  it 
might  t^e  informal  and  extra-judicial.  Then*  words  were  virtualN 
lais^^forto  dispute  or  oppose  them  was  wellrpigh  criminal.  To  gefii 
the  support  of  one  so  great  as  Jesus,  theiefore,  in  any  matter, 
would,,  as  it  seemed,  decide  a  point  at  once  in  hi§i  ^a¥(;)i\u%3ii^hpp|n.,He 
Bupport^a.  .*•-'  i*^ , '>-.mJ,  ?/.. 

One  of  the  crowd,  reasoning  thus,  chose  an  opportunity  to  spiicit 
His  weighty  interference  in  a  question  of  inheritance,  in  whicl>  there 
W^s  a  strife  with  a  brother.  "Teaclier, "  «aid  he,  "speak,  to  my 
bipther,  that  he  divide  the  inheritance.with  mc."  Pnt  he  had  utterly 
n^iscbfljceived  Christ's  spirit  ai  d  sphere.  ,  In  the  briefest  and  most 
direct  words,  the  idea  that  He  had  anything  to  do  with  "judging" 
or  "  diyidjng"  in  worldly  affairs  was  repudiated.  It  was  not  His 
province. 

(Jhe  questipn,  however,  gave  an  occasion  for  solemn  warning 
against  the  unworthy  greed  and  selfishness  which  lie  at  the  root  of 
all  such  strife,  on  one  side  or  the  other.  Addressing  the  cro^vc],  who 
had  heard  the  request,  He  gave  them  a  caution  against  all  forms  of 
covetousnessj  or  excessive  desire  of  worldly  possessions,  in  th<)  folloAv- 
ingparabje. 

"Watch,"  said  He,  "and  keep  yourselves  from  all  covetousness. 
For,  though  a  man  may  abound  in  riches,  his  life  does  not  dep«hd  on 
his  wealth,  but  on  the. will  of  God,  who  can  lengthen  or  shorten  his 
existence,  and  make  it  happy  or  sad,  at  His  pleasure.  Let  me  ,sho>v 
you  what  I  mean.  ■  'M!>'^.''. 

.  ,t;"  The  ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  brought  forth  plentifully. 
And  he  reasoned  within  himself,  saying,  '  What  shall  I  do,  because*  I 
hftye  np  room  to  stow  away  my  crops? '  And,  he  said.,  *  Thie  will  I 
^.  I  \yill  pull  dpwn  my  barns  and  build  greater,  and  ,t  will  gatJ  jr 
tbg^tjier  into  tlMJm  all  my  crop^  anp  ray  property,  and.  w,iU;sivytU 


THE  LIFE  OF  GHRIST. 


496^ 


vaa  not  HLs 


my  soul.'  Soul,  thou  hast  much  property  kiid  up  for  many  yeiars ;  take 
ihtne  ease/eat,  drink,  and  he  merry.' 

"But  God  said  unto  him,  *Fool,  this  night  thy  soul  is  required  of 
thee,  and  whose  will  those  things  be  which  thou  hast  prepared? ' " 

"So,"  added  Jesus,  "is  he  who  heaps  up  treasures  for  himself, 
and  is  not  rich  towards  God.  Death,  coming  unexpectedly,  and,  at 
latest,  soon  strips  him  of  all,  if  he  has  only  thought  of  himself  and  of 
this  world.  The  true  wisdom  is  to  use  what  we  have  so  as  to  lay  up 
treasures,  by  its  ri^ht  employment,  in  heaven,  that  God  may  give  us 
these,  after  death,  m  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiali." 


CHAPTER   XLII. 

AFTER    THE    STOIIM. 

The  meal  in  the  house  of  the  Pharisee  was  a  turning  point  in  the 
life  of  Jesus.  The  fierceness  of  His  enemies  had  broken  6ut  into 
open  rage,  so  that,  as  He  left.  He  was  followed  by  the  infuriated 
Rabbis,  gesticulating,  as  they  pressed  round  Him,  and  provoking 
Him  to  commit  Himself  by.  words  of  which  they  might  lay  hold,  a 
vast  crowd  had  meanwhile  gathered,  partly  on  His  side,  partly  turned 
against  Him  by  the  arts  of  His  accusers.  The  excitement  had  readb- 
ed  its  highest,     '^^c';     .  >*ffVr. 

With  such  a  railltitude  before  Him,  it  was  certain  that  He  would 
not  let  the  opportunity  pass  of  proclaiming  afresh  the  New  Eingdohl 
Of  God.  •  It  had  been  called  a  kingdom  of  the  devil,  and  it  was  meet 
Uiat  He  should  turn  aside  the  calumny.  His  past  mode  of  teaching 
did  not,  however,  seem  suited  for  the  new  circumstances.  It  had 
left  but  small  permanent  results;  and  a  new  and  still  simpler  style  of 
instruction,  specially  adapted  to  their  dulness  aad  untrained  minds 
and  hearts,  would  at  least  arrest  their  attention  more  surely,  and 
force  them  to  a  measure  of  reflection.  Pressing  through  the  vast 
throng,  to  the  shore  of  the  Lake,  He  entered  a  fishing-boat,  and,  sit- 
ting down  at  its  prow,  the  highest  part  of  it,  began,  from  this  con- 
venient pulpit,  as  it  lightly  rocked  on' the  waters,  the  first  of  those 
wondrous  parables,  in  which  He  henceforth  so  frequently  embodied 
His  teachings. 

The  Parable  or  Mashal  was  a  mode  of  instruction  already  familiar 
to  Israel  since  the  days  of  the  Judges,  and  was  in  familiar  and  con- 
stant use  among  the  Rabbis.  Its  characteristic  is  the  presentation  of 
moral  and  religious  truth  in  a  more  vivid  form  than  is  possible  by 
mere  precept,  or  abstract  statement,  use  being  made  for  this  end  of 
some  incident  drawn  from  life  or  nature,  by  which  the  lesson  sought 
to  be  given  is  pictured  to  the  eye,  and  thus  imprinted  on  thememoryi 
and  made  more  emphatic.  Analogies  hitherto  unsuspected  between 
familiar  natural  facts  aind  spiritual  phenometia;  le'ssond  of  duty 


I'll 


if 


I !( I 


^100 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


,'M 


enforced  by  some  simple  imaginary  narrathre  or  incident;  striking 
parallels  and  comparihons,  which  made  thd  lumieliest  trifled  symbols 
of  the  highest  truths,  abound  in  all  the  discourses  of  Jesus,  but  are 
r  still  more  frequent  from  this  time.  Nothing  was  henceforth  left  un- 
used. !  The  liglit^  the  darkness,  the  houses  aroimd,  the  games  of 
childhood;  the  sightless  wayside  beggar,  the  foxes  of  the  hillsrthe 
leathern  l)ottlcs  hung  up  from  every  rafter,  the  patched  or  new  gar- 
ment, and  even  the  noisy  hen  amidst  her  chickens,  served,  in  tu^n, 
to  illustrate  some  lofty  truth.  The  sower  on  the  hill-side  at  hand, 
the  flaming  w^eeds  among  the  corn,  the  common  mustard  plaut«  the 
leaven  in  the  woman's  dough,  the  treasure  disclosed  by  the  passing 
ploughshare,  the  pearl  brought  by  the  travelling  merchant  from  dis- 
tant lands  for  sale  at  Bethsaida  or  Tiberias, — at  Philip's  court  or  that 
of  Antipas, — the  draw-net  seen  daily  on  the  Lake,  the  pitiless  servant, 
the  labourers  in  the  vineyards  around — any  detail  of  every-day  lil'o— 
\va8  elevated,  as  occasion  demanded,  to  be  the  vehicle  of  the  sub- 
limest  lessonfi.  Others  have  uttered  parables;  but  Jesus  so  far  tran- 
scends them,  that  He  may  justly  be  called  the  creator  of  this  mode  of 
histructiou;  i 

'■•  The  first  of  the  wondrous  series  was,  fitly,  that  of  the  Sower,  fo^ 
the  planting  of  the  New^  Kingdom  mus^t  needs  be  the  firat  stai^e 
totvards  farther  truths  respecting  it  In  a  country  like  Galilee  no 
iliustnition  could  be  more  easily  intelligible,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that 
Jesus  often  uses  it.  As  He  sat  in  the  boat,  with  the  multitude  stand- 
ing on  the  shore,  each  feature  of  the  parable  would  be  before  Him,— 
the  sower  going  out  from  the  neighbouring  town  or  village  to  sow 
his  patch  on  the  unenclosed  hill-side,  with-its  varied  soil;  iiere  warm 
and  deep;  there  a  mere  skin  over  the  limestone  rock;  invaded  at 
some  spots  by  thorns,  then,  as  now,  so  plentiful  in  Palestine,  and 
crossed  by  the  bridle  path,  along  which  men  and  beasts  weire  passing 
constantly.  The  s^ed  was  good,  and  the  sower  faithfully;  did  his 
work,  but  it  depended  on  the  soil  itself,  what  would  be  ttie  result, 
for  the  rain,  and  the  light,  and  the  heat,  came  equally  on  all.  Part 
fell  on  the  trodden  path,— which,  itself,  though  now  beaten  hard,  was 
^nee  as  soft  and  yielding  as  any  part  of  the  field,— and  was  crushed 
under  foot,  or  picked  up  by  the  birds  hovering  near.  Some  fell  on 
spots  in  which  the  springing  thistles  had  already  taken  root,  and 
were  about  to  shoot  up  in  rank  vigour;  some  on  the  shallow  skin  of 
earth  over  the  rock,  where  the  hot  sun  hastened  the  growth,  while 
the  hard  rock  hindered  the  root  from  striking  down;  and  only  a  part 
fell  on  good  soil,  and  yielded  a  i-etum  for  the  sower's  toil. 

This  parable,  apparently  so  self-illustrative:  only  troubled  the 
minds  of  the  Twelve,  and  of  the  wider  circle  in  HI ;  ^earers  who  had 
any  interest  in  His  words.  The  mode  of  teaching  was  new  to  them 
from  Jesus,  and  the  conceptions  embodied  in  what  they  had  hr^ard 
were  directly  opposite  to  all  they  had  been  accustomed,  as  Jews,  to 
Associate  with*  the  Messianic  kingdom.     The  vereless  muUitude, 


THE  LIFE  OF  GHRIBT. 


401 


drawn  toother  only  by  curiosity,  had  scattered  when  Jesus  had  fin- 
ished His  address,  and  He  had  returned  to  Peter's  liouse.  Thilher, 
however,  a  number  of  graver  spirits  followed,  with  the  Twelve,  to 
seek  the  explanation  they  f cU  assured  would  be  vouchsafed.  It  was. 
indeed,  precisely  what  Jesus  desired,  for  it  afforded  an  opportunity 
for  the  fuller  instruction  of  all  whose  state  of  heart  fitted  them  to 
receive  it,  and  it  drew  them  into  closer  personal  intercourse  with 
Him.  He  received  them  with  frank  delight.  "  Unto  you,  who  thus 
show  your  interest  in  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  God,"  said  He, 
"it  is  given  to  know  them,  but  to  the  indifferent  outside  multitude, 
they* are  designedly  left  veiled  in  parable."  To  understand  spiritual 
truth/the  heart  must  be  in  sympathy  with  it;  otherwise,  to  try  to  ex- 
plain it,  would  be  as  idle  as*  to  speak  of  colours  to  the  blind,  or  of 
music  to  the  deaf.  When  the  religious  faculty  was  dead  or  dormant, 
religious  truth  was  necessarily  incomprehensible  and  undesired.  *  *  He 
came  to  be  a  Light  tor  men,  and  to  reveal  the  truth,  not  to  hide  it,  but 
men  must  have  willing  ears,  and  take  hoed  to  what  they  hear,  pon- 
dering over  it  lin  their  hearts.  To  listen  only  with  the  outward  ear, 
like  the  careless  multitude,  is  to  draw  down  the  punishment  of  God. 
In  natures  thus  Wilfully  indifferent,  hardness  only  grows  the  worse 
the  more  they  near.  To  such,  the  very  word  of  life  becomes  a  w<^d 
of  death.  Rejecting  me,  the  Li^'ht,  they  are  givwi  up  by  God  to  the 
darkness  they  have  chosen,  and  lose,  erelong,  even  the  superficial 
interest  in  higher  things  they  may  have  had." 

:f*Te,  on  the  other  hand,"  He  continued,  "  who  really  have  received 
the  truth  into  a  willin«^  heart,  have  thereby  proved  your  fitness  for 
higher  disclosures,  and  shall  have  them.  The  honest  interest  you 
show  deterUiines  the  measure  of  knowledge  you  are  able  to  feceive, 
and  it  Will  be  giVen  jrou.  He  who  has  opened  his  soul  to  Me  will 
receive  continually  richer  insight  into  the  truth.  Alas  for  those  who 
slitit  their  eyes  and  stop  tlieh' ears!  But  blessed  arc  your  eyes,  into 
which  you  have  let  the  tnith  enter,  and  blessed  are  your  ears,  into 
which  you  have  let  it  sink.  Amen !  I  say  to  you,  many  prophets 
and  righteous  men  longed  to  see  those  thin.^s  which  ye  see,  and  did 
not  see  them;  and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye  hear,  and  did  not 
hear  them."  -  ^u-ni 

Such,  in  .brief  explanatory  paraphrase,  was  the  welcome  to  those 
really  anxious  to  understand  tlie  parable,  which  Jesus  forthwith  ex- 
pounded to  them,  disclosing,  as  He  did  so,  conceptions  ai\d  principles 
which  required  a  complete  evolution  in  their  minds  to  understand 
and  appropriate.  He  announced  that  the  ancient  kingdom  of  God 
was;  henceforth,  spiritualized,  so  that  the  only  relation  of  man  to  it, 
from  this  time,  was  a  moral  one;  not,  as  heretofore,  in  part,  a  political. 
So  entirely,  indeed,,  was  this  the  case,  that  He  did  not  even  speak  of 
the  external  agencies  or  organization  by  which  men  should  be  out- 
wardly received  as  its  citizens,  but  assumed  that  acceptance  depended 
on  the  man  himselfj  on  his  Will  and  bis  sjnupathy  with  ^whut  4he 


ii'ii  i ' 


'    M 


THW  I^FB.  OK  CPim^. 

Niew  Kingdom  offered.  * '  The  Word  is  the  only  Heed  pf  the  Goapel. 
As  the  embodiment  oiP  all  truth,  It  is  by  foI)o\i^ing  it  th»t  the- W^ii  of 
God  is  I'ealized  by  men,  imd  the  one  grand  law  of  the  kingdom  thus 
obeyed.  It  is  given  to  men,  as  the  seed  to  the  ground,  ana  they  can 
hear 'and  understand  it  if  tliey  x?hoo8C,  but  all  depends  on  tlieir  gibing 
so.  As  the  strewn  seed  neither  sfjringn  nor  bears  fruit  on  miteh  of 
the  ground,  and  fails  except  where  it  Minks  into  good  soil,  so  the  rela- 
tions of  men  to  the  Worcj  of  God  are  very  various.  Pew,  it  may  be, 
receive  it  aright,  but  it  is  always  the  fault  of  men  themselves  if  it  be 
not  living  seed  in  their  hearts.  "Worldly  indifference  may  have  made 
the  swl  impenetrable  as  the  trodden  path,  or  have  left  only  a  skin  of 
sentiment  oyer  hidden  callousness;  or  worldly  cares  or  pleasUi-es  may 
"be  let  spring  up,  and  choke  the  better  growth;  in  all  cases  it  is  tlie 
man,  not  the  seed,  or  the  sower,  on  whom  the  result  turas.  Before 
all  things,  this  is  to  be  felt,  so  that  no  one  may  imagine  that  entrance 
into  the  New  Kingdom  depends  on  any  but  moral  conditions.  Every 
merely  outward  claim  to  citizenship  must  be  laid  aside;  it  is  a  matter 
strictly  between  God  and  the  soul.  The  more  completely  this  U  done, 
the  ^'eater  tlie  fitness  for  entrance.  He  must  be  willing  simply  ftD 
receive,  without  a  thought  of  merit,  or  right,  what  God  is  pleased  to 
give,  of  His  free  bounty.  The  New  Kingdom  is,  in  tauth,  altogether 
spiritual.  It  works  directly  on  the  soul,  by  spiritual  truth.  It  ad- 
vances in  the  individual  and  the  world,  not  by  outwtu"d  power,  or 
political  glory,  or  by  miracles,  but  by  the  Word  sown  in  the  heart, 
and  its  aim,  like  its  nature,  is  spiritual;  to  make  the  heart  and  life 
visibly  fruitful  in  all  heavenly  grace." 

«  .  As  the  parable  of  the  Sower  described  the  planting  of  the  New 
Kihgdom  m  the  heart,  others  set  forth  the  secret  invisible  energy  of 
the  Word,  by,  the  indestructible  vigour  of  which  the  New  Kingdom 
unfolds  itself  in  the  individual  artd  in  the  world.  It  was  compared 
to  the  silent  and  mysterious  growth  of  seed,  which  springs  up  by  un- 
perceivt'd  development,  first  into  the  blade,  then  into  the  ear,  and, 
finally,  into  the  ripened  corn.  The  triumphant  future  found  an 
analogy  in  the  growth  of  a  grain  of  mustardi-seed— which,  though 
amon^  the  smallest,  grows  to  be  the  greatest  amongst  herbs,  shooting 
out  wide  branches,  and  becoming  a  tree,  in  the  shade  of  which  the 
birds  of  the  air  come  and  lodge.  .It  found  another  in  the  silent  leav- 
ening of  three  measures  of  meal  by  p.  spot  of  yeast,  hidden  in  them. 
As  surely  as  the  seed  will  spring,  or  the  mustard-seed  become  a  tree, 
or  the  yeast  spread  through  all  the  three  measures  of  meal,— as  cer- 
tainly as  the  spark  spreads  to  a  flame,— the  New  Kingdom  will  grow 
and  expand  to  world-wide  glory.  It  needs  no  battles  to  be  won,  as 
the  hearers  fancied  it  did ;  no  violent  revolutions.  Jesus  knew  that 
the  living  force  of  truth  in  each  single  heart  must  spread,  and  that, 
as  soul  after  soul  was  won,  it  would  silently  revolutionize  the  world, 
and  leaven  all  humanity. 
That;  there  should  be  oiudranccf)  was  only  natural,  andthese  He  shad- 


THE  LIJ'E  OP  C«RI8T. 


4111 


OW6d  out  in  the  ]>Arabl«  of  the  Tares  secretly  sown  by  an  enemy  in  K 
man's  £eld,  and  undistinffuishable  from  the  grain  till  both  had  come  tJpr 
fruit.  iFor  tlie  sake  of  the  wlieat  both  were  left,  by  the  houseliolder. 
till  the  harvest,  but,  in  the  end,  the  tares  would  be  ffathered  for  burning, 
and  the  wheat  for  the  barn.  The  full  meaning  of  this  parable  was  given 
afterwards  by  Jesus  Himself.  The  visible  Church  would  include  m 
it,  till  tlie  last  day,  many  who  were  not  true  members.  To  separate 
them  is  not  the  part  of  man,  but  of  the  Judge.  But  this  is,  and  cduld 
be,  meant  only  m  a  general  sense,  for  the  whole  spirit  of  the  Gospels 
implies  the  rejection  of  the  openly  unworthy,  and  their  reception 
again  on  their  repentance.  "Those  who  to-day  are  thorns,"  says 
Augustine,  "may  he  wheat  to-morrow."  -i 

"So,"  said  He,  also,  **  my  kingdom  may  be  likened  to  a  net  cast 
into  the  lake;  which  gathers  in  it  good  fish  and  bad,  and,  when  fulli 
is  drawn  to  shore,  anqf  the  good  gathered  into  vessels  while  the  bad 
are  cast  away,"    .  ^ 

The  supreme  worth  of  citizenship  in  His  kingdom  He  set  forth  fh 
separate  parables.  It  was  like  a  treasure  hidden  in  a  field,  which, 
when  found,  so  filled  the  heart  of  the  discoverer,  that,  for  joy,  he 
went  away,  and  sold  all  he  had,  and  bought  the  field,  that  the  treasure 
might  be  his.  Or,  it  was  like  a  priceless' pearl  met  with  by  a  mer* 
chant  seeking  such  a  treasure,  and  secured  by  him  at  the  cost  of  all 
he  had.  The  kingdom  might  be  found  by  some  without  their  seeking 
it,  as  the  treasure  by  the  peasant  in  the  field;  or  it  mij^t  be  met  by 
one  in  earnest  search  for  it,  like  him  who  found  the  costly  pearl.  In 
either  case,  it  could  only  be  obtained  by  joyful  self-sacrifice  iof  all 
things  else  for  its  sake,  and  by  the  realization  of  the  ^orthlessne^  of 
all  human  possessions  in  comparison  with  it.  ^■ 

It  is  not  cePtain  that  all  these  parables  were  spoken  the  'same  day, 
though  there  is  nothing  improbable  in  the  supposition  that  Jei^us 
should  have  given  such  a  free  utterance  to  the  wealth  of  imagery  and 
illustration  which  flowed  from  His  lips  with  no  mental  eflfort.  But 
the  evening  came  at  last,  and  found  Him  wearied  out  with  the  Work 
and  agitations  of  such  an  eventful  day.  Capernaum  could,  however, 
no  longer  be  the  quiet  home  for  Him  which  it  had  been.  The  fierce 
mgc  of  the  priests  ancl  schoolmen  in  tlie  mornings  and  their  intrigue 
with  the  household  of  Nazareth  to  lay  hold  on  Him  As  a  madman, 
possessed  with  a  devil,  showed  that  they  would  stop  at  no  wickedness 
to  get  Him  inio  their  power.  The  controversy  respecting  Him 
had  penetrated  every  humble  cottage,  and  quiet  work  was  no  longer 
possible.  Moreover,  it  was  necessary  to  introduce  His  disciples  to  a 
wider  sphere  of  life  and  work  than  Capernaum  and  the  little  districts 
round  it,  in  preparation  for  their  independent  action,  and  to  form  and 
strengthen  their  character  and  power  of  self-reliance  by  putting  it  to 
the  proof,  and  revealing  to  them  the  weaknesses  yet  to  be  overijome. 

The  wall  of  Ipnely  hills  on  the  east  side  of  the  Lake,  seaihited  by 
deej:  gorges  through  which  the  path  led  to  the  vast  tipland^^iEtins  of 


Ms 
i 


f 


I 


/ 


:  1  .  : 


•   it 


m 


TUB  XIFE  OP  CmUST. 


the:  eastern  Jordan— -a  region  little  known  to  the  bUdV  ponuIaUpn  ot 
Qalilee,  and  in  bad  reputation  witii  most,  aa  more  heathen  than  .Te^ish 
— roflfered  Him  a  secure  retreat.  Instead  of  returning  to  Peter's  hou^, 
wlierp  new  troubles  might  have  awaited  Him,  He  ordered  His  diwr 
cipleB  to  carry  Him  to  the  opposite  shore,  that  He  might  eacape  from 
all  painful  scenes,  and  enjoy  peace  and  rest  for  a  time.  His  enemies 
would  not  be  likely  to  seek  a  Rabbi  like  Him  in  such  an  imclean  dlii< 
trict;  least  of  all,  in  the  neighbourhood  He  first  visited— that  of  tljq 
heathen  city,  Gadara. 

But  the  incidents  of  the  day  were  not  yet  over.  The  streets  on  the 
way  to  the  boat  were  full  with  the  evennig  gossips,  glad  to  talk  with, 
their  neighbours  in  the  gathering  twilight,  now  tlieir  day's  work  was 
done;  and,  "with  others licgering about,  m  the  hope  of  seeing  the  greut 
Habbl  A  number  of  these  soon  gathered  round  Christ  and  Hi^  di^' 
cipleei  as  they  made  towards  the  i^hore,  and  at  last  the  silence  was 
broken  by  one  of  them,  strange  to  say,  himself  a  Rabbi,  offering  to, 
follow  Him  a£i  His  scholar.  *'  Teacher,"  said  he,  "  I  will  follow  1  hee 
wherever  you  go."  It  might  have  seemed  a  'iTeat  thing  for  one ip  the 
position  of  Jetjua  to  have  a  Rabbi  among  His  disciples,  but  He  never 
courted  human  akl,  or  acted  on  mere  expediency.  The  highfst,  no 
less  than  the  humblest,  colild  only  be  rtcei .  ea  on  the  condition  pf 
absolute  self-sacrifice  and  sincerity.  Kor  did  He  readily  accept  tjjcse 
who  offered  themselves,  but  chose  rather  to  summon  such  as  He 
wished,  to  His  immediate  circle.  "Ye  have  not  chosen  me,"  said. 
He,  on  a  future  occasion,  "but  I  have  chosen  you."  He  returned, 
therefore,  only  an  answer  which  should  test  the  applicant's  motives 
to  the  uttermost.  "  The  foxes  hpve  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air 
nests,  but  the  Son  of  Man  hath  noi  where  to  lay  His  head."  yirtually 
driven  f;^om  the  one  dwelling  at  Capernaum  He  could  regard  as  His 
hon^e,  and  rejected  fiota  Nazareth,  He  was,  henceforth,  a  wanderer, 
with  no  fixed  dwelling.  From  this  time  He  was  almost  a  fugitive 
from  His  enemies,  never  remaining  long  in  any  one  place,— rit>,ho*ne- 
less  and  houseless  man.  .    .,       j/ 

To  a  second  applicant,  who  professed  himself  willing  to  follow  Him 
as  soon  as  he  bad  discharged  tlie  pious  duty  of  burying  his  father,  the 
startling  answer  was  returned,  "Let  the  (spiritually)  dead  bury  thejr 
dea4«  but  go  thou  and  preach  the  kingdom  of  God."  Under  other 
circumstances  Christ  would  have  commended  such  filial  love;  but  it 
was  necessary  now,  to  show,  by  a  suijrenie  example,  that  those  who 
sought  to  follow  Him  must  deny  natural  feelings,  otherwise  entirely 
sacred,  when  the  interests  of  the  kingdom  of  God  required  it,  He 
had  in  mind,  doubtless,  the  thirty  days'  mourning  that  were  virtually 
implied,  and  knew  the  results  of  indecision  in  a  matter  so  paramoimt. 
It  was,  moreover,  a  requirement  of  the  Rabbis,  in  similar  cases,  that  if 
any  one  who  wished  to  be  a  scholar  of  the  Law,  had  to  choose  be- 
tween, .burying  even;  his  nearest  relation — ^his  parent,  or  his  brother,  or 
$ister-7Ti0^  devoting,  hin^sclf  at  once  to  his  sacred  duties,  he  should 


THE  LIFE  OP  cnBisr: 


m 


leftvo  tb^/bu^al^  to  othersj  aft  the  less  important  rtuty,  and  gWe  hlttl** 
self  upon  the  moment,  undividecUy  to  the  other.  The  words  of  Jesns 
were  ujie  far»i)iar  and  well-known  expression  of  this  recognized  con- 
dition of  even  lia]l)1binical  discipleship.  The  applicant  would  have 
had  to  B,(^t  tHus  had  he  choaen  to  follow  a  Rabbi,  and  les»  devotion  and 
sincerity  co,uld  not  be  demanded  in  the  service  oi  the  New  Kingdom. 

A  third,  wh9  asked  leave  before  finally  following  Christ,  to  gjo  homo 
and  bid  hia  family  circle  farewell,  received  a  shnilar  answer— '*  No 
one  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  looking  back,  is  fit  for  the 
kingdom  of  God;  he  who  given  lumself  up  to  the  kingdom  of  God, 
must  do  so  with  an  undivided  heart,  suffering  no  earthly  cares:  to  dis- 
tract him."  , 

He  had  set  out  for  the  Lake  side  as  soon  as  the  multitudes  ha^ 
scattered  sufl^ciejntly  to  open  the  way;  and  now,  having  reached  it. 
He  went  into  a ,  flshing-boat,  just  as  He  was,  and  they  pushed  off  in 
company  with  some  ouier  boats.  It  was  already  late  for  Orien  talis  to 
be  abroad,  and  the  rest  in  the  open  air,  after  such  continuous  mental 
and  bodily  excitement,  soon  brought  the  sweet  relief  of  deep  refrcsh- 
iug  sleep.  We  never  hear  of  Jesus  being  ill ;  and,  indeed,  such  a  life 
as  ili^,  utterly  free  from  all  disturbing  causes  which  might  indued 
disease*  may  well  hi^ye  been  exceptionally  healthy.  The  coarse  leather 
boss  of  the  steersman's  seat,  at  the  end  of  the  boat,  sufliced  for  a  pil- 
low, and  presently  J{e  forgot  in  deep  slumber  the  cares  and  labours 
of.the  day.        .    .,, 

The  s^d  acfpss,  however,  though,  usually  so  refreshing  and  delight- 
ful wag  ^estined  to  be  rudely  disturbed.  The  Lake  lies  >.  its  deep 
bed  among  the  hijld,  praiharily,  smooth  as  a  mirror,  but  sudden  storms 
at  times  raph  down  every  wady  on  the  north-east  and  east,  and  lash 
the  waters  into  f  urioijis  roughness.  The  winds  sweeping  over  the  vai^t 
bare  table-TaniJ.  d|  Gaulonitis  and  the  Hauran,  and  the  boundlfess  desert 
beyond,  poi^r  dowp!  the  deep  ravines  and  gorges,  cut  in  the  course  of 
ages  by  streams  and  tprren,ts,  on  their  way  to  the  Lake,  and  lash  It  in- 
to incredible  commotion.  Its  position,  about  six  hundred  fCet  below 
the  Mediterranean,  induces  such  sudden  hurricanes,  by  h?ating  the  air 
over  it  till' the  colder  atmosphere  of  the  hills  rushes  down  to  fill  the 
vacuum  caused  l^y  the  rarefaction. 

SucJi  a,  storm  how  burst*  on  the  calm  bosom  of  the  waters,  and 
presently  raised  the  waves  to  such  a  height,  that  the  unprotected  boat 
was  all  but  swamped.  In  the  wild  roaring  of  the  wind;  amidst  blind- 
ing torrents  of  rain,  and  the  thick  darkness  of  the  hurriciine  cloud, 
which  blotted  put  the  stars;  and  the  dashing  of  the  sea,  which  broke 
over  them  each  moment;  even  bronzed  sailors  like  the  Twelve  lost 
their  presence  of  mind,  and  were  filled  with  dismay.  Dnven  before 
the  wind,  they  were  fast  filling,  and,  as  it  seemed,  must  presently  go 
down.  Through- all  the  wild  tumult  of  wind,  darkness,  rain,  and  sea, 
however,  Jesus  lay  peacefully  asleep,  so  profoundly  had  He  been  ex- 
hausted.   It  seemed  as  if  He  were  indifferent  to  their tat^.    In  thei^ 


i' 


H 


m 

M 


ii 


m 


IV'I  I  ' 


II  ;     I', 
i   '    .J'-'i 


.' ,'  ,'    .' 


m 


THB  LIFE.pF  CHUIST. 


natural  reverence  ihcy  long  hesitated  to  rouse  Him,  l^ut  at  last  did  so, 
an4  appeuTed  to  Iliml  to  save  them.  Ainidst  the  terror  arouKd,  H« 
was  entirely  self-posHesacd.  Klsing,  He  gently  rehukcd  the  ftiaf  thiat 
had  so  imncrved  them,  and  then,  with  an  awful  sublimity,  rebuked 
the  wind  as  if  it  had  been  a  living  power,  and  bade  the  angry  sea  bo 
still;  and  both  wind  and  sea  at  once  obeyed  Him.  A  great  calm 
spread  over  the  Lake.  "Why  are  ye  fearful,"  said  He,  "O  ye  of 
little  faith?"  Tlicy  had  seen  tJiim  control  disease,  cast  oUt  devils,  and 
even  rai^  the  dead;  could  they  not  have  felt  assumed  that  neither 
Tyiods  npr  waves  could  harm  them  when  He  was  there?  "  "Wliat 
manner  of  man  is  this?"  muttered  the  awe-struck  apostleei,  "for  He 
commandeth  even  the  winds  and  water,  and  they  obey  Hlml" 

The  boat  had  been  driven  to  the  soutliem  end  of  the  Lake,  and 
Chri^  consequently  landed  in  the  territory  of  the  city  of  Oadara,  a 
half-heathen  town  on  the  tnble-Iapd,  twelve  hundred  feet  above  the 
sliqre,  and  at,  some  distance  from  i^.  It  was  then  in  Its  glory,  and  lay 
round  thi2  top  of  tbe  hitl,  looking  far  over  the  country.  Long  avenues 
of  iparble  pillars  liiicd  its  sitrects;  fine  buildings  of  squared  stones 
abounded.  Twp  great  amphlthbatres  of  blhck  basalt  adorted  the 
west  ^nd  niorth  sides,  and  there  was  a  third  theatre  near  its  slp^udld 
public  baths.  It  was  the  prbu<^  home  of  ft  greait  trading  community, 
to  whom  life  was  bright  and  warm  when  Jedufe  landed  that  mofhing, 
onthe  shore  beneath,  and  looked  up  toiVards  its  walT*. 

The  hill  oh  whicli  Gadara  stands  is  6i  soft  linicistdne,  full,  h'ke  the 
limestone  of  Palestine  generally,  of  larger  and  snaaller  caVes,  rtany 
of  which  had  been  enlarged  by  the  poorer  daises  aiid  turned  into 
dwelling-places,  forSyliich  they  are  used  even  yet,  while  olhfers  had 
beien  converted  into  tombs,  with  massy  stone"  door?. '  The  roadside 
is  still  strewn  with  a  number  of  sarcophagi  of  bdsalt,  sculptured  with 
low  reliefs  of  genii,  garlands,  wreaths  of  Howeire,  and  human  faces, 


the  rude 

_--.^-„-, ,,  which  it 

i^  unsafe  to  interfere  more  tjian  is  needed,  and,  hence,  even  at  tliis 
day,  furious  and  dangerous  maniacs  ma^,  from  time  to  t}me,  b^  seen 
in  the  towns  of  Palestine, 'in  some  cases,  absolutely  n^feed.  Others, 
equally  furious,  often  betake  themselves  to  the  mouritains,  and  sleep 
in  tonibs  and  caves.  In  their  paroxysms  they  become  terifbly  dfiii- 
gevous,  for  the  mental  excitement  gives  them  prodigious  strength, 
and,  hence,  one  is  sometimes  a  terim*  to  a  Aiviiole  neighbourhood. 

Two  such  madmen,  it  seems,  had  taken  up  their  a?)ode  in  the  caves 
and  tombs,  by  the  side  of  the  road  fi*om  the  Lake  to  Gadara,  and  had 
made  it  almost  impassable,  from  tlieir  fierceness.  Jesus  had  hardly 
i^et  His  foot  on  shore  before  tliey  sallied  out  towards  Him,  shrieking 
angiidslj  the  wild  hpwls  of  their  irenzy,  as  they  approached;  in  depre- 
cation of  His  interference  with  tnem.  Prom  some  reasbn,  now 
Uflkiiown,  St.  Mark  and  St  Luke  speak  only  of  ohe  of  these  twd 


'^t: 


LTPE  OF  CHRlt^t. 


4#7 


e  in  the  caves 


gafTr^rcrA,  and  f»  tlictr  account  in  the  fuller,  ft  is  better  to  k^cp  to  K.^ 
Both  were  more  thnn  merely  insane:  they  were  possessed  ivitli  devilB, 
nnd  consciouH  that  they  were  so.  As  in  similtir  cases,  the  demoniac 
presence  controlled  the  human  will,  and  spoke  in  its  own  name. 
Both  had  already  shown  their  terror  at  the  coming  of  one  whom  they 
recognized  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  adjured  Him  not  to  torment  tlicm 
before  the  time.  But  now  the  one  of  wliom  especially  St.  Marli  and 
8t.  Lulte  spealc,  ran  nnd  fell  down  before  Jesus,  in  the  manner  of 
kosteru  reverence,  lie  had  lieon  a  terror  to  the  whole  country  side, 
for  he  would  wear  no  clothes,  but  roamed  the  hills  naked,  and  would 
live  only  iu  tlie  tombs.  Efforts  had  been  made  to  put  lilm  in  restraint, 
but  neither  ropes,  nor  the  chains  used,  liad  sufficed  to  hold  him. 
Night  and  day  ne  wandered  the  mountains,  driven  hitlier  and  thither 
by  the  mysterious  possession  that  imd  him  in  Its  power,  filling  the  air 
^ylth  his  howls  and  shrieks,  and  cutting  Idmself  with  sliarp  stones  iti 
|t  his  frenzy.  But  a  greater  than  tlie  strong  man  by  wliom  he  was 
enslaved  was  how  here.  Thou"fh  dreading  llis  presence,  tlie  demon 
could  not  keep  away  from  it.  It  may  he  that,  in  the  confused  human 
consciousness,  there  was  yet  a  glimmer  of  reason  and  moral  health 
which  drove  him  to  the  Saviour,  but,  if  so,  tlie  spirit  took  tlie  word 
from  him,  and  spoke  in  his  stead.  '*  What  is  thy  name?"  said  JeauA 
to  the  demon, — and  the  mysterious  answer  was,  "  Legion,  for  we  ai*0 
many."  Forthwith  came  the  command  tp  come  out  of  the  man.  But, 
true  to  diabolical  instinct,  tlie  spirits  would  fain  injure,  even  in  leav- 
ing. On  the  8loi)es  of  the  hill,  a  gi*eat  hei-d  of  swine,  the  unclean  ahd; 
hateful  abomination  of  the  Jew,  vere  feeding.  They  were,  doubtlessi, 
owned  by  i?ome  of  the  heathph  citizens  of  Gadara,  for  sMiae  were  In 
great  demand  as  sacrifices  and  food  among  the  foreign  population.' 
"Send  tis  into  the  swine,"  cried  the  devils,  ''arid  do  not  drive  us  into' 
the  abyss,"  ar>d  the  request  wiis  granted,  to  the  destruction  of  the 
whole  herd,  wliich  ran  violently  down  the  slope  into  the  Lake  apd 
wore  drowned.  Jesus,  as  Son  ol  G^ni,  was  free  to  act  at  Hid  "Will 
with  all  things,  for  they  were  ill  His  by  the  supreme  right  of  crea-' 
tiou,  and  this  right  is  continually  used  in  the  moral  government  of 
the  world.  There  is  no  ground  for  si  moment's  discussion  respecting 
an  act  of  One  to  whom  all  things  were  committed,  as  Head  of  the 
New  Kingdom,  by  the  Father.  .  ', 

It  is  idle  in  our  utter  ignorance  of  the  spirit  world,  to  raise  diffl^^ 
cnlties,  i  'me  have  done,  at  this  incident.  It  is  recorded'  in  three 
of  the  foux  Gospels,  and  cannot  be  explained  away  except  by  doing 
violence  to  the  concurrent  language  of  the  three  evangelists.  How^- 
ever  mysterious,  it  is  no  more  so  than  many  facts  in  the  life  of  Jesus, 
and  must  be  taken  simply  as  it  stands.  -^ 

The  terror  of  the  Apostles  in  the  storm  had  shown  how  little  Jesus 
could  rely  on  them  in  the  far  worse  trials  of  future  years,  but  th'e 
mighty  power  He  had  shown  in  stilling  the  tumult  of  the  elem^ts, 
had  been  a  lesson  of  confidence  in  Him,  wni6h  tliey  cotild  hardly 


y 


h:| 


M4 


m 


ml' 


fk 


f'iriii 


498 


THE  LIPR  OP  CHRIST. 


forget.  It  T'ras  a  further  step  in  tlieir  training  to  trust  in  Him,  when 
they  now  saw  Him  perform  the  still  more  wonderful  miracle  of  still- 
ing the  inward  tempest  of  a  human  soul.  In  neither  case  could  they 
say  a  word.  They  stood  silent  and  ashamed.  They  were  far,  as  yet, 
from  having  grown  to  the  spiritual  manhood  of  their  great  otfice. 
,  The  new  teaching  of  Jesus  had  excited, , for  a  time,  a  wide  popu- 
larity that  had  even  besieged  His  dwelling  and  thronged  His  person. 
The  people  had  given  Him  tlieir  unhesitating  confldence.  But  Hi^ 
collisions  with  the  priests  and  Rabbis,  and  His  disturbed  relations  to 
His  family— with  the  whisperings  of  calunmy  on  all  sides— had 
chilled  the  enthusiasm  of  many.  Distrust  and  suspicion  had  been 
sow^  in  hitherto  trustful  minds,  and  these  reports  ha4  penetrated 
even  to  the  east  of  the  Jordan.  Their  first  cfpen  results  were  seen 
at  Gadara,  for  it  was  hero  He  first  met  with  open  want  of  sym- 
pathy with  His  person  and  work.  The  incidept  of  tlk  (destruction 
of  the  swine,  infuriating  the  owners,  was  enough,  with  what  they  had 
before  heard,  tp  turn  the  people  against  Him.  The  in^nuation  that 
He  cast  out  devils  by  a  league  with  their  chief,  filled  weak  minds 
with  terror.  He  had  "hardly  janded,  and  was  in  sore,  need  of  rest, 
l^ut  was  at  once  forced  to  leave.  Fpr  the  first  time,  the  disciples  had 
an  example  of  that  invincible  unbelief  they  v^^ere,  hereafter,  to  meet 
so  often.  But,  if  Jesus  were  hindered  from  preaohiiig  in  DecapoHs, 
He  had  the  satisfaction  of  leaving  behind  liim  the  former  maniac, 
now  clothed  and  ip  his  right  mipd,  to  spread  the  fact  of  his  de 
liverance.  The  poor  man  w^ould  fain  have  followed  his  Bienetactor, 
but  Jesus  iiad  other  work  for  him.  Contraryto  His  rule  hitherto, 
He  dismissed  him,  with  directions  to  go  home  to  his  friends,  and 
tell  them  the  great  things  the  Lord  had  done  for  him,  and  how 
He  had  had  compassion  on  him.  His  preaching,  however  siniple, 
was  a  seed  of  future  good  in.  these  regions. 

Forced  to  return  to  Capernaum,  Jesus  had  scarcely  landed,  when 
a  demand  was  made  on  His  sympathy  which  He  coidd  not  resist. 
One  of, the  rulers,  or  chief  men  of  the  Synagogue,  a  local  dig- 
nitary, namedi  Jairus,  had  an  only  daughter,  a  rising  girl  of  about 
twelve,  at  the  point  of  death.  After  all  that  had  pasjsed  between. 
Jesus  and  the  Rabbis  in  the,  town,  it* must  have  been  a  great  effort 
for  one  in  the  position,  and  with  the  inevitable  prejudices  of  Jairus, 
to  seek  His  aid;  but  distress  humbles  pride^  and  often  quickens  faith. 
Pressicg  towards  Him,  and  regardless  of  a  crowd  around,  lie  fell  at 
His  feet,  as  inferiors  then  did,  and  still  do,  in  the  East,  before  those 
gi'eatly  above  them,  and  besought  Him  to  come  and  lay  His  hand 
on  his  child,  and  restore  her  to  health.  A  heart  that. sympathized 
with  all  sorrow  could  not  resist  such  an  appeal,  and,  forthwith, 
He  set  out,  through  the  throng  that  attended  all  \f:lia  appearances, 
to  the  ruler's  house.  Before  arriving  there,  however,  a  message 
cama  that  the  eufferer  was  dead,  and  that  there  was  no  need  of 
fiirtter  trouble.    They  little  knew  who  was  on  Hia  way  tp  them. 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


*^ 


"Be  not  afraid,"  said  Ho  to  the  ruler,  "only  believe."  The  crowd 
of  relatives  and  friends  that  always  throng  the  chamber  of  death  m 
Palestine,  had  already  begun  the  pitiful  wails  and  cries  of  Eastern 
lamentations,  and  the  dirge-flutes  had  already  begun  to  add  their  sad 
burden  to  the  tumult.  Jesus  had  likely  been  delayed  before  starting, 
and,  as  preparations,  for  burial  commence  as  soon  as  breath  leaves  the 
body,  the  corpse  bad  likely  been  washed,  and  laid  out  in  tke  cus- 
tomary way  for  the  grave,  before  He  came. 

The  noise  and  confusion  were  not  in  keeping  with  the  work  Jesus 
intended.  "Why  make  ye  this  ado  and  weep?"  said  He,  as  He  en- 
tered, "  The  damsel  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth."  He  used  the  word, 
doubtless,  just  as  He  afterwards  did  in  the  case  of  Lazarus,  but  they 
mocked  at  His  pretended  knowledge,  which, seemed  to  inipute  error 
to  themselves,  for  they  knew  that  she  was  dead.  He  was  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  and  would  have  no  such  disturbing  excitement,  ^nd  there- 
fore caused  the  crowd  to  leave  the  chamber  of  death.  Only  the  father 
and  the  mother  of  the  girl,  and  the  three  di^ciplies,  Peter,  Japi^es,  and 
John,  were  allowed  to,  ^ee  His  triumph  over  the  King  of  Terrors. 
Taking  the  damsel  by  the  hand,  and  using  words  of  the  language  of 
His  people,— Talitha  cumi — Damsel,  I  say  linto  thee,  arise— the  Bpjirit 
returned  to  the  pale  fornii,  and  she  rose  and  walked.  But  in  Capei*- 
naum,  at  a  time  when  His  enemies  were  so  kej^nlj^  afoot,  cautioii.9 
obscurity  was  needed,  and  He  therefore  enjoined  silence  a^  to  the 
miracle.  ,    ,  . 

On  the  way  a  touching  .incident  had  happened.  A.  worhaji, 
troubled  for  many  years  with  an  internal  ailment,  a-fter  '*  having 
suffered  many  things  of  many  physicians,  and  having  spent  her  s^X? 
in  tiie  vain  hope  of  cure,  resolved  to  seek  help  from  Jesus.  It  ia  no 
wonder  that  she  luid  given  up  the  facultj^  of  the  day,  for  thejir 
practice  was  in  keeping  with  the  scientific  ignorance  of  the  times. 
Lightfoot  quotes  from  the  Talmud  the  Jewish  medical  treatment  of 
such  a  complaint.  It  was  as  follows:  '*Tak;e  ot  the  gum  of 
Alexandria  the  weight  of  a  zuzeo.  (a  fractional  silver  coin);  of  alum 
the  same;  of  crocus  the  same.  Let  them  be  bniised  together,  and 
^given  in  wine  to  the  woman  that  has  an  issue  of  blood.  If  this  does 
'not  benefit,  take  of  Persian  onions  three  logs  (piuts);  boil  them  in 
wine  and  give  her  to  drink,  and  say,  'Arise  from  thy  flux,*  If  thia 
does  not  cure  her,  set  her  in  a  pliU3c  where  two  ways  meet,  and  let 
her  hold  a  cup  of  wine  in  her  right  hand,  and  let  some  one  come 
behiud  and  frig^iten  her,  and  say,  'Arise  from  thy  flux.'  But  il 
that  do  no  good,  take  a  haudful  of  cummin  (a  kind  of  fennel),  a 
handful  of  crocus,  and  a  handful  of  fene^reek  (another  kind  of 
ff-nnel).  Let  these  be  boiled  in  wine,  and  give  them  her  to  drink, 
and  say,  'Arise  from  thy  flux,'"  If  these  do  no  good,  other  doses, 
over  ten  in  number,  are  prescribed;  among  them,  this — "Let  them 
dig  seven  ditches,  in  which  let  them  burn  some  cuttings  of  vines, 
aot  yet  fQur.,yc>aiJ8  dd.'   Let  Uer  take  in  her  hand  a  cup  o^  wiiic^ 


i 


!  m: 


■!  ■  1  '  ; 


HM 


r  ! 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHBI&T. 

aM  let  them  lead  her  away  from  tliis  ditch,  and  make  her  sit 
down  over  that.  And  let  them  remove  her  from  that,  and  mako 
tier  sit  down  over  another,  saying  to  her  at  each  remove,?— 'Arise 
from  thy  flux.*" 

^   But  these  were  only  a  few  of  the  more  harmless  jprescriptions 
In  vogue.     The  condition  of  m»edi<ial  science  in  the  East  may  be 
judged  from  its  character  at  the  centre  of  civiliaationi  and  proj^iss 
in   the  West.      Pliny's   Natural    History  gives  us  some   curious 
glimpses  of  this.      Ashes  of  burnt  wolf's  skull,  stags'  horns,  the 
heads  of  mice,  the  eyes  of  crabs,  owls'  brains,  the  Infers  of  frogs, 
vipers'  fat,  grasshoppers,  bats,  &c.,  supplied  the  alkalis  which  were 
prescribed.     Physicians  were  wont  to  order  doses  of  the  gall  of 
wild  swine,  of  horses'  f 6am,  of  wonmn's  milk;  the  laying  a  piece 
of  s^TJenfs  skin  on  an   aflfected  part,  mixturss  of  the  urine  of 
cows  that  had  not  been  sucked,  the  fat  of  bears,  th«  Juice  of 
boiled  bucks" horns,  and  other  similar  abomina^ionsi.  •  For  colic, 
they   prescribed   the   dung   of    swine   or    hares,    for    dysentery 
powdered  horses'  teeth,  for  aiffections  of  the  bladder,  the  urine  of 
?wild  swine,  or  asses'  kidneys,  or  plasters  of  niioe-dung.    It  was  A 
^great  assistance  in  child-birth  if  the  mother,  or  any  of  her  circlo, 
ate  wolfs  fl^fth.    Gold  in  the  head  was  cured  by  kissing  a  mulo'fi 
ndse.    €ore  thrdat  w:is  retooved  by  embix)cations  of  snails',  stimo, 
and  the  inhalation  of  the  fumes  ot  snails  slowly  burnt.     Quinsy 
was  cured  with  the  brain  of  the  marsh  owl;  diseases  of  the  lungH, 
•with  mouseftesh,  disorders  of  the  stomach  with  boiled  snails,  of 
which,  however,  only  an  odd  number  must  be  taken;  weakness  of 
the  bowels,  with  powdered  bats;  miscarriages  were  prevailed  by 
^carrying  about  with  one  a  living  amphisbsena,  a  sma;!!  snake  which 
was  believed  to  be  able  to  go  either  backwards  or  forwards;  froga' 
eyes  were  useful  for  contusions,  if  the  eyes  were  taken  out  at  the 
conjunction  of  the  moon,  and  kept  in  an  egg-shell.    Frogs  boiled  iq 
^vinegar  were  sovereign  for  toothache;  for  cough,  the  slime  of  frogs 
which  had  been  hung  up  by  the  feet;  iot  rupture,  sea  hedgehogs-^ 
the  echinus-^dissolved  in  asses'  milk;   for  diseases  of  the  glands, 
scorpions  boiled  in  wine;  for  ague  or  intermittent  fever,  the  stoue, 
from  the  head  of  sea-eels,  but  it  must  be  taken  out  at  the  full  moon.' 
'    The  poor  woman  who  now  deterniined  to  seek  help  from  Jesus 
^had  endured  all  the  tortures  of  such  medical  treatnient  for  twelve 
years,  and,  of  course,  was  hurt  rather  than  healed.    She  could  not, 
however,  venture  to  speak  to  Jesus;  perhaps  womanly  shame  to  tell 
her  disease  in  public  kept  her  back;  perhaps  reverence  for  one  so 
mysteriously  above  other  men.    Besides,  she  was  unclean,  and  had 
to  stand  aloof  from  society.    Joining  the  crowd  following  Him  to 
the  house  of  Jaims,  she  could  only  dare  to  touch  th^  zizith,  or  taseel, 
that  hung  on  the  corner  of  His  outer  garment,  as  on  those  of  all 
other  Jews.     The  touch  at  once  healed  her,  but  it  did  not  pass 
TWnoticed*    To  have  let  it  pass,  might  have  seenied  to  give  coun- 


THB  LIFE  OF  OTRIST. 


m 


tenance  to  a  snperstitiuus  fancy  that  His  clothes  had  virtue  iu  them- 
selves  Turnlrig  round,  Ki  at  once  asked  who  touched  Him.  Sho 
could  no  longer  nide  her  act,  and,  alarmed  lest  her  boldness  shoulf 
be  punished  by  the  renewal  of  the  trouble  she  now  felt  to  have  bee« 
liealed,  fell  down  before  Htm,  and  told  Him  all  the.  trutli.  It  wat 
enough.  "Daughter,"  said  He,  "thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole* 
go  in  peace,  pd  be  whole  of  thy  plague. " 


::jh-i 


CHAPTER   XLIII. 

DARK^AND    BRIGHT, 


AiffONG  tiie  crowd  that  had  gathered  round  the  house  of  Jairus, 
the  supernatural  powers  of  jesus  found  renewed  exercise.  No 
Bomer  had  He  re^ppeated  than  two  blind  men  followed  Him  to 
Peter's  house,  appealing  to  Him  as  the  long-expected  Messiah^— 
"Have  mercy  upon  iis,  ©on  of  David."  It  was  an  invariable  con- 
dition of  His  ^htin^  His  miraculous  aid  that  those  who  sought  it 
should  come  with  sincere  and  trustful  hearts,  for  to  such  only  could 
any  higher  good  be  gained  by  mere  outward  jelief .  The  j)6or  men 
eagerly  assured  Him  that  they  believed  He  could  do  what  thw 
asked,  and  wilh  a  touch  of  His  hand  their  eyes  were  opened. 
•'  According  to  your  faith,"  said  He,  ' '  be  it  unto  you."  The  prudent 
charge  not  to  speak  of  their  restored  sight,  so  necessary  after  all  that 
had  lately  passed,  w^as  heard  only  to  be  forgotten,  for,  in  their  joy, 
they  could  not  refrain  from  publishing  it  wherever  tliey  went. 
A.nother,  miracle  of  these  days  is  recorded — the  casting  out  a  devil 
from  one  wlio  was  dumb,  so  that  the  sufferer,  henceforth,  spoke 
freely.  The  multitudes  were  greatly  moved  by  such  repeated  de- 
InonstratioU^  of  transcendent  power,  wliich  seemed  to  surpass  all 
that  had  ever  been  seen  in  Israel,  but  this  popularity  only  the  more 
embittered  His  enemies.  Repea-ting  their  old  blasphemy,  they  could 
only  miitter,  ' '  He  oasts  out  devils  by  being  in  league  with  their 
.prince. "  Tiiat  He  sliould  thus  recognize  classes  whom  they  repre- 
sented as  accursed,  and  from  AvUom  they  withdrew  themselves  as 
unclean,  seemed  a  reflection  on  their  teacliing  and  conduct.  The 
blind,  the  leper,  the  poor,  and  the  childless,  were  alike  accounted 
stricken  of  God,  and  "  dead,"  by  the  hard  Judaism  of  th0  day,  and 
yet  He  associated  freely  with  all  who  sought  Him.  Either  He  or 
thoy  must  be  vitally  wrong. 

It  was  now  late  in  the  year,  and  the  Twelve  had  not  yet  gone  out 
on  any  independent  mission.  He  had  taken  them  with  Him  on  His 
circuits  round  Capei»naum,  to  train  them  for  wider  fields.  They  had 
seen  Him  scattering  the  first  seed,  and  caring  for  it  in  its  growth, 
preserving  what  had  been  won;  strengthening  the  w'eak,  and  "calling 
the  careless  to  repentance.     On  a  narrow  theatre  they  had  had  .a 


hi 


^  i,;: 


802 


TfiiE  LIFE  Ot  CHRIST. 


,.» -. 


widely  varied  experience.  More  lately  thc^  had  haid '  etiimjpi^  bf 
uif belief  in  the  Gadarenes,  of  weak  faith  in  themselves,  ^d  of  strbtig 
in  the  woman  who  had  touched  Jesiis,  and  ev6h  jri  the  two  Tilina 
men,  Another  lesson,  However,  wa^.  needed— that  of  fierce  opposi- 
tion, which  they  were  destined  to  meet  so  often  licireaft^r. 

Jesus  had  never  visited  Nazareth  since  Hl^'  IfeaVlnfi;  it,  arid  His 
heart,  doubtless,  yearned  to' proclaim  the  New  l^iftgdoin  t6  the  popu- 
lation among  whom  He  had  lived  so  long.    The  visit  of  Maiy,  a^d 
of  His  sisters  and  brotliers,  to  Capernaum,  to  take  Him  away  with 
•them,  however  mistaken.had,  doubtless^  been  prompted  by  tJic ,  ten- 
derest  motives.    Simple  country  people,  they  had  heard  n-om  their 
holv  Rabbis  that  He  whom  they  so  loyed  had  overstrained  His  mitid 
and  body  till  His  rieason  had  failed,  and  that  there  was  ground  to  fear 
^,' that  the  Evil  One  had  secretly  ta^eu  adVaiitagfe  df  Hfs  enthusiasm  to 
'^  Vwlt  niiraclea  by  His  hands.    Wbat  could  it  be,  indeisd,  but  Iderviiig 
\ithe  Prince  of  Darkniesq,  to  slight  the  sacred  traditions  byactsli^e 
^  inixin^  with  the  cprpmon  people  without  bathin;^  afterwards;  or 
'^'^breaking  the.  Sabbatli  by  Ijealing  oh  it,  or  by  letting;  th0''  disci^l^s 
cipluck  corn  and  rub  it  in  their  hands  oh  the  holy  day,  or  Mflng'a 
-leper  copie  near  Him,  or  eating  with  unclean  publicans  and  sirineiii? 
'-lie  was  a  revolutionist:  He  was  turning  the  world  upjiide  dowii; 
■'IHg  was  questioning  the  wisdom  andauthoilty  of  the  Rabbis^  ai)!d  Wlio 
^put  the  devil  or  his  emissary  could  do  that?  ^'f  ^i  «:^  ^''LUf^'^ 

'  ,  It  was  a  grave  matter,  lioWever,  to  revisit  Nazareth,  f  f  IKs  nt»nreVt 
^'relatives  liad  given  way  to  such  fears  respecting  Hini,  What  could  He 
'(expect  from  ilie  multitude,  who  had  known  Himi  only  in  His  htimhie 
♦(^bscurtty  ?  He  miist  seem  to  thena,  'at  the  least,  a  dangei*ous  disturber 
-bf-  the  relimori  of  the  land;  a  fanatic  who  was  stirring- tip  confusion 
/in  Israel.  Biit^  where  duty  iqalled,  He  nevei'  knew  fearr  Ih'cfeiiipaDy 
•^with  His  disciples  He  set  out  frofn  Capernaum,  taking  thb  road  along 
fjihe  hills  by  the  liake,  to  Magdala,  turning  wcstwd^rd  frorri4t,*thi'ou^ 
^; the  valley  of  doves,  by  Arbela,  with  its  hi^li  cliffs  and  robbc'r  caves, 
l^nd  the  Horps  of  Hattin,  past  TabOr,  south- Westerly  to  Nazatetli.  It 
^%as  only  a  journey  of  seven  hours,  aiid  could  ei<$ily  be  iriade  ih-a 
/'day.  He  stayed  in  Nazareth  sevgral  dte,  no  doUbt  in  His  mother'a 
}  house. 

f    The  sword  had  already  begun  to  pierce  the  Vil'giri*$  heart.  Tendei^, 

T  humble,  patient,  aud  loving,  she  had  trials  we  cannot  realize    KiioTir- 

/iug  that  her  Son  was  the  Messiah,  her  faith  was  sorely  perplexed  by 

|His  past  cdui'sc,  for  her  ideas  Were  those  of  her  nation,  and  His  wrte 

'wholly  the  opposite.    Her  intimate  knowledge  of  the  sacrM  oradea 

of  His  people  had  shown  itself  in  the  Magmjicat;  her  simpler  trust  iii 

.God,  her  happy  thankfulness  of  soul,  her  musing  tlioughtiuliiess,  licr 

•  inodest  humility,  her  strengtli  of  mind  and  energy  of  pttri3osc,lia(I 

*'all  been  seen  m  earlier  days,  and,  no  doubt,  as  she  ^av  older,  flw 

light  of  a  higher  world  was  reflected  wiUi  cver-iticreasionj^  gloiy  fi# 

her  jsoiil.    But  she  was,  and  inust  haVc  beeii,  to  floro  troubfo  tit  # 


T»E  LIFE  OF  eHI^ST. 


«08 


position  of  her  Son.    His  firot  interview  witli  her  has  iKsen  conqciy;od 

thtts:-^ .     ■     '   >    ■  ♦'.■,.,•  .1^; 

'•'Jlefreshment  over,  and  thanks  rcturped  with  c<>vered  hflnd  py 
JesuA.  we  may  fancy  how  Mary,  followed  Him  to  Hib.  own  chamber. 
When,  at  last,  ahe  thus  had  Him  alone,  she  fell  on  His  neck,  hut  |n- 
stet^d  of :  pissing  Him,  AS  she  had  done  a  thousand  times,  secreily,  in 
Bpirit,  she  h^ql ,  her  face  on  His  slioulder,  and  a  stream  pf  tears  fell 
from  her  eyes.  She  wep^t  ^  ^itl^ut  speaking,  and  would  npt  jet 
Him  go,     ...  -^J^r^yv-i      .  *■  ■',  .;: 

"At  last,  Josus  said,  ,* pother,  he  calm,, and  sit  down  by  tne,  and 
tell  me  why  you  weep? '  She  did  so.  and  began, — her  htmd  in  His, 
and  His  eyes  fixed  on  hers — *  1  rejoice  Uvat  at  last  I, have  yofu  again, 
and.grieve  that  we  ah*ll  soon  have  once  mor^^  to  part.;'  ,  'Po  you 
know,  then,'  asked  Jesu4  'how  soon  qr  how  late  X  sha),l  leave  tljis 
world?'  *  Oh,;  my.  child,*  replied  Miriam,  'does  not  tl^p  dfjathly 
whiteness  of  your  face  tell  me,  that  you  are  wea,riqg  yourself  oiU? 
and  if  you  do  not  wear  yourself  put,  thougb  I  am  a  wom^n,  shu^;  in 
by  the  four  corners  oj^  my  house,,  how  c^a  I  hqlp  seeing  that  the 
hatred  of  your^nqmies  mcrea^ea  4aily,  and,  that,  tljieylmvelqn^ 
sworn  your  death?'  'Granted,'  broke  in  Jes\is,  'but  bias  i^^t  a 
great  part  of  ^he  people  b^ded  round  n^,  and  do^^  not  t^is  sj»,nd  in 
the  way  of ;  thft  plots  against  ra^eJ?'  'Indeed,*  rephed  jyOLri^n^  'the 
might  of  your  preaching,  your  independence  towards  those  in  power 
at  Jerusaleo^,  the  novelty  of  your  whole  appearance,  and,  abpvQ  all, 
your  niiraples,  have  won  many  to  your  side,  Jbut  the  favour,  of  the 
people  is  like  a  Eain-torrsnt,  which  swells  quickly,  only  to  pass.^way 
as  soon/  '  Ton  are  right,  0  blessed  among  women,*  answered  tTesus; 
'most  o|  this  people  seeli^  not  salvation  from  sin,,  but  from  quite 
other  burdens,  ai^d  when  the  decisivo  mojqaeut  comes,  they  will  fqir- 
sake  mQ,  faintrheartedly  and  ungr^efully.  To\^  Ippk  In^p  tl^  f pti^o 
does  not  decQiyer  you,  bu^  even  the 'enmity  and  ^vil  of  n^en  serve  the 
coan«els  of  Cfoa,  which  I  came  to  fulfll,  jVIv  way  goes  dovrnwards 
to  deep  darkness,  from  wliich  my  squl  sbrinKs,  but  X  follow  the  will 
of  my  Father,  whether  the  road  be  i»p  or  down.*  As  He  spoke.  His 
couutQaance„,l/^blch  had  been  clouded  for  a  moment,  was,  as  it  were. 
transfigured,  a*  the  divine  in  His  nature  shone  through  the  bunf^an; 
and  Miriam,  driijikiug  in  all  these  beams,  thrilled  with  a  piore  than 
mortal  Jay.  There  was  a  long  pause.  Miriam  was  fi«letit,  but  she 
vfA% 'as  always,  wrapt  in  prayer.  *  Fair,*  said  she,  in  the  thoiights  of 
her  squl,  *  is  tiie  rising  sun,  fair  the  green  vine,  fau'  the  blue  sea,  but 
fairyf  than  all  is  He.  What  an  hour  is  this!  My  eyef  have  beheld 
the  King  in  His  beauty.'**  The  picture  is  beautifuVbut  ,|Jt.j|!^jiyi|>^s 
iecliugs  ta  liary  which  sprang  only  later.  ,      H      ' 

It  had  been  the  instinctive  practice  of  Jesus,  from  parly  childhood, 
to  attend  all  the  synagogue  services,  and  He.  was  st^l  suftered  to  do 
80.  m  spite  of  the' opposition  He  had  excited,  Wlicp  Sab^th  c^mc. 
iherefoc^,  He  wepi  pq  morning  wdiship,  and,  after  thQj^dii^  ^tftJI^ 


'}  .  i 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 


TWdfali,'*t!i^*p1rilin^tJt  offer  to  tend  fhc  H^phtftwr  of  tlip  «tay  from 
the  Prophets.  He  was  forthwith  called  to  the  reading-desk,  >i*'hen 
the  Shfeilach  Tsibbur,  or  Kazan,  handed  Him  the  roll;  Tho  lesson 
for  the  day  could  not  have  bceii  toore  appropriate,  fdr  it  contained 
the  passfige  of  Isaiah  which  gsoke  of  the  Messiah-**-**  The  spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  He  anointed  me  to' j>reach  the- Gospel 
td  the  pbor.  He  has  sent  me  to' proclaim  deliverance  to  thebaptives, 
and  recOVeiy-of  sight  to  the  Wind:  to  set  at  liberty  the  opprossed: 
to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  l«ord."  Then,  sitting  idowB, 
lie  began  His  MidrasCh,  or  expranati'on,  comiUenfing  on  the  pa<«ni?e 
it)  lahgUage  which  astonished  the  hearers,  and  applying  thfe  prcdici- 
tions  of  the  prophets  to  Himself.  .it       i 

But  the  honest  wonder  and  delight  at  His  words  soon  gav©  way  t* 
less  friendly  feeling.  Whispers  soon  ran  through  the  congrogation 
respecting  Him.  IIow  came  He  by  sucrh  wisdom?  '  He  'belonged  to 
tib  school:  Claimed  no  place  in  the  succession  of  Rabbis:  sppkoon 
His  Dtirnflutliiority,  without  ordination  or  sanction  from  the' doctors: 
.  Is  not  this  the  carpenter,  the  son  of  Miriam  and  Joseph,  the  Inrothor 
Of  Ja!E6^  and  Joses,  and  of  Juda  and  Simon?  and' are  not  His»  sisters 
her^e,  yiih  *us?  They  could  not  realize  One  with  whofli,  and  . wJth 
whos^  ^tcte,  they  had  been  on  familiar  telatioUs  of  citizerishk^  as  a 
;  prophet'  Perhaps  His  freedom  towards  the  tradit^ns  had  offehded 
the  SJtrict  notions  of  some  of  His  brothers,  and- the  petty  jeialoui^'crf 
a'  country  village  could  not  acknowledge  a  ^ipeilor  in  ona^hoin 
they  had  long  treated  as  ati  equal;  or  even  an  inferior.  His  humble 
f>ri^n^fiis  poMtionns^  carpenter, a  trade  He  had  learned  asiong 
the  in,  the  Absence  of  anything  special  in  His  family,  and  the  fact  that 
even  th^y  did  not  acknowledge  His  daims,  wete  all  lenaembered. 
Peritep^  jealousy  of  Oapemaum  miiigTed  withtitber  thotighta^  for 
H^'had  "ifldtiBniiracles  there,  and  none  In  Nazareth.  •  Moreover,  if  He 
did.  nbf  belbng  to  the  schools,'  'He  could  riot  speak  or  "act  by  inspiration 
fl^biii  above,  f 0*  the  Rab'biB  were^he  teisehcrs  appOiiitfed  l)y  God.  He 
must  do  His  mira<?les,  as*  the  Kabbis  said,  by  the  help  bfthedevifc 
He  could  notj  they  began  to  think;  have  come  by  Jli^  knewledge  {wid 
el0(juebc5e  by  fair  moans,  or  in  l!|ie  usual  way.  He  must  have  un* 
hoiy'aid."'-    ■■■■'■  ""  ■  -■  ■ 

^-'nils  iVas  enough  to  turn  the  Synagorae  against  Him;  and  His  own 
wonls  intensified  the  revolution  of  feeling,  and  brougirt  it  to  a  crisis. 
He  frankly  told  them  that  He  knew  they  thought  "  that  He  should 
help  Hihiself  before  hoping  them,  and  remove  fiie  suspicibn  imddish 
respect  they  gr6^ingly  felt;  by  miracles  Hke  those  of  Capearnaum,  aa 
the  only  Ivay  to  Convince  them  of  His  claims!  But  He  would  not  cto 
in  Nazareth  what  He  hod  done  there,  for  He  well  knew  that  no 
prophet  had  any  h<>notn^  in  hia  own  country.  Had  not  Elijah  con- 
fined his  tairaculouapovrer  to  strangers,  and  they  heathen,  and  witk' 
^aWnitfroin  Istael?  Their  hardness  of  heart  enforced  the  same  on 
Htni,  and  if  Israel,  as  a  whole,  showed  a  like  spirit,  it  also  would  sea 


THE  LUb^E  OP  GHRIIJ'F. 


^^^  I 


Hlflmi|^(y  works  >\ithdrawii,  ami  shown  among  thokeaihen.'*^  Tliey 
could  stand  no  I  more.  The  whole  itynagogue  rot<e  iq  com»MiUHi,  and 
io,wildutroar.  hustled  Him  towards  tiie  steep  wall  of  rock  hi«id  by, 
to  throw  Uim  Irotn  it,  hcadionsr;  .  But  His  time  w^as  not  yet  conw.  A. 
fipell  oast  on  the-flerce.  ihob,  opened  a  way  ior  Him,  and  Hepassod 
through  ithem,  and  left  the  town  unhurt. 

This  disastrous retiult  so  far  exceeded  all  {>revious.fixperteQ|Ce^  that 
Jesus  Himself  marbled  at  their  unhellel.  Iteyen^fettcNced  Hism^tiim, 
for  '^tU  could  dxi  no  mighty  work,.8ave  that  Ueiaid  His  handS'-upon, 
aie w  mcki  and  ^  healed  them. "  He ;  exerted  His  imiraGulonB  powec  only 
towards  thbse>  in  iwIiool  He  ionnd  moral  sympnthy,  howoyer  warper- 
feet.  The  human  will,  mysteriously  iudependenty  ae«ded  to  laiyect 
Hissvpematural  <  might  and  give  it  entiuiiee^  .^ks jf  jthofiQul.opj^Osed 
or  tBdiffecent,  were  wayside  soil,  on  which  the  se^s  of  phys^tG^  a» 
of  moral  blessing,  fell  wlUioul;  fruit,    i     tij  (^-^^^^mt      mai  flaimip.ra 

But».  though  He  left  ^Nazareth  never  to  return.  He  remaincidiin:  the 
neighbourhood  for  a  tunev  preaching  in  the  villages  of  thegreatpWn 
of  Eadraelou,  fav  and  near.  The  whole  theatre  of  His  activitjy,  hpM- 
curor,  ittithis  circuit,  as  in  previous  ones,  was  limited  beyoodtordinary 
coneeption. '  From  northt  to  south,  between,  Choram,  above  iy^perA%-  ^ 
uiHv  a^d  Jezreel,  in  the  great  plain,  was  only  a  distance  uC  >ten  houn^ 
&ud frdmoast  lowest,  f roinChoraein to Cana,  oir jyTazac^th,  only i^ijK  br 
seven;  His  Whole  life  was  spent  in  a  spaice  represented  by  one  Qt  two 
English  ^counties,  but  the  seed  sowiiiOn  this  speck  of  ground  isr  yet  tft, 
cover;  the  iearth !  '  ..Mn^.i;,  •  :•  'rv;--;  ■■!■..  i^uv-n^x 

The  apostles  bad  now  passed  through  a  i  lengthened  and  vftiied 
experteuce,  and  besides  the  constant  instructioh  of  their  Hasfter's 
words  and!  life,  had  learned:  from  their  own  hearts  how  gr^t  thue^r 
moral  deficienmea  still  were. '  Their  faint-heartedness^iirre^oluteness^ 
and  want  of  <  faith,  were  e videtit,  and  they  iwere  thus  brougl^t  iio  th^ 
modest^  self '^ddstarust  which  aJioueoouidHt  them  for  ih^  It^iiviet  djtities 
before  them.  They  were  n»w  to  rise  from  the  position  of  dependent 
and  simple  followers  and  scholars^  and  become  co-workens  with  Jeau.St' 
and  that  not  only  on  the  good  soil  already  sown,  but<  rath^f  on,  th^ , 
hard  trodden  paths,  the  stony  grouiqfl,  and  th9>t  pre-occupied  by  tl^ai^f;. 
luGadara  and  Kazareth,  they  had  learned  to  distinguish  the  opposite  . 
aspects  of!  unbelief;  in  the  one.  that  of  common  natural  iselhsh^as 
and  hai'slmes»;in^  thet  otherv  that  of  proud  perverted  fanatioie*a# . 
After  long  wanderings  and  continuous  triais,  the  Twelve  weve  now, . 
in  their  Master's  opinion,  in  a  measure  prepared  to  work  b^  them- 
selves in  spreading  the  New  Kingdom.  In  spite  of  the  opposition  of 
thcinterested  professional  elates,. tiie  enthusiasm  of  the  people  to 
hear  the  new  teaching  was  unabated.  Multitudes  followed  Jesus 
wherever  He  appeared;  the  synagogues  still  offered  access  to  the 
whole  populatioa  each  Sabbatii^and  in  aH  the  citjes.  find  viJUages  ot 
Galilee^  iko  ' '  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom'j was  tlie  great  topic  of  coftvari;^ 


fiation 


» 


m 


m 


•1?    \jiift^  -'i  .,.i .  A*.U' 


0M> 


THE  LIFE  OF  GHRXST; 


'■!  Tl 


t'    tt 


The  time»  morooTer,  wero  excitiBg!i  The  -whole  couotiy  TB.pg,mith 
thefBtory  ol  a'  massacre  of  Galikeann  by  Pilate,  at  tlie  last'^Fcnst  'of 
Tab^naole*— porhapa,  at  the  same  tuinult  in  which  Joseph  Barabbas 
was  arAstedas  a  ringletuler,  to  be  afterwards  freed  instead  of  Jesus* 
Pilate  wait  til>way»  ready  to  shed  the  blood  of  a  people  ho  hated,  aod 
the  hot-blooded  Oalilieans,  ever  ready  to  take  affront  at!  the  hated 
infideto^  gave  him  only  too  many  ezcnses  for  violence.  Thev  had  a 
standing  grievance  in  the  sacriflees  offered  dail  yf or- the  Bmpite  and 
the  £knpen>r,  and  at  the  presence  of  a  Hosaan  garrison  and  Roman 
ipidcetft  at  the  Temple,  duiiiig' the  feasts^  to  keep  the<  peaces  as  Twkish 
sol^ierisdo  atthis  day,  during  fiasteriat  the  Church  of  the  HolyBep- 
ulchve; '  But  Pilate  had '  given  special  offence,  at  this  time^  by  appro^ 
priating  part  of  tile  I  treasures  of  the  Temple,  derived  from  the  iTem- 
pie*  tax  levied  on  oil  Jews  over  the  world,  and  amounting  to.  vast 
suins  in  the  a^rcgate— to  defrliy  the  cost  of  great  conduits  he  had : 
began  ior  the  b^ter  < supply  of  Jerusalem  wiUi  waters  -  Stiiredr  up  by 
the  praests  and  iRabbia,  the  people  had  be^eged  l^e  government  house'. 
when  Pilate  came  Up  to  the  city  at  the  fcast^  and  with  loud  qontiaur 
ous  ciied  Itsd  demanded  that  the  works  be  given  up.  Seditious  words  < 
agtunst  Mmself,  the  repi'esentative  of  the  Emperor,  had  not  been 
wantkigj  He  had  more  than  once  been  forced  to  yield  to  suchjl^am* 
our,  but  this  time  determined  to  put  it  down.  ^Numbers  of  soldiers,:, 
in  plain  clothes,  and  armed  only  with  clubs,  surrounded  the  vsjBt  mob,^ 
and  used  their  cudgels  so  remorselessly  that  many,  both  of  the  inno. 
cent  and  guilty,  wei'e  left  dead  on  the  spot.  The  very  precincts  of 
theT^plb  were  invaded  by  the  legionaries,  and  some  pilgrims  who 
were  &>  poor  that  they  were  slaying  their  own  sacriticesy  were  struck 
down  wMle  doing  so,  their  blood  mingling  with  >■  that  of  the^  beasts 
thoy  were  preparing  for  the  priests,  and  thus  polluting  the  House  of 
God;!  It  Wias  an  Unjprecedented  outrage,  and  filled  every  breast  in 
Judea(and  Ghdllee  with  the  wildest  indication,  though  ^ch  brawk 
were  of  frequent  occunence.  The  excitement  had  even  penetrated 
the  palace  at  Tib^ias,  and  kindlod  bitter  ill-feeling  mArntipasTV:>wApd9 
Pilafte^  f or  the  men  slain  were  GaJiillfeaQ  subjects..  .itnourtrH't  <■>.  !),;i\^'. 

Another  misfortuiae  had  happened  in  Jerusalem  a  sliort  tinier  bel ore. 
A  tower*  s-pparehtly  on  the  top  of  C^hel,  hear  the  Fountain  of.  the 
Virgin  tif^Masite  Bilomn,  had  falicil>^perhapspne  of  tliie  buildings  conn, 
nec^iid  with!  Pilate's  publiC'Spirited  steps  to  bring  water  to  thetioly 
City-^^d  eighteen  men  had  been  buried  beneath  it;  in  tiie  opinion 
of  the  people,  x\b  a  judgment,  of  God,  lor  their  having  helped,  the  saQi, 
rilegious  undertaking. '  .  ■  i     -  '  w4rw    s       , 'v,i  ^^^hj-^jw^t  tfSmo'/i'f  o? 

1'he  .cry  for  a  national  rising  to  avenge  the  murdered  pilgrims 
doubtless  rose  on  every  side,  but  Jesus  did  uotsanctionit  ffor  a  mo- 
ment;:-He  saw  the  arm  of  Qod  evenin  the  hated  Romans^  aaid  in  tlio 
fall  of  the  tower,  oij^d,  instead  ol  sympathizmg  with  th^^  foi;  the  one* 
and'joittihg  in  aery  forinsurrectionfor  the  other^  told' His  aatonlslied 
hearers  that  the  same  horvoro  were  like  to  fall  ;on  the  whole  natloa;' 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


50T 


"S>iipp(^  ye/^n^a^^,  '*that  those  OaHlsans  were  sinten  above 
air  Che  OAlH<Bans,  because  they  have  suffered  such  things?    I  tell 
you  n*y,  bdt,  ejccetjt  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  perish  in  like  manner.    Or 
those  eighteen;  upon  whom  the  tower  in  Siloam  fell  and  killed  Uiem^n 
suppOise^te:  that  they  were  sinners  above  all  the  men  that  dwell  in 
JeFUsaleni?'  I  tell  vdu  nay;  but  except  ye  repent,  ye  will  all  perish  iu' 
tli(i  same •hianner/''    '♦Israel,"  He  added,  "'  is  like  a  flg^tree,  planted' 
by'ft  maA  In  hisvmeynrd,  which  year  after  year  bore  no  fruit  Wea«R 
led  by  its  barrenness,  the  householder  was  determined  to  cut  it  down/> 
and4t<wad  now  spared  at  the  intercession  of  the  vine-dresser,  only  tcnr' 
anc«lher  vyebr,  to  give  it  a  last  respite. '  After  that,  if  it  ttill  bore  n^i 
fruit;  htf  weiuld  out  it  down,  as  merely  cumbering  the  groundw    That 
ycai^'of  merciful  delay  was  the  passing  moment  of  His  own  presenco- 
and  work  amon^ Hhem.    The  nation  hod  given  itself  up  to  a  wild) 
dr^ni, -that' would  end  in  its  ruin^    Led  by  '^e  priests  and  Habbis^f^ 
it  li-usted  that  God  would  appeatv  on  its  behnlf,  and  by  a  political 
rev^lutibn  oveithrow  the^  hated  foreign  domination.'  <  Tho  imitsi  of ' 
repei^oni^  ^nd  faith,  which  Ood  required,  were  still  wanting.     Aat 
the  vine-dresser,  Jesus  had  done  all  possible  to  win  theni  to»:€  better^ 
fraifte.'   He  hadwamedi  besought,  counselled;  but  tlifey  were  wedded 
to  thelr^ites  tmd  their  sinful  pride.  His  peaceful  kingdom  offered  themi 
the^oaiy^<^i9cape  from  ^in,  here  and  hereafter;  but  as  a  nation,  (i>ey  ^ 
were  irtore  tod'  more>  turning  towards  the  worldly  «chemes  of  thenr 
ecclesiastical  leaders,  and  lent  a  deaf  ear  to:  all  proposals  of  spiritual  > 
sel^ref(^mi 'Oontinuanoe  in  this  course  would  bring  the  fate  of  thosoi 
they  now  lamented  on  >  the  whole  race.    If  they  rejected  Him,  GlCNi^j 
wonld  erelong  destroy  them  as  a  people."        i^ '     j-a l  j «  u,  ro( » i  .i  ^  am 

There  was  still  another  matter  agitating  all  minds,  and)  helping^tvr 
keep  up  th^  volcaiiie' excitement  of  the  country.    John  lay  still  apris^*' 
oner,  in^  the  black  fortress  of  Machaerus,  almost  within  tdght,  and< 
each  xia^  miett  WOnderod'if  Antipas  had  yet  dared  to  put   him  <oii 
deftth.-'-'-' ■'!  •'    ''■'  ^:yr<.:.,:     ,  .■        ,  ,  ■■  ; 'v  :;,,,.    ..;    -   .    ,"■} 

l^ndaitflhy  CFrcumstanoe©,  the  crowdii  following  Jesus  w<»ild  ha^js/ 
I  touched  a  heart  so  tender^  ^ut  their  wild  despair  and  religions  en^u^i 
I  Kia$»n  made  tlie  sig^t  of  them  doubly  affectingv    Might  they  not  i» 
wrttt  to  the  peace  and  j<3y  of  the  glad  tidings?    They  deemed  to  ~Hiia^, 
the  <d^ood  Sheplierd,  lira^  a  great  Hock  needing  many  shepherds,  -but^^ 
with  none;  ^footso^e  with  long   travel,  waiuTering  thffj^  knew  not: 
whith(ir,  with  rio  one  to  lead  them  to  the  still  waters  and  green  pa^ 
Iture*.    <'  The  harvest,"  «aid  He  to  His -disciples,  **  is  plenteout^  but: 
[the  labourers  are  few;  pray  ye,  therefore,  the  Lord  of  the  harve^,- 
Ithat  He  Will  send  forth  li^urers  into  His  harvest."    There  were 

mltitudes  to^  be  won  for  the  New  Kingdom, — multitudes  prepared 
to  hear,  for  their  spirits  were  broken  under  personail  and  .national- 
Boitow.    But  the  number  of  riglit  teacliers  was  smaM.    ^v.  j  >  y.(}  jo  u 

He  decided,  therefore,  to  delay  no  longer  sending  forth  theTwelmn 
'  them^g^tlheri '  ti«  told  them  Hfet  iHU^poae,  and  fitted  thesis  to^ 


5oe 


THE  LIPU  OF  CHniST. 


c«in7^it  out.  Aa  a  prqof  of  their  mission  from  Him,  He  iavi^sted 
tiiem  with  authority  over  Hpirits,  and  gave  them  power,  to  JbeaL^UseiUics. 
TJbey  were  to  oonflne  thenoselves  for  the  present  to  Jewish  districts, 
ayoiding  Samaritan  towns,  and  not  entering  on  the  road  tojieatlien 
pJEtrta  Galilee  itself  was  thus  virtually  their  iield  of  labour,  for 
heathenism  liad  a  footing  in  every  place  round  it,  and  within  a  few 
miles  of  them  lay  Gadara,.  Hippos,  Pella,  Scythopolis, ,  and  even 
.iipphoris,  with  heathen  worship,  m  their  midst,  Judea;  apd  Jerusa- 
lem were  not  to  bo  thought  of.  The  simple  Gnlilseana  would  ))e  a 
better  beginning  for  the«A.postles  than  the  dark  bigoted  populatietn  of 
tljfi  south..  One  dar  they  would  be  free  to  visit  Samaria,  as  He  Himr 
self  had  already.  Meanwhile  they  must  not  stir  up  Jewish  hatred  by 
^ing  to  either  Samaritans  or  heathena  Moreover,  their,  own  Jewish 
psejikdioes  unfitted  them  for  a  mission  to  any  but  Jews,  for,  even 
after  thisj  the  first  signs  of  hostility  made.  Jann  wish  to  jc^All  dov/n 
fire  from  heaven  on  a  Samaritan  village,  and  they  were  .not  fit  as  yet 
to  handle. aright, the  many  questions  such  a  journey  wou^d  elicit. 
Be8ide9#  Israel  must  have  another  year  in  which  to  bring  forth  fruit; 
aj«d  wiljlal,  it  was  their  fiL»t independent  journey.  „  .. ,., »,{ .,^,  ^^^  ^^ 

(The  burden  of  their  preaching  was  to  be  the  repetition  ot  that  ojf 
Jolw^i  and  of  Jesus  Himself,  when  He  began.  " The^  Kinjtj^om  of 
Heavem  isfat  hand."(  I/ike. « John,  they  were  heralds^  to  pr^)are  tlie 
way*  ^' Heal  the  sick,"  said  He,  "raise  the  dead,  cleanse  lepers^ 
eaAldiit  demonsi."  They  had  received  their  miraculotia  gifts  freeiy, 
and  must  dispense  them  as  freely.  Their  equipment  was^  to  l)e  of  me 
simplest, JEor.  superfluity  diverted  the  mind  from  their  .great  object, 
and  made  an  extra  burden  which  would  only  hinder: them. iQil  .their 
joumieys.1  It' became  them,  also,' by  their  bumhle  ^ise„, to  disarm 
the  suapieion  iof  worldljmesa^  and  to  show  itbeirimpiit^it  trust*  In  God. 
^Oheywere  to  take  no!  money;  not, even  any; copper  coip^  in  thejr 
gitdleat-tiie  usual  Eastern  pui^se;  ,nor  ■$,  wallet  for,  theif  food ,  by  tlie 
way;  nor  two  under  garments,  but  were  to  wear  only  one;  nor  were 
'tb^tdhave  shoes,  which  looked  like.luxury,  but  only  the  ^^andals 
ol  Ihe  Qommon  people,  and  they  wene  tohaye.only  one  stafif*  Th^y 
were<to  go  as  the  peasants  of  Palestine  often  do  yet,,  trusting!  to  hos- 
pitality Jor  food  and;  shdter;  ol^ering  in  >  their  simplicity  a Mrikiog 
contrast  to  the  flowing  robes  and  bright  colours  of  the  population  (^ 
large.  But  they  were  not  io  go  alone.  Each  must  have  a  companioi^i 
to  accustom  ithem  to  brotherly  communion,  to  gii%  counsel  and  h^p 
to  each  other  in  difficulties,  and  to  cheer  each  other  on  the  way.  We 
ma^  fancy  that  Peter  was  sent  with  Andrew,  James  with  John, 
Philip  with  Bartholomew,  the  grave  Thomas  with  the  practical  iVlatr 
tbew,i  James  the  Small  with  Judas  the  Brave-heart^,  and  Simon  the 
JSealoi;  with  Judas  Isqariot)  the  brother  with  the  lilirc^thii^^;  «tii^,,fri&i)4 
^iththeiri«nd;  the jie^ous with  the  colc^vvj^  r,rjv^^c><*rlf  Wt  0'''^d^ 

.No  mention  is  made  of  the  synagogues  m  their  instniicii^s;^  it 
may  be,  because  the  Apostles  were  not  yet  confident  enough  to  coni0 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRI8T. 


809 


forward  so. publicly.  It  was  tp  be  a  house  to  houee  mission.  While 
every  trayetler,  according  to  the  custom  of  tho  country,  greeted  his 
acquabtdnces  with  laborious  formality,  raising  the  hana  from  the 
heart  to  the  forehead,  and  then  laying  it  in  the  right  hand  of  the 
person  met;  pven,  according  to  circumstances,  lowing  thrice,  or  as 
miiny  as  seven  times;  they  were  forbidden  to  indulge  in  any  greet- 
ings by  the  way.  Time  was  too  pr(^cious,  and  their  misnon  too 
earaes|;  for  enjpty  courtesies.  On  entering  a  town  or  village,  they 
were  ,u)  thake  inquiries,  to  guard  against  their  seeking  hospitaUty. 
from  tnc  unworthy,  but  having  once  become  guests,  tliey  were  to  stay 
in  the, same  family  till  tliey  left  the  place.  They  were  to  eiiter 
th|e  dvreXUijg  which  heartily  welcomed  them,  witli  a  prayer  for  it3 
peace!,'  Any  hoiiste  or  city,  however,  that  refused  to  receive  thein, 
was  to  be  treated  openly  as  heathen,  by  their  shaking  off  its  diut 
from  their  feet  as  they  left  it.  But  woe  to  such  as  brought  down 
this  wrjith ;  it  would  be  better  at  the  last  day  for  Sodom  and  Gomoriuh 
tIian^c(r,theGalil8ean  village  in  such  a  easel  ■ --^W 

To  tJhese  directions  for  the  way  Jesus  added  warnings  that  might 
have  wtsll  filled  wnthi  dismay  men  less  devoted.  He  piiedicted  lor 
them  only  pe^rsecution  ah^  universal  *hatred,  jails,  public  whipping, 
iind  e^cn  deatli,  but  cheered  them  by  the  promise  tliat  their  brave 
abd  faMhfuI  confession  of  f^iith  in  Him>  Jl)cfore  governors  and  kings, 
would  i^ervc  l[Iis  cause,  and  that  endurance  to  the  end  would  seeurc 
their  eternal  salvation.  They  would  be  like  i^elpIeFs  ^lieep  in  the 
niidst  oif  ti-eachefroUs  wolves.  Even 'their  work  would  be  differeBt 
f|roni  w^li^t'  tliey  might  expect.  To-day  it  was  an  olive-branch;  to- 
nibrrow  it  wbtild  be  a  sw^d.  Instead  of  peace,  it  would  divide 
lioiistiihbldiB  akd  commtm^ties,  and  turu  the  closest  relations  into 
deadly  enetn^ies.  They  would  heed  to  labour  diligently,  for  before 
they  had  gphe  over  all  the  towns  of  Israel,  He  Himself  would  come 
to  their  ara.  as.  tM  risen  and  glorified  Mesi^iah.  Tliclj'  might  expc^ot 
slander)  fbf  He  JHiinself  had  been  charged  with  being  in  leagu&with 
t|ie  de^l,;  iWd  they  cotild  not  hope  to  fare  better.  They  were,  how- 
ever, to  m  i^biit  oi  heart,  for  the  Providence  that  watches  the  birds 
of  the  air  Svotild  keeipthem  safe.  He  had  nothing  to  offer  in  this 
tporld,  but  if  •they  confessed  Him,  here  He  would  confess  them,  in 
the  great  dayr  before  His  Father,  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  denied 
Hitii,  He  wbuld,  on  that  day,  deny  them.  He  frankly  demanded  a 
royalty  ^o  suprieme  and  undivided,  that  the  most  sacred  claims  of 
bfood  were  to  be  subordinated  to  it.  Instead  of  receiving  honours. 
He  told  thehi  that  they  might  expect  to  be  crucified,  as  Ho  would  bo. 
To  save  this  life  by  denying  Hiin  would  be  to  lose  the  life  to  como; 
foi  to  10^(8  ft.by  fidelity  to  Him,  was  to  find  life  ^eternal.  Amidst  all 
this  diirk  ahtibipation,  they  need  not  fear  for  their  bodily  wants,  for 
the  greater  the  dagger  braved  the  greater  would  be  the  reward  in  His 
kmgdom  to  those  who  showed  tliem  favour,  and  this  would  always 
iccute  thi^m  friemfe; 


m 


I 


•,i'' 


■  :ii^^ 


. '•,ii;*»Vv'^. 


,w 


510 


THE  LIFK  OP  CHRIST. 


»!  I" 


S.M 


!!■■<   I  ',,.11 


Buch  an  address,  under  imcli  circurnstanccs,  was  assuredly  never 
given  before  or  since.  To  prppose  to  found  a  kingdom  l^y  tli«  ser- 
rices  of  men,  who,  as  their  rct^nrd,  would  mept  only  sliamo,  tocture, 
and  deatlv;  to  claim  frorti  them  an  absolute  devotion,  from  metf  pey- 
Bonal  reverence  and  love,  with  no  prospects  of  reward  except  thnm 
of  another  world;  and  to  launch  an  Enterprise  thus  supported  oply  by 
ihoral  influences,  in  the  face  of  the  opposition  of  all  the  authority  of 
the  day,  simply  to  win  men  to  righteousness  by  the  display  of  pure, 
unselfish  devotion  to  their  ^bbd,  astounds  us  by  the  jsubllme  grandeur 
of  tlie  conception.  '  ^i^ij,;, 

No  details  are  given  of  tWe  mission,  except  that  the  Twqlve.  we^t 
on  a  lengthetied  circuit  through  the  towns  and  villages  of  Galilee, 
preaching  the  need  of  i^pentance,  and  the  glad  tidings  of  p>e  Now 
Kingdom;  and  that  theii*  ministry  wa,?  accompanied^l;>y  miraculous 
works  of  mercy— the  castiag  out  diBVils,  aiidthc  finointing  many  sick 
with  oil,  and  heallnl?  tliem— which  wero  themselves  proofs  *of  tlmjr 
higher  success,  since  such  wonders  were,  doubtless,  as  in  the  case  of 
their  Master,  wroujjht  onlv  wlien  there  win  a,  measure  of  fal<th. 

HoVr  long  this  mission  lasted,  i^^  uncertain,  li  may  ha,ve jemhracedl 
%eeks,  or  have  extended  over  tnoutlis,  thougli,  as  the  firsft  jpurr^y  of 
the  Twelve,  alone,  it  Is  not  likely  to  have  been  very  prot^ct^.,  The 
success  must  have  been  unusual,  for,  as  th6y  appeared,  two  by  two, 
in  the  villages  of  Galilee,  the  name  of  Jesus  was  ph  eveiiy  tongue, 
«nid  penetrated  even  the  gilded  saloons  of  the  hiaited  lioman  palace  of 
Antipas,  at  Tiberias.  Jesus,  Himself,  had  not  been  Idle,  while  His 
fbllowers  were  away,  for  their  departure  was  the  mgn^l  lor  a  ne\y, 
Bolitary  Journey,  to  preach  and  teach  in  the  various  qitics., ,  HH?  nanw 
"^^^as.thtta  spread  al^oad  everywhere,  atid  His  claims  apd  chiaracfer 
discussed  by  all;  He  had  been  nearly  ttvo  yeai^  before  ^he  world, 
and  had  steadily  risen  in  popular  faVbur;'  in  sp^te  of  the  J(iierarchi;ciii 
party i  His  claims  be(iame  tile  engrossing  topic  of  the  day?  Hitheito 
tbd  most  opposite  views  hAd  perplexed  all  auk;e.  ferf  than  all  nv<a, 
Antipas  felt  his  eyes  irresistiblv  fixed  on  &|hi,  for  liis  consciei^pe  ^i 
ill  at  ea»c.  He  had  at  last  put  John  to  deatji,  an^,  true  ,^  Jys  suj)«r- 
stitious  and  weak  nature,  concluded  that  Jesus  yyai^np  otJtier  than 
the  nmrcterdd  Baptist  risen  frbm-  the  dead,  ^hd  ciQt]^G4  >y;itiv  tb 
a'wful  powers  of  the  invisible  wbHd.  'Since  that  dear  bead  hjvi, fallen, 
the  weak  and  crafty  worldling  had  hoped  for  peace  and  security,  but 
an  awful  echo  6f  the"  voice  heTiad  silcncdd  sounded  loiidej*  arjd  moirc 
terrible,  from  the  lips  of  Jesus,  at  his'  very  doors.:  lie  w{^s  now  a^m 
in  Tiberias,  and  thie  Wide  dispci'Sbn  of  a  whole  ban(,t  of  preji^chers  of 
the  same  apparently  revolutionary  Kingdom,  in  hjs  immediate  tet 
ritory,  seemed  a  desiisfned  defiance  of  his  violence  ^t  Mucjiaerus,  and 
its  counterstroke.  tt  was  certain  that,  wlleii  h^  gained;  couraga 
enough,  he  would  t  7  to  repeat  the  murder  of  tlie  first  propjjet  by 
that  of  the  second.  Suspicion  and  6rhifty  foresight  Wpiie  liis  chaitic- 
teristic^.    Jesus  really,  how<lyt(A,  leiimed^  AU  A^  PW9ed^^ 


'iiiin 


I 


edly  never 
by  the  set- 
ae, torture, 
a  mew  pev- 
sccpt  thos<^ 
ted  oply  by 
lutUority  of 
Ifty  of  pwrc, 
QC  grandeur 

wejlvc,  wont 
8  of  Oalilee, 
of  tUfj  Now 
r  miraculous 
ig  many  sack 
aofs'of  tliutr 
n  the  case  0^ 
f  faith, 
ive  pmhraced 
•af,  jQurQcy  of 

tTacttj4-  TUe 
,  two  hy  two, 
jveiiy  tongue, 
nan  palaa<Ji<rf 
ije,  while  UU 
^l  lor  a  new, 
js.,  ,m?nain« 
ijid  ehjftv^ctijr 

re  the  wotW, 
e'l^rarchicaV 
ay,  UHUeitfl 
tliaa^aUnKiQ. 
jnscieiw^e  WJ19 
5  ;^  tiis  8uv«r- 
IP  ot^er  thaa 
iQ(\  >vitlv  tbp 
adhJViWen, 
li  security,  l)ut 

jdevaadmoire 
Was  now  afifftia 
f  prej^chcrs  of 
immediate  t^fr 
ac^jaerus,  and 
tihed;  cQuraga 
it  prophet  by 
le  lu»  charftc- 

'  "  i^ptictiPg: 


TlIJi  lylFK.Or:  cnillBT, 


«       W«'lt 


FJi( 


611 


Himnelf  in  the  i)fttoce,  for  He  had  foUowors  in  it,  »uch  as  Johanxu^ 
tlie  wife  of  Ohouza,  and  Mcnahom,  tho  foHtcr-brothor  of  the  tbthirch, 
and  He  waft  on  His  guard.  ,         ,,  ,      , 

While  Antipas  thus  intorpreted  the  rumoura  respecting  Jefus, 
others  formed  an  opinion  liardly  nioi;e  apute  or  thoughtful,  who  took 
Him  for  a  «econd  Klias.  Jolin  and  Elijali,  Th  their  whole  spirit  and 
worli,  were  mc^n  devoted  to  the  traditipuul  and  outward  theocracy, 
nion  who  looked  to  Die  past.  Jesus,  on  the  other  lumd,  had  prOf 
claimed,  even  in  His  consecration  scrxuon  on  the  mountain,  that  Ho 
devoted  His  life  to  tlie  founding  of  a  New.  Covenant.  Their  r^inion 
was  nearer  the  truth  wlio  pelieved  Him  (i  prophet,  though  distance 
threw  a  mysterious  giory  round  the  prophets  pf  the  past*  which  they' 
fHiicfdt<[)  realise  of  one  ip  tlicir  midst.  , 

The  i)ewB  of  thedeath  of  John  seems  to  have  reached  Jesus  about 
the  Rame  time  as  the  Apostles  returned,  and^  doubtless,  seemed  the 
prediction  of  His  own  fate.  The  prospect  of  the  croso  had  heoii 
heiore  His- mind  from  the  flr^t,  ipr  even  at  the  Jordan  He  had  been 
(Announced  as  the  Lanih  of  God*  ,  Tlie  Bermon  on  the  Mount  had 
struck  the  kcy-iiote  of  self-sacrifice,  and  He  had  once  and  again  foren 
fold,  more  or  less  clearly,  that  He  felt  His  path  would  be  towards  a 
violent  death.  It  was  inevitable  that  one  whqin  the  intcre;jt,  tho 
pride,  and  the  reputation  of  the  existing  ecclesiastical  unthoritiesr 
combined  ta  proscribe,  must  fall  before  their  hostility.  X.ven  Ihd 
proiphets,  as  a  rule,  had  suffered  violent  deaths,  th«ugh:  their  protest 
against  the  corruption  of  their  day  involved  no  .^odemoation  o^th* 
religious  economy  of  thp  nation^  But,H;e  h^d committed  Himselr 
Mmmtely  to^ principles  fatal  to  the  theocnicy;  for  He  had. violated 
tradition;  ile  had  eaten  with  publicans^  and  He  had  deiAOunced  ther 
leadci's  of  the  people  as  hvpocriteSk.  hlind^  and  wicked*  It^wasalife; 
land  death  matter  for  the  hierarchic^  party  to.  try  tQ  quench  in  His  . 
own  blood  the  fire  He  had  kin41e4t  ^ 

The  meietltig  with  the  Apos^a  ^^'as  Uk^^iy  prori^rrftnged,  and  Jesuii: 

retwnedtothe  neighbourhood  cii  Caperuwin*  or,i  peii^aps,  of  Tiberios^^. 

ItoefiPect  it.   He  had  been  awa^^'  for  f^  kngtb  of  time,  and  Hi»  absenc^i 

Ihad  evidently  been  deeply  felt,^  for  multitudes  at  onoe  gathered  round! 

[Him  agadn,  jm  soon  as  He  re-appeared.    Every  village^  far  and  nearj  * 

p)uredout  ita  population  to  hear  Him  once  more,  and  the  throng  was:; 

inorejised  by  the  comitless  passiug^  bands  of  pilgrims,  to  the  Feast  at 
iTmisftlem,  forPa^sover  wa^s  near  at  hand.  He  n<ded«d  rest,,  uud  ther^ 
]vva8  much  to  hear  from  the  Twelve,  but  it  was-impiossible  to  hava 

Biliierthe  reist  (k  \\\e  qudet  inteixjowrse  amidist  such  crowds.     They 

lad  no  leisure  fe-ven  4o  ea^t    It  was>  naoveover^  uojonger  safe  foxHin^^ 
be  in  tlie  terTttoriea  of  Antipas^    Taking  tjie  T^^?elve  with  Him 


iherefore,  He  crossed  over  to  the  tetiTAFchy ,  oi?  jPhiHpi^  a^  the  head  of 
"neby  water,  and  Wn4»ngait  tlw  rlii      "    .       . 
shadow  of  BethsiEdda,6t  JuUias^  w^re  He  eoiild  ho^  for  ptrivjuiyi, 


[he  Lake,  going^bjr  water,  8in^HD4»i^*''t  ji]n»  jBlai^  qf  Bftttli*,  Bwdeipi 
id  secure  a  safe  retreat  in  the  quiet  gleus»  with  their  rich  green. 


*  5;  "•I  ill 


n 


m 


%!.^ 


612 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


After,  1 

beds'bl 

This 

J6SUS|C 

the  MciS 
cuBtomi 

ctam;m 


st^s;jDd8sin^'ff!iidua]tj^  fiitb'^li^  ma^i^es  touna  liltf  eotiitoee.  dltlTe 
. Jbraaft  ifito-thrliake;  V  *  i       ;.       ^ 

'  '  But  it  was  vain  to  hope  for  escape.    Some  had  seen  Him  ^t  ofif, 
anG  -t^atdhed  the  direction  of  the  boat  till  they  knew  that  Hie  was 
mifikih^  fbrBatiha;Whiq|iwa«kn0wn  as  one  of  His  resorts.    ItwM 
oiAy  ^x  ini\^  across  the  water  from  Capernaum,    The  news,  soon 
spreaicf,  afid  cr6wdi^  of  those  most  anxious  to  seoif^nd  hear  Him  Bit 
blit  by  land'  for  the  spot.   The  distance  was  farther  than  by  Uie  Lake, 
btit  thCT*  rah;  afoot;  out  of  all  the  villages,  ai^dnvere  waiting  for  Him 
wfeeh  Hie  aifived.    H«  had  come  for  r^  but  it  was  denieallj|m  now 
iiff  kt  dth^r  tini^s.    Looking  up  as  the  boat  touched  the  shore,  tiie 
Islopes  were  alive  wittilaiiiltltudes  who  showed  by  their  very  presence 
that  they  felt  themselves  like  sheep  without  a  shepherd.:    The  evil 
ttihe'^,  tnc  ii^stleiSi^  Uneasiness  of  all,  the  hi^  rebgfous  excit€ipeat,  the 
darkness  of  their  spiritual  condition,   nnd  the  equal  mieeiy^f  their 
iifi/tidifelprbSpectd,  combined  to  touch  Hiseoul  with  pity.    ;Tliey  had 
bi*Otijghtl  aH  i;he  i^^ck  who  could  'be  carried,  or  who  could  come,  «nd  as 
He  passed!  throu^  the  crowds  He  healed   them  by  a  word  or  touch. 
:Tliey  h^  grea-fer  wants,  however,  than  bodily  healing,  and  He  coujd 
iiot  ifet  thetn  go  away  uncomforted.     AF.ctnding  the  hill,^ ide,  and 
gathering  the ^itst  throng  befote  Him,  He  " epakQ  unto ll^^of. IJie 
Kingdbiii  of  God,  and  taught  t^em  many  thing&.''f  4,f^^*\^.  ^-fe^^  -/[ 

Tniedavwas  spent  in  this  arduous  labowv  but  the  peopiG  retail  lin- 

Jgsred.    They  had  been  fed  with  the  bread  of  truths  and  fe^ned  in- 

thtfii^ent,  for  the  time,  to  anything  besldess.   Poor  «hepherdlctss  sheep! 

it  Was  His  delist,  a«  the  Good  eheph  cid,  to  lead  them  .ta  rich  pas- 

ifcires,  9ind  as  tl^y  i^t  and  stood  round   Him,  they  iccgpt  their  boaiiy 

'%ant»  m  the  b^aiity  and  poWc*  of  His  words. 

•     It  Wasi  now  toivards  tivenirig,  and  th<  coftipany  phowipd.  no  signs  of 

"'idispct'sing.  '  Food  'could  hot  be'  had   in  that  lonely  place/ and  4lie 

'^welye,  afraid  on  this  and  perhaps  other  groi3Bd% -anxiously  urged 

■'^^Sns  to  send  th^  aWaj^,  that  they  mi^t  buy.i)r€ad.in  tbacounlrr 

^ toiind.  'To  their  astonishment,  ho we^er;  He  tc4d  th*m  thyey  must 

tlieihsclves  siipply  thfem;  it  woukl  never  do  to  dismiss  them  hungij; 

'ttieyml^ht  faint  %' the  way.    No  more  iinpo»fiible  request  could 

have  been  made.    Between  thirty  and  forty  pounds'  worth  of  bieisd, 

iit  the  valiie  of  money  in  those  days,  would  he  needed  to  ^ve  eaci 

I  ieveh  ail' instifflciient  shar^.    They  could   not  understand;  Bim.    An 

*dreiv,perha;ps  the  provider  lor  the  band,  could  only  demonstialt 

-Jh^ir  helplessness  by  saying  that   the  lad  in  attendtmce  on  them  Jwdi 

;  only  five  loaves  of  common  barley  breads—the  food  of  the  poor— audi 

"two  small  fishes,  but  what,  he  added,  were  they  among  so  many?    i 

'^     **Make  the  men  sit  down,"  said  Jesus,    tt  was  in  Kisan,  "tt«^n         -y- 

*;  month  of  flowers,"  and  the  slopes  were  rich  with  the  Foft  green  of  ^'•^^^17^'"^'^  i 

'%)rin^  grtiss^that  simplest  and  most  touching  lesson  of  the  care  ofB    t^;.,.,   .^ 

God  for  aH  nature.  Tlie  Tw^e  presently  divided  the  vast  m»itJt>iW<ouI?i     ^^ 

into  companies  of  fifties  and  hundreds,  i-eminding  Bt.  Peter,  loa^     "«vmeni 


lift  Wt  off, 
lat  He  was 
rts.    Itwas 

To&yirf^  soon 
ear  Bi?»  set 
)y  Uie  Lake, 
iig  for  Him 

le  sbpre,  the 
-eyy  presence 

rd.  ^bee^^i^ 
eiteipent,  the 
igery  of  their 
V,    T:!lieyhad 

,'ora  or  teuch. 

and  He  could 

hDl-side,  and 

felc^tilVlin- 
[nd  seemed  ui- ' 
Uerdless  sheep! 

^t  iJwir,  bodily 

jvcdnosignsof 

place,  and^lie 

lOxiouBly  urgf" 
inthecountryl 

if  m  tb«y  rou^i 
isthembungiy: 

Biequest  com 
worth  QtA)ie£'i,| 
adto^veeaeli 

and  Him.    A" 

nWi.demonstiaiil 
,elon.theinkj| 

i  the  pooi--^ 
ig,  BO  many 

Foft  green  (AM 
,nof  thccarej 

r'Bt.  Peter,  lo«^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHIUST.  613 

^<;^.{R  ^-^Ju  ^{'iu  >!iHi-  ^^m 

After,  'from  thfe  bright  dolmirs  of  thei*Eastim  dresses,  of  Ihe  ftewer- 
beds'bf^irgr8ii«'giirdeii:  ■?'':•.  ■':'--5<:  •■.  *<>•     ...  -.-'^  -    >  .    ,  • 

This  done,  like  the  great  Father  of  the  far-stretching  household, 
J(;sus$odk  ^e'foitead  atnd  the  fishes,  and  looking  upto  Heaven,  invoked 
the  Messing  of  G«d  on  their  use;  abd  gtviag  thanks  lor  them^  as  wa^ 
customary  Mbefore'  all  meals^  proceeded  to  hand  portions  to  the  db- 
ciples,';who,  in  tumj  gave  them  to  the  crowd.  ■  Elisha  had  once  fed  a 
hnndr^d  men'With  twenty^ loaves,  and  increased  the  oil  in  the  widow's 
cf use,  and  Elijah  hod  made  the  bread  and  tlie  oil  of  the  widow  of 
Siirepta  endure  till  thei  Loi-d  sent  rain  on  the  earth.  But  Christy  fr^m 
three  loaves  and  two  small  fi^es,  not  only  satislied  the  hunger  of  five 
thousand  ment  besides  women  and  children,  but  did  it  so  royally  that 
the  fw^meints*  that  remained  were  enough  to  fill  twelve  of  the  little 
baskets  in  which  Passover  pilgrims  and  other  Jews  were  wont  to 
cftir}^^  their  proVisioiis  fOnthe  way.  More  was  left  than  thero  had 
been  at  first'!'  >  j 

Jesus  had  thus  supplied  the  wants  of  the  needy,  in  a  way  the  jfifll 
significance  Of  which  was  as  yet  far  beyond  what  the  disciples  either 
tmderstood  or  di-eamedj  for  He  had  shown  how  there  dwcH  in  Hint^a 
virtue  sufficient  to  mce-t  all  higher  wants,  as  well  as  the  lower,  so  that 
none  who  believed'  in  Him  would  ever  have  either  hunger  or  thirst  pf 
souT  any  lorigei',  bikt  would  find  in  Him  their  all.  HtS  th^  known 
it,  He  had  shown  them  that  He  Himself  was  the- Bread  of  Life,  thdt 
came  ddwh  from  Heaven.  But  they  at  least  knew  how  much  they 
came  ishort  of  a  lOf  ty  faith,  which,  in  hxving  trust,  despairs  least  when 
the  need  is  greatest,  and  in  the  strength  of  which  all  ia  doub]|e4  % 
jorjjul  imparting,  while  abundance  remains  instead  of  want.     <,•  /  tj 

The  effect  on  the  multitude  was  in  keeping  with  tlie  ideas  of  tile 
time.  Murmurs  ran  through  the  excited  throng,  that  Jesus  must  be 
the  expefcted  prophet-^the  Mcjssiah.  Like  Moses,  He  had  fed  J^rnel 
by  a  miracle,  in  the  wilderness,  which  the  Rabbis  ssid  the  Messiali 
Tvould  do.  Surely  He  would  manifest  Himself  now,  if  they  put  Him 
at  their  head?  Theyhad  no  higher  idea  of  the  Messianic  Kingdom 
than  the  outward  and  ^litical,  and  would  hasten  its  advent  by  forc- 
ing Him,  if  possible,  to  proclaim ;  Himself  King,  and  thus  0})en  the 
longed-for  war  with  .the  hatred  Bbmans,  in  which  God  would  appear 
on  thcif  behalf.  «^-^«^!' -i  ^'V  ;•(<;"-  '•c<.::vhi'-'''>v'Vt  ».i. iff      >u^'i^'-'    ,.  -    ■■^]] 

Material  power,  not  moral  preparation^  was  the  national  conception 
of  the  path  ^  the  Messianic  triumph.  The  Rabbis  and  the  people 
had  decided  ioT' themselves  the  way  in  which  the  salvation  of  Israel 
waste  show  itself,  but  between  their  views  and  those  of  Jesus  there 
was  a^reat  gulf.  He  would  not  use  force,  and  thejr  were  bent  on  it. 
Hisrelusai  to  darry  out  their  plan  made  opposition  inevitable,  and 'it 
[necessarily  grew  dee|Mir  each  day  as  that  refusal  beqan^Q  more  clearly 

While  visioiis  Oi*  nation^  splendour  dazsded  the  thoughts  of  Itls 
jeounti^ymen.  the  ideal  of  greatness  for  Hiniself  and  them  lay  with 


m'i 


DfQ 


•f'^i-t.IKfc  OKCHHIBT. 

_  _^  hi'  ftfimj|]f{i^<^. . '  His  fJMli  was  In  /the  loiidljr  vi|Tlej9/ 1|^  ^ir ^e 
hfgii  placie&  of  the-esrtli;    He  aimed  only  t&  niMi'tlie^^iiml^a^^ 
neetjy,  to  seek  the  lost,  to  serve  sratherrthan  to  be' «e«yedi    Hiding 
^'fS^*^^W^'^^^^*^^<^  16Wliii®9s,  »nd  n/6v«r  seetkinig  h^fitur^ffapiineii, 
;;V.|(e  haq,  tbrougjiioiit;  idciitified  His  wittwitU- tlieripf:  H9bd^         a 
^^If-r^raiiit^hieh  QlHnt^  theigrandeBt  fefrcfiDi  Vfttt  -  ^ThefqjfttwjHd 
i^liir^  liiatetiftl  were  indtffereat  to  Rvmiobd  utt/e^\^  yc^pom^Jtoih^ 
V^jdlVine  pui^ose,  if-made  aa^  ahu  in  eonnectibii'^tli  fHis.  werl^  /  ■  ^he 
^iei^  bi  GjOd  in  His  owbI  soul  was'  the  perfect  xealinttloii  <>£  tib^  pnly 
fiKingdom  He  sought  t<v  found  in  the  souls  of  jcoien  at  liirge,;anji,HMiiad 
Vl^ottiiiig  in  common  with  the  vulgar  parade  of  a«t  earthly  roya^ltyi , 
.  As  poon,  tiierfcfbre,  as  He  perdeiTed  the  des^n  of >  tbei  e»owd  to 
gfOjrpe  Him  to  act  as  their 71eader,  and  to  instal  Him-  nt'JeFU^aleii^  at 
/.me  head  of  n  national  insurrection,  He  hurriedly  left  them)' and  went 
JMId;  tlifi  bosom  of  the  hills;  l)oyond  their  readtiJ    Butf  that  lie  had 
,  jSpclined  to  be  Ited  Irf  them  to  the  throne  of  David,  in  their  way>  was, 
A  recility,  ^  steto  towards'  the  Gross.     The  very  .proposal  wae  a.f^ic- 
' 6hf£dowii%  6f  His  final  rejection  and  violent  doathw    The*so|litudG  of 
the  mountains  was  His  fittest  retreat,  to  strengthenj  fiimselif : jagaanst 
this  new  assault  of  the  temptation  He  had  so  often  repelled,  and  to 
J  gird  up  His  soul  for  the  trials  that  lay  in  His  path. 
<     At  the  first  signs  of  tumult  among  the  people,  He  had  sent  off  the 
iTwelve  to  cross  the  Lake  again  at  once,  to  the  Bethsaida  near  Caper- 
naum,, while  He  dismissed  the  multitudes.     They  had  waited  for  Him 
; 'iSiU'B^^     fc4l,  but,  at  last,  as  He  did  not;  coroej  tliey  «et.,c^|^-jvithout 
' -^  Him.'    As  they  roWed>  however,  a  sudden/zsqua)],  blqwing  cveiy  way, 
^  ^itrhck  down' on  the  Lake  from  the  hills  around,  and  ^ught  their 
"Hjboit.    It  Was  the  last  watch  of  the  mglrt-— between  threo^  ajad  six 
j^^cTcloclrin  the  wild  morning,  and  the: weary  bootmcn. bad  lw2«n  toiling 
'"yVirt  their  oars  sinoe  the  night  before,  butf  though  the  whoie  distaiice  to 
^''    W  only  six  miles,  ;they  had  only  made  tT|?o-thir<is  pit  tlie 

■■-'fVmy.    Jesus  was  not  with  them  tof  still  ttie  winder  iaiidAheir^owu 
•  ''V«trem?fli  and  skill  had  availed;  little.  .But  suddenly,  ckise  to  the  boat, 
l^'Hhej' m\V  through  the  gleam^of  the)  water  and  the  broken  J%H  oi  tlie 
stars,  a  humah  form  walking  on  the  sea  •  The  sight  wOMld  have 
troubled  men  less  superstiiicus  thau  simple  fi«Ji(HTnea^>ahd  made 
'  them  cry  out  in  their  terror.    But  it  was  only  moni/entary,  for  close 
rat  hand;  sb  that  it  was  heard  above  the  wind  and  the  w^yesiipaiiie 
the  words,  "Be  of  good  cheer;  it  is  I:  be  not'*afraid,"  in  a  voice 
i  which  they  knew  was  that  of  Jesus.     Always  inipulfii\!e,  the  warm 
hearted  Petct  could  not  wait  -till  the  Deliverer  came  tunong  them, 
**Would  not  his  Muster  suffer  him  to  come  to  Him  on,  the  water?" 
ITHen  followed  that  touoliingincideut  which  has  sttppJiod.ai^esspn  for 


II 


|ill'  ages;  the  sdfe  footing  on  the,  weaves' while  the  apo^le.  kept 


THJ&  LIFE  or.CHBIfT. 


•^IP« 


^lifftefMtl^':«%KTef bra  didst thcMiilfml^?'* ^ey.mm  tellie.Uiajt, .%nd 

their  oat^omied  tliem  to  the  shore;  ,   .  *  I, , 

LikQ  tbimsto  of  xnen,  the  T^lve  wer^  slow  f^t  rQAi^i?g  or  «pp)^lng 
tbroadly^Qiplftiiiidat  lesson.    Hftd  th^  i^lized  thOf^gJiffitnf^  Ql:ibe 


u^ncl^  tltey  bad  seen  the  day  before,  eT«ivt|^wfi|kipg,on  <|u^aiiu^^and 
the  citlaSijii^^of  the  wind,,  would  have  senitk^^  ou^y  wbati^}i%rojght 
'  havc«S^t(jd.  i  Buttheir  jninds  werednll  and  uQrcdec;^n£f/^i^f  tl^cir 
aniaiieilSeM  knew  no  bounds.  It  is  the  characvtei^s^ic  .^f  j  tt^e  UtKsdu- 
tated,  that  they  thhik  Tritbont  continuity i  and,  iokhwiit)i  .nsli^ile  i^to 
stolfd  vacuity  rafter  the  i  strongest'  exciten»ent.  .  t^ji^  .^liniple  of  tijio 
loaves  hail  deascd  to  be;  a  wonder^  for ,  \X  wa^  soiiie ,  hiours  ptd«^  But 
tlih  new  lUttstmtion  of  theistiperh^unan  iwwer  of  lhp|t  Jfewi^.^a^  so 
tratiscen^ttt,Athatitheir!  wonder  passed  into  worship/  The  iini^Tes- 
ision,  like  |iji&iiy  l>efoTe.  might!  aoer  lose  its  Wice  \,  httt  jtc^  tlte  knoinent 
they  Word  so  awed  that,  approaching  Him,  they, kneeled  :)p  lowiest 
reverettcd,  and»  through  Peter,  ever)  their  spplcesni^n,  dfiiq.£(u^  Hom- 
age in  words  then>  first  heard.  £rom  humau-Ups-rV Of  OiJ^n;!^ Thou 
arttheSobof<Jo(JtM^    *  —  -  -    — 


^l^ltk^'  dky  liroke  on  the  scene  of  the  mii1itOirio«&  m^\  qf ,  thr  fyen- 
ing  b(Bfdre,'tt  nnnilfer  who  had  siopfe  b  the  Open  jsSr,  ithroju^  tfie 
Watni  sprittj?  niglit,  still  remained  on  ;lh0  H^i,-  Teey  bad.M<lieed 
that  Jtewjs  did  no«  €?ross  with  the  iVeWc,  diidfaadedthat^He  isrosftill 
on  their  side  of  the  Lalce.  Meanwhile,  a  ntimber  of  the  boat^ wtach 
iisuallt  carried  dver  wood  or  oth^r  fcommodi^Jej^  itoim  thes^  its«f»tera 
distrPi  h*d  GOme  from  Tiberfas;  l)|(&^w».  r^iigWIy  <)^,  theiri  wa^  by 
th6  sainie  wind  that  had  lieen  againert  lb*  dfs«)^p»/  In  tliesey,  many, 
finding!  that  Jestis  Imd  left  the  mngljb«wrh!0'GH[J^i«e^pas8!age,  w^came 
to  Cap<irnaum,  seelvin^  for  TTitrt.<  It  Wasem-etf  ibedays  ots-ynagogue 
Worship— -Mmiday  or  Thuraday-H-flS^t&ejrii^  His  wajjr.tp  the 

fe^nagogoe',  to  wbid*  flicy  acc'ordiB^ly' Wft*ifl -wIlIi  Hinii    Jlxcatein^t 
wis  at  it^  heigh*.    Jlcfws  of  Hrsidf^^jiit  AntI  sptead  f^r  and  pe^rj.  and    . 
His  Way  was  hilsdored  by  crtjwdy^  who  hie^,  as  ^isualy  bro^igli  their   , 
sick  to  the  str«tets  through  whitefc, tHo' was;  passing,  in  bPP«',of  His    - 
healing tliem.  -  ,      ,  ^    ,      -' 

•  The  itici(tenfs  of  thor  precedlfea:  d^y  mi^M  well  have  raisea  c(f sitoy  - 
for  th^  higliei^  spMtuai'  foodi  wliicii  9W»  the  Bfibbis  tawght  them  to  qx  V  ^ ' 
nfect  froBB  tbte  Messiah.  Btf^  lltttff  Mt^  B©*Wng  higbpr  tb^n  .yulmnrwon- 
mr;  and  ^tne>  after J«8U»  la  h6p«s^ of  futthef  advantages  at ^, same 
kindv  and.  abc^  «%  tbxkt  they^  woui^still  ifind  m  Bm  a  secfK^d.|udas 
the  Gaiknqlte^  ftff>  tisaKf  ttvem;  ag^i&At  %  Bomans. .  A  tem^  doup4^> 
had  ■#6i!49iict>  fli»ttghtSi  hatiiVii^tbmwomu  the  Hes^i&k'i^  kingdo^a  was , , 


>* 


«!« 


t^f  tlW  bp:  CJmist: 


m\ 


m 


^:r& 


yi 


•S gross  a#S^li|dinhlBf'8  pftfaaiSe/'  ^Thev  \\^e**'tcrij^  ijilH^V^a^tdi^^ 
^to  the^gardeft^^bf  Edon,  to  &8t^,  and  driiik<  md  snmif  th^ni^y^  all 
tUeir  days,  with  houses  of  preoteus  stones,  bedii  of  silt^'and  tirers 
f^yfinj^  will*  -wirie,  i^d  spicy  oil  for  all.    li  •wns.tliat  Me  inight  gain 

.    ^Jhis  iqr  them  that  thw^  had  wished' to  f^et  Him  up  os^kiiig. 

;:  ^eeUrtk  h(xyf  titierTy  He  and  they  were,  at  variance,  J esws  i^fclvcd 
to  (^Bter  intp  IBO  irrelevant  oonversatiori  with  them,  and  wiaiVing  aside  a 
qj^estion  a$  to  £(is  crossing  the  Lake,  at  once  pointed  otit  thieir  nii8at)T 
prehbnsibn  respecting  Him,  and  urged  llielii  not  to  set  tlieir  hearts  on 
the,  perishable  foc^  of  the  body,  but  to  seek  earnt'stly  for  that  fo6d 
of  the  soul  which  secures  eternal  life.  So  long  as'^ey  did  hdt'seek 
l1ii8beyond;aH  things  else,  they  missed  tbeir  highest  ravantage.  As 
the  Bon  of  Man— -the  Messiah— accredited  from  Clod  the  Fith^r  by 
His  wondroiig^  works,  He  was  appointed  to  givetheln  this  heavenly 
foocl,  and  would  do  so  if  they  showed  a  sincere  desire  for  it  by  be- 
comingHi? disciples.  7".Vv'  ■  '..i,  l^f^-p^-kft'-m-'"^':-^':.- 
f  bp^abbis  were  accustoinfed  to  teach  by  iHt%hdtilji^'i^t1iMi^^ 
saW  ai  once  that  He  alluded  to  some  religious  duty.  What  ft  wjis, 
however,  they  did  not  understand,  but  fancied  He  referred  to  some 
special  works  appointed  by  God.  As  Jews,  they  had  been  painfully 
keeping  all.  the  Kabbinical  precepts,  in  the  belief  that  their  doirig  sp 
gave  them  a  claim  above.  Yet,  if  He  had  some  additional  injunc- 
tions, they  were  willing  to  add  them  to  the  rest,  that  tliey  might 
legally  qualify  themselves  for  a  share  in  the  Kew  Kingdom  of  God, 
as  a  right.  'But,  instead  of  multiplied  observances,  He.staytled  theiti 
by  announcing  that  citizenship  m  the  New  Theocracy  teqi^itetl  no 
more  thfkn  their  believing  in  Him,  as  Rent  from  the  Fathejr;  .In  this 
lay  all,  for  the  mimifola  "works  of  God"  would  spring  liaturally 
li^omit."'      ■''  \^  ■ 

'  *  Those  of  the  crowd  around  who  had  hot  seen  the  tnirhcle  of  the 
day  before  had,  dcmbtlass,  ere  this,  heard  of  it'  It  had  been  6n  amaz- 
ing proof  of  supernatural  power,  but  their  craving , for  wtwder^  de- 
manded somethmg  still  more  astounding,  as  a  justification  of  His 
claim  to  be  ''the  ^nt  of  the  Father."  A  voice,  perhaps  that  of  sjome 
open  opponent — for  the  Rabbis  had  taken  rare  to  be  ptcsontr-thcre- 
fo!re  broke  in,  apparently  half  mocking,  with  thcl  question,  "AVh^t 
*  sign 'He  had  to  show,  that  they  might  see  it,  af^d  bclievr;  Hira? 
Moses  proved  his  authority  by  stiipeudous  *  signs.'  What  s\pi 
w^orthv  the  name  do  you  do,  to  show  your  right  to  introduce  liew 
laws,  m  addition  to  his,  or  in  their  room?    Our  fathers  ate  the  manna 

,'  in  the  wilderne**,  as  it  is  written,  *  He  gave  them  bread  from  heaven 
to  eat.'  What  voucher  as  great  as  this  do  you  oifer?"  V"^^ '!' *'  ;' " 
The  miracle  of  the  manna  had  become  a  subject  of  the, proudest 
remembrances  and  fi)nde8t  fegeuds  of  the  nation.  "  God,"  says  tlip 
Tahnud,  "  made  manna  to  descend  for  them,  in  which  were  all  man- 
ner of  tastes.  Eveiy  Israefite^foupd  in  it  what  l>est  pleased  hhn^  TRifl 
young  tasted  bread,  the  oW  Kcmey,  and  the  cliildreu  oil**   ttftitdevto 


THE  UPB  OP  CHUIHT; 


W 


t)ecome  a  fixed  belief  that  the  Messiah,  when  lib  caijlet.  would  sig- 
nalize His  advent  by  a  repetition  of  this  stupenddus  mitacle.  ,*'  At 
the  first  Sa*^ioui?r-tbe  dfeUverer  from  EgVptiatl  bondage,"  flaid  the 
Kahbis^  "  cftuaed  munna  tp  fall  fot  Israel  from  heaven,  so  the:  second 
gaviouri-the  Messiali-^will  also  cause  manna  to  descend  for  them 
once  mare,  foir  it  is  written,  *  There  will  l>e  abvindance  of  corn  }n  the 
lHnd^^**4;M<)8e$  had  grjiduaUy  l)eeii  half  deified.-  It  was  tat^tthat 
God  cbtittted  him  of  as  much  Value  as  all  l&fael.  Most  believed  that 
he  was  five  ^dei^  in  knowledge  above  all  creatures,  even  angels- 
Tlie  lower  part  of  hiii  body  was  human;  theupper  divide.'  ''Qn  hia 
entrance  to  paradise,  God  left  the  upper  heaVens  and  came  tt>*Tiim(, 
and  tl«e  an^e4s  also  came  and  ministered  to  hitn,  and  sang  hymns  be* 
foreJiim.  Ev6n  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars  came,  a^d^  cravetl 
liberty  from  him  to  shine  on  the  world,  which  they  could  not  have 
done  had  lie.  refused.^.:,:  ■:';',,'  '  /V':'^;1'v  ,  ,'■      ','    ■^'^:\'--ti^''/'  r^^{ 

It  was  thus  only  an  expression  of  the  public  feeling  of  the  d^y  when 
Jesus  was  asked  to  repeat  the  descent  of  manna — the  gr^ietXpsS.  ot  ,tho 
miracles  of  Moses.  It  is  in  human  nature,  but  jiboV($  ial),in  Eastern 
buman  imture,  to  associate  high  office  and  dignity  with  display  and 
outward 'circiimstance,  and  what  must  hence  have  been  the  pppuhir 
expectations  of  external  grandedr  and  majesty  in  the  Mes$iali,  when 
tiiey  saw  a  denii^od  in  M6ses,  whom  He  was  to  resemble?  Node* 
maiid  for  overpowering  "signs"  of  the  divine  approval  of  a  claim 
to  be  the  MessiUi  could,  in  this  pobit  of  view,  be  too  great,  from  one 
whose  outward  appearance,  and  Whole  life,  in  other  respects,  so  en- 
tirely contradicted  the  general  Messianic  anticipations. 

But  Je^uis,at  all  tiihes  resolute  in  withholding  nuraculotis  aifef ion 
fcr  any  personal  enjd,  had  no  thought  of  satisfying  their  cravihg  for 
wonders:  " Moses v indeed,"  said  lie,  **  gave  ydu  m£inna,  but  {t  was 
not  the  true  Bread  of  Heaven."  He  wished  to  draw  them  from  tlie 
merely  outward  miracle  to  that  far"  higher  wo"nder,  even  thcBt  enact- 
ing bef(ire  their  eyes,  the  free  offer  olf  the  tn^e  Bread  :ol  Heaven, 
in  the  offer  of  Himself  as  their  Saviour.  The  manna.  He  itnplieid, 
could  only  by  a  figurfe  be  called  bread  of  Heaven,  for  it  was  material 
and  perishable,  and  the  heaven  from  Which  it  fell  was  only  the  visible 
sky,  not  that  in  which  God  dwells.  Moses  gave  what  was  called  by 
a  figure,  "iBfead  of  Heaven,"  bxlt  the  true  Bread  of  Heaven  only  Hid 
Father  could  give,  and  He  was  giving  it  now.  That  only  csin  be  the 
true  Bread  of  God,  which  comes  down  from  the  highest  heaven,— 
Hemi^hi  have  said,  from  the  pure  heaven  of  His  own  soul,— and 
gives  hf e  to  tbe  world ;  for  with  Jesus,  those  who  had  not  this  bread 
were  spiritually  dead.    '  ^   ^-J^;'   '  ta 

"  Master,"  cried  many  voices,  "  give  us  thife  bt^Sad  henceforth, for 
life."  Like  Ponce  de  Leon,  with  the  spring  of  Unfading  Youth  In 
Florida,  they  thought  that  the  new  gift  would  literally  make  them 
iiomortal,  and  eagerly  ciahioured  jto  have  a  boon  so  far  in  adtanoe  <if 
tliconerebariey  loaVea  of  the4«y  beforei.^srt  >.;  ^^ih^::iJ'z:i/V'^ 

■■     •        ■  :  ■        '•■     Ifh".-    "'il'      aj-'!  '■'LV.->-^-^r'-)-^• 


V 


i  ■  i?  iii'i.' 


"m 


Tfiij  ih:FWoi^'CnMff!, 


L  *  ■?*i  o&l  the  Bttja^  bf'l^lfe,"  replied  Jcsus^  in  «  mioMont  RcattorhMr 
m  ihii  winds  theff  visliotis  bt  matetiftV  plenty  and  ettdle§8  natural 
ji».  '' Tlien;  explaining' Htnwelf,  He  added,  '^He  tliat  «(«ftie«  to  nie 
eliaU  i^ever  hunger,  and  hb  that  beli^v^s  on  me  «hflill' never  thirst. 
But,  as  I  said  a  tnbnient  ago,  you  hiiVe  not '  oaly  heaFd'of" me, 
liilst  liave  al$o  sfe6n  tne,  lihd  been  eye-witnesses' <rf  tmr  deeds  as 
th"6  HeigAlah^.ftiid  yet  you  db  not  beliefve.  AW  "whoin  the  rather  gives 
iino^ili  conib  tome.  You  may  resist  my  invitations  br' yield,  but 
lie  wko  resists  is  not  given  me  by  my  Father.  Believe  me,  niO  hunger- 
ing ttttd  thii-sting  som^  cownes  to  me  will  I  east  ptt  of  my  King- 
(toiTtt  When  it  is  erected.  How  could  I,  indeed,  wli^n  I  have  Co«e 
doS^n  ffOTtt  heaven,  not  to  iict  oh  my  own  human  will;  but  only  to 
CiitT^  ptit  the  will  of  my  Father  iii  Heaven,  which  is,  Itt  this  matt«ri4- 
that,  of  all— Hot  Jews  alone,  but  "all,  without  exe^ption-^whoto  He 
has  given  m^  I  should  lose  none,  but  should  raise  them  up  in^  the  last 
djiiy--or,  in  other  vvbrds,  should  give  them  eternal  life." 
:  ■  t  ,Ttic»0  wordte,  spoken  in  the  synagogue  at  Capernaum,  created  a 
^eat  seiitotibh.  The  congregation,  cohiprisiijg  some  Rabbis  and 
othct  enemies;  ha4,  fi'ojh  time  td  time,  in  Jewish  fashion;  freiely  ex- 
predded  their  feelings,  and  had  taken  such  off ence  at  HiA  claim  to  Be 
thd  Bread  that  cattle  dowti  from  heaven,  that  their^  whispers  and 
murmurs  tfoW  rart  through  the  whole  building.  '*  How  can  He  suy 
Hi3  has  come  down  from  heaven?  We  know  His  father  and  mothca*. 
He  is  from  Nazareth,  and  would  have  ^  us  believe  He  irf'  from  Qod 
iibbvt^.  He  is  mad.  He  hasa  devil.  When  the  MessittlM«ome8,^lio 
one  will  know  Whence  He  is."  " '  '^    ;  v  ci  o  ;:.       i 

'  ^^Bp  hotTtturmur  among  yourselves,"  said  J^^ii  'i*  KaUffltel  sense 
1^  wprth  hptliing  in  this  matter— it  will  hever  help  you  to  vmderstand 
iibV  t:t^:  th^'True  Bread  cpme  down  from  heaven.  ■  H'^ott  wiidi  to 
"krikyW  hbw  I  c*in  say  so,  you  must  submit  yoiil'self  tos  llie  teadi- 
iiig  Idikl  ittfiuietice  of  God:  must  hear  and  leaiii  what  Gk)disay»;fc«?i it 
tens  us  ih  the  pi^opbets— •  They  shall  bte  ail  tatight  of  God**  Ody 
^hofie'thus  taught  come  to  me  or  believfe  in  me.  The  yielding  your 
souls  to  God  and  your  rising  thus  tP  cdmmunion  With  Him  iby  spir- 
itual^ otieness,  can  Mone  lead  to  the'  f^ith  that  tecogmsea^  th&<  tiiith ' 
^  Vespectingmei"- ^^'^■' ''/'•''■^^'<{--'^'/  ^■H-l^ijM.  ?>•vJt3■!^fi^•  j>f;  lo  pjaij;;.-i'; 
^'"^•Perhiips  you  think,"  He  cbhtinued,  to  piaraphras^  His  words, 
^1^  that  to  liettr  and  learn  of  God,  you  must  yourselves  sec  Him^or 
fcommune  directly  with  Him?  If  so;  you  greatly  en*.  To  see  God 
immediately  face  to  fiice,  lis  given  to  no  mortal  ihan,  but  only  to  Him 
who' is  from  God.  No  one  but  His  only* begotten  Soil,  who  was  in 
heaven  and  has  Pome  down  thence,  has  seen,  and  now  sees,  the 
Father,  and  reveals  Him  to  man.  Him,  therefore,  the  Sow— -that  is, 
Me;  must  you  hear;  .from  Me  must  you  learn;  if  you? would' hear  aiid 
Idahifrom  G6d.  Amen,  amen,  I  say  to  you,  He  that  believes  on  me 
ilth^thtti^thV  ^  Word '  ^md  Bevealer  of  the  Ft^her,  has  everlasting 


TIQ&  iLlFS  OF  iCHHIST. 


:B19 


xfpoken.  l^cNis  forefathers  ate  tUe  iQanQaTrhichtMoses  gave  in  the 
iwUderness,  an<t  died;  but  it  aa-tbe  grand  virturtd  1h6  true  Br^d  of 
Heaven^  tiiat  if  a  man  eat  of  it-^that  is,  if  he  reqejl^  niy  words  iiitb 
bissouVbersball  not  die,  but  shall  have  evcrlastin^llfe.'*  "' 

«'  I  antnot  only  the  Life-giving  Bread,"  He  contJniied,  "but  the 
Living  Bread,  and  as  all  that  is  living  communicates  life,  so  whoever 
eats  thi9  only  true  Bread  of  Heaven— whoever  believes  in  me-~*shall 
rlivc  for  ever.  Astiie  Living  Bread  I  will  give  myself — ^my  flesh~>- 
liMMiisi  my  lifor-forthe  lifoof  the  world."     ;  '        t| 

He  pointed  thus-r-in  language  which  Hisr  hearers  could  have  readiljir 
uoderetood)  had  their  ininds  not  been  blinded  by  opposite  precon- 
fieption9r-r'to  HisdeaUi,  as  the  "Lamb  of  God,"  for  mankind.  This, 
H^. implied,  must,. above  all,  be  receiyed,  to  secure  everlasting  life, 
for  fso,  only,  coidd  Hisclaims  and  authority  be  felt.  He  woiila  give 
His  life  for<the  spiritual  life  of  men,  as  breadis  given  for  their  bc^tly 
life :  the  one  to  be  taken  by  the  soul,  the  other  by  the  body.  ' 

{The  Idea  of  eating,  as  a  metaphor  for  receiving  spiritual  bene^^t, 
was  familiar  to  Christ's  hearers,  and  was  as  readily  understood  as  our 
expreflsaons  of  ''devouring  a  book,"  or  " drinkmg  in"  instruction. 
In  Isaiah  iii.  1,  the  words  ?'  the  whole  stay  of  bread, "  were  eitplafned 
by  the  Rabbis  aa  ref^ring  to  their. own  teaching,  and  tbey  laid  it 
down  aaa  mile,  that  wherever,  in  Ecclesiastes,  allusion  jfiras  m^e  to 
food  or  didn*k;  it -meant  study  of  the  Law,  and  the  practice  of  good 
i»ork».>  It  was  a  saying  among  them-r-**  In  the  time  of  the  Messkh 
t)ie  Iwi^lites  will  bo  fed  by  Him."  Kothing  was  more  common  in 
the  schools  and  synagogues  than  the  phrases  of  eisiting  and  drinkin^^ 
ia  a  metaphoricaVsensei.  "Messiah  is  not  likely  to  come  to  Israel," 
Bwd !  Hillelv  "for  they  have  already  eaten  Him"— that  is,  greedily 
taceiyed  Hifj  wOTd8-r-"in  the  days  of  Hezeldah."  A  ^current  con. 
H^ntionidism  in  the  synagogues  was  that  the  just  would  "  eatthe  Sfi^* 
:  kjoab.^' ;  It  was  peauliar  tothe  Jews  to  be  taught  in  suclx  Hiettaphorioal 
ku^uaj^^  Their  Rabbis  never  spoke  <  in  plain  wx>rd8,  and  it  is  ex- 
pressly said  that  Jesus  submitted  to  the  popular  taste,  for"  without  a 
l>ftrable  ftpake  He  not  iinto  them. " 

:  But  n(^ng  blinds  tlie  mind  so  much  as  preconceived  ideas,'  a^d 
dreams  of  national  glory  had  so  inseparably  associated  themselves 
iwith  tbdr  eoncepfcion  of  the  Messiah,  that  a  figure,  which  in  Other 
cases  would ^ve  created' no  difhculty,  led  to  violent  discussion,  some 
contending  for  the  literal  sense,  which  they  held  as  a  self -contrac- 
tion, totbers  favouring  a>  metapliorical  explanation.  r*^V  jp) 

Instead^  however, .  of  answering  the  eager  questions  which  now 
rose,  how  this, could  be,  Jesus,  resolved  to  break  finally  with  the 
gross  ouitward  ideas  of  His  kingdom  which  prevailed,  only  proceeded 
to  carry  out  the  paradox  farther^  by  adding  that  they  must  not  only 
eat  His  flesb,  but  drink.  His  blood — ^thus  intimating  still  more  clearly 
Hia  violent  death  ftnd  its  mysterious  virtue  for^be  salvation  of  iiian- 
ki&d,  ttiifi  inuii.i^^»ii|t§|v  ittiido  4^ 


I 


■  m 


'  'if 


TUB  IME  or  CHRIST. 


Ill 


SxnlK^s  of  tbo  Last  Supper.  On  no  other  eon^tion  thaaiby  makins 
e  lewona  and  mevittof  that  death  their  own  couMtbcy  have  eternti 
lifo,  or.  bo  raised  up  at  th6  last  day*  .  Without  this  they%ere  spir- 
itually dead.  1  His  flesh  and  blood  were  trtie  -  spiritual :  if  ood ;  the 
heatettly  bread  of  the  soul;  .  tbo  nouridiment^  of:  the  ;di  vine 'life 
Mtiiin.  TIm  hearty  racognition  and  reception  of  this  great  truth 
wduld  create  an  abiding  and ' intimate  GoramuniGb  betweecn  ^im  and 
those  Vf^io  t-hus,  as  it  were,  fed  on  Him  as  their  ihner  lifo.  .  Livinc:  in 
Him,  He  would  live  and  reign  in  them.  Kny,  as  a  further  result  of 
this  intimat^i:  spiritual  union-^this  oneness  of  -will  i  and  heart  with 
Hhn>!  divine  life  woilld  go  forth'  from  Him  to  those  in  whom  lie 
found  it,  as  it  oamefoilth.  to^Himself  from ;  the  Fathf^.  Then;  %vith 
al  repetition  of  tlv^  original  Aguro  of  His  being  tlue  bread  tint  rc^mie 
down  ftom  heaven;  odtthe  manna,  of  whichi  those  who  ateweijc 
long  since  dead;  but  tlieibrciad^  to  eat  whidk  g&v^  leterual  Ji^e^Hu 
closed  HiS'addretH.  •■Vfiatki  rJiij->Ui;*iit:f4i!v4-)b^'iU.  ■■4(mi  Jm*>  lif/hjvv.u 
M  Thei  Baptist  had  spoken  of  the  fan  in  .the  hand  of  his  great  suc- 
cessor:'this  discourse  was  the  realtKatwn  of  the.  figure.  Those  who 
hr/i  hoped  tojnd  a  popular  politiical  leader  in  Him  Saw  thekidveoniA 
nteltaway :  those  who  had  no  true  sympathy  for  His  life  tamdrwonlH 
iiaid  aitt  excuse  for  leaving  Him.  Kone  who  were  not  bound  to  ^  Him 
by  sincere  loyalty  and  ^votion  had;  any  longer  a  motive  forfoUow- 
ing  Him.  Fierce  i  pritriotiam  burning  ftx  insurrectidn*  mean  self 
intei«$t  seeking  ^ooldly  advantage,  and  vulgar  ouriosi^'  craving 
excitement,  were  equollyt  disappointed.  It  was  ithe  first  i  vivid  in- 
stance of  ^'  the ^  offence  of  the  Cross'i-^henceforth  to,  bioOme  the 
special  stumbling-block  of  the  nation.  The  wishes  and  hopes  of  the 
croiwds  who  ihaKi  called  themselves  disciples  had  proved  sell-decep- 
tions.:  They  Iftxpected  from  the  Messiah  quite  other  favours  than  the 
identity  of  spiritual  nature  i symbolized  by  tliei  eating  His  fiesh  and 
diinidng  His  biood;^  The  bloody  ^  death-  implied -in  tl^  metaphor  was 
in-  direct  <o<»nti»diction  to  all  their  ideas.  A  lowly  aiid  suffering 
Messiah  thus  unmistakably  set  .i >etore  tlxem  was  revolting  to  their 
national  pride  and  gross  material  tastes.  .  "iWe  Jiave  hew<d  out  of 
the  Law,'  isaid  some,  a  littlei  l»«tei*,  V  that  the  Glirisit  abidethrforcver, 
and  how  say  est  thou  tlib  Son  of  man  must  be  'lifted  up,^ — that  is, 
crucifted?"  *vThat  be  far  framTheci  Lord?  this  shall  not  be  unto 
Thee,-'  said  even  Peter/  almost  at  the  last,,  when  he  heand  frotm:  hid 
Master's  lips  of  the  Cross,  so  near  at  hand.  The  Messiah^of  popular 
conception  would  use  f oix»  to  establish'  His  kingdom,^  butj  Jesu8, 
while  claiming  the  Messiahship,  spoke  only,  of  self^soctifioei  Out- 
ward glory  ana  material  wealth.  ;W€re  the  national  dteam:  'He  spoke 
only  of  inward  purity.  If  He  would  n6t  headi  them;  iwh&  -Almighty 
powers  tot^t  Judea  £or  thj»  Jews,,  they  would .  nothave^Huti.  Their 
id^  of  ;the  kingdom  ofi  Godtwas  the  exact  ioppostte  of  HiSi:<'  t 
hO[  difieoufflia!  had  hiiea  intorvupted  in  its  progness,  and,  now;,  M 


•5       -i 


THE  mp»  or  dHBmr. 


ail 


eiror.'  ' f^l%i0ri8Bhaii0.«fMiM;;'^iiritt'tlie. general  t^^  r^ who  can 
bcarit?V  t.'''NoofBecoula^«i]Omlt'U>suol];'Mlfden»l/' 8aid<nie.v  Ml 
don't  underBtand  it,"  said  nnothor. :  ^  Blasphemy,^  said  &  third. 
♦'He  claims  to  be  God."  '^He.isnot  the  Measiah^for  me,"  said  a 
fourtii.  Jesus,  now  on  Hifl  way  out  of  the  synagogue,  noticed  all. 
"Does  wl^atl  have  said  offend  votif'said  He.  v  fi;  notr,  wliilel 
am  with  y<»iii  y^u  tliinls  my  words  hard;  and  stumble  at  them,)  what 
will  you  say  when  ii  tell  vou  tlmt  when  I  have  returned  to. heaven, 
whence  I  came,  you  will  Htill  have  to  eat  my  flesh  and  c(rinkimy 
bloodi  to  become,  throu^  me,  partakers  of  et«mal  life?  ^o  you 
not  see  from  this  that  I  speak  in  metaphor,  and  that  you  are  not  to 
:akc  my  words  literally,  but  in  their  spirit  and'  inner  meaning?  It  is 
not  my  ilesii  you  are  to  eat,  but  my  words,  which  you  have  justiheard. 
These  you  must  receive  into  your  hearts,  and  thisy  will  quicken  you 
into  spiritu^  life,  for  they  are  spirit  and  life.  If  <you  do  not  believe 
on  me  as  the  true  Messiah,  by  His  death  the  life  of  the  worid'-bikt 
cxpe<itonl^«  national  saltation  from  my  visible  bodily  presence-^as 
one  who  will  live  on  earth  forever,'  tmd*  reign  in  deathless  splendour 
—you  mustflnd  what  I  have  said  an  offence.  But  he  who  ctestiea 
from  me,  as  the  Messiah,  only  the  hidden  lifeiof  the  soul,  its  renewal 
in  the  holy  image  of  God,  and  His  rei^t^itfain,  will  iind  no  offence 
in  any  of  my  words.  The  truths  I  have  told  you  are  spirit  and  life, 
and  quicken  the  soul  that  receives  them  iij^o  a  heavenly  life  as  bread 
quickens  Ihe  body.  My  mere  outward  naturallife,  as  such,;  profits 
you  nothing.  If  my  words  have  been  hard  to  any,  it  is  because  th(jy 
do  not  belicveiinme/for  only  the  believing  heart  c»n  realize  their 

tnith."-  ■■■■  •  ■  !:'•:■  ■li':!       .     ;    :      ■*■-•..  -^  •-    ;,     •  .       '  :.,  -.•  v    U}  .,  ;■■■.:  .'^ 

In  thie  Sermon  on  the ;  Mount,  which  inaugurated  His  ■  puMic 
ministry,  Jesas  had  contrasted  the  theocratic  forma  of  pupilage  wid 
the  letter,'withi  tSie  lAWof  the  New  Kingdom;  «  law  oft  the  spirit 
and  liberty;.  'In  thi»  address  to  the  people  He  contrasted  with  the 
theocrat^  life  ioi  its  mere  outwardness  and  itsi  Slavery,  to  forms,  the 
new  life  from  God  which  He  made  known^a  life  kindled:  and  main- 
tained by  the  Spirit  from  above — the  gift  of  the  Heavenly  Father. 
The  deaq  letter;  the' outward  material  flesh;  He  told  them,  profited 
nothings  the  form,  the  rite,  the  dogma,  the  institution,  however 
venerable  ki  itself— «ven  His  own  flosh,  as  the  symbol  of  mere  ma- 
terial life,  had  no  magic  virtue.  Only  the  mward  essence,  the  truth 
embodied,  the  living  principle,  the  quickening  spirit  reteeived  into  the 
Iwait,'  availed  With  God,^  or  sustained  the  heavenly  life  in  the  aoul. 
The  lif&'giiiring  Spirit  as  it  flows  from  the  infinite  fmhess  of  God,' and 
reproduces  itself  in  the  heart,  was  the  true  manna  of  hnihai^ty  in  the 
wHdeiuefisiof  ^heworldi '  >-   "■'  ■-■    i       *  >  -     :  i  .  t 

The  falsa  ^thusiasm  which  had  hitherto  gathered  thei  masses 
round  Jesus  was  henceforth  at  a&>end,  nowi  that  ttfaeir  worldly  hopes 
ol  Hits  as  the  Messiah  were  exploded/  His  discourse  had  finitlly 
tiBdiKi«iv«d  then.  I  >li&^i{as  louhdliiff  a  myst^viousispisitual  kl^sldoaii 


m» 


■VBMtarB  dfisemsr. 


wa 


-'■^fy  only  cniSHfit  ^L  lctosdt)iik^f  tfe!s'#6tld.^  tf  1&ee«ific  fdfihe 

^tirst  tfnie  dear  ihht  ii6  WorkfTf  i^x^Aidtl  6t  hmttmyf^T^  tp  berh&d  by 

'.'folb'wlngHiih,bmoiUy«pirmmt  gifts  iitid  ben^fit^,  ft>»%Mc)i  i»Dst 

:!6t  tbem  cared' nothioj^,    llMyivwated  to  see  wb^d^rs^to  etft' bread 

'^ilroittt^aven  that  would  |>it>teet  them  fhnb  dying,  and(  W  get'  ^g^es 

V  and  wealth  in  the  wfew  kfegdoni  when  finally  fet  i  up.  ^h%y  had 

Hdoked  on  Jesm  avii  niiraicle^wdrker  rather  tha^  a  spiriMi&f  Sd^folir, 

;  %nd  willed'  to  be  healed  rather  !)▼  toueHing  His'  giiinfnienttf '  than  % 

-.4^Ttiipathy<  and'comnranion  with  Hib'  Spirits.    %it  He  had  ^hie  to 

'^Jiwvo  sliinerd;  n6t  to  work  miracles,  even  of  healihif?  td  ble  a  phydcian 

'Of  souls,  not  of  bodies..     He  had  disenchanted  the  fnsine<^  idnd 

.^aelfish  who  hnd   hitherto  flocked  after   Hint,  and  they  fon^hwith 

'-  iediowed  their  Altered  feelines.    From  thie  moment  of  this'  address;  fho 

t^^crowds  that  had  thronged  Him  becaatodisappetrr;  returning  to  tti^ir 

:1ionaes,  doubtless -in  angry  disappointment.    It  eeitmed  asif  He  would 

'i|)6  entirely  forsaken.    Could  it  be  that  even  the  Twelve  woifld  leave 

^'Himf   lie  knew  them  too  thorou^lV'to  look  for  any  ansWiSr  bttt'iio 

'  earnest  f^uranceof  their  loyaltr.    T6i  it  was  well  'to  putthemito 

the  test,  and  strengthen  their 'faith  by  trying  it.     "  Da  VOU,  als^r^ish 

,*to  leave  me?"  asked  He.     "To  Whom,  liOixi,  shWl  We  goi^away?" 

'"insWcred  Peter,  ever  the  first  to  spefik,'~"ThoU' hast  wdrds^of  eterftal 

'life,  and  we  have  believed  and  khown  thatThon  art  fhe"  Holy'One'of 

Qod.*'    But  even  in  the  Twelve,  as  Jiesus  knew,  th<i  tAh  Mwi^iaft  to 

0t^arate  from- the  Wheat    "Did  not  I ' mys^f  choose'  rou  Twehn^ to 

V^'speciaU^iny  own,  and  one  (even)  of  w<?tt  isa  d^ilt    Beware  of 

'telf^conlfidence.    If  you  thirtk  you  stand,  takd' heed  le^yoo^atl!" 

■^Eleven,  as  we  know,  refused  to  leave  Him.    Did  the  first  thought  of 

•  treachei^'riiiio'in'tfae  mind  of  Jtidafi  #ilh  the  Masting  of « worldly 

''^pes  entert^iniedi'almbsit'Unconcioudly,'  till  noWt'  Hid  Master  had 

in<5tet~  befbre^  spoken  so  plainly.'    Hencdforth,  to  follbw  Htiw  deAt-ly 

meant  to  five  up  all  world^^'aima  or  'prospects,'  ahd  v^untatilly 

'^Chdose  a  lile;  and  it  migfat  be  a  death,'  *6f  self-denial  and  »elf-iaierifiee 

'^Ipr  ^he  nation  and  the  world-^cir  act  the  liypoCii1»'  wffih  ft'  faint  hope 

^(trf, ulterior- advaritage.  :■':•;•■■'•;-  t^. in  \^  ^,.  ..n 

'V  Jesus  had!  not  ^ne  to  the  PassoVer,  for  it  would  have  Mnir  ittnaafe 

S^^to  have  shown  Hunself  in  Jerusalem;.    His  disciples,  howlveTji  dOi»bt- 

lesswcnt  up,  for  no  Jew  neglected  t^o  do  sk)  if  pos«lble«^    fiei  iMd  iww 

been  pnblicly  teaching  for  sonic  months  over  a  year >i&iGaliIei&t  and 

had  not  revisited  Jilidea,  exee^  for  a  few  days  at  the  Pasisofteir  before, 

.  fdnce  His  first  discoaraging  cii^uit  in  the  south;     Tbe  nortlh  had'  re- 

'  ceived  Him  with  fk  warmth  tuid  frankness  that  had  woni  Hid  h^art 'by 

the  contrast;  with  tlib'ceid  self'^right ecus  bigotry  of  Judea.  <  It  had 

"given  Him  the  Twelve,  and  the  ready  audience  H^  had  found  bad 

i^afbied  Him  to^  niake^amall  but  'healthy  beginning  ol  the  ^Niew 

Kihgddln.    The  impulsive,  excitable  Galilfieans^  »eebied  for  si  time, 

indeedyi^Kely, -almost  a^  a  wh6H  to  leave  4he  Riibbid^for  His  ^^w 

-:itrtldtin|j|.  u  BtUr  th^  sso^rienieni'  iiad^  bMn  dMQiiBd,'^U}d  tbtf  popular 


IPim  JJ-IffH  QFiqiHIgaT; 


<^  JBPVT 


in  tit&nortW they  Jiad^ni  woi;a  to  JfriM&iei^ of.ithe  succoss  i^itbe 
Teaehev  I roDti  N^i^reth.  whom  the; orthodoxy  pf  J ud^ajiad  rofusc^to 
loUo W),  rThe  Rabbis  of  the  c^pUftl— k«own  varioi^ly  w  i  the  Pharl- 
Mte8,"r*  ■  ^i,b«^"  pr  8oi^enm,-r-"  lawfve^s;"— "mttsi»K^ot^e,tradl. 
Uonft'f4-*'  Hokiuym  or  wise^en,"— "  doctorsK"— f^expouft^r^of  the 
(LAW<^—M4;'i^i^tit<ers" of  the  Gospels  «94,thQ£pisQca;  andtheoffi* 
M  «edesiftstiQal  world  nt  Urge—the  priests,  ooooQist^,  and  pi'eachers 
of  J ttdaivm  hud  their  stronghold  in  the  Temple  Qourt^,  ana  rivalled 
the  bigotry  of  the  more  modern  Hollahs  andSoftas  of  KfiQCji  aiid 
^{edina.  At  the  first  hint  <^  dagger,  a ;  deputatlO)n  ha4>  beei^,  sen|t  to 
iDHperoaum,  bi|t  theyrhad  failed;  to  cftny  the  peppk  with  tlieni'  in 
their  attempts  to  fix  oliarges  on  the  new  T^iach^^.  He  haa  defended 
Himself  so  fdexteronsly  aigainst  their  allegations  pf  Sabbath  breu^pg 
ond  blasphemy,  that ;  for  .the  time  they  retired ,  discpmfi^sd.  - JFreph 
news  from  the  norths  jhQwever,  had  w^u  rous^(^thc|x^f  }  wreBabbis 
nppearedi  sent  by  the  ^authorities  in  ^Terusaleii),  to  seOiiJf  Jhe  r*W^  In- 
novator could  not  becriushed,  and  tliieir  presence,  speedily  lea,  tq  a 

further  eonfliot.  :  »,■    i,  /    -.:,i    :'-;,;.■,.,;•  ■;■■...     i  .,       >■•  -  ;   • 

Xntlie  training  of  tlieTwely/^tfor  their  future  work  ij  was  nepes- 
.sary»  above  allr  things^)  to  crcatf?  and ;  foster ,  the ,  CQucoption  ,of  mgT^l 
freedom;  for  the  central  ipoint  in,  the/. contrast  between  the  J!^w 
Kingdomi  and  the  old  T^u^ocracy  wa^4ts  liberty,  as  opposed'  to  1)10 
br>iidage  to  the  letter  that  had  pmvalled.  The  deep  t  an4'  iPUTI^  ■  rol^g- 
iousness  ChjpistidQtnauded  could  ouly  fiouriish  wher9,.th9  conscieit^ca 
was  quickened,  and  made  re^ppnsiblQhijf  a  sonse  of  p^rfept  spjifitual 
freedom.     lie  had  already,  aimounced.  this  gre^t^  principle  in /{lie 


S^rmo^  on  the  .Mouut^  ;  The  T>velvei  hf^d  [}^eeix  <  disciplined,  in,  .i|^  by 

iUuj3|;ratipns  showed,  day,  bygd^y, 
how  hand  it'jvas  for  thorn  to  emancvpa^.e  itliemselves  from  feereqitj^ry 


their  missionj  journeys!^  but  new 


^:iJ 


ppejiudioeft,  and  from  iB^bbinicqil  auttoity,  ,  ,  ^  . , .  ,  ,  ,  „  ^ 
V  it  •;  jFhe  tvery  fouiwiation  of  ■  the  new  Society  ^a^  .ip  ;jitsejl  a;  hrea^ipg 
awayito©!.}^  oj^abJi(§hed  ll^eooraKJy,  and  it.  necessarily  JjCd  to  con- 
tinually more  decisive  acts  of  independence  and  separation^  Tho 
ilewisJ[v«ll«5ologiaui  of  tii^  Piiaim^c  party,  witU  their  po^anl^ic  devo- 
%ioik  to^.pBeeedentiaudlo^Jm*  and  their  cl^im  to  dii^t;  tho  coapc49nco 
of  ti»e!  pbople>>  had  to  a  great,  extent  iPrpduced  a  mere  outward  Jfehg- 
ionism  wlucli  had  weakened,  the  jnorfU  sansaof.  the  nation,,  and 
\vithered>  lip  all  aspirations  for  spiritual,  litt^ioodr ,  qind  liberty  of 
though^;  ;Tbey  were  y^ry  popular  as  the;  revesrend  and  zealous  d"" 
fendei'SiOl  ^eholy  Liawliaade^down  fvpm  ^  Fathers,  alipabst  from 
thoitirst.  •  Thay  hiwi  rocogniz^in  Jesusi  still  mo*'^  than  in  His  hated 
and  feared  predecessor*  the  3aptist,  %  di^adly^  foe,  ^nd  the  success  of 
the  new'teachiUg  in  .0t*lilee  imperilled  their  juiftuei^e  jf }  it  .renjfijfned 
unchecked;*  i  With,  kejen  foresight  tliey  hojl  sow^t  ito  antieibf^e^^he 
danger,  hut  hitherto  had  failed  so  iguorpiuiously^piat  tl^v  fllad.  for 

z.nam.  toe^^t  i«j|Rj»ij#<^d,jfe-^i%.^^s{^i^^^  Jl^^ggjyef 


m 


TttB  lilFB  OP  CHIUST; 


1 


I; 


III; 


\ 


ifMxtk  secret  hostilitj  of  dark  hints  suspicions,  an^  lilaspJieniieR,  to 
poison  the  minds  of  the  people.  Till  now,  ho#ever,  Jesns  hiu)  mnde 
no  direct  attack  on  them,  but.  while  watched  ind  assailed,  had  kept 
strictly  on  the  defensive.  Henceforth,  He  tbok  a  dtfFerent  course. 
To  iexpose  tlicir  innuendoes  and  calumnies  was  no  longer  enougii. 
He  felt  constrained,  for  the  future,  to  show  that  not  Hewitt  His  ac- 
cusers were  really-  obnoxious  to  the  charges  made  Against  Him  on 
riecklessly;  that  not  I|e  but  they  were  leading  the  peoplb  from  tlio 
right  way,  and  acting  under  unlioly  infliieiice,  and  that  Vieir  zeal  for 
God  w^  blind,  not  His. 

A  new  attack  by  them  led  to  this  chance.  Reports  of  the  popular 
readiness  to  accept  Him  aa  Messianic  King,  ana  of  His  resolute  re- 
fusal to  head  SMch  a  political  movement,  which  alone  could  meet 
their  own  wishes,  had  doubtless  reached  Jerusalem,  and  this,  coupled 
with  rumours  of  His  innovations  and  independetice  as  li  religioufl 
reformer,  had  thoroughly  alarmed  the  authorities  at  JenisalenR  Bis- 
carding  invective,  craft,  or  indirect  approach,  their  deputies  now 
came,  no  longer  to  the  disciples,  but  to  Himself ,  With  specific  com- 
plaints, which .  the  freedom  of  Eastern  manners,  pelinitting  free 
access  to  private  life,  had  enabled  them  to  establish.  The  disciples 
hadvolready  given  offence  \yy  plucking  and  nibbing  ear»  of  barley  on 
the  Sabbath,  and  thus,  as  it  was  held,  reaping  and  threshing  oh  thb 
sacred  day;  buta  still  graver  "scandal  in  Pharisaic  eyes  had  biden  de- 
tectcad  in  their  sitting  oown  to  eat  without  ceremonially  washing  thei^ 
hands.  The  Law  of  Moses  required  j^urifications  in  cei'tain  cases, 
but  the  Rabbis  had  perverted  the  spirit  of  LeViticus  in  this,  as  in 
other  things,  for  they  taught  that  food  and  drink  could  not  be  taken 
with' a  good  Coi»8cience  when  there  was  the  possibility  of  ceremonial 
defitement  If  every  conceivable  precaution  had  not  been  taken, 
the  person  or  the  vessel  used  might  liavc  contracted  impuritj^  which 
would  thus  be  conveyed  to  the  food,  and  through  the  fooa'to  the 
body;  ^nd  by  it  to  the  soul.  Hence  it. had  been  long  a  Custom,  and 
latterly  a  strict  law,  that  before  ev<apy  meal  not  only  the  hands  but 
even  the  dishes,  couches,  and  tables  should  be  scrupulously  washed. 

The  legal  washing  of  the  hands  before  eating  whU  especially  sacred 
to  the  Rabbinist ;  not  to  do  so  was  a  crime  as  great  as  t6  eat  the  flesh 
of  swine.  "He  who  neglects  hand-waaliing, '*  says  the  book  SOhar, 
"deserves  to  be  punished  here  and  hereafter/'  "  He  is  to  be  destroyed 
out  of  the  world,  for  in  band^washing  is  contained  the  secret  of  the 
ten  commandments. "  *  *  He  is  jfullty  of  death.  *^  '*  Three  sihs  bring 
poverty  after  them,"  says  the  Mischna,  "andtosJight  hand-wlu^iing 
is  one."  "He  who  eatB  bread  without  hand-wasliine,"  says  Rabbi 
Jose,'  "is  as  if  he  went  in  to  a  harlot.**  The  later  Schulchari  Ahich, 
enunter^tes  twenty-six  rules  for  this  rite  in  the  morning  alone.  "It 
is  better  to  go  four  njiles  to  water  thaji  to  incur  gUilt  by  nleglectin^ 

l.<.»^i»r»a1«<n<»»   OB^o      ♦!»«      T>a1»^«/1  « «  {Jg     r^JjQ     dOJBS     UOt    W^h     hlS 


hand- washing,"  bslvb  the  Talmud. 
liaii4r.sfter.«tMUii|^'^^.iisayai  '^isM^  h<|d;  as  a  nuird^r^." 


'Fh* 


devil 


flpjieniiefi,  to 
nsimdinndc 
Bd,  had  kept 
wnt  contm. 

iOfit  Him  80 
Jfe  from  (ho 
Airtrzeal  for 

the  popular 
resolute  re- 
could  meet 
his,  coupled 

*i  religious 
lalemf!    Big, 
)putif8  now 
)eciflc  com- 
nitting  free 
he  disciples 
»f  barley  on 
iing  oh  the 
id  brien  de- 
ashing  theii- 
rtain  cases, 
I  this,  as  in 
)t  he  taken 
cercmoniaJ 
>een  taken, 
rft3^  which 
ood'to  the 
astom,  and 
hands  but 
ly  washed. 
ally  sacred 
t  the!  flesh 
ok  SOhar. 
destro5'^ed 
ret  of  the 
sihs  bring 
i-warfiing 
lys  Rabbi 
in  Ahich, 
me.     "It 
i^lectmff 
w^h  his 
%6  4^1 


Schibta  iiit}'<itt^  ukwiiflh^  hntitAn  and  on  the  bredd.  It  was  a  9pmMt 
raark  of  th^  Pharisees  that  "they  ate  their  daily  bread  with  duo 
jmriflcatioh/' Olid  to  neglect  doing  so.  was  to  be  despised  aa  on* 

clean.  ,  ■"  "'*  •«'-^'j' 

Kabbinlsm  wa6  ndlfr  In  its  bluest  glory,,  for  the  groat  tiaeherg 
Hillel  and  S;;iiamiiiai,  who  were  hafrdly  a  generation  dead,  bad  dc* 
veloppd  it  !>)  thfe  uttermost.  Tliey  had  disputetl  so  fIcTcoly,.  indeed, 
on  many  ti  ifling  details,  that  it  was  often  said  that  Elias  hinuelf. 
when  he  came,  Would  hardly  be  able  to  decide  between  tliem.  But 
they  agreed  respecting  hand-washing,  so  that  the  Talmnd  maintains 
that  "  any  one  living  in  the  land  of  Israel;  eating  his  daily  food  in 
puriflqation,  speaking  the  Hebrew  of  the  day,  and  morning  and 
evening  praying  duly  with  the  phylacteries,  is  certain  that  1^. will 
cat  bread  in  the  KingdoM  of  God."        >  'MwJta  •   avi.ti^)i;i 

It  was  laid  down  that  the  hands  were  first  t»  be  washed  clean: 
The  tips  of  the  teu  fingers  were  then  joined  and  lifted  up  so  that  the 
water  ran  down  to  the  elbows,  then  turned  down  so  that  iti  mi^i 
run  off  to  the  ground.  Fresh  water  was  poured  on  them  as  tiiey 
were  lifted  up,  and  t^ic6  agatin  as  they  hnng  down.  The  wasfains 
itself  was  to  be  done  by  rubbing  the  fist  of  one  hand  in  the  hollow  of 
the  other.  When  th6  hands  were  washed  before  eating  they  must  be 
l)eld  upwards;  when  after  it,  downwards,  but  sa  that  the  water  should 
not  run  beydnd  the  knu(^kles.  The  vessel  used  must  be  held  first  ia 
the  right,  then  in  the  left  hand;  the  water  was  to  be  pouked  first  oa 
the  righ^,  then  on  the  Mt  hiind,'  and  at  every  third  time  the  words 
repeated  ' '  Blessed  art  Thou  who  hast  given  us  the  command  to  wash 
the  hands. "  It  wail  kefenly  disputed  whether  the  cup  of  blessing  or 
the  hand-wasliin^  shouM  come  first;  whether  the  towel  used  should 
be  laid  Oh  the  t^ble  br  on  the  couch  j  and  whether  the  table  was  to  be 
cleared  biefo^e  th^  finalwashiiig  or  after  It. ^'^  irrfcor  i-wi j  to  rro^^/wf /f^rir 
.This  anxious  Wflinj^over  th^  infinitely  iittle  was,  howovei,  only 
part  of  a  IsysleDa;  ;'lf  aT*hai^see  proposfed  to  ei^t common  food^  it  was. 
enough  thatth^  hajuds  were  wadiled  by  water  poured  on  them.  Be- 
fore eating  Terumah— the  holy  tithes  and  the  riiew-breadi^th^  must 
t)e  dippe<i  completely  in  the'  water,  and  before  the  portions  of  tho 
holy  onerings  could  he  tdst^d,  a  bath  must  be  taken.  Hand^Washing 
before  prayer, '6r  toticliihg  anything  in  the  morning,'  Was  aaTi^dly 
observed,  for  evil  spirits  mi^t  have  defiled  the  hands  in  the  night. 
To  touch  the  niouth,  nose,  ear,  eyes,  or  the  one  hantl  with  the. othser, 
before  the  rite,  was  to  incur  the  risk  of  disease  in  the  part  touched. 
The  occasions  that  demanded  the  observance  were  countless:  it  must 
be  done  even  after  cutting  the  nails,  or  killing  -  a'  Ilea.  The  moi-e 
water  used,  the  more  pifety.  "He  who  uses  abundant  water  for 
Iiand- wailing,""  saj^la  R.  tlhasda,  ** Will  have  abundant  riches."  If 
One  had  ndt  beeli  out  it  Was  enough  1io'ik>ur  water  on  the  hands;  but 
one  con)ing  in  ftkj»m  withdut  nedd^^'to  i^imgebis  hands^  into  the 
wale^.  fbr  hej^h&w  not^what^deii^esoiKigiA  Hinm^mva  ni^i^ 


r'f! 


'Ik 

i  ,\ 


THE  tLlFE  OV  ^MlBlfi 


yihih  itef  Um5  «treets,  and  thi»  p]ftrifgiii/t»  e6uM  npt  1>(?  d^fi<&,eX,9fJ^,  i?^.|» 
apoi  WihoEe  tbieire:  werc-DOt  less  tban  sixty  gallons  of  j^&Ux,  ,   -  \-,i^^i,. 

Tli£  isaniie  scrupulous,  superstitious  rmnuteness  iBxtended  to  pp^iple 
dcHlements  of  all  the  household  details  of  daily  life.    Distils,  liollow 
or  flat,  of  whatever  material,  knives,  tables,  and  couche^,,  ;>V?^e  \  ^on 
stantiyiBubJected  to  purifications,  lest  they  should  havi^  contracted 
any  Levitical  defilement  by  being'used  by  some  diie  unclean,,    .  . 

This  ritual  exaggeration  was,  apparently;  a  result  of  the.  jealbiisy 
betw^eejntUo  democratic  Pharisees  and  the  lowJly  Sttddu^fie^V  Tjljio 
latter  attached  supteme  importance  to  the  ceremonial  sanptity  of  the 
officiating  prlestsj  ta  exalt  themselves?  as  the  clerical  aristpcTacj^.  The^ 
Phftrisees,  to  humble  tliem,  laid  the  stress,  as  fai^  as  possible,  oi^  t^ 
vessels  usedv  and  the  exactness  of  tie  ^ctiTri  keeping;  wicli*thejr, 
endless  washings  in  private,  they  demanded  tha]ti  all  the  y(^sselsp||tlifj 
Temple  itself  should  l)e  purified  after  each  feast,  lei^it  some  li^clcan 
person.migbthave  defiled  them — a  refinement  which  drew  dowJi  on 
a-Bharisee  who  was, carrying  out  even  the  golden  candlestick itfeel|  to 
wash  it,  alter;  a  feast,  the  mocking  gibe  from  a  Saddi^cee,,tiuit  l^o. 
expected  Ijefore  long  the  Pharisees  would  give  tiie  sun  a  washliig. , 

.The  authority  for  this  endless,  mechanical  religionisnii  w^qs  the  COTH: 
nmndfi lOr  *!* traditions' ■  of  the  Fathei's,  handed  down  from  th0 , days, 
of.  the  Great  6ynag(^ue,  but  ascribed  with  pious  exaggeirf^tiou  to  tno 
Almighty,  who,  it  was  said,  had  delivered  thei^v  orally  to  M9i^Csoi* 
Mount  »inaiw;  Interpretations,  expositions,  and  discusdon,f  0f  ^|1 
kinds, were  based,  not  only  on  every  separate  word,  or  On  eve^j^  j^tfe 
but  even  on  over}'  comma  and  semicolon,  to  create  new  /^yr's,jina 
observances,  and;  where  these  were  not  enough,  oral  traditiohi^,  .ssiid 
to  have  been  delivered  by  God  to  Moses  on  {:*inai,  were  iniv^pt^d  jo 
justify  t  new  refiuemenls.  These  *  *  traditions"  were  consteiitly ^  in- 
creased, and  formed  a  Nhw  Law,  which  passed .  ^rom  pip^it^  t(V 
mouth,  and  from  generation  to  generationv  till,  at  la^t,  .;puf)lic  sc^oois 
rose  for  its  study  and  devielopment,  of  which  the  most  faiiiou^^w^.re 
those  of  Hiilel  ^nd  Bohammai,  in  the  generation  bt^ore  Jest^s,  wid 
even,  perhaps,  in  His  early  childhood.  In  ills  lifetime  It  was  sfili  a 
fundamental  rule  that  they  should  not  be  cominiltcd  to  writing.  It 
Avas  left^  to  Babbi  Judah,  the  Holy,  to  commence  the  coliccti6ii  tvoA 
foriaalengrossing  ol  the  almost  countless  fragments  of  v^hich  it  c6h- 
cislcd,  &m  fromi.hifl  weaiy  labour  ultimately  rose  the  huge  ^otlca.Qt' .. 
the.Talmud.  i  n^i  rcif-1.*  t.vwi^(;-o-i.!iivUni.U-!r/,:.,.  '-'V  '-^^  ■"_,:': 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Brahminical  theocracy  of  India,  that  of*  Jiidca 
altached  more  importance  to  the  ceremonial  precepts  of  its.  schopla 
than  to  the  sacred  text  on  which  they  were  based.  Wherever  ^crip- 
turoand,  Tradition  seemed  opposed,  the  latter  was  tteated  as  the 
higher  authority.  Pharisaism  openly  proclaimed  this,  and  set  itself, 
as  tUo <j[o8pel  expresst^sit,  in  the  chair  of  Moses,  displacing  the  great 
kwglycr.  .,;''It  is  aj greater  offence,"  says  the  Misclii^a,  '* to  wiacli 
an^U^g  99BiMnu;3t.tio  the  voices  of  thft  Btbbis,  than  to  coiitrkd^t  dcrip^ 


TOE  ilPB  OP  eilHBT. 


mi 


ture  itself.  He  "vvbo  says,  coiitrary  to  ScrlptJuro,  *Iti3  ncrt'lnwWtb 
"wear '  me  t^epnilljn '  *'—tlie  little  Icatlier  boxes  corrfeJMng;  tcnf  of 
Scrigtuire,  tioupld^  4urmg  prayer,  on  the  forehead  and  on  tht;  arm— 
'•"i^  n(^  to  be  puniaiie^  as  a  trouMetf.  But  he  -tv'ho  says  •  there  should 
bb  five  divisions  in  the  TPotaphoth"— ahother  name  for  the  Tcphilliri, 
elf  ph;^a^terie8--Vftn4  th^is  teaches  differently  fi*om  the  !Rabb|s,  fa 
^iitrj'',  J^'IIe  who  expounds  tlie  Scriptures  in  oppo8iti<)n  to  iho 
Traditioflf,  *j8ays  R.  Eleazar,  "has  no  sliaio  in  the  World  to  come." 
Tiie  mass  of  ^bbinical  prescriptions**n6t  the  6cTipiftute-^i\*as  rd- 
La^^a  i*d,^uk^  i^»cia  Af'i.^tirA^^  ««fo.«  *v.«  Covenant  of  God  was  declared 

the  oral  l^aw;  as  it  fe 
_      ,      ,  have  made  a  Co tjenant, '*&(*. 

Fbr  CJodkiiew  thatj^  in  after  ages,  Israel  would  be  carried  awav  ahidng 
strainge  people,  ^lio  would  copy  off  the  written  Lafw,  and,  tfiterefor^, 
file  gave  thqm  the  oral  Law,  that  His  will  might  be  kept  secret  amoti^ 
tlidms^iyes^  .  Jiio  gavj^  tlkemselves  to  the  knowledge'^ of  the 

'^aditiofls  "  ia^tw,  a  great  light j"  for  God  enlightened  theit  etes,  ind 
sjibWe^them  l{i6;w  they  ought  to  act  in  relation  to  lawful  and  tfnl^- 
fill  things,  cTeaii  and  unclean j  which  are  not  told  tbu^  futty  whd 
clearly  in  Scrmture.  It  wa^,  perhaps,  ipfood  to  give.one's  self  tp  the 
rc^fling  of  the  ocr^tiife,  but  he  who  reads  diligently  th^^Traditfons 
rlc^t^es  fl-  reward  n"pm  God,  and  he  who  gives  himself  to  the  Coti 
meiitariids  on  thfese  traditibng  has  the  greatest  reward  of  all.  **Tlie' 
^Ible/kaS  like  water,  the  Traditions  like  wine,  the  Cbramchtaries  bh 
themltedpic^d  wine."  ''My  son/' «iys  the  Talmud,  '^glVe  nidrfe 
hqed  to  tl^e  words  of  the  Rabbis  than  to  the  words  of  the  Eaw."  'So, 
exactly  alike,  is'TJltramontahisnx  in  every  age,  and  in  till  relig:ioiis!'  f'-' 
tfesiJ^  had'  nio^,^^  with  a  system  which  thus  ignbred  COti-^ 

scienci^,  Wd  1^  religion  in  the  slavery  of  otitwai'd 

t'oiihs^-^Tflie^ew'Kingdo  was  in  the  heart*;  in  the  l6viii^  sonshlp 
ot  th^  Fatjier  in  lleay<?n,  apd  all  outward  observances  hiidVAlite  only 
ai  expt^ssioifs  6f  this  tender  relationship:  The  > Pharisties  had  reflned 
tli^Li\^^Jiitp  a  niiqroscppic  casuistry  which  presctibed  for  elVery  istf^ ; 
latfed  aci^  iiUt  jfesus  brought  it  into  iM  compass  of  a  living  priftdipl^ 
in  the  soHl.^^yFrom  the  outer  particular  requirement,  He  passed  to 
thc'spiiit  it  was  intended  to  express.  Special  Enactments  w*^rC  suf- 
ferea  to  fall  aside,  if  the  vital  idea  they  embodied  Were  honouredV 
A  Wetime  was  hardly  enough  to  learn  the  Rabbinical  pfedepts  re- 
spi^'dting  oiTefings,  but  Jesus  Virtually  abrogated  them  all  by  the  short 
uttcmnipethat,  "mercy  was  better  than  sttcrifice."  The  sclioola  had 
added  t6  the  simple  distinctions  of  the  Law  between  clean  and  unclean 
beastsj  endless  distinctions  respecting  different  parts  of  each,  and  the 
necessary  rites;  ,the  simple  rule  of  Jesus  was— It  is  not  t;hat  enters  the 
mo^th  tiiat  defiles  a  man,  but  what  comes  from  the  heart.  Th<B 
llabbis  contended  aftc^r  what  uses  vessels  should  be  purified  in  running, 
aft^r  \v^at  iardrawn  w«teir,  and  how  woodcu  and  metal  dislies'were 
to  jifej'i^\^ly, j||Hcr^^^^  iaii*^'traiihf  ^ttfett^ 


i1 

in 


1 

4  f 


'ill- 


.^iS;;WP?,,o?;--,s»m- 


doodly  pedantry,  and  t^ld  His  Ijeasera  to  take  care  to  have  whnt  was 
viUimrCleao,  and  tften  tjie  oiUfii(?6  w^uid'  be  clea^n;  ilso.    fivcn  the 
8^batli  h^ws,  withtjhci^po^i^tless  eyiactinetit?,  ^ere'  ^i  briefly  con- 
densed..   ''It  is  lawful  tio  do  good  on  tiie  'Sabbath  day."    "Thfr  Sab- 
bath iPfuus  niade  for i?^an,  not  n^»n tor  the  Sabb' th"  '  giich  teaching 
;  WM  unneard^of  in,  Israel.    It  ^^as  revolutionary  in  tj;ie  grandest  sense. 
.,-f  The  deputation  of  K^bbis  now  sent io  Capetnaiini  \»eJre  defermined 
to  bring.mattei^sk),  a  crtsi^|.    T^eivspie^,  and,  peThaps,  theriiselvos, 
.had  carefwy  g^tJ',^^''^  ;^vidphce  wiietl^er  Jesiis  and  -"His  disciples 
phseiTKed  itti|e  ijiaditiona,  ajid  carrjied  theni  out  with  the  niinuteness  of 
^arec€|gnlz|^4  r4igio.\«s  duty;  whether  Hp  aiid  they di^pged liheir  fiands 
d^iy.i^fori^. eating;, wh^ihe^  they  held  th)eih  up  0|r  i^own  in  doing  so, 
i^heihei  they  wpttedtl^em  to  the  elbows  or  to  the  knuckles,  or  wetted 
Qnly  the  flngi^-ti^ps^  as,  tjieic^ool  of  Schanijmai  prescribed  for'certuiu 
cases;  and  they  had  found,  to  their  horror,  thai  neitlief  He  nor  His 
discipl^,  )ma^4.  th^/^^r  .hands  thus  ceremonially  at  alb'    The  next 
il^assoyer  woijildi  show  liow  for^ially  they  had  laid  theJi*  ic^ornnation 
against  ]^ii]^  bc^pre)  tjhe  Sanhedtini,  with  its  leadet«,jthe  hija^i  priest 
(^aph^s  am3^  thib^  ix)^er£\il  ,!^^nnas,  f6r  such  ipdependet^ee  tind 

>i^acityv  .,,-.,■..■  ,'.V  /t  "■'■..tiiii'.,.. '  ,  ^- '  ■'i'/H^---^''jt-'  -  = 
, , ,  ]ilieanwhu%  thc^r  deinfind  for  an  'explanation'  gave  fesiifd  the  desired 
opportunity  to  break,  Anally,  with  their  whole  party.  A  <ia^suistry 
worthy  of  Suarez  or.Escqba^,  had  sapjped  the  fundamentali  principies 
^morality in* the  naniQ  of  religion.  With  a  keen  eye  to  the  interests 
of  itheir.  caste,  tlie  Rabbis  h^4  trifled  with  the  subject  of  oaths  aiid 
V^ws  in  such' a; way  that  the;  treasury  of  the  Temple  was  not  only 
sacied  fj^omivlil  public, appcajts,  but  was  continually  eiiiiclied  l)y 
jtton^,  which  ouglit,  right^utly,  to  have  gone  to  the  support  of 
^a|xiUi<G!i^and  i^elatipn3,  apd  even  pf  aged  or  poor  parents^  The  utter 
jiuce  af  ^the.yrord  .'VCori^an  ■— |M  have  vowed  it  to  «acye<l  uses'V 

feqve^Stratqd  ,  anything,  •  abs^liiteW  and  Irreversibly,  to  th6«Tehiplc. 
t nai^i.^  sppl^pn  lu^der  tii'e  inniience  of  deathbed-  tericr.or  in  the 


w^knesi^  of  superstitious  fear,  but  if  qnpe  uttered,  the  Ghureh  threw 


and  no  duty  ^yas  held  njore  sacred  by  a  J^w  unperyetted  by  Rab- 


binical sophistry.  -  It  was  jpot  forgotten  tha:t  it  was  the  one  command- 
ment to  which  a  promise  of  reward  was  attached.  "A  child  is  bound 
to  maintain  his  parents  when  oldi  and  helpless,"  says  one  passage  in 
theTalmud,  "evenif  he  have  to' beg  to  do  so'  But  this,  uiifor- 
mnatcly,.  was  not  the  iiniform  teaching  of  Christ's  day.  If  one  Rabbi 
had  pnttilial  duty  before  the  right  to  vow  for  one's  own  advantage, 
others  had  taught  that  it  was:%  duty  to  honour  God  before  honouring 
human  relationships— a  siqfiqpth  phrase  for  le^lizing  gifts  to  the 
Church  at  the  expense,  even  of  father  and  mother.  T«e  hierarchical 
.:9^y  igmomil  ail  iuterest^  but  the^r  own,  and  subordinated  natural 


tiiM'BtFBi*b#'^Ri&£. 


fg^ 


duty  tO'their.  Qw^n  aoficl^ment  . ,  Ph^risaiefm^  id  its  moral  decay/ had 
come  to  b?  a  spiritual  deatli,  corrupting  tlie  spring  of  national  Uf§. 
A  fewyearfl  lat©r»  i«  tU^  Ume  of  tlie  gypat  famine  of  tlie  year  A.b.  45, 
under  Claudius,  tUe  tli^ocratic  patty  so  heartlessly  cared  for  them-. 
selves,  thftt  whila  jtlw  people  ^ere  pei^isitiipg  of  hun^r  by  hundreds, 
no  remiflsioa^l-  Temple  dues  was  p^-mitted,  and  the  Passover  a|one 
saw  ■  fontytone  attic  oushels  of  wjieat  presented  at  the  altar»  tp  be 
presently  femoy^d  for  the  use  of  fiie  priests,  tliough  the  Issaiion— a 
measure  fOf,  three  aa<jl  a  halfpin^s^sold  for  fotir  dradimas,  a  sum 
equal  lo.aJbout,  twenty-six  s^iiiliugs  iftt  th^  present  value  oi  money. 
Josephus,  indeed;  boaits  that  no  priest  ate  a  crumb  of  the  grain  thus 
relentlessly  hoardied^  but  when  even  a  Jiigh  priest  was  known  as  '*  t^e 
di«cipl6,oi  gluttonS)'!  ^ipUpg  ift  great  feasts  on  the  sacrificies  and  wine 
of  the  altar,  the.mivss.^f  his  order  would  i^ot  be  fastidious  about  the 
wheat  and  the  bypad.     .  .  > 

Rsprcssrttatiyes  pf  this  smooth  hyppcflsy  had  now  gathered  round 
Jesus,  and  proceeaed  to  inquire  into  nis  alleged  unlawful  acts. 
•♦How^comes  it,"  asked  jthey,  "that  a  teacher  wlio. claims  a  higher 
sanctity  than  others  can  quietly  permit  £tis  disci][)le8  to  neglect  a 
cusi^^om  impo5«d  by  our  wise  .{orefjathers,  and  so  c^f ully  olweped 
l^  evdry  piou^  Israelite  ?    How  |s  it  that,  they  do  no^  wash  their  hands 

.before  eating?'*-  -.■.•*...>;,!■.  \^^^■^r'"-^-.o'vH.^T  -■^■'^4-^'''i''i^kiJ''-'''S^^'^'  ■ 
"They  neglect  only  ^  cerembhy  introduced  by'  iiieri-* Ittarfed 
Jesus;  -shut  how  comes,  it  that  you,  wlip  know  the  Law,  transgress 
CQmin:iadj  which  are, not  of  nwvn,  but  ifroni  God  Himself?  How 
com^i  it  t)w.t,  for  the  sake  of  traditions  invented  by  the  Rabbis, 
you  set  aside  th3  most  explicit  commands  of  God?  He  bias,  for 
example!  said  that  ;We  must  honour  our  father  and  mother,  ahd  sup- 
port and  care  for;  theaa  in  old  age.  lie  has  ^pclared  it  •v^t'^  of 
death  f#r rany tone  tQ, deny  his  parents  due  reverence,  bi*  to*  treat 
tha^n  harshly  or  with  neglep.t  J04t  you  have  invented  a  doctrine 
wiiichiftbsptyes  children,  in  inany  cases,  from  this  comiuandnaent. 
'If  any  one,' says  your  'tradition/  'i^  asked  by  his  parents  for  a 
gift,  or  help,  for  their  benefit,  he  has  only  to  say  that  he  has  Vowed 
tUat  very  part  of  his  means  to  the  Temple,  and  they  cannot  press 
him  further  to  contribute  to  their  simport.'  ^loW  cunningly  have 
you  thus  circumvented  God's  law)  JHow  easy  is  it  for  any  one  to 
break  it,  and  affect  a  zeal  for  reli^tpn  in  doing  sol 

"  Ye  hypocrite3 ! — acting  religion"— now  for  the  first  time  thus 
denouacin^  tharii  and  they*  part^— "well  h^s  I^i^^  painted  you 
wiiea  he  Introduces  God  as  saymg,  'This  nation  has  its  worship 
inwords^aud  its  religion  is  of  the  lips,  while  its  heart  is  far  from 
me.  Thair  service  of  me  is  worthless,  for  it  is  not  my  Law,  but 
only  human  iayention. '  These  words  describe  you  to  the  letter, 
You  put  asij^e  what  God  has  conimanded,  and  has  enforce^  oy 
promises  and  threatts,  and  yet  keep,  superstitipusly,  'trbditioiiiB* 
which  only  custom,  and  homage  to'  human  teachers,  have  Wxor 


I  m 


tSBij 


«>■ 


rpi'im  m  mMi' 


duceid, 

Swell 
and  the  hierarchy  closely  indentified  with  it.    His  words  struck  at 

the  insincerity  and  false-lieartedness  of  the  part^  as  a  whole,  at  its 
i'undamen|;al  princrojes,  its  practice,  its  modes  of  tfjouglit,  its  ^whole- 
ideas  and  j&ims.  They  are  pious,;  very  pious.  Pie  tells  them,  in  out- 
ward iseeminff.  They  keep  the  traditions  fastidiously,  but  tlie|r  piety 
is  from  tlie  lips,  not  the  heart;  obedience  ^o  the  Itabbls,  not  Gad. 
They  wash  P9ti>i  and  cups,  bid  care  for  gifts, , as  theii' itiligjion^  and 
ignqrc,  the  commands  of  Jehovah,  ^o  irony  could  Ue  more  koe^i  or, 
aniiihiiatlng.  What  flames  of  rage  must  it  have  kindled  in  the  Iiearta 
of  the  great  party  bo  mortally  assailed!  They  could  not  chaHenge 
Hislovalty  to  the  higher  law,  for  He  spoke  as  its  Champion,  against, 
tlieir  human  additions  and  perversions.  They  could  not.  but  feel 
that,  far  from  destroying*  either  the  Law  or  the  Prophets,.  He  was  eu- 
nolillng  and  exalting;  them.  But  the  very  liglit  He  poured  ron  the 
oracl99  of  <Qod  showed  i^q  much  the  more  tliewortlilessness  of  their 
cherisiied  system,  and  their  misconception  of  their  office  as  the 
teachers  of  the  people.  He  had  virtually  condemned  not  only  tlieir 
setting  washings  above  duty  to  parents;  He  had  denounced  them  foy 
laying  more  stress  on  the  Temple  worship  and  ritual  tlian  on  such 
filial  piety.  Hence  washings,  sacrifices,  afm%and  fasts;  all  the  loved 
boastful,,  pretentious  worship  and  outward  practice  on  which  thev; 
rested,  were  pf  no  value  compared  with  the  great  eternal  eommancfa 
of  Gbd,  ^nd  were  even  crimes  and  impiety,  when  they  jpromlly  set 
themselves  in  their  room.  He  anaigned  Pharisaism,  the  dominant 
orthodoxy,  as  a  whole.  Th^  system,  so  famous,  so-  arrogant,  so  in- 
tensely jfcwisli,  was  oplya^  ii^^entton' of  man;  a  subversion  of  the 
Law  it  claiijaed  to  represent,  an  an iHgonism  to  the  prophets, aafYreUaa 
to  Hoses,  the  spiritual  ruin  of  the  iationi  " 

The  dtc  wa3  finally  cast.  All  that  it  involved  had  heeA  long, 
weighed,  but  He,  who  had  come  into  the  world  tQ  witnjBa'i  ,to  tlie 
Truth  coiikl  let  no  prudent  regard  for  self  restrain  His  testimony.  It 
was  vital  that  the  people  who  followed  the  Rabbis  and  priests  shouJ  ^ 
know What  tlip  religion  and  morals  thuB  taught  by  theiu  were  worth., 
The  truth  could  npt  find  opep  cars  while  men's  hearts  were  misled 
and  prejudiced  by  such  instructors.  No  one  would  seek  inward  re- 
rcwal  who  had  been  tauglit  to  care  only  for  externals,  and  to  ignore  the 
pin  iind  corruption  within.  Phari  Hiiisni  was  a  creed  of  moral  cosmetics 
and  religious  masks,  as  all  ritual  systems  must  ever  be.  "Wltli  Jesus 
the  only  true  religion  was  purity  of  heart  and  absolute  sincerity  to 
truth.  Leaving  the  Rabbis,  therefore,  and  calling  round  Hira  the 
crowd  which  was  lingering  near.  He  proclaimed  aloud  the  great  priu- 
€iplo  He  had  laid  down—'*  Hear  vf^'i,  all  of  you,"  cried  He,  *'  and 
understand.  There  is  nothing  from  without  the  man  that,  entering 
into  him,  can  defile  him;  but  the  things  which  como  out  ol  the  man 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHBIS'E, 


^ 


II 


:>p 


jre  those  that  defilo  him."    Words  clear  enough  to  us,  perhaps,  but 
grand  beyond  tlibught  when  tittered,  for  they  wer6  the  knell  oi  caste 
-heard  now,  for  the   fiKit  time,  in  the  history  of  the  world;  of 
nationa,!  divisipni  and  hatreds,  And  t)f  the  reMgious  worth  of  external 
ob«i^:^^ce3.  »is  siich,  and  the  inauguration  of  a  universal  religion  of '^*^ 
spirit  and  truth!     Npthitig  external,  they  jjrOclainited,  made  cieAn  or 
uaclean.iioty  olrunhbly .     Purity  an4  impurity  were  words  appUcable     . 
onljr  to  the  soul'  and  its  iitteranoes  and  acts. .  The  charter  of  spiritual  y^' 
religion:  thrabirogatioa  of  the  supremacy  of  forms  and  fprmwla  foic ;f " 
ererrWiis  at  last  |ffo(?laimed;  the  feaven  of  religious  freedom  cast  in*  jy 
totnelifeof  humanity,  in  the  end,  to  leaven  it  throughout!  ■ 

Eyen  the  di^ciplbs  were  alarmed  at  an  attitude  so  revolutionary. 
In  icommoti  with:  the  nation  at  large,  they  looked  on  the  Rabbjia'!^''' 
wit^i  a  stiperslitious  reverence,  and  now  hastened  to  tejl  Jesus  how 
deeply  the  wliole  class  was  offended  by  His  words.    It  was  hard  for 
simple  (r^lilsBin  peasants  to  break  away  from  hereditary  hajbits  of 
tiioui^it.    But  Chriat!«  answer  was  ready.     "  Every  plant  which  my/; 
HeiVaaly  Father  has  not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  out.    Leave  them  • 
tli3yar3  blind  leiitiri  of  the  blind,  and,  as  such,  both  th6y  an^  their 
followers  must  stumble  on  to  destructiot^ !"    The  plants  of  nun^an,  not" ; ' 
divrde  planting,  were  the  **  traditions"  and  **  commandments  of  men"  ' 
-tlis  "  hedge  of  the  Law ,"  in  which  the  Rabbis  gloried.    Henceforth, 

thei^  was  a  breach  for  .ever  between.,  the  men  of  th^  SehQol^^and  tjto  ^ 

New  Kino'dom.    c^J^^^', '"*'-;. t^';'*i-*;  ,'-rji,'-iy)i:^'rri^,ikii':^!yu/r';a'Jd.[   r/*  j.-j-rf;--  . 

But  the  mind  iis  slow  to  realize  great  spiritual  truths;  ^6  the  dia-^  ' 
ciptes,  their  Master's  words  were  (dark  and  strange,  demanding  ej^pla-  "' 
nation.  Nor  w^' it  possible,  either  then,  or  even  to  the  very  last,  to  \" 
familiarize  them  with  the  iiew  ideas  they  involved,  or  free  them  iroti^^^/' 
the  inflUenoe  of  past  modes  of  thought.  The  tendency  to  regard  tha^^'^^ 
external  and  formal  as  a  vital  a^d  leading  characteristic  of  reli^dn, '  - 
was  well-niiyh  unconquerable,  in  minds  habituated  to  Jewish,  concept  ; 
Itions.  An  earneit  request  of  Peter,  fpr  further  explanation,  only  dreW;}^'^ 
forth  an  a!n^li1cation  of  what  had  been  already  said.  The  evil  in' 
man  was  traced  directly  to  the .  thoughts ;  but  to  eat  with  unwashed  • 
hands,  it  was  repeated,  inadc  a  man  in  noway  "common**  or  polluted,  ' 
a3  alleged  by^  the  Pharisees.  Yet  the  truth  had  to  lie  long  in  the 
breasts  of  the  Twelva  before  it  wrought  their  spiritual  emancipatipUY.,, 
from  the  slavery  of  the  past.  The  natural  and  eternal  distinction  of '* ' 
good  and  evil  was  j)rociaimed,  after  having  been  obscured  for.  ages  by 
an  artificial  morality,  but  to  fully  unlearn  inveterate  prejudice  WQUla 
rci^uire  the  laps&  of  geneiatipna. 


I' 


ZmmM'  ?iin^n'm^'y 


1 


I 


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f.(J 


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1;.'  :i- 


(!!  m 


¥  'm 


:«7. 


rC-r 


OHAPTER   XLV. 


!  ■  I-  i , 


^»:ift?A:'■)'l(v 


.THE  Gp-<^8T9  PF  THiJ  HBATflEN. 

':JTa5i8iTO  wm  m^;  apparently,  Tiein  two  years  MoreHie  iwdb1<i  hs  a 
rdligious  teiacher,  and  had  had  the  usual  lot  oSj  tliosewhov «eek  to  re- 
ibrm  entrenched iindpro8perQU6abuBe«.  A  hrief  and  dazzling  popu. 
iarity  had  TOuse^fl  the  mtter  hostility  of  threatened  mtere^tf^,  and  th^y 
had  at  last  bahdiBd  together  f6r  His^destruotlcn.  For  months  pa^t  Be 
lia^  yeten  the  death-^Ioudft  gathering^^  evermore  threaten ingfy, over 
I ihn,  Hhd  had  devoted  HimBclf  with  colm  anticipation  of  the  CHid,to 
the  tas!t  of  training  the  Twelve  to  fontinue  pis  "work  when  He, had 
pcriidiMi  He  had  taken  the  utnM5nt  care  to  avoid  open  collision  with 
His  fenfeniies,  and  to  confine  Himself  to  the  instruction  of  ^e  little 
cilt;le'i^6und  Him;  hut  the  priests  and  Kabbis  had  been  quick  to  seo 
in  thid  vel-y  cjuiet  and  retirement  their  ^eatest  danger,  for  o^en  con^ 
lilct  riiight  destroy  what  peaceful  scchiston  would  give  opportunity  to 
ta'ke  root.  ** The  world,"  as  HcHimself  expressed  it,  "hated  Him, 
liecause  H^  Witnessed  of  it  that  its  works  Were  evil."  Not-only  His 
formal  accusations  and  the  spirit  of  His  teaching,  but  His  whole  life 
and  attidns,  and  even  His-gentlest<  words,  arrai^^^  tjiungs  fs.  tljey 

"Were.  ,         .  ■  ■.     J    ■■A^^^ifJUrf^^:^  'r- 

TRumcfors  of  possible  action  againist'  Him  by  Antipas  iocreasGd  the 
difR<^ulty  of  the  situation:  Every  one  knew  that  He  and  many  of  llis 
f611owers  had  cbme  front  the  school  of  tho  Baptist,  whqm  Antipashad 
jufetjtaurdered;  and  rt' was  evident  that  His  aim  was  more  or  less 
ehiiftiaf  tp  John's,  thou^i  His  acts  were  more  wonderful.  Hence 
spbbulation  was  rife  respecting'  Him:  Was  He  the. promised  Elias? 
of,  at  least,  Jeremiah,  risen  from  the  dead?  or  was  He  some  special 
prophiet  sentfrojtt  God?  Many,  indeed^  were  questioning  if  Be.miglit 
ribt  even  be  the  Meffeiah,  and  were  willing  to  accept  Hin^  as  such,  if 
He  would  orily  head  a  national  revolt,  in  alliance  with  the  Ral>bis  atid 
priests,  against  the  Romans;  To  Antipas  His  appearance  was  doubly 
alarming,  fPr  it  seemed  as  if  the  fancied  revolutionary  movement  of 
Jibtin  had  broken  but  afresh  mare  fiercely  than  ever,  and  supcrstitionv 
working- in  an  uneasy  conscierbce,  easily  saw  in  Him  a  riesiirrection  of 
the  murdered  Baptist^endowed,  now,  with  the  awful  power  of  the 
eiernTil  worid  frbtn-whiieh  he  had  returned.  A  second  murder;  «<  emeu 
needed  to  make  the  first  effective,  and  to  avoid  this  additiontjixJang^jr 
Jesus  for  a  time  sought  concealment. 

But  the  craft  and  violence  of  the  half-heathen  Antipas,  was  a  slight 
evil  compared  with  the  hatred  which  glowed  ever  more  intensely  in 
the  breasts  of  the  Rabbis  and  priests  of  Jerusalem,  and  in  thest^  of 
the  Pharisees,  and  other  disciples  of  the  schools,  s(^atterod  over  the 
country.    The  dcmanda  of  Jesus  wer.;  far  beyond  the  niero  summoui 


)  seek  to  re- 


THE  LTJ?E  OF  CHRIST. 


538 


of  the  Baptist,  to  prepdf e  for  a  new  and  better  time.  He  required 
immediate  8ul)mission  to  a  new  Tlieocracy.  He  excited  tiie  fury  of 
the  dominant  party,  not  like  the  Baptist,  by  isolated  bursts  of  de- 
nunciation, but  by  working  quietly,  as  a  King  in  His  own  kingdom, 
which,  while  in  the  world,  was  something  far  higher.  Hence,  the 
feeling  against  Him  was  veiy  different  from  the  partial,  cautious,  and 
ititermititeftt  batted  Of  the  Baptist.  The  hierarchy  and  the  Rabbis, 
as  the  centre  Of  that  which,  with  all  its  comiptions,  wa8l;he  only  true 
religion  on  earth  as  yet,  felt  themselves  compromised  directly  and 
hmly  by  Him,  and  could  not  maintain  themselves  as  they  were,  if 
He  were  tolerated.  The  whole  spiritual  power  of  Israel  was  thiw 
jffrayed  BgAinst'Him;  a  force  8lo>vly  created  bytt^e  possession,  for 
agesVof  jthe  grandest  relt^ous  truths  kno\m  to  the  ancient  world,  and 
by  theprideof  a  long  aiji  incomparably  mblime  national  history.  It 
iiad  been  assailed  in  the  past;  at  long  intervals,  from  without,  but  in 
recent  years  it  had  been  i6r  the  first  time  attacked  from  within,  by 
the  Baptist,  and  now  felt  itself  still  mrtre  dangerously  assaulted  by 
this  Galilisati:  To  crii^>such  ah  appaiently  insignitieantfOppois^nt 
-^a  peasant  of  Kazareth,  rising,  singly- and  unsupported,  against  a 
power  so  ^olossal^-Hseemed  eiwy ;  norcotild  it  be  fancied  more  difficult 
to  scatter  'iand  destroy  His  small  band  of  followers,-  as  yet,  nipsUy» 
despised  peasants,    ^^r  ■.;:.••.    m'  ..  ;   ^.v.       ■■'  i,;-.  !,,r,jpL,<j-.4.'no,v -:s**'i?» 

The  firt*  bfftcial  step' t«!)W^frd«  the  represtida  of  the  new  niovamei^ 
had,  apparently,  been  already  taken,  oh  t^ie  occasion  of  the  last  visit 
of  Jesus  tb  Jerusalem,  llii  cure  of  the  btind  man  on  the  Sabbath, 
bad  then  brought  down  Ou  Him^he  warning  punishment  of  the  lesser 
excommunication,  which  entailed  formal  exclusion  from  the  syna- 
gogues of  Judea^  and  was  all  they  dared  as  yet  inflict.  In  oonse^ 
queatee  of  HV  He"  had  never  returned  tothesoutlii  but  confined  Him- 
self to  tbe  north.  Where  the  '8ynag<^ucs  were  stiil  open  to  Him.  Tha 
i^me  sentenicie  seems  now  to  have  been  gradually  Extended  toiJie  syna^- 
eogu^s  of  Galilee,' f6r  we  cease  to  read  of  His  entering  them  or  teach^ 
jng  in  them.  But  a!i  this"measiirei  evidently  failed,  spies  wa:e  \et 
loose  oil  Him,  to  (log  His  s^eps  constantly,  and  find  ground  for  fresh 
charges;  e^en  by  invading  the  privacy  of  His  home  ine.        . 

This  dteadly  hatred,  with  all  that  it  involved  in  the  future,  had  been 
foreseen  from  the  first,  and  His  utmost  care.  His  seclusion,  and  His 
innocence,  had  only  delayed  the  crisis  that  had  now  come.  The 
fOundatioh  (yf  His  new  kingdom  on  a  firm  basis,  by  the  choice  and 
preparation  of  the  Twelve,  had,  however,  lightened  tlie  thought  of  it, 
and  nentralized  its  worst  consequences.  Yet  it  was  still  neoessary 
tpward  off  the  catastrophe  as  long  as  possiWe,  in  order  to  advance 
tlie  gieat  work  Of  building  up,  as  far  as  might  be,  the  infant  society 
He  had  established  J  for  it  was  slow  wotfcto  Hpto  ivigorous  faith  lum 
adequate  spirituality,  even  in  those  under  His  personal  influence. 
But  tivegrowifig' hatred  and  ill-will  of  His.  enemies  inade  lengthened 
tesidiehc^  in  &ny'on^'  place  hienoeforth.  imdnsiiabliij^  and'He  h^jfi^Qiii 


.1 


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.684 


THE  LIFE  or  CHmST. 


h, .  i 


this  timo  to  take  mora  frequent,  as  well  as  wkler  cirrni^,  to  escape 
.them.  Yet  there  wore  compensating  benelits  even  in  this  wandering 
life,  for  it  mode  it  easier,  amidst  the  many  unforeseen  incidents  ol 
each  clafy^  to  raise  the  l\vdve  to  that  higher  failh  and  gi-enter  stead- 
fastness tiFhicli  yet  failed  themy  and  it  enabled  Him  to  help  many  in 
outl^^ing  parts,  whoi  wore  fitted  to  reeeive  good  at  His  hands.  The 
gracious  purposeof  God  was  ithns  leading  Him  to  visit  in  peace  all 
ithe  diief  places  of  tho  land,  which  it  was  His  great  mission  to  sum. 
mon  to  enter  His  IdDgdonL      »  •  >. 

One  inevitable  result  was  that  the  nearer  the  end  came,  the  more 
iieeessary  was  it  to  make  dear  to  the  Twelve  the  caufips  of  this  hati-ed 
shown  towards  Him^  and  the  divine  necessity  of  His  appitmcbing 
death.  Hence,  iHe  took  every  opportunity  from  this  time  to  impress 
both  thought*  more  and  more  clearly  on  His  followers.  His  warn- 
tAgs  against  the  corruptions,  of  the  hierarcliical  jpaity  became  more 
tfrequent^and  constantly  keener,  until,  at  last^  Uie  Twelve  understood, 
in  some  measure^  the  whole  situation. 

^Leaving  the  ediores  of  the  Bea  of  Galilee,  He  now  turned  to  the  ft^r 
jioi'tii,  with  the  Twelve  as  companions  of  His  flight.  His  way  led 
ilisn  over  the  rough  uplands  towards  Safed,  with  its  near  view  of  the 
imowy. summits  of  Lebanon.!  Then,  leaving  Gi£chala  on  the  right, 
the  road  passed  through  one  of  the  many  woody  valleys  of  these 
liigliland  regions,  till,  at  th&  distance  of  two  days  journey  from  the 
iiiuiev  it  iieached  the  Bk>pe  at  the  foot  of  which  lay  the  plains  ofTVre. 
A:3reUow  strip  of  beach  and  sand  divides  the  hUlsfrom  the  sea,  into 
m^loh.  the'insuloir  tongue  of  land  on  which  Tj^te  was  built  stretched 
far.^  He  looked  down,  perhaps  for  the  first  time  so  closely^  on  the 
smoking  chinmejrs  of  the  glass  works  of  Sidon  and  of  the^dye  works  at 
Tyre^ion  the  long  i*owa  of  warehouses  filled  with  the  mercliandlse  of 
the  world;  on  the  mansiotts,  nnonuments,  public  buildings,  palaces, 
Aad  ten^tes  of  the  two  cities,  and  their  Imrbours  and  moles  crowded 
with  shipping.  The  busy  scene  liefbre  Him  was  the  land  of  the 
scoursed  i]!anaainite;  the  seat  of  the  worship  of  Baal  and  Ashtaroth, 
ivhich.had  of  old  so  often  corrupted  Israel;  a  region,  with  ail  its 
wealth  and  splendour,  and  surpassing  beauty  of  palm  groves,  and 
gardens^  and  embowering  green,  so  depraved  and  polluted,  that  the 
Hebrew  had  adopted  the  name  of  Beelzebub — one  of  its  idols— -as  tk 
name  for  the  Prfaifce  of  Devils.  Yet,  even  here,  Jesus  felt  a  pity  and 
charity  unknown  to  His  nation,  and  the  great  sea  beyond,  whitened 
with  wing-like  sails,  would  be  like  a  dream  of  the  future,  when  dis 
tant  lands,  washed  by  the  waves  over  which  these  vessels  sped,  v/ould 
gladly  receive  the  message  He  came  to  deliver. 
<  /Whether  He  passed  into  heathen  territory  is  a  question.  He  may 
only  have  gone  as  far  as 'the  border  of  the  alien  district.  The  whole 
region  was  more  or  less  thickly  settled  by  Jews,  drawn  by  commerce, 
or  through  lonff  historic  association  with  the  district^  y^iicli  had  been 
Msigned  to  Asd&ur,  though  never  won  by  that  tribe.    80  far  back  u 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.  m 

(he  (lays  of  the  indges,  the  population  had  been  hnlf  heathen*  half 
Jewish.  Kept  back,  through  all  their  hieitory,  from  the  sea-coast, 
Israel  had  come  to  hate  the  life  of  a  Bailor  from  which  they  wera 
thus  debarred,  p|nd  hence  were  contented  to  settle  amidsit  the  busy 
traders  of  Phenicta,  without  attemptingi  after  tlie  first  failure,  to  dis- 
possess them.  No  retreat  could  ha^lC  promised  more  safe  i)etirement, 
but  Josus  was  now  too  universally  known  to  remain  anywhere  undis- 
covered, for  numbers  had  come  to  Galilee,  even  from  these  very  dis- 
tricts^ to  see  and  hear  iUim»  \      .' 

His  mission,  during  His  life,  had»  been  repeatedly  defined  l^  Him- 
self,  as  only  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  House  of  Israel  That  He  felt  no 
narrow  exclusiveness  had  been  already  shown  by  the  incidents  o^  His 
journey  through  Samaria,  and  by  the  prophetic  joy  with  which  Ho 
hud  predicted  the  entraiice  of  many  from  the  lieathen  world  into  His 
new  Society.  Even  His  sympathy  with  publicans  and  sinners,  and 
with  the  outcast  sunken  multitude,  whose  .ignorance  of  Rabbinical 
precepts  was  held  to  mark  them  as  accursed  of  Qod,  had,  in  fact, 
Ucn,  as  distinct  protests  againt  Pharisaic  bigotry  as  H5  could  have 
nude  even  by  the  formal  recognition  of  heathens  as  citizens  of  His 
new  Society.  And  had  He  not  proclaimed  the  supreme  truth  that 
God  was  the  Grca^  Father  of  all  mankind,  and  that  the  human  race 
round  the  world  were  brethren  in  Hii?- great  household?  Butpit^ 
for  His  own  nation— the  Israel  of  the  Old  Covenantr-^fcffbade  His 
going  forth,  for  the  time,  to  all  races,  with  the  open  invitation  to  join 
the  new  Theocracy.  It  would  at  oncae  have  sealed  the  fate  of  His 
people,  for  what  was  offered  to  the  heathen  would,  from  that  %eiy 
fact,  have  been  instantly  rejected  by  the  fanatical  Jew.  lUiorri?*. 

It  was  vain  for  Him  to  seek  rest.  A  woman  of  the  country,  bgr 
language  a  Greek,  by  nationality  a  Canaanite,  and  by  residence  a 
Byrb-Phenicianr-for  Phenicia  was  attached  to  the  Roman  province 
of  Syriar-rperimps  a  heathen,  but,  in  any  case,  of  an  humble  reli^us 
heart,  heard  that  He  was  in  the  neighbourhood.  His  fame  had.  long 
before  spread  so  widely,  that  the  wondrous  ciu:es  He  had  performed 
were  everywhere  known.  Among  others*  this  woman  had  heard  of 
them,  and  maternal  love  was  quick  to  turn  them  to  its  own  uuf^elfish 
ascount.  She  hiacl  a  daughter  "grievously  vexed  with  a  devil,"  and 
at  once  came  over  the  border  to  implore  Jesus  to  have  mercy  on  her 
child.  The  half  belief  that  He  was  the  Messiah  had  spread  even  t^ 
Tyre,  and  was  accepted  in  her  poor  unenlightened  way  by  the  suppli- 
cant. He  was  abroad  with  the  Twelve  when  she  found  Him,  and 
forthwith  entrcrited  Him — "  Lord,  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me," 
She  had  made  lier  child's  trouble  her  own.  Such  an  incident,  at  a 
time  when  He  sought  to  remain  unknown,  must  have  been  very  dis' 
turbing,  for  it  might  put  His  enemies  on  His  track.  From  whate^r 
cautse,  He  took<«o  notice  of  her  pravers.  But  she  would  not  be  denied; 
uid  persis'ientl^  followed  Him  wiui  her  wailing:  petitionfi^  as  UeyfJBBX 
along,  till  the  Twelve,  filled  with  harsh  Jewish  prejudice,  and  mia- 


!■  -I 


':, 


I- 


089 


TJIK  UFE  OF  CmUST. 


taking  t|ie  rpjEUson  of  their  Master's  silence,  grew  indignant  at  her 
pelrtinacfty,' Wd  l)egcfed  Kim  to  sehd  her  away  and  stop  her  crying 
aftie^  them.    That  a  foreigner,  and,  above  all,  a  Oanaantt^,  accurRed 
of  Qod,  should  share  Hi»  mercies,  -v^as,  as  yet,  far  too  liberal  a  con- 
ception f 01^  them.    Did  not  thie  Rabbis  teach  that  t}\e  tn.ce  buih  their 
houi^B  ih  the  nlAihe  of  their  idols,  so  that  evil  spirits  came  and  dwelt 
inilheni'?  and  was  not  Beelzebubnhe  Prince  of  the  Devils,  their  chief 
god?    The  answer  of  Jesus  seemed  to  favour  this  bitter  ex  elusive- 
":'  nested"  He  Wa^  iiot  sent  except  to  the  lost  sheep  .of  the  House  of 
''  Israel!'*    They  little  knew  that  His  help  was  kept  back  only  in  pity 
"for  HW  oWn  tration,  wiiom  metcy  to  abhorred  unclean  Oanaaniti-s 
'';'■■  'wbtiia  cmWtter  against  Him  to  their  own  destruction.    It  was  vain, 
hbwcvei",  i&  try  to  weary  out  a  mdther's  love.    Following  Him  into 
the  house,  though  He  would  fain  have  remained  tinknown,  she  cast 
hei^lf  at  Hii^  feet  <ih(il  j^newed  her  prayen    To  the  T\yelve  she  was 
oHhr  a'  "dog,"  as  thfe  JeWj^  regarded  all  lieathen.    Veiling  the  tender- 
iieag  of  His  heart  ih  affedted  roughness  of  speech,  softened,  doubtless, 
by  the  trdhij)littg  sympathy  of  His  voice  and  His  gentle  looks,  He 
•  fold  lies  that  the  children— Israel,  the  soiis  of  God— must  first  be  fed 
libefore  Others  cbUld  he  hoticed.     "It  is  not  right,"  said  He,  "to  take 
t  the  children's  1)read  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs.  •'    Then,  as  now,  the  trav- 
eller,'enteHng  or  leaving  a  town  dr  village,  had  only  too  much  reason 
to  h^rce  the  ttoopisj  of  lean,  sharp-nosed  masterless  dogs,  whieh 
filled  the  air  With  theii*  caries  as  he  passed,  and  no  one  could  sit  at  a 
hieitrs^'ithout  the  chahce  of  some  of  them  coming  in  at  the  ever-open 
■9'6oj;^  to  pick  up  the  fragments,  always  to  be  found  where  only  the 
ftii^rs  were  used  at  table. 

With  a  Avomiaii's  quickness,  and  a  mother's  invincible  love,  deep- 
ehed  b/lrreptessible  trust  in  Him  whose  face  and  tones  so  contra- 
dicted wis  t^^brds,  even  this  seeming  harshness  was  turned  to  a 
reiSlsttess  appeal.  "Yes,  Lord,"  said  she,  "it  is  true:  still  the  dogs 
ift-e  allowea  to  eat  *Iie  fragments  that  fkll  from  the  children's  table. " 
Bhe  had  ebriquet^d.  "O  woman,"  said  Jesus,  "great  is  thy  faith; 
he  it  untb  thee  as^ thou  Wilt;"'  Hi6  Word  was  enough,  and  going  her 
vvay  she  found',  on  Teaching  her  house,  that  her  daughter,  no  longer 
Ifiviri^r' wasbejrfecltly  ciired,  and  lay  calmly  in  bed,  6nce  more  her 
lelf.  The 'Twelve  had  learned,  at 'last,  that  even  heathen  "dogs" 
were  iiot  to  be  s^ent,  unheard,  away. 

*  HoiV  lon^  Jesuis  stayed  in  these  parts  is  unknown.  It  would  seem 
aib  If  this  inbidept  haa  forced  Him  to  leave  sooner  than  He  had  pro 
posed^.  K6  did  iiot,  however,  return  at  once  to  Gaperoaum,  but  set 
out  riorth-eHStwards,  through  the  territory  of  Sidon,  to  the  country 
ieast  t)f  Jordan.  The  Boman  road  which  ran  over  the  richly  wooded 
tq^lp, 'almost  straight  eastti'ard,  from  Tyre  to  CaesKtrea  Phiiippi,  was 
^00  f  ai*  to  the  south.  He  must  have  taken  the  caravan  road,  which  still 
tuhsfr^m  Sidon  on  the  soiith  side  of  the  mountain  stream  Bostreous, 
^dhntiiiig  tib^  tp^rs  t>f  liebanon,  with  their  woods  and  noble  mouut&in 


THft  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


587 


17^^; 


scenery,  t!1t  it  crosses  the  range  amidst  peaks  six  thousand  feet  high, 
at  the  natural  rock-bridge  over  the  deep,  rnahinff  Leqntea.  Tur^ing, 
now,  down  tlie  valley  of  the  Upper  Jordan,  under  tlie  sU^ow  of  the 
Ilermon  range,  fising  9,500  feet  higli  in  their  highest  peak.  He,  ere- 
iong,  at  Cfcsarea  Philippi,  reached  tlic  open  country,  with  a  wide 
view  of  the  broad  reeay  marshes  of  Ulatha  and  Merom,  the  hills  of 
Galilee,  and  the  wide  uplands  of  Gaulpnitis.  How  long  He  spent 
on  the  Journev  is  not  told,  Perhax»s  He  stopped  by  the  way,  for 
Lebanon  was  full  then,  as  now,  of  villages;, perhaps  lie  only  passed 
through  them  on  His  way.  His  final  purpose  by  this  wide  circuit, 
was  to  reach  His  old  haunts  without  oassing  through  QaUleje;  and  t|u8 
brought  Him,  apparently  for  the  first  time,  to  the  wide  territory  of 
the  ten  allied  free  dtiea-»-the  t)ecapolis. 

These  cities  were  simply  places  which  the  Jews  had  not  succeeded 
in  re-conc^uering,  after  their  return  froju  Babylon.  They  h^d  thus 
remained  m  the  hands  of  the  heathen,  though  in  Palestine;  had  pre- 
served distinct  municipal  government,  and  had  joined  in  a  political 
alliance,  offen,sive  and  defensive.  To  the  Jews  mey  were  a  continual 
offence,  and  they  were  the  first  to  suffer  from  the  frenzied  fanaticism 
of  the  nation  when  it  rose  in  its  last  great  revolt.  Most  of  the^i,  full 
of  busy  life,  and  adorned  with  splendid  temples,  baths,  theatres,  and 
public  buildings,  when  Jesus  passed  through  them,  were  destin^„]i^ 
fore  another  generation,  to  perish  amidst  fire  and  sword.  ajjhm  •. 

Even  here  the  fame  of  the  great  Teacher  attracted  multitudes  of 
Jews  $ettlecl  all  over  the  jialf -foreign  district,  especially  i,n  its  towps 
and  cities,  and  rcvjived  for  a  time  the  cheering  scenes  of  the*past. 
The  cripple,  the  blind,  the4umb,  the  deformed,  and  piany  othere,ivari- 
oiisly  afflicted,  wpre  either  brouglit  to  Him,  or  came;  till  He  was  once 
more  forced,  as  of  old,  to  retreat  to  the  hills,  in  the  vain  efi'ort  to  gain 
quiet.  The  popular  excitement,  however,  made  rest  impossmle. 
They  sought  ana  found  Him  wherever  He  might  be,  ai^d  enjoyed  not 
only  the  benefits  of  His  supernatural  power,  but  the  .richer  blessings 
of  His  teaching.  Only  one  incident  is  given  in  detail.  A  pian  had 
been  brought  to  Him  who  was  deaf,  and  could  only  stammer  in;^r- 
ticulately ;  and  He  was  brought  to  I>eal  hinj.  Fropi  what  motive  is 
not  told.  He  varied  His  usual  course.  Taking  him  aside  from  the 
multitude,  perhaps  to  have  more  freedom,  perhaps  to  avoid  theu*  too 
great  excitement  and  its  possibly  hurtful  political  consequences,  He 
put  His  fingers  into  the  luan's  ears,  and  touched  his  tongue  witli  a 
linger  moistened  on  His  own  lips.  It  may  be  that  tliese  simple  forms 
were  intended  to  waken  faith  m  one  who  could  heai'  no  words,  for, 
without  the  fitting  spirit,  the  miracle  would  not  have  l>een)  wyp^gl^t. 
Looking  up  to  heaven,  as  if  to  lift  the  tlioughts  of  the  unfortunate 
man  to  the  Eternal  Father,  whose  power  alon<^  c6u|d  heal  him,  iJesus 
then,  at  last,^  uttered  the  single  word  of  the  popular  jlial^t-— 
"  Ephpiiatha'V-"  Be  opened"— and  he  lyas  peifctly  cured*  J^ 
injunction  to  keep  the  miracle  private  was  of  mravait:  the  whole 


G88 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHBI8T. 


Mi 


!' 


w 


ill 


fi 


country  W48  presently  filled  with  reports  of  it,  and  of  other  similar 
wonders. 

The  vast  concourse  attracted  by  such  scenes  ma)'  be  Imagined;  for 
in  the  East  especially,  it  is  easy  for  the  population,  with  their  simple 
wants,  and  the  mildness  of  the  sky,  which  in  the  warm  months 
invites  sleeping  in  the  open  air  by  night,  to  camp  out  as  they  think  tit. 
But,  as  often  happens,  even  in  our  own  du^,  witii  the  Easter  pil- 
grims at  Jerusalem,  many  found  their  provisions  run  short,  ana  us 
in  these  strange  and  motley  crowds  numocrs  of  tendia  of  want,  manv 
of  those  following  Jesus  might  have  sunk  by  the  way  but  for  His 
thoughtful  care,  for  numbers  had  come  far.  Once  more  the  crowds 
were  caused  to  sit  on  the  ground,  an^l  were  fed  from  the  scanty  pro- 
vision found  on  the  spot,  which  was  no  morethon  seven  of  the  round 
loaves  of  the  country,  and  a  few  small  dried  fishes  from  the  Lake  of 
Galilee.  Four  thousand  men,  besides  women  and  children,  were 
supplied  from  this  scanty  store,  and  seven  baskets  of  fragments,  after- 
wards gathered,  attested  that  they  had  suffered  no  stint. 

Leaving  the  eastern  side  of  the  Lake,  to  which  His  wanderings  had 
led  Him,  Jesus  now,  once  more,  crossed  to  the  neighbourhood  of 
Magdalu,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  Plain  of  Qcnncsareth,  and  close  to 
Capernaum.  He  had  hardly  reappeared  before  His  enemies  were  once 
mora  in  motion.  The  Pharisees  had  already  stifled  their  dislike  of 
the  Herodians,  and  had  formed  an  alliance  with  them,  that  they 
might  the  more  easily  crush  Him.  It  marked  the  growing  malignity 
of  feeling  that  a  class  fanatically  proud  of  their  ceremonial  and 
moral  purity — a  class  from  whose  midst  had  spnmg  the  Zealots  for 
the  Law,  who  abhorred  all  nile  except  that  of  a  restored  theocracy- 
should  have  banded  themselves  with  a  party  of  moral  IndifTerentists, 
partial  to  monarchy,  and  guilty  of  flattering  even  tlie  hated  family  of 
Herod.  But  a  still  more  ominous  sign  of  mcreasirg  danger  showed 
itself  in  even  Sadducees  joining  the  Pharisees  to  make  ^ew  attempts 
to  compromise  Jesus  with  the  authorities.  '  i^v.,] 

The  Sadducees,  few,  but  haughty  and  powerful,  held  the  highest 
posts  in  the  Jewish  state,  and  represented  the  Law.  They  were  of 
the  priestly  caste,  and  held  the  chief  offices  in  the  hierarchy.  Their 
name  was  perhaps  derived  from  the  famous  ancient  family  of  Zadok, 
of  whom  Kzekiel  speaks  as  having  the  charge  of  the  altar,  and  as, 
alone,  of  the  sons  of  Levi,  appointed  to  come  before  the  Eteraal,  to 
serve  Him.  Joshua,  the  son  of  Jozedek,  the  comrade  of  Zerubbabd, 
w^as  of  this  House,  so  tliat,  after  the  Return,  as  before  it,  it  seems  to 
have  been  the  foremost  among  the  priestly  families.  In  any  case, 
the  Sadducees  of  the  times  of  Josephus  and  the  Apostles  not  only 
held  the  highest  Temple  oflices,  but  represented  the  purest  Jewish 
blood.' 

But  this  priestly  aristocracy  were  by  no  means  the  most  zealous  for 
the  sanctuary  from  which  they  drew  their  honours  and  jvealth.  They 
counted  in  taeir  ancestiy  not  only  high  priests  like  Joshua  and  Simon 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


589 


tlio  Just,  but  traitors  to  Iholr  ('Ountrj'  Hke  Manft^seh,  Monnlniw,  and 
tliu  youngor  Onias.  Alroady,  in  iho  time  of  Ezra  and  Nehe^lfth, 
thoy  had  given  occnalon  for  the  clmrge  that  the  highcat  offlcittlA  hud 
been  foremost  in  breaking  the  theocniti(!  laws,  and  had  even  soiischt 
to  turn  parts  of  tlie  Temple  into  a  splendid  family  mansiou.  They 
Jiad  coquetted  and  debased  their  olflces  to  w'm  favour  with  the 
Ptolemies  and  the  Syrian  kings;  thoy  had  held  back,  in  half  Greek 
Irreligiousncss,  from  taking  a  vigorous  part  in  the  glorious  Macca- 
bcean  struggle,  and  now  truckl';cf  to  heathen  procurators,  or  tvlth  a 
half  heathen  king,  to  preserve  :heir  honours  and  Tested  interests.  'To 
please  Horod,  they  had  admitted  Simon  Bol'thus,  the  Alexandrian, 
the  father  of  the  king's  yoUii-;  wife,  to  the  high  priesthood,  from 
which  a  strict  Jew,  Jesus  tlie  son  of  Phabi,  had  bc^ri  (ixp^fed  to 
make  room  for  him.  '  They  hau  even  shown  fi^ank  and  hearty  sub- 
mission and  loyalty  to  Rom(6. 

The  nation,  with  Its  chosen  religious  leaders,  the  Pharfsefti— the 
representatives  of  the  "Saints"  who  had  conquered  in  the  grent  it'ar 
of  religious  independence-— never  forgot  the  faint-heartedness  and 
treachery  of  the  priestly  nobility  in  that  magnificent  stmgffle. '  Their 
descent  might  secure  its  members  hereditary  posseiision  of  the  digni- 
fied offices  of  the  Church,  and  tjiere  mi^ht  still  be  a  chiUrn  in  theiir 
historical  names;  but  they  were  regarded  with  open  distrust  and  dis- 
like by  the  nation  and  the  Pharisees  alike,  ana  had  to  make  many 
concessions  to  Pharisaic  rules  to  protect  themselves  from  actuM  vio- 
lence. ' '    '  — 

The  strict  fanatical  heads  of  the  8ynago«:^e  and  leaders  of  the  t^- 
ple,  and  th(B  cold  and  polished  Temple  aristocracy,  Were  thus  bitterly 
opposed^  and  it  added  to  tlie  keenest  of  the  dislike  that  the  dreattis 
by  the  Rabbinical,  or  Pharisaic  party,  of  a  restored  theocracy,  could 
oftly  be  realized  through  the  existing  organization  of  the  priesthood, 
of  which  the  indifferent  Sadducees  had  the  control. 

Theological  hatred,  the  bitterest  of  all  passions,  adddd  additional 
intensity  to  this  political  opposition.  The  Saddticees  had  ho  inclina- 
tion to  be  taught  their  duty  by  the  Rabbis  of  village  syna^gues,  and 
rejected  the  whole  body  of  "Pharisaic  tradition  and  jiu'isprudende, 
taking  for  their  only  atithority  the  written  la#*of  Moses,  though  to 
this  were  generally  added  some  traditions  of  their  oWh.  Hdlding 
the  highest  offices  of  the  theocracy,  and  the  members  of  families 
which  had  pfliciuted  in  the  Temple  of  Solomon  itself,  they  disdained 
to  be  taught  what  was  lawful  in  Israel,  or  to  accept  the  hair-splitting 
refinements  of  the  democratic  and  puritan  Pharisees.  Tdthe  con- 
stantly increasing  decisions  and  rcqiiirements  f)f  the  Rabbis,  they 
stolidly  opposed  the  venerable  letter  of  the  ancient  Law.  That  their 
creed  was  cold  and  rationalistic,  copipared  to  that  of  the  Rabbis, 
■was,  perhaps,  the  result  of  tliis  attitude,  but  Was  not  its  cause.  The 
instinctive  conservatism  of  "  the  first  in  rank,"  inevitably  tdcfe  its 
fitand  on  the  original  documents  of  the'  Ldw  in  opposition  lia  tho 


■   '      I'M     1      *■■< 


■■ »    It.- 

til 
it 

ii 
m 


ilijl 


f 


640 


'^iTitXi 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


J-'Sti 


hoated  exaggerations  of  the  pleueian  scnoolmeii 


Both  siiii^s  vniiiited 
their  orthodoxy.  The  Sadduqees  were  as  deeply  committed  to  sup- 
port the  theocrocy  as  their  popular  rivals,  for  it  yv^  the  Hjaas  of  their 
dignities,  their  wealth,  and  even  their  existence.  Pierce  qpntroyer- 
Biea,  often  culminating  in  bloodshed,  marked  tlie  devotion  of  l')oth 
Alike  to  their  opinions,  and  these  opinions  themselves  Uliistra,ted,  the 
position  of  the  two  parties.  The  Sadducees  unifoifnly  fell  hack  on 
the  letter  of  the  Law,  the  prescriptive  rights  of  the  Temple,  and  the 
glory  of  the  priesthood;  the  Pharisees,  on  the  other  hand,  took  Uieir 
stand  on  the  authority  ©f  the  Rahbinical  traditions,  ttie.valtie  of 
sacred  acts  apart  from  the  interposition  of  the  priest^  and  advocated 
popular  interests  geperally. 

The  contrast  between  the  spirit  of  the  two  parties  showed  itself 
prominently  in  the  harsh  tenacity  with  wl^ich  the  Temple  aristocracy 
held  to  the  letter  of  the  Mosaic  liaw  in  its  penalties,  as  opposed  to 
the  milder  spirit  in  which  the  Pharisees  interpreted  them,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  spirit  of  the  times.  The  Pharisees,  for  exampip!,  ex- 
plained the  Mosaic  demand— an  eye  for  an  eye  and  a  toovh  for  a 
tooth^— metaphorically,  and  allowed  recompense  to  be  made  in  money, 
but  the  Sadducees  required  exact  compliance.  Thp  Sadducees  re- 
quired that  the  widow  should  literally  spit  in  the  face  of  the  brother- 
in-law  who  refused  her  the  leyirate  marri-ige  rights,  but  it  was  enough 
for  the  Pharisees  that  she  spat  on  the  ground  before  hjm.  The  Phar- 
isees permitted  the  carcass  of  a  beast  that  had  died  to  be  used  for  any 
other  purpose  than  food,  to  save  loss  to  the  owner,  but  the  Sadducees 
denounced  the  penalties  of  uncleanness  on  so  lax,  a  practice.  They 
fiternly  required  that  a  false  witness  be  put  to  death,  according  to  the 
letter  of  the  Law,  even  if  his  testimony  had  dene  the  accused  no  in- 
jury, and  many  did  not  even  shrink  from  carrying  out  the  reasoning 
of  the  Rabbis]^  that,  as  two  witnesses  were  always  reguired  to  con- 
demn the  accused,  both  witnesses  should  always  be  executed  when 
any  perjury  had  been  committed  in  the  case. 

Tills  blind  insistance  on  the  letter  of  laws  which  ages  had  made 
obsolete,  fixed  on  the  Sadducees  the  name  of  "The  Condemning 
Judges,"  and  Josephus  testifies  that  they  were  more  ruthless  in  their 
judicial  decisions  than  any  other  Jews.  The  Pharisees,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  for  their  axiom  the  saying  of  Joshua  B(^n  Perachia— 
*' Judge  everything  on  the  presumption  of  innocence;"  or  that  of 
Hiliel— "Put  youiself  in  your  neighbour's  place  before  you  judge 
him."  Hence,  a  prisoner  blessed  himself  when  he  saw  opposite  him, 
on  his  judges,  the  broad  phylactery  of  the  Pharisee,  and  not  tlie 
white  robe  of  the  priestly  Sadducee.  Both  our  Lofd  and  St.  Paul 
had  the  multitude  stirred  up  against  them  by  the  Pharisees,  but  they 
were  condemned  by  Sadducee  judges,  and  it  \y,a^,,^adducee  judges 
who  murdered  St.  James.  t  ,    i; 

This  relentless  ferocity  of  priestly  houses,  who  rested  on  the  favour 
ef  the  rich  ar.d  tilled  few,  was  dictated  only  by  the  class  interests  of 


TH:p:  LIFE  OF  CHRIST, 


541 


the  Temple  nobiUty,  wl^ose  claims  and  privileges  could  not  be  justi-. 
fled  i5i<?ej)t  by  the  bfiri^  maintenance  of  things  as  they  were.  Un- 
chiinging  cdiiservatism  was  their  only  safety ;  the  least  innovation 
seeitffed  an  omieii  of  revolution. 

But  there  Were  even  deeper  grounds  of  dislike  and  opposition. 
The  Pharisees,  as  the  hereditary  representatives  of  puritans  who  had 
delivered  the  nation  in  the  great  struggle  against  Syria,  looked  for- 
ward with  touching  though  fanatical  yearning,  to  the  realization  of 
thei  pi;oph^bies  of  Daniel,  vrhicli,  as  they  understood  th^m,  pnymised 


i 


that  Israel,  tinder  the  Messiah,  and  with  it,  themselves,  should  be 
raised  "to  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom;  that  all  peoples, 
nations,  and  languages  should  serve  Him,  and  that  His  kingdom 
should  be  everlasting."  They  believed  that  this  national  triumph 
Would  be  inaugurated  so  sobn'as  Israel,  on  its  part,  carried  out  to  the 
full  the  requirements  of  the  ceremonial  laws,  as  expounded  in  their 
traditions.  It  was  a  matter  of  formal  covenant,  in  which  the  truth 
and  Hghteousness— that  is,  the  justice,  of  Jehovah  were  involved. 
The  ihorals  they  demanded  might  be  only  mechanicial,  and  their  ob- 
servances slavery  to  rites  and  ceremonies,  but  they  believed  that  if 
they  fulfilled  their  part,  God  must  needs  fulfil  His,  and  they  strove 
hard  to  make  the  nation,  like  themselves,  "blameless,"  touching  this 
righteousness;  that  they  might  claim  divine  interposition  as  a  right. 
The  zeal  of  the  Pharisee  for  the  Law  was,  thus,  a  mere  hired  service, 
with  all  the  restlessness,  exaggeration,  emulation,  and  moral  impurity, 
insepjarable  from  a  mercenary  spirit.  ^  ^^'K 

To  this  dream  of  the  future,  the  Sadducees  opposed  a  sfblid  and 
contemptuous  indifference.  Enjoying  the  honours  and  good  things 
of  the  world,  they  had  no  taste  ior  a  revolution  which  should  intro- 
duce, they  knew  not  what,  in  the  place  of  a  state  of  things  with 
wliich  they  were  quite  contented.  Their  fathers  had  had  no  such 
ideas,  Jtnd  the  sons  ridiculed  them.  Thej  not  only  laughed  aside  the 
Pharisait  idea  of  righteousness,  as  identified  with  a  life  of  minute  and 
endless  observance,  but  fell  back  on  the  Mosaic  Law,  and  mocked  at 
the  Messianic  hope  from  which  the  zeal  of  their  rivals  had  sprung. 
"The  Sadducees,"  says  Josephus,  "believe  that  the  soul  dies  with 
the  body,  and  recognize  no  authority  but  tlrat  of  the  Law.  Good 
■svas  to  be  doine  for  its  own  sake,  not  for  reward  in  the  Messianic 
kingdom,  or  at  the  i*esurrection  of  the  dead."  "The  Sadducees," 
says  Rabbi  Nathan,  "  use,  daily,  vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  not  for 
pride,  Ijut  because  the  Pharisees  torment  them'selves  in*tliis  life, 
though  they  v;ill  have  nothing  in  the  next."  As  to  the  world  to 
come,  they  left  it  doubtful,  mamtaining,  if  the  words  in  the  Talmud 
be  not  an  interpolation,  in  opposition  to  the  Pharisees,  that  it  could 
not  be  proved  from  the  Books  of  Moses.  They  even  went  the  length 
of  inventing  difficulties  which  they  supposed  involved  in  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead.  "They  believe  neither  in  the  resurrection,  nor 
in  angel,  nor  spirit,  bui  the  Pharisees  confess  both,"  says  St.  Luke. 


5    •  f 
,'    I)  Its 

'I  m 


«■    1): 


■  m  i 


i!     ! 


m 


TflE  LIF^  OF  CHRIST. 


ills; 


•  %  4fl  tills  was  addied  the'  eihbfttennent  of  opposite  tietfrsMn  the 
great  subject  of  human  freedom  and  divinte  foreknowledge.  Like 
all  puritans,  the  Pharisees  exalted  the  latter  though  they  diH  hot  dehy 
the  former.  They  had  a  profound  belief  in  Providence,  undetstafna- 
ing  by  it  that  the^'^  themselves  were  the  'favourites  of  Jehovah,  and 
could  bourit  on  His  taking  their  side.  "The  Sadducees,"  Says  Jose- 
phus,  "  maintain  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  predestiilation.'and 
deny  that  tiuman  affairs  are  regulated  by  it,  maintaining  that  our  des- 
tiny rests  with  ourselves;  that  we  are  the  cause  of  oiir  own  good  for- 
tune, arid  bring  evil  on  us  by  our  own  folly.  The  Sadducee  was,  In 
fact,  a  mete  man  of  the  world,  believing  only  in  th6  present:  the 
Pharisee,  a  mystic,  to  whom  the  future  and  the  supernatural  were  all. 

The  nation  zealously  supported  the  Pharisees.  The  spirit  of  the 
age  w^as  against  the  Sadducees.  The  multitude  disliked  to  hear  thai 
what  the  Maccabaeans  had  defended  with  their  tlccd  was  uncanon- 
ical.  They  yielded  cheerfully  to  the  heavy  yoke  of  the  Fhaiisaic 
I?abbjs,  for,  jihe  mote  burdensome  the  duties  required,  the  greatOt'the 
future  reward  for  performance!  The  Pharisees,  moreover,  wetfe  pan 
6f  the  people,  mingled  habitually  with  them  as  their  spiritual  guided, 
and  were  the  examples  of  exact  obedience  to  their  own  precept^ 
Their  Messianic  dreams  were  of  national  glory,  and  thus  the  crowd 
saw  in  them  the  representatives  of  their  own  fondest  aspirations. 
The  Sadducees — isolated,  haughty,  harsh,  and  unnational—- were 
hated:  their  rivals  honoured  and  followed.  Tlie  extra vagah^cis  and 
thehvpocrisy  of  some  might  be  ridiculed,  Lut  they  weixi  the  accepted 
popular lea&s.   ".J-', f,      '  •      • 

Indeed,  apart  frcJrii  all  other  considerations,  the  fact  that  the  Sad- 
ducees supported  zealously  every  government  in  turn;  was  chough  to 
set  the  people  against  them.  Instead  of  this,  the  Phatisees  shared 
and  fostered  the  patriotic  and  religious  abhorrence  of  thd  Homau 
supremacy,  and  were  sWOrn  enemies  of  the  hated  Herodiaii  family. 
The  result  was  that,  in  the  words  of  JOsephus,  "the  Pharisees  had 
such  an  influence  with  the  people,  that  nothing  could  be  done  about 
divine  worship,  prayers,  or  sacrifices,  except  according  to  their  wishes 
and  rules,  for  the  community  believed  they  sought  only  the  loftiest 
and  worthiest  aims  alike  in  word  and  deed.  The  Saaducees  were 
few  in  number;  and  though  they  belonged  to  the  higliost  ranks,  had  ^ 
so  little  influence,  that  when  elected  to  office,  they  wete  forced  to 
comply  with  the  ritual  of  the  Pharisees  from  fear  of  the  people." 

There  were,  doubtless,  many  priests  who  were  not  Sadducees — men 
serving  God  humbly ;  devoted  to  their  sacred  duties,  and  livini,^  in 
full  sympathy  of  tkouglit  and  life  with  the  Pharisees.  In  the  dis- 
putes with  Jesus,  we  may  be  sure  that  many  such  Pharisaic  priests; 
the  great  company,  perhaps,  who,  w'ithin  a  short  time  after  Ills 
death,  became  "obedient  to  the  Faith,"  took  no  part  in  the  fierce 
malignity  of  their  brethren.  But,  now,  for  the  first  time,  the  Saddu- 
cees— haughty  clerical  aristocrats  of  the  Temple—  Joined  with  the 


THE  HFE  OP  CHRIST. 


^49 


Ijatpd  viijgar  Pliarisee  of  the  Synagogue  to  accomplish  the  destruction 
of  the  new,Teaqher.  It  was  the  most  ominous  sign  pf  the  Ijeglun^^ 
of  the  end  that  had  yet  appeared.  ,   V 

:  Eager  £oi-  a  fresh'dispute,  the  strange  allies,  very  likely  fresh  froiri 
Jerusalem,  no  sooner  found  that  He  Txad  returned,  than  tliey  sallied 
lortb  to  open  a  discussion.  *•  You  claim,"  said  they,  "  to  be  a  teacher 
come  from  God,  and  have  given  many  '  signs '  that  you  are  so  in  thj3 
miracles  you  have  performed.  But  all  these  signs  have  been  untrust- 
worthy, for  we  know  that  the  earth  and  even  the  air  are  filled  with 
demops.  jt  is  quite  possible  that  the  prince  of  the  devils,  to  deeeivo 
men  into  supportipg  your  claims,  may  have  given  you  powev  ^OJ"  '* 
time  over  these  demons,  and  thus  all  that  you  have  done  may  be  only 
a  dark  plot  to  undo  us.  The  Egyptian  magicians  did  miracles,  an'l 
our  fathers  did  not  believe  even  Moses  for  the  common  wonders  ae 
did,  for  they  might  have  been  wrought  only  by  magic^and  incanta- 
tions. A  s^gn  from  heaven,  however,  is  different.  It  is  heyorid  the 
power  of  devils:  '  they  cau  neither  shine  like  the  sun,  nor  giv^j  light 
like  the  moon,  nor  give  rain  unto  men.'  Our  Rabbis  tell  us  that  when 
the  King-Messias  comics,  and  the  great  war  between  Gog  and  Magog 
begins,  signs  from  heaven  will  appear.  We  are  not  to  expect  Him  till 
a  rainbow  has  spanned  the  world  and  filled  it  with  light.  Give  ua 
bread  from  heaven,  as  Mpses  did,  or  signs  in  the  sun  and  moon  like 
Joshua,  or  call  down  thunder  and  hail  like  Samuel,  or  fire  and  rain 
like  Elijah,  or  make  the  sun  turn  back  like  Isaiah,  or  let  us  hear  the 
Bath  Kol  which  came  to  Simon  the  Just— that  we  may  believe  you." 

But  Jesus  knew  the  men  with  whom  He  had  to  do,  and  would  hold 
no  communication  with  them  beyond  the  shortest.  Tlie  tempter  had 
long  before  urged  Him  to  make  a  vain  display  of  His  supernatural 
|)ower  in  support  of  His  claims,  but  as  it  was  monstrous  that  miracles 
should  be  thrown  away  on  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  or  wrought  at  his 
Will,  it  was  no  less  so  to  work  them  at  the  bidding  of  men  filled  with 
his  spirit.  The  worth  of*  proof  depends  on  the  openness  to  convic- 
tion. He  had  already  said  that  to  cast  pearls  before  wild  swine,  was 
only  to  invite  them  to  turn  and  rend  you.  No  "sign"  could  avail 
v*'iiere  there  was  no  sympathy.  The  truth  He  came  to  proclaim  ap- 
pealed to  the  heart,  and  must  1  e  its  own  evidence,  winning  its  way 
hy  its  own  divine  beauty  into  humble  and  ready  breasts.  External 
proofs  could  only  establish  external  facts. 

With  biting  irony  He  turned  on  them  in  a  few  brief  incisive  sen- 
tences.- .  "How  is  it  that  ye,  who  are  so  skilled  in  the  signs  of  the 
hf'iivens,  ai*e  so  dull  to  read  those  around  you?  You  watch  the  sky, 
and  talk, of  signs  in  it.  In  the  evening  you  say,  '  Fair  weather,  for 
the  sky  is  r(;d;'  nnd  in  the  mornins;,  '  Foul  weather  to-day,  for  the  sky 
is  red  and  lowering.'.  When  j'^ou  see  a  chmd  rising  in  the  west,  you 
siiy,  '  there  comes  a  shower;'  when  you  see  a  south  wind  blowmg, 
you  s^,  *  TWe  will  be  heat.'  You  pretend  to  tell,  by  the  way  live 
smoke  blows  on  the  last  evening  of  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  what 


i<9 

■ 

i 

ffi 

1 

H 

1 

1 

'« 

1 

n 

1 

1 

.  >iD1 

II 

1 


S  I  I '' 


V 


\.i 


I ,  I 


m 


THE  tltTE  OF  CHRIST. 


weather  there  will  be  for  the  year.  If  it  turn  iM)rthward,  you  say  there 
will  be  much  rain,  and  the  poor  will  rejoice ;  if  it  turn  south,  you  bay 
the  rich  will  rejoice  and  the  poor  mourn,  for  ther^  wiU  be  Utrtle  raiu',. 
if  it  yirn  eastward,  all  rejoice:  if  westward,  all  mourn.  If  God  have 
been  so  gracious  to  men  as  to  give  signs  of  fair  weather,  of  wind,  and 
of  rain,  how  much  more  must  He  have  given  signs  of  the  near  ap- 
proach of  the  Messiah?  You  are  diligent  to  excess  in  studying  the 
sky,  but  you  ask  signs  of  my  being  the  Messiah  as  if  none  had  been 
given,  when  many  unmistakable  6nt;s  invite  you  in  your  own  Scrip- 
tures, in  the  events  of  the  day,  the  preaching  of  John,  and  in  my 
own  miracles,  teaching,  and  life.  An  evil  and  adulterous  generation 
seeks  after  a  sign  of  the  approach  of  the  kingdom  of  God  to  suit  it, 
while  it  is  blind  to  the  signs  around,  that  the  Messiah  must  come,  if 
the  nation  is  not  to  perish.  I  will  give  you  no  sign  but  that  of  the 
prophet  Jonah,  for  as  the  warning^of  his  words,  was  the  only  one 
given  to  the  Ninevites,  my  preaching  will  be  the  only  sign  given  to 
you.  It  is  its  own  evidence.  Apart  from  my  miracles;  my  life, 
and  the  divine  and  heavenly  truth  I  preach,  are  sufficient  proof  lliat 
I  ain  sent  by  God.  Hereafter,  indeed,  Jonah  will  become  a  sign  in 
another  sense,  for  as  he  was  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  whale's 
belly,  so  I,  when  put  to  death,  shall  be  the  same  time  in  the  grave." 

So  saying,  He  left  them.  It  was  clearly  unsafe  to  stay  in  their  neigh- 
bourhood. Henceforth  He  could  only  lead  a  fugitive  outlawed  life, 
and  With  a  deep  sigh  at  the  hopelessness  of  winning  over  men  blinded 
by  prejuice,  and  hardened  in  heart,  He  entered  the  boat  once  more, 
and  crossed  the  Lake  to  the  lonely  and  secure  eastern  side. 


CHAPTER  XLVI.    . 

IN  FLIGHT  ONCE   MORE. 

The  renewed  attempt  to  involve  Jesus  in  a  damaging  dispute  had 
failed.  He  had  not  made  an  ostentatious  display  of  supernatural 
power  at  the  biddinj^of  His  enemies,  but  had  turned  sharply  on  them, 
and  had  left  them  discomfited  before  the  multitude.  They  had  hoped 
to  have  depreciated  Him  as  a  mere  unauthorized  intruder  into  .Ik 
office  of  Rabbi,  and  to  have  had  an  easy  triumph,  but  His  modest,  yet 
dignified  and  keen  retort  had  put  them  to  shame.  Their  bitterness 
against  one,  now  hated  and  feared  more  than  ever,  was  so  much  the 
gieater. 

His  departure  that  autumn  evening  miglit  well  have  saddened  His 
heart.  It  was  His  final  rejection  on  the  very  spot  where  He  had 
laboured  most,  and  He  was  leaving  it,  to  return,  indeed,  for  a  passing 
visit,  but  aever  to  appear  again  publicly,  or  to  teach,  or  work  miracles. 
As  the  joat  swept  out  into  the  Lake,  and  the  wholff  sceue  opened 
before   Him— the  white   beach,  the  green  plain,  the  wooded  hills 


THE  I^IFE  OF  CHRI&T. 


545 


ou  say 
erain; 
d  have 
id,  and 
ear  ap- 
in!|  the 
idlieen 
Scrip- 
in  my 
eration 
suit  it,; 
;ome,  if 
t  of  the 
nly  one 
riven  to 
ny  Ufe, 
oof  iliat 
I  sign  iu 
I  -whale's 
:rave." 
ir  neigh- 
wed  life, 
,  blinded 
e  more, 


I  • 


jute  had 
brnatural 

)n  them, 
|id  hoped 

into  Jic 
Idest,  yet 
bitterness 

luch  the 

med  His 

He  had 

passing 

liracles. 

opened 

led  hills 


behind,  the  whit?  houpes  reflected  in  the  water,  a^d  over  them  the 
statfeiy  synag6gue,  ih  which  He  had  taught  so  often,  and  done  such 
mighty  acts,— 4t  was  no  wonder  that  He  sighed  deeply  in  spirit,  borne 
down  by  the  thotight  of  the  darkened  mind,  the  perverted  conscience, 
and  the  stony  heart  that  had  rejected  the  things  of  their  peace. 

As  He  siat  in  the  boat  amidst  His  disciples  He  was  still  full  of  such 
thoughts.  They  had  heard  His  words  to  His  enemies,  but  they  did 
not  seem  to  have  realisied  all  the  danger  implied  in  the  incident. 
Many  had  been  led  away  from  Him  by  the  deceitful  (slanders,  or 
specious  arguments  of  the  hierarchical  party,  and  it  was  w^U  that 
they  should  be  put  on  their  guard. 

''Take  heed,  beware,"  said  He  solemnly,  "of  the  leaven  of  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  and  of  the  party  of.  Herod."  It  so  hap- 
hcned;  however,  that  in  tlieir  hurried  flight,  having  hafl  no  time  to 
lay  in  provisions,  there  was  only  one  loaf  in  the  boat,  and  with 
the  childishness  of  uneducated  minds,  they  at  once  fancied  He 
referred  to  their  having  come  without  bread.  At  the  well  of  Samaria 
they  had  thought  He  referred  to  common  food  Avheu  He  spoko  of  the 
meat  of  the  soul;  they  had  been  as  dull  in  caiching^  the  metaphor  of 
His  flesh  being  the  »read  of  life,  and  hereafter  tiiey  were  to  think 
only  of  natural  rest  when  He  spoke  of  the  dead  Lazarus  as  sleeping. 
Reflection,  like  continuity  of  thought,  comes  only  with  mental  train- 
ing.  The  uncultured  mind,  whether  old  or  young,  learns  slowly. 
They  might  have  I'emembered  from  the  twice  repeated  miraculous. 
feelings  df  the  multitude,  that  it  was  indifferent  how  little  they  had 
with  them  when  their  Master  was  in  their  midst,  but  it  needs  a 
thoughtfulnewss  and  depth  beyond  that  of  average  fishermen  and 
peasants,  such  as  they  weio,  10  reason  and  reflect.  "He  tells  us," 
tliey  whispered,  "  tliat  if  we  buy  breaci  from  a  Pharisee  or  a  Sad- 
(lucee,  the  bread  would  defile  us,  as  it  woidd  if  mo  bought  it  from  a 
Stimaritan, "  So  rude  was  the  spiritual  material  from  which  Jesus 
had  to  create  the  founders  of. Christianity  1 

"  O  ye  of  little  faith,"  interrupted  He,  "  why  do  ye  reason  among 
yourselves  because  ye  have  no  loaves?    Are  your  heails  hardened 
timt  you  cannot  understand?    Have  you  forgotten  when  I  broke  the 
five  loaves  among  the  five  thousand,  and  the  seven  among  the  four 
tlioiiSctrd,  how  many  baskets  and  wallets  full  of  fragments  ye  took 
up?    How  could  you  think  you  would  ever  want  after  that,  wliether  ; 
we  had  bread  with  us  or  not?    Do  you  not  see  that  when  I  spoke  of  / 
loaves  I  was  thinking  not  of  loavey,  but  of  instruction?    Beware  of 
the  teaching  of  the  Pharisees,  Sadducees,  and  Herodians,  about  me  or  1 
about  religion.     They  would  gladly  fill  your  minds  with  slanders  and  * 
misleading  fancies;  draw  you  away  from  me;  and  corrupt  your  hearts 
by  their  superstition,  and  religious  acting,  and  sell-rigliteoas  pride,  or 
by  their  worklUness  and' unbelief." 

The  cours(;  ot  the  boat  was  directed  to  the  head  of  the  Lake^  to 
Bethsaida^  newly  renamed  Julias  by  the  t^trarch  Philig,  in  liongur  clI: 


I  It 


m 


I,  <^ 


^W 


i  f. 


r; 


9^ 


THE  MFB  OF  CHRIST. 


the  daughter  of  Augustus,  his  patron.  The  oW  name  of  the  village 
had  not  yet  been  lofet,  however.  It  was  on  the  route  to  the  district  to 
which  Jesus  was  hurrying,  and  might  well  have  detained  Him  as  a 
resting  place,  under  other  circumstances.  Lying  on  the  green  hill 
above  the  plain  of  Batiha — the  scene  of  the  miraculous  feeding-?-it 
overlooked,  at  a  short  distance,  the  entrance  of  the  Jordan  into  the 
Lake.  To  the  west  stretched  the  wide  tract  of  black  basalt,  rough 
and  baiTen,  reaching  from  the  marshes  of  Jordan,  dotted  with  buf- 
fah^es  luxuriaiting  in  the  mire,  to  Ghorazin  and  Capernaum.  To  the 
south  rose  the  Ijare  tableland  on  the  east  of  the  Lake,  and  the  town 
itself,  boasting'^he  splendid  tomb  just  built  by  Philip,  for  his  own 
use,  was  not  wanting  in  beauty.  But  Jesus  had  no  leisure  to  stay, 
ror  was  tiiere  an  iuciucement  in  any  kindly  bearing  of  the  population 
towards  Him.  He  had  often  taught  in  their  streets  and  synagogue, 
{>nd  had  lived  in  their  houses,  and  done  many  mighty  works  before 
tiiom,  yet,  like  the  people  of  Chorazin  and  Caperpaum,  they  had 
listened  to  their  Rabbis  rather  than  to  Him,  and  had  refused  to 
I'epent.  There  still,  however,  were  some  who  had  better  thoughts, 
and  these,  seeing  Him  enter  the  town,  hurriedly  brought  a  blind  man, 
tvnd  besought  Him  to  touch  him.  Even  in  a  place  that  would  not 
bear  Him.  His  tender  heart  could  not  withhold  its  pit3\  It  would 
have  attracted  notice  when  He  most  sought  to  avoid  it,  had  Heihealed 
the  sufferer  in  the  public  street,  and,  therefore,  taking  him  by  the 
hand.  He  led  him  into  the  fields  outside.  He  might  have  wrought  the 
cure  by  a  word,  but  He  chose  to  use  the  same  simple  form  as  in  the 
ctise  of  the  dumb  man  in  the  Decapolis.  Touching  the  blind  eyes 
■with  His  moistened  linger,  perhaps  to  an-c-st  the  wandering  thoughts- 
and  predispose  him  to  trust  in  the  Healer,  He  asked  the  blind  man 
"if'hesaw  au^htV"  The  supernatuml  power  of  the  touch  had  had 
due  effect.  With  upturned  eyes,  the  hitherto  blind  could  see  indis- 
tinctly. Men  rnoved  before  him,  in  undeflned  haze,  like  trees.  The 
partial  cure  must  have  LtreTJgthened  his  faith,  and  thus  prepared  him 
for  perfect  restoration.  Another  touch,  and  he  could  see  clearly,  fur 
and  near.  "Oo  to  j'our  home,"  said  Jesus,  "without  returning  to 
(he  town,  and  tell  no  one  about  it."  The  less  publicity  given  tip. His 
acts  or  words;  the  safer  for  Christ.  '  -^i.vrj 

The  retreat  to  which  Jesus  was  making  was  the  town  of  Cajsarea 
Philippi.  It  lay  on  the  north-cast  of  the  reedy  and  marshy  plain  of 
El  Hulch.  It  was  close  to  Dan,  the  extreme  north  of  the  bounds  of 
ancient  Lsrael,  as  Beersheba  v^as  the  extreme  south.  It  was  almost  on 
a  line  with  Tyre,  and  thus,  far  out  of  the  reach  of  the  Rabbis  and 
High  Priests.  A  town,  Baal-Gad — named  from  Ihc  Canaanitc  god 
of  fortune — had  occupied  the  site  from  immemorial  antiquity,  but 
Philip  had  rebuilt  it  splendidly,  three  years  before  Christ's  birth,  and. 
in  accordauce  with  the  prevailing  flattery  of  the  Emperor,  had  called 
ItClegfiarei.,  in  honour  of  Augustus.  It  had  been  tlie  pleasure  of  hia 
peaeefiil  j?eiga  to  adorn  it  with  altars,  votive  images,  and  statues,  and 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHBIST. 


\ 


647 


his  ownnAme  had  been  added  by  the  people,  to  distinguish  it  from^ 
the  Ceesarea  on  the  sea-coast.  Herod  the  Great,  Philip's  father,  had 
already,  nineteen  years  before  Christ,  in  grateful  acknoMrledgment 
of  the  gift  of  the  districts  of  Panias  and  Ulatha,  adorned  the  spot 
with  a  grand  temple  of  white  marble,  in  heathen  flattery  ot  the 
Emi^eror,  deified,  thus,  while  still  alive,  by  the  king  of  the  Jews. 
The  worship  of  the  shepherd  god  Path  to  whom  a  cave  out  of  which 
burst  the.  waters  of  the  Jordan,  was  sacred,  had  given  its  second 
name — Panias — now,  Banias — to  the  place.  It  was  one  of  the  loveliest 
spots  in  the  Holy  Land,  built  on  a  terrace  of  rock,  part  of  the  ranges 
of  Hermon,  wliich  rose  behind  it  seven  or  eight  thousand  feet.  Count- 
less streams  murmured  down  the  slopes,  amidst  a  unique  richness 
and  variety  of  flower^  and  shrub,  and  tree.  The  chief  source  of  the 
Jordan,  still  bursts  in  a  full  silver-clear  stream  from  a  bottomless 
depth  of  water,  in  the  old  cave  of  Pan,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain, 
from  beneath  a  high  perpendicular  wall  of  rock,  adorned  with  niches 
once  filled  with  marble  Naiads  of  the  ^stream  and  Satyrs  of  the  woods; 
and  with  countless  votive  tablets;  but  now  strewn  round  with  the 
ruins  of  the  shepherd  god's  ancient  temple.  Thick  woods  still  shade 
the  channel  of  the  voung  river.  Oaks  and  olive  groves  alternate 
with  pastures  and  fields  of  grain,  and  high  over  all  rises  the  old  castle 
of  Banias,  perhaps  the  "Tower  of  Lebanon  that  looketh  towards 
Daraascuii,"  of  the  song  of  Solomon. 

•  Td  this  scene  Jesus  had  now  come,  and  might  have  found  in  the 
charms  of  nature  a  balm  for  His  tired  and  stricken  heart,  had  He 
been  free  to  think  of  such  outward  charms.  From  the  hill  on  which 
the  town  stood — one  of  the  lower  spurs  of  Hermon — the  view  rahj^ed 
over  all  northern  Palestine,  from  the  plains  of  Phenicia,  to  the  hills 
of  Samaria.  In  the  north-west  rose  the  dark  gigantic  mountain 
forms  of  Lebanon ;  to  the  south  stretched  out  the  rich  table-land  of 
the  Hauran.  From  Hermon,  not  from  Zion,  or  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
one  bdaolds  "the  good  land,  the  land  of  brooks,  of  waters,  of  fouv 
tains,  of  depths  that  spring  out  of  the  valleys  and  hills;  a  land  i)t 
wheat  and  barley,  and  vines,  and  fig-trees,  and  pomegranates;  a  Ian  J  , 
of  oil  olive,  and  honey."  Far  and  near  the  surpassingly  fruitful 
landscape  was  watered  by  sparkling  brooks  flowing  into  the  main 
stream  of  Jordan,  here  only  twenty  steps  broad,  So  far  back  as  the 
days  of  the  Judges,  the  children  of  Dan,  wandering  hither  from  the 
south,  had  found  it  to  want  notliing  that  earth  could  give.  Wheat 
fields  alternated  with  fields  of  barley,  maize,  sesame,  and  rice,  olive 
orchards,  meadows,  and  flov^ry  pastures,  the  delight  of  countless 
bees; and  tiie  slopes  were  covered  with  woods,  vocal  with  the  songs 
of  birds. 

But  even  Jesus  had  few  thoughts,  at  such  a  time,  for  such  natural 
charms.    He  was  a  fugitive  and  outlaw,  rejected  by  the  nation  He 
had  come  to  save;  safe  only  because  He  wsis  outside  the  bound^^pti 
Isi^l,  in  a  heathen  region.    It  was  blear  that  His  public  work  wa« 


Ma 


THi;,JfeIJfB..OF  CHR^SJ,^ 


''i  '»! 


virtually  over,  for  oven  In  Gjilileo,  where  multitiidcji  had  followed, 
Hiin,*.Wa  popitlaritv  had  wnned  under  the  calumnies  of  the  Rabbis, 
and  His  steady  refusal  to  sanction  the  popular  conception  of  the 
Messiah.  From  the  moment  they  had  neen  thnt  He  sought  only 
spiritual  aims,  aind  was  not  a  second  Judas  the  Galilfean,  thc3r  had 
gone  back  to  thel?  own  teachers,  who  favoured  the  national  views, 
and  instead  of  d«manding  repentance  and  a  new  life,  recognized  them 
as  the  favourites  of  Jehovah,  and  the  predestined  heirs  of  the  Mes- 
siah's Kingdom.  The  death  of  the  Baptist  foretold  His  own  fate. 
Tlie  crisis  of  His  life  had  come.  If  He  had  won  few  true  followers, 
He  had  securely  founded  the  New  Kingdom  of  God.  It  might 
indeed,  as  yet  be  but  a  seed  in  the  great  field  of  the  world,  or  a  speck 
of  leaven  in  tue  vast  mass  of  humanity ;  but  the  seed  would  multiply 
itself  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  the  leaven  would  slowly  but 
surely  spread,  ago  after  age,  through  the  whole  race  of  man.  His 
own  deatli  would  now  no  longer  be  fatal  to  the  New  Society ;  tlui 
germ  of  it«  fullest  development  Avould  survive  in  the  little  circle 
of  the  Twelve,  and  of  the  few  other  faithful  souls  who  had  received 
Him.  ' 

But  it  was  necessary  tlmt  the  .band  to  whom  the  spread  of  His 
Kingdom  after  His  death  would  be  entrusted  should  be  confirmed  hi 
their  faith,  and  enlightened  by  explicit  disclosures  of  His  relations 
to  themselves  and  to  it.  There  was  much,  even  in  their  humble  and 
honest  hearts,  that  needed  correction  and  elevation.  They  were  Jejivg, 
trained  in  the  theology  of  His  enemies,  a  id  still  unconsciously  in-' 
fluonced  by  it  to  a  gr«at  extent. 

Jesus  had  utterly  diilterent  conceptions  of  His  kingdom  from 
theirs,  and,  therefore,  had  not,  as  yet,  claimed  the  title  of" Messiah  in 
any  formal  way,  even  in  the  circle  of  the  Twelve,  though  He  hud 
never  hesitated  to  accept  homage,  as  such,  when  it  was  offered. 
Once,  to  the  Samaritan  woman,  and  once,  by  silent  assent,  to  the 
Twelve,  He  had  assumed  the  awful  dignity,  and  the  whole  spirit  ot 
His  teaching  and  life  Implied  His  claim  to  it.  But,  even  to  the 
Twelve,  there  had  been  a  reticence  and  caution,  that  He  might  not 
anticipate  the  development  of  their  religious  nature,  and  disclose  a 
mystery  they  w^ere,  as  yet,  unable  to  receive.  Before  the  people  at 
larj^e  ihi  had  never  assumed  the  Messiabship,  for,  with  their  gross 
political  ideas,  to  have  done  so  would  have  been  to  bring  Himself 
into  collision  with  the  State  at  once.  He  had  even,  as  far  as  possible, 
kept  His  supernatural  work  in  the  background,  shunning  publicity 
as  a  worker  of  mirach^s,  and  leaving  the  progress  of  His  kingdom 
rather  to  the  divine  b(uiuty  of  His  teaching  and  life.  To  have  put 
Himself  forward,  from  the  first,  as  the  Messiah,  would  have  closed  at 
once  all  avenues  of  influence,  for  He  was  in  every  way  the  verj'-  op- 
posite of  the  national  id'-«t^.  They  expected  their  race  to  be  exalted 
to  supreme  honour  and  power.  He  sought  to  humble  them  to  the 
lowliest  contrition.     They  expected    that,  under*  the  Messiali,  tho 


?-5- 


THE  LfFE  OF  CHRIST. 


(^ 


heathen  would  bow  before  Israel ;  He  proclaimed  that  the  heathei^  ' 
were  to  have  equal  rank  and  rights  with  "  the  people  of  Qod.**  They 
expected  that  the  tracjitious  of  the  Rabl)is,  with  their  infinite  observ-'' 
ances,  were  to  be  made  the  law  for  all  countries  and  ages;  He  an- 
nounced tlieir  utter  abrogation,  and  the  establisfhment  of  a  new  cove- 
nant of  filial  liberty  with  men  at  large,  in  place  of  the  old  covenant 
with  a  singU  people.     They  expecteda  sudden  and  violent  politfcal ' 
convulsion,  heraided  by  a  disturbance  of  the  order  of  nature  by  un- 
precedented sighs  atid  wonders  in  the  heavens,  and  on  eai'th,  and  of 
the  history  of  nation:^,    He  taught  that  the  Messianic  kingdom  would 
Im?  i)rought  about  only  by  the  silent  might  of  woMs,  and  of  the 
Spirit  of  Ood,  renewing  all  natural,  and  moral  relations  of  men,  but 
only  by  a  slow  and  well-nigh  imperceptible  advance.    Not  only  the 
nation,  but  even  the  Tw'elve,  had  utterly  to  unlearn  the  fixed  ideas 
of  the  past,  before  a  spiritual  Messiahship  could  be  welcome  to  them. 
How  difficult  that  was,'  is  shown  by  the   request  of  Salome,  th^* 
mother  of  Janies  and  John,  after  the  diaciples  had  formally  acknowl- 
edged their  Leader  as  the  Messiah,  that  hCr  two  sons  should  sit  id. 
the  high  places  of  honour^  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  Messianib' 
throne. 

In  the  conscious  divinity  of  His  nature,  Jesus  had  never  yet  asked ^ 
the  Twelve  any  question  respecting  Himself,  but  it  was  necessary/ [ 
now  that  the  end  was  approaching,  that  they  shduld  know  Him"  la' 
Hi?  true  dignity.  He  must  reveal  Himself  definitely  as  the  Messiah; 
and  be  formally  accepted  as  such.  To  have  Confined  Himself,  like 
.Jolin,  to  the  announcement  of  the  kingdom  of  God  as  at  hand,  woiilid 
have  left  that  kingdom  incomplete,  and  have  created  expectations  df. 
the  future  advent  of  some  other  an  its  Head.  Without  k  perisonfil 
centre  round  which  to  gather,  the  work  of  His  life  would  have  f aided 
away  with  His  death.  He  Himself,  in  the  deathless  beatity  of '  His 
life.and  the  infinite  attractiveness  of  His  self-sacrificing  death,  must 
necessarily  be  the  abiding  sduI  of  the  new  Society  through  all  ages, 
for  its  luadameutal  principle,  from  the  first,  had'been  personal  wto 
towarrls  Him.  His  words,  His  whole  life, His. Voluntary  humiliation* 
tlie  transcendent  self-restraint  and  self-denial  which  had  used  uu'-' 
limited  supernatural  power  only  for  others;  and  had  submitted  to 
poverty,  obscurity,  and  opposition,  erelong  to  culminate  in  the  en*-^ 
durance  of  a  violent  death  for  the  good  of  mankind,  raised  Hirii  to 
a  divine  and  pei-feot  ideal  of  love  and  goodness,  which,  of  itself,  pro- 
claimed Him  the  King — that  is,  the  3Iessiali — in  the  new  kingdom 
lie  had  founded.  "The  love  of  Christ"  was  to  be  the  watchword 
of  His  followers  in  all  ages:  the  sentiment  that  would  nerve  them 
to  endure  triumphantly  the  bitterest  persecutions,  and  even  death: 
that  would  constrain  them  to  life-long  devotion  to  His  fcause;  in  obe- 
dience to  His  commands,  and  in  imitation  of  His  example.  The' 
words  of  a  future  disciple,  St.  Paul,  would  be  only  the  utterance  of 
all  others  worthy  the  name,  in  every  age.     * '  The  love  of  Christ  tfott- 


\  Ml 


it  ^"^ 


t  •  *    hi 


f  t's 


t 


'Ml 


m^ 


THE  LIFE  OP  C1IRI8T. 


fltraincth  us."  With  St.  John,  tlicy  would  "love  llirn  Incauso  He 
first  loved  vie."  He  had  founded  a  kingdom,  for  the  first  apd  only 
time  in  history,  on  personal  lovfc  to  tlie  founder,  and,  as  Kueh,  He 
must  definitely  reveal  Hira.self  in  Yis  spiritual  relation  to  it  as,  hence- 
forth,  its  recognized  Messiah-Kinff, 

A  crisis  so  momentous  in  the  development  of  His  great  work  must 
have  profoundly  affected  a  nature,  sensitive  and  li6ly,  like  His.  His 
wholo  life  was  an  unbroken  communion  with  His  Father  in  Heaven, 
but  tiiere  were  momenta  when  this  passion  of  the  soul  ai)peared  to 
grow  more  intense.  His  human  weakness,  though  unstamed  by  evil, 
.was  fain  to  strengthen  itself  by  the  near  pres>ence  of  His  Father 
above,  with  whom  every  beat  of  His  thoughts  moved  in  undibturbed 
and  awful  harmony.  In  all  His  temptations,  Ye  had  ever  betaken 
Himself  to  prayer,  and,  nov;,  when  Israel  had  rejected  Him,  nud 
there  rose  hefore  Him  only  the  vision  of  the  Gross;  when  His  king- 
dom, more  cleaily  than  ever,  was  to  go  forth  to  conquer  the  world 
only  from  the  gates  of  His  opened  grave;  when  lie  had,  therefore, 
while  yet  with  them,  to  take  His  seat  among  tlioae  in  whc^m  that 
kingdom  had  its  first  subjects, — as  its  Messiali-Kiug — the  moment 
■was  one  of  unspeakable  sublimity. 

He  had,  tlius,  beep  absorbed  in  tliought  and  separated  in  fervent 
prayer,  as  they  passed  from  town  to  town  on  His  nortliward  journey, 
until  at  last  they  had  reached  the  neighbourhood  of  Ca.'sarea  Philippi. 
There,  He  once  more  went  aside,  in  some  lonely  spot  among  the  rich 
wooded  valleys,  for  solitary  prayer.  Before  Ho  returned  to  tlic 
Twelve,  He  had  determined  to  delay  no  longer  a  full  self -revelation: 
to  throw  aside  the  veil,  and  openly  assume  the  Messiahship  whicli 
had  long  been  silently  ascribed  to  Him  ii^  His  little  circle,  and  as 
silently  accepted,  without  a  formal  and  definite  assumption. 

""Whom  do  men,  say  that  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am?"  suJBlced  to  in- 
troduce the  momentous  topic.  The  answer  showed  how  little  He 
had  been  understood,  and  how  utterly  the  fixed  national  idea  of  a 
Messiali  had  darkened  the  general  mind.  "  Some  say  with  Antipas, 
the  spirit  of  John  the  Baptist  has  entered  Thee,  and  that  Thou  work- 
est  through  it,  or  that  Thou  art  John  himself,  risen  from  the  dead, 
and  appearing  under  another  name;  some  that  Thou  art  Eliaa,  who, 
like  Enoch,  has  never  died,  but  was  takt^n  up  bodily  to  heaven,  and 
has  now  returned  in  the  body  as  Malachi  predicted,  to  i>repare  for  the 
Messiah;  some  that  Thou  art  Jeremiah,  come  to  reveal  the  Ark  and 
the  sacred  vessels  which  lie  hid  in  Mount  Nebo,  and  thus  inaugurate 
the  approaching  reign  of  the  Messiah;  or  one  of  the  prophets,  sent 
from  the  other  world  by  God,  as  a  herald  of  the  Coming  One."  They 
could  not  add  that  any  regarded  Him  as  the  Messiah.  His  refusal  to 
appeal  to  force,  and  head  a  political  revolution,  had  caused: an  almost 
universal  repudiation  of  the  thought. 

Jesu^,  expressed  neither  eiorrow  nor  displeasure  at  such,  an  utter 
f 8i],ttr^  to  zcoognize  Him  inJiia  true  charicter.    Ho  Itad;  l)^xt  t^e 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


swhkct  of  the  keenest  Intercat  and  discussion,  from  His  felt  relation 
to  iho  Expected  One,  and  this,  of  itself,  promised  a  rich  tesiilt,  when 
ilis  followers,  after  His  departure,  directed  the  minds  of  men  to  a 
clearer  conception  of  the  Messianic  Kingdom.  He  Himself  knew 
whom  lie  wa:-?,  and  was  unaffected  by  any  popular  judgment.  But 
lie  liad  now  to  obtain  fromi  the  lips  of  the  Twelro  themselves, — the 
r.pc'ciul  witnesses  of  His  life  and  daily  words, — a  higfjer  coufesMit)u, 
which  He  knew  they  only  needed  a  question  from  Him  to  utter 
{rladly.  "  But  whom  say  yo  tiiat  I  am?"  Instantly  from  the  lips  of 
Ijimon  Peter,  the  impulsive ,  tender,  loving,  rock-like  disciple,  came 
all  that  the  full  heart  of  his  Ma'5ter  waited  to  hear.  "  Thou,  my  Mas- 
ter and  Lord,*'  said  he,  doubtless  with  beaming  ioy,  "Thou  art  tho 
Christ — Antah  Meschicha-^tho  Son  of  the  living  God."  Thus,  in  thO' 
outskirts  of  the  heathen  toWn  dedicated  to  the  deified  Augustus,  Jesus' 
was  proclaimed,  with  no  preparatory  circumstance,  in  tho  privacy  of 
a  small  circle  of  Galilseaa  fishermen,  as  the  King  of  the  Universal 
Israel:  here,  a  fugitive  whose  only  earthly  crown  was  to  bo  the  one 
of  thorns,  He  assumed  publicly  the  empire  of  all  the  world,  as  the 
Messiah  of  God. 

The  greatness  and  significance  of  this  confession  of  Peter's,  made 
in  the  name  of  the  Twelve,  cannot  be  exaggerated.    It  was  a  striking 
advance  towards  realizing  the  great  truth  of  the  Incarnation,  and  the 
ol^ar  intelligence  would  one  day  follow  the  open  and  ardent  atterance 
of  the.heaft.    Hitherto  Jesus  had  revealed  Himself  chiefly  as  the 
"Son  of  Man,"  and  "the  Soft  of  God;"  but  He  now  received  from 
tliose  who  had  been  constantly  with  Him,  as  a  faint  acknowledg 
ment  of  the  conviction  wrought  by  His  life,  and  words,  and  mighty 
works,  the  formal  inauguration  as  the  Me8sia,h-King  of  a  spiritual  and 
deathless  empire.   Natlianael  had  anticipated  the  gi*eat  confession,  in- 
deed, at  Wie  opening  of  His  ministry,  and  the  disciples  had  recognized 
Him  as  the  Sou  of  God,  on  that  Wild  night  when  they  found  that  the 
form  walking  on  tlje  waves  was  not  the  spirit  of 'the  storm,  but  their; 
loving  Master,  and  when  the  very  winds  and  waves  were  seen-  td''- 
obey  Hith.    But  the  time  was  not  tlien  rii>e  for  His  definite  Installa- ' 
tion  as  Messiah,  and  the  incidents  imssed  off.  Simcm,  also,  had  cheered 
His  troubled  soul,  when  the  great  secession  of  the  disciples  took  plac0 ; 
at  Capernaum,  by  an  anticipation  of   His  confession  at  Cajsarea 
Philippi,  but  He  had  waived  it,  as  it  were,  aside.    Now,  however,  He 
formally  accepted  what,  hitherto,  He  had  silently  allowed ;  for  the  ' 
hour  had  come.  ''{ 

"Blessed  art  Thou,  Simon  Barjona,"  said  He;  "Flesh  and  blootf ' 
hath  not  revealed  this  to  you,  for  you  have  not  learned  it  from  my 
lowly  outward  fonn,  and  it  has  come  to  you  from  no  human  teacli- ^ 
idg;  My  Father  in  Heaven  has  thought  you  worthy  to  have  it  re^ 
vealed  to  you."  It  was,  indeed,  an  amaiing  Utterarice.  Thie  Twelve 
had  been  the  daily  witnesses  of  the  human  simplicity  and  poverty  of 
His  life.  His  homeles^ess,  His  wedry  Vrt^uderings  afoot,  and  mil* the' 


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\ 


^o 


^circumstances  of  tiis  conMiint  ]i[uxn|])attbtn;;W^  couii- 

!>  )terba]anc(3d[tne  great  momorie^  wliicti  tjie^r  pftyue^ew  liitiii^ 
aifdrded,  and,  blNsctit^d  tlielr  spir^^        8igniicancp.'/:1[!')i!^^^  lost 
morfiths  tad;  luoreoTet,  surrounded  Him' with  ftiriH^  of 

a  fugitive  fife.-  Tet  mey  Jiad  l)ro|Le^  tlirbu^h  the  Tieremtary  national 
>  prcji^dice  of  their  raccj  witlx  wnorti  tradilion  tU)d  Jjibsoljab -uniformity 
in  religJdUs  uilngs'had  a^^  inconceival)lq  pdw^r^--^tiiey/^         disre- 
garded the  luilgment  of  their  ipirftai^i  iT^era  f^  risen  above  ' 
the  jitni^st  jdeas  of  those,  nfoHna;  and  had^  seen,  lij  their  llotply  re, 
Jected  Mfb^er,  the  true  Lord  of  the  new  kin^citn  of  dod.    Kor  \s 
thei^aof  H^ss  wonderful  thai  the  life  and.words  of  jjesusl'i^eh  th 
close|jr,  should  have  created  sucha  lofty  and  ho^  Conception  of  His . 
spiribuil  grea|,ness^  ami(ist  all  the  counteractions  of  outward  fact  and 
daijjy  familiarity.    In  spite  of  all,  Jle  waa^thc  31allta  Meschicha^tlie 
K^ing-Messiah — to  those  whohad known Hrnihest.,  ^  ^ 
;    l^e  aj'dent,  immovabiiB  devotion  of  retor^  the  1|rst  to  own  hlk 
Master  as  li{essiah,  as  he  liad  bceinjli^tin  im^^           utt^m^ces  of 
trust  and  reverence,  won  for  itself  an  illustirious  ^nbuto.  j^oni  JcWa. 
"The  weary,  sad  heart,  that  had  so  much  to  grieve  it,  %a^  pii^n  filfecl 
f or  the  tinae ;vy^ith  a  pvire  and  kinj^y  Jov  ct  the  proof  tJHisi^yen./tlia^t^ 
tit  la^,  a  true  and  6plid  bipjgfmninjg  liad  lieien^  maiiic.    T3,e  na^  4out)V 
less,  long  yeariied  for  s^  tape  when  the^T.^etve  woiiid  jba  aaYance(| 
enough  m  spiritnal  ihing(s  to  let  t^iin  i^jtoi^^^  ^^!^^ 
and  ultimate  de^jgns,  and  thU  time  n4^  hpw  (K>^e,    He  j^ad  never 
yet  spoken  of  the  ifutufe  government  or  brg^nw^i^p^  ^f  ftie 
Kinimom,a3  a  visiblO  cOmmiihWh*  f^i^r^  iio|, ^^ 
anyl^eta^Md  |uws  even  now.    He  |iasteiied,tp  tell  Feter,  jh^owever, 
that  -tiiis.  society,— His  Cj^f^rch  or  cpngri^iflbri,'  * '  p4%S  i Wf?  ^^^^ 
the  'wjotia  'at  Uitge,  wou^d  he  entriisted,  ijf te?  His  deceits^,  iq >)iuifi.   As 
buildingSi  in  the  country  aybimd  yi^re  foni^dSBd  pn  a  iiiqM.  jt^at  tlie 
floods  and  $totras,miglit  not  dv?rilir9T^;th;eni,  ,90  Ji  ,^pu1d,;^:is!^  i^i^ 

on Jlip  r6ck-li!ke  fidelity  shb'wn  by,  hiiinin  his  great  .Cjpnief^o^r^i  , 

t!ui:nihg  tpJ^jm,  He  cpntinued,  **  I.hay^  sometlii^g  ^^  gay  iji^t  con^ 
eerns  thee,     TfiOn  art  to  me,  as  T^tien  I  first  sawyou,— -l^etrpa;— the 


i 


all  dth^rs  reaH,,,  itself  resting  oh  the  i^rm  rock  ben^th—yeh^clV  is  My- 
self. On  you  and  such  rock-like  souls,  it  will  rise,  but  on  »y<)U  first; 
and  the  gates  of  death  will  be  powerless  against  it,  for  it  stall  outlive 
the  grave  and  reach  on  into  eternitv.  Unon^ning  jthou^  ,tl^  gatcsj 
of  the  grave  jbe,  they  shall  open  wjge  to  let  forsth  ir^  ft^lJb-vvejs  to  tlic 
resurrection  pf  the  just,  nor  shall  the! powei's  of  evil  bjd,  ahjiie  to  over- 
turn the  new  society  thus  gathered.  I  have  ctdjed  you  (Jie  rock  pii 
which  I  shall  raise  my  C^urch—I  c^l  you  also  the  s^war^*  Ik  wlWin 
the  ^an^<4^  is  jntrnitei  ^^i^l}?^^  t  »ft^^  ^H'T^  M 
•scent   to  heiven,  ihe  keys  of  it,  to  admit   suWi  as  you  tliink 


THE  life;  of  CHI^STk 


56a 


woytlty,  1^^  J[fiW8  ^nd  ^eal;l;»Qn,  and  ,^o  sh^t  out  tl^o^  whop^ jroa 
thipk  unflt,, ,  (]( c^iXMnit  tp  yoij,  nipreoyer,  tli^  ^overmiiept  i^d  di«ci« 
plinc  of  jl>pieTnt)09b,ip:  whatever,  you, forbid  aa  unbecoming  my 
kingdom,  9T  fl^,Uiiflit|ng  toj^  membe^ipii^  it,  9ba|l  be  as  if  fprbiddeya 
by  me,  myself,  ih  neavpn ;  and  wliatever  you  permit,  as  notconiiraTy  t(i^ 
its  welfare,  or, np]t  exclu,d|iji2  from  it.  wU  be  as  if  I,  mys^^lf,  per:, 
mitted  it,  f;rom  ftMoye.    It  will  be  left  to  yoilr  decision,  "wbicn  wifl  be 
recognized  before  ,Godj  \yhat  m^y  be  forbidden,  as  a  hindrance  to 
entry  into  my  .QhurjcU.ofli  earth,  or  unwortliy  of  it;  and  wniat  may  be 
perinitted,  as  not  bamngfrbm  it?  membersliip."  'How  Peter  exer- 
rised  tliis  hprioitr  jn  th6  Apostolic  CUvrcb  wasf  hereafter  to  be  seen, 
when  he  rps^  ^  spbkesmsp  of  the  eleven  in,the  election  of  a  tsyelffii: 
wheii  he  spo^  fp^.  tjlij^pni  pj;i  the  I)ay  of  Pentecost,  before  the  nu^ti^  * 
tude,  and  |)y  uis^cxmstant,  li^phtion  as  ch^el  ^d  fpremost  of  the  ^08< 
ties.    Jesiis  was  almost  inmi<idiately,  to  extend  thg  same  dignity  and 
authority  to  tlie  wjiple  of  the  twelVe,  but  Pejpr  ba4  J^  precedenc^^ 
lin  recognition  of  his  worth  and  (sharact^r.    'jTbe  flgniients  of  IlomaJu^. 
Icrciition,  b^  Ayhich,  ftora  this  tribute  tp  Eis  Ipye  an|ii  enthusiasm,  % 
Ivaat  structure  of  priestly  firrbgance  and  usurpation  lias  been  raised, 
Incdd  Ub  npticp  In  thi^  place.  ^ 
Tlie  New  ^c\ety  was  at  last  formally  con^titjited,  ,an4  provisipu 
[ifl4(i fo^ it$ gpv^^  continuance  after  its- founders  dea^ 

leiicefortli.  He,  moved  in  the  circle  of  the'Twelve  as  the  recogni;eed 
fe^siah  (i^  wht;xqpi  they  were  the  futijre  desighated  heralds^ 
But  the  apMOaclfing  end  of  the  ^roat  drama  could  not  be  left  un- 
ola!  Jeruiiufem  Was  Uie^  one  spbf  in  which  alone  the  work  of  ^csv^ 
;oiild  be  qblhplete^.  Oalilee  b^d  been,  pnly  the  pjace  of  prepj^ratibn* 
riie  Temple  a^d  its  ministeiing  priests,  the  Kabbia  and  tne  schppls,,,, 
kverc  in  thb  Btoiy  City.    I)|iyid  baa  relgnedl  tbere,  and  there  must  i(\^ 


bopelessly  Mi^aljfiJe^^^  Checkdjd,  tie  nugbt  retiirn,  M  it  woutdr 
kvii^t  pomt^g  4kain^  tlie  consj^lracy  that  everyy^here  faced  Him.  iBiit  j 
u.T^rusalbhi  Hisjv^brkyvaS  both  to  begin  and  to  cprnplpte.  ,^e  musi,, 
b  ttjth(^t'$,|)itAl,  for' Galilee  y^as  In  great  measure  blpsed  against  H|n|»j , 
[Ic'Iiad  assiimed.  the  j^essfiaH^ip,  ai^d  He  n^kust  needs  proclaim  i^ 
Wiiljrbefbi'e  His  enemies. in  tl}eii^^  He  knew  that  only  ! 

ptu'aw^ted  Hirii,  btiith^t  death  had  been  fpreseen  li^  the  eternal.  ^ 
louhsels  of  Obd,  ^^  tUe  mysterious  atonement  for  tji^^^^^is  of  tlie 

It  would, haj^e  been  premature  to  have  spread  abroad  tne  naomenr ' 
»)iis  incident  of  tlie  asbription  and  formal  acceptance  of  the  title  of  • 
lles^jali.  ^The  iSvelye  mu,8t  needs  kn(^w  tbe  great  truth,  but  the  ; 

luliitude  must,  for  a  tipie>  be  left  to  their  pWn  lancies.    He  was  to 
|e  p%ched  as.a  prucified  and  risen  Saviour,  uota^a  Jewish  Messi^^^  , 

limiij ,CQ\f}d^ iiot  te tUl  tlie. ehdbad cPme-   l^ot  did  the  Twelve m 


I 


■ 


554 


THE  LIFE  OP  (!fttm8T. 


Jet  understand  the  divine  plan  of  solvation  cleilrly  cihdttgh;  afid'tho 
ews,  moreoveV,  might  haivd  taken  advantage  of  the  prtaicttinj?  fori 
seditious  movonienta.     1^  imperative  was  temporary  siscrect,  indeed, 
that  He  gave  the  strictiBSt  ioiutictions  that  no  mm  sh^^id  l)e*told  what  j 
had . happe nfedL   :; ''.^"^'' • '!■■■'  :;^i'ln-im'>^'i  • 

^  The  idea  of  a  suffering  Messiah  was,  however,  so  wholly  foreign 
to  all  prevailing  conceptions,  that  it  was  iudispenMible  that  thecatas-l 
trophe  at  Jerusalem,  foreseen  by  Jesus  ft*om  the  first,  but  now  near 
at  hand,  should  be  tnad^  familiar  to  th^  Twelve^  as  part  of  t^ie  all- 
wise  purpose  of  God  in  the  development  of  the  new  spintual  kingdom. 
It  has  been  a  disputed  point  Whether  anv  of  the  ESibbis  of  Chriet'g  | 
.day  had  thought  of  the  Messiah  as  destined  to  suffer  and  die.    Bei 
yond  question  some  had  applied  to  Him  the  pai^sages  of  Isaiah,  Vhich  | 
speak  of  the  servant  of  QoQ.  as  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  biltit 
i^  equally  certain  that  the  idea  had  not  only  found  no  general  accent, 
ance,  but  was  entirely  opprtsed  to  the  /eeling  of  tlie  nation.    Fronj 
tills  time,  therefore,  Jesus  began  systematically  to  prepare  ^he  Twelve 
for  His  atiproa<5hing  violent  death,  returning  to  the  sad  topic  at  every 
(ypportunitV;  that  a  truth,  so  dishgrccnble  and  so  contrary  to  thei 
life  Jong  ideas,  might  gi'adually  become  familiar  to  them;  and  that 
theyiQifeht  come  16  feel  that  ft  was  in  accordance  with  the  divine 
pl^n  of  His  kirigdom.    He  had  spoken  of  it  befoi^,  but  flow  tlmw 
aside  all  vagueness,  and  hnpressed  it  on  them  with  the  utmost  dis* 
tinctness:  ctoubtless,  explaining  from  their  own  Bcripture^,  as  Hedid 
aifterwards  to  the  disciples  at  Emmaus,  how  '*it  was  t?ecessary  tliat 
Christ  should  suffer  these  things,  and  then  enter  into  His gloiy."  Tol 
revolutionize  fixed  belief  is  never  easy,  for  the  will  has  to  be  per-] 
suad^d  as  well  as  the  unddrstanding.    Hitherto,  their  mindshad  not 
'been  prepared  for  such  a  shock,  and  even  yet,  aswe  shall  often  see, 
they  wete  very  slow  to  give  up  their  preconceptions,  atnd  i:^ftlize  wliatl 
seetned  so  contradictory.  '  lA  1 

It  was  impossible,  however,  to  anlstake  the  iV'amingB  of  their 
Master,  however  hard  it  might  be  to  rectmcile  them  with  their  cmi 
ideas.  ^*  He  must  goto  Jerusalem,"  He  said,  *^and  suffer  many  thiugsl 
of  the  elders,  and  chief  priests,  and  scribes,  and  be  kiliedV  and  afterl 
three  days,  dse  again."    But  so  fat  w«re  the  Twelve ' from  compre-l 
bending  such  an  announcement,  that  Peter,  too  impulsive  td  wait  for  an 
opportunity  of  telling  how  much  it  distressed  him,  could  not  restrain 
his  feelings.  True  to  his  character,  he  forthwith  took  Him  by  the  hand, 
and  led  Hm,«aide,  to  remonstrate  with  Him,  and  dissuade  Him  fiom] 
a  journey  l^llch  would  htive  such  results.     "  God  keep  this  evil  far 
from  Thee,  my  Lord  and  Master, "  said  he.     **  You  must  not  let  suclil 
things  happen.   They  will  utterly  ruin  the  prospects  of  yoiir  fcingdonirJ 
for  they  match  ill  with  the  dignity  of  the  Messiahi    If  there  be  aiiyf 
danger  such  as  you  fear,  why  not  use  your  supernatui*al  power  tM 
preserve  yourself  And  us.    It  is  not  td  be  endured  that  you  should:] 
stEfEersachindigniti^."  It  wto  the  vei^  same  tempta^   tiasthxr&rcby 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIOT: 


m 


eoeifty  1)^  ^t  ^fore  Him  in  tbe  trilderness:  to  employ  His  divine 
power  for  His  own  Advantage,  instead  of  using  it,  with  ebsolnte  self- 
surrender,  only  to  carry  out  the  will  of  His  Father.  But,  as  ever 
l)efore,  it  was  instantly  repelled.  His  quick,  stem  answer  must  have 
made  Petor  recoil  afraid.  "Get  thee  behind  rae,"  said  He,  "out  of 
my  sight,  thou  tenxpter;  thou  art.  laying  a  snare  for  me ;  thy  words 
sbew  thdt  in  these  things  thou  enterest  not  into  the  thoughts  and  plans 
of  God,  but,  considerest  all  things  only  from  the  ideas  of  men,  with 
their  dreams  of  ambition  and  human  advantage. "  Peter  still  fancied 
that.  Jesus,  would  be  an  earthly  monarch,  and  that  the  proper  course 
to  toke,  under  the  circumstances,  was  to  oppose  force  with  force.  He 
ha^  yet  to  learn  that  Uie  kingdom  of  his  Master  was  to  be  established . 
by  suffering  a-d  self -deniaJ. 

It  was  a  moment  unspeakably  solemn.  Even  the  few  faithful  ones, 
UjltUeir  very  Coryphaeus, —their  leader  and  mouthpiece— while  hail- 
ing Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  clun^  to  the  old  national  ideas,  and  could 
not  rjeconqile  them  with  His  sufferinj^  and  dying.    He  had  rebuked 
tlie  t4}inptation  whidi  apj^aled  to  Him  as  a  man,  so  strongly,  to  take 
tliQ  cas(^  and  glory  wliich  invited  Him,  and  to  abandon  me  path  of 
sorrow  and  lowliness,  which  might  be  the  spiritual  life  of  the  world, 
but  was  Mis  own  humiliation  and  martyrdom.    It  had  been  driven 
Umy  from  His  sd^ainless  soul,  like  darkness  from  the  sun,  but  ita 
power  in  the  minds  even  of  the  Twelve,  was  only  too  clear.    The 
Itriith,  in  .a]l  its  repugnancy,  must.be  forced  on  them  more  clearly  than 
levBr,  that  tliey  might  no  longer  continue  with  Him  if  it  offended  them ; 
|f0r  He  woultj  receive  none  us  Hia  disciples  who  did  not  cheerfully 
lemljrHce  a  lif e  of  .self-^denial  and  absolute  devotion,  oven  to  the  sacri- 
Ificeof  life,  for  His  sake;  with  no  prospect  ^hatever  of  earthly  re- 
Iward.  Nor,>vQuld  He  even  accept  any  one  willing,  from  a  mercenary 

pirit,  to. sniffer. here  that  He  mi^lit  receive  a  reward  hereafter;  for 
jtbougli  such  a  rewurd  was  prohused  to  those  >^ho  were  faithful  to  the. 
end,  a^>solyte  sincerity  :wa8requU'ed  in  His  service.  It  must  be  the 
pteful,  spontaneous  expression  of  true  love  and  devotion. 

Even  in  such  an  outlying  district  iis  that  of  Gsesarea  Philippi, 
aurol)ers  of  the  population— for  there  were  many  Jews  in  the  region 

-had.  gathered  to  hear  and  see  Hiiii  and  were  near  at  hand  at  the 

aoiii6nt.    The  tost  required  of  the,  Twelve  was  no  less  imperative  for 
e:  the  ■'JlOor"  must  be  thoroughly  "fanned  and  cleansed"  from 
[ill  self-deceptioii  or  designed  hypocrisy.    • 

Without  giving  Peter  time,  therefore,  to  excuse  himself,  and  leaving 
|iim  to  the  sliaiue  of  his  reproof,  Jesus  called  the  people  and  the 

Twelve  round  Him,  and  continued  the  subject  on  which  lie  had  be- 
^un  to  speak. 
"I  must  needs  suffer,"  said  He,  "before  I  enter  into  my  glory,  but 
must  all  who  would  be  my  followers.    If  any  man  propose  to  be 

ny  disciple,  he  must  literally  follow  me  in  my  path  ot  humiliation 
IndiiOiTow.    Whatever  would  binder  absolute  devotion  andsolf-sfic-; 


ii 


$S6 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


X^CG  must  be  given  up.  He  must  make  Me  bis  one  nim,  All  that 
stanjds  in  tlie  way  of  uodivided  loyalty  .to  Me— the  lov^  af  ease,  of 
pleasure,  and  even  of  life— must  be  surrendered.  Tlie  hopes  and 
prospects  which  engage  other  nxen  mwit<  Ve  abandon(  d.  and  in  their 
stead  he  must  daily  tak<3  tip  the  sufferings  .^dd  self-denials  which 
come  on  him  for  my  sake,  and  bear  thevi  ^s  a  m^iji  cpndemncd  to 
deijktli  bears  the  cross  oq  which  he  is  to  die.  I  have  set,  and  shall  set 
him,  the  e^Bxaple  1  teq^uire  him  to  follpw.  Ahy  obfe  Who  thinks  be 
can  .be  my  discij^Ie,  and  enter  into  my  kihgdom  hereafter,  and  vet 
bear  himself  so  ii^  this  evirtimc  as  to  escape  suffering  and  enjoy  life 
and  its  .cpiiif pits,  deceive^  hii^self.  If  top  seek  th'ie  life  by  denying 
my.  p^ime,  as^he  must  needs  do  in  this  age  td  e6cai)6  perstcution,  he 
will  I6se  life  eternal.  But  he  Who  is  wining,  for  toy  sfeke,  to  sacrifice  | 
his^i^^turi^  desire  for  pleasure  and  ease,  andeV^n  to  giVO  up  life  it*lf, 
if  re^iri^q,  for  nay  nwei  will  receive  everlasting  life  When  I  comcin 
rojr^m^<io'W.  Hard  Jhough  this  seem,  it  is  the  Wisest  and  best  thins 
YOU  ^an  dp  to  comply  heartily  with  it.  ^  What  has  ft  nianln  the  end 
if ,  jbv  ^enyiiig  nie  foi-  Wd  wtisrldly  interests,  ht  gain  eveb  ttihe  whole 
wdrjd,  ^ndjtose  that  life  WMch  alone  is  worthy  the  nam^?  Unpre- 
paredf  for  the  eternal  life  of  my  Itingdoni,  aUd  Without  a  share  in  it; 
wit^  h|s  breath  l^e  lpse6  i^ot  only  all  that  he  has,  but  himself  as  well 
Wliat  gain  here  wi^  repiiy;  him  f o j  the  losis  of  the  liJe  hereafter? 

**tMf  this  on  good  grdunds,  and  with  absolute  truth.'     For, 
though  noW  only  a  man  luce  yourselves,  I  shall  otife  day  return  ini| 
VG^  <^erent  form,  with  the  majesty  of  my 'Father  in  heaven,  and; 
accompanied  by  lerfons  of  angels,  to  recibthpense  every  one  accord- 
ing to  his, Works.    In  that  day  each  true  disciple  will  be  rewarded: 
accoirding  to  his  loVirig  devotion  and  self -sacrince  for  my*  sake,  and  | 
will  be  received  bv  me,  a^  the  Messiah,  into  my  kingdom.    But! 
shall  &  ashained  oi  ant  one,  ^d  count  him  iinfit  to  etiter  that  king- 
dop,  ]Bvho  for  love  b^'life  and  easie,  or  for  fear  (Jf  mlau,  <tb'  from  shame  i 
of  my  preseiit  lowly  eSftate,  or  of  my  cross,  has  wttnted  courage  and 
heart  lo  confess  me  Openly,  and  sepai^at^  liim^elf,  in  my  name,  from  i 
this  sinful  |eneratiori.    It  may  be  hard  for  you  to  think,  as  youseel 
me  standing  iii^re  before  you,  theit, I  shaU^        day  itioirie  in  heavenly  J 
majiesty;  btit  that  j^ou  miay  know  hoW  suMy  tt; -will  ibe  so,  I  shall  f 
grant  to  sbrtteof  you,  now  present,  a  glimpse  of  ihis  majesty,  not 
after  my  death,  but  whili^  I  am  still  With  you,  that  they  may  see  me, ' 
the  Son  of  Man,  in  th;:^  glofy  in  which  I  will  come  wheii  I  return  taj 
enter  on  my  Mn|;d,om." 


f^/ 


H'-' 

ii;> 


~r. 


.  VI 


'fv 


'MU:ihLlii! 


iM 


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CHAPTlfiB  Xl^VJt. 

THE    TRAI^BFIOUBATIOK. 

Ijisus  bad  now  uHerljr  broken  witl)  the  past,    Hlt^/^ito  He  had' 


_  leant  acts,  reaiet.tjie  sophi9try  ai^d  superficial  (Iteraiism  of  the 
Sbbiii,  and  lead  the  way  to  a  hidier  spiritual  ideal  aiidjifo  by  His 
ra  daily  example  and  words.  They  ftad  pow  heen  in  His  society, 
bwever,  for  over  two  years,  and,  at  last,  had  lisen  to  a  inore  Ju^t 
kimate  of >  .His  digniliy  and ,  of  the  soature  of  His  wprk.  He  ^as 
bnceforth  free  from  the.jinxiety  whiqh  had  been  inevitable  so  tohg 
I  nothing  had  been  definitely  accorapliahed  towards  t^hc  pefpethlty 
'  His  kmgdom;  for  the  confession ; of  Peter,  in  the  nanie  6f  ^s 

ethren,  was  the  assurance  tUat  thait  Ulngdon^  wputd  b]iitliYe  ^0Jis 
death,  and  spread  ever  ^ore    widely  thrpu^h  ah  l^nending 
bture.    The  joy  of  victory  filled  His  m\x%  though  tj^te  cross  |ky  in 

! immediate. future.  Henceforth  He.  bore  Him^lf  ^  soon  to  lea^ei 
le circle  with,  whom.  He  had, di!jel|;  so  long;  wow,  prep^|ring|h0m  for 
^ibumiliatian  by  showing  its  di,vine  .^ecessjLjy;  how,  utHering  His 

pest  thou^ht»pn  the  things  of  ,H)s  Kin|^aom;  now^  l^ndlh^jjp  the^ 

irtB  by  visions,  of  ,th^  jciy  that  would  spread  over  jUl  Q^^ion^ 
Uugh  the  Gospel  they  wejre  to. pr^L.  The  future  plt)n,e  ^i^a  His 
tartandmiRd.  J  i  .  ,  \  , 

His  gladness  of  squint,  Petei:'^  confession  had,  lik^  aU  t^tli|difin  rap- 
bres^  been  tteihpered  -by  shadow.  He*  had  read  the  hear^  of  ih^ 
helve,  and  «aU(?  H^t,,  thou^  they  h^d  approached  the  tr^th  in  thfiiif 
bnception  of  thp  Messiah,,  they  yferie.atui  Jews,  in  WhMhg  tirith  it 
p  expectation  of  an*  earthly  pplijicat  kipygdom,  wilh  Us  ambitions 
|id  human  satisfactions.    *they  had  risen  above  the  difficulties  that 

aded  the^  nalaonj^^e  ^bought  of  Nazareth— Galilee---human  ri^-; 
ltloii8hip~7lowly  posltlonr-T-human  wants— rreiection  by  the  Rabras 
l-famillar  intercourse  with jlie  "unclean"  miiltitu^^  and  tnuOh.be- 
dc,  that  had  been  a  stiinibling-block  to  others;  l>ut  it  was  hard  lor 
|eui,  in  the  presence  of  one  wIm),  to  outward  appearancq,  was  a  man 
l^e  themselves,  to  realize  that  He  was  the  only -begotten  Son  of  Cfod, 
k  like  His  Father,  divine. 

[The  announcement  that  He  was  to  enter  into  His  glory  as  Messiah, 
y  suffering  shame  and  death,  not  only  shgc^ked  all  their  preconcep- 
pns;  thev  could  not  under'stand  it,  and  were  sorely  discouraged. 
pey  neeaed  to  be  cheered  in  their  despondency,  ana  led  gradually 
I  accept  the  disclosure  of  His  approaching  humiliation.    His  protn- 

that  some  of  them,  before  their  death,  should  see  His  khi^om 


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658 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


come  with  power,  was  doubtless  trensured  tn  tlieir  hearts;  but  tin 
little  thought  its  i'ullilment  w  as  so  near. 

Six  days  passed ;  or  eight,  including  the  first  and  last    days  full] 
dcubtiess,  of  Had  and  gr»ve,  m  well  09  jo]|FQas,  thoughts:  sud  M 
their  Master  spoke  of  suffering  violence,  and  death:  grave  that  hI 
feihould  not  only  have  daalied  ail  their  liopcas  oi  a  national  regenen] 
tloik,  but  should  i^ave  painted  their  oyftx  future  in  (X)lours  so  sombid 
^et  ioyious,  amidst  all,  in  vague  anticipatioiw  of  thtf  predicted  spirit] 
ual  glorjr  cif  the  New  Kingdom,  of  whi<ih  they  were  to  be  hejaW 
Little  by  little  they,  would  be  sure  to  catch  more  of  His  spirit,  fro 
daily  intercourse  with  Him,  arid  learn  imtiercejitibly  how  the  pure 
joy:  and  the  noblest  glory  come  from  eeff-sacrificipg  love;  how," 
the  higli<?at  sense,  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to.  receive.    Wc  a 
told  nothing  of  this  sacred  interval,  l^ut  may  well  conjecture  how  l| 
passed.-  -  ■  ,     .  .'-,;■  --''.■■  '    •' 

lu  The  scene  of  the  Transfiguration,  like  that  of  neiarly  ^  other  icd 
denta.in  thejiie  of  our  Loi-d,  is  not  minutely  fetated.-v  St.  Lufc 
indefed,  calls  it  "The  Mountain,"  but  gives  it  no  cldser  name. 
ieeins,,lK>wever,  certain,  that  the  tradition  which  from  the  days 
StijJferorrife  kid  pointed  to  Mount  Tabor  as  thb  locality,  is  incoirei 
The  fiuxntnit  of  thathiil — an  irregular  j)latformr  embwcing  a  circa 
o£  half  an  hour's.walk»  was  appafenthrn-oni  the  earliest  ages  fortijie 
and  Jpsephus  mentions,  about  a.d.  oO,  that  he  strengt^ned  tlic  i 
fe^Kies  of  a  city  built  on  if.  Picturesque,  tlierefore,  thougji  tbel, 
looks,^  a»  the  traveller  approa<;hes.it  over  the  wide  Plain  of  JEsdraelo 
it.Qould  not  have  been  the  spc)t  where  Jesus  revealed  His' glory,  fori 
^ould  not  ioj^0r  the  secltision  and  isolation  indicated  in  the  goapeii 
Kor  is  tliete  an^  reason  to  think  tlmt  the  Twelve  and  their  Mm 
had  left;  the  neighbourhood  of  Csesarea  Philippi,  for  St.  Markifj 
presslv  mei^tiions,  that  they  did  not  start  for  Galilee  till  at  least 
fe'iiiten  .  ,  ,  ■.  *  ■■  •  ■         ::•  • 

z*^  It  was,  doubtless,  therefore,  on  one  Of  the  sputsof  Hermon,  "I 
lofty  mountain^'   near  whiph  He   then  found  Himself,  that  t 
Tlransfiguration  took  place.    Brought  up  aniong  the  liills/sudij 
i^egion;  with  distant  summits,  white  in  spots  with  sinaw,  e?QQ| 
sumiuer;  itspmreair;  and  the  solitude  of  woocPjt  slopes  and  situ 
vaJleys,  .must  have  breathed  an  ethereal  calm  ana  deep  peacq|ulj^ 
seldom  felt  amidst  the  abodes  of  men,  on  the  wearied  and  trou 
spirit  of  our  Lord. 
n  Taking  the  three  6i  His  little  band  most  closely  in  sympathy  wl 
Him,  and  most  able  to  receive  the  disclosures  that  might  be  ijia^f 
them,  He  ascended  into,  the  hills  towards  eveiiing,  for  silent  pray 
Tlie  favoured  friends  were  Peter— the  rock-like — His  host  at  Cap 
naUm  from  the  first;  and* the  two  Sons  of  Thunder,,  John  and  »Ta 
lotv^d  dj^oiples  both,  but  John,  the  younger,  nearest  his  MasI 
iMjanol  all  the  twelve,  as  most  lik6  Himself  in  sjMrit.    They) 
tij^jdtiygled  out, ,  already?  for  similar  especial  hono^  for  tliej  1 


TWtijFE'  OF'  ©HRIBT. 


6S0 


liearto;  but  tlx 


]  entered  the  death-chamber  in  the  house  of  Jaims,  and  ther  were, 
creafter,  to  be  the  only  witneases  of  the  awful  sorrow  of  Qettt^ 

.JfttC. 

Evening  fell  while  Jesus  poured  out  His  soul  in  high  communion 

ith  His  Fattier,  and  the  three,  having  finished  their  nightly  devo- 

HODS,  had  wrajiped  themselves  in  their  abbas  and  lain  down  bn  the 

rasg,  to  sleep  tiU  called.    Meanwhile  their  Master  continued  in 

raver,  His  whole  fiotil  filled  with  the  crisis  so  fast  approaching.    He 

ad  taken  the  three  tilth  Him,  to  overcame  their  dread  of  IJIs  death 

nd repugnance  to  the  thought  of  it,  as  unbefitting  the  Messiah;  to 

rcagtUen  them  to  bear  the  sight  of  His  humiliation  hereafter;  and 

i^ve  them  an  earnest  of  the  glory  into  which  He  would  enter  when 

it  left  them,  and  thus  teach  them  that,  though  unseen,  fie  was, 

Dorethan  ever,  niighty  to  help.    He  was  about  to  receive  a  solemn 

onsecration  for  the  cross,  but,  with  it,  a  strong  support  to  His  smil 

ithe  prospect,  of  such  a  death.    He  was  a  man  like  ourselves,  and 

lis  nature,  now  in  its  high  prime,  and  delighting  in  life,  must  have 

runk  from  the  thought  of  dying.    The  prolonged  agony and'shame 

a  death  so  painful  and  ignominious,  must  have  clouded  His  spirit 

It  times;  but,  above  all,  who  caA  conceive  the  moral  suffering  that 

fnist  have  lain  in  the  thought  that,  though  the  Holy  One,  He  was  lb 

made  an  offering  for  sin;  that,  though  filled  with  unutterable  love 

His  people,  He  was  to  die  at  their  hands  as  their  enemy;  that, 

hough  mnocent  and  stainless,  He  was  to  suffer  as  a  criminal;  that, 

oBgh  the  bej^ved  Son  of  God,  He  was  to  be  condemned  as  a  blad^i 

khemer?    As  lie  continued  Graying,  His  soul  rose  above  all  eai-thly 

3W8.    Drawn  forth  by  the  nearness  of  His  Heavenly  Fatl»r;  the 

livimty  within  shone  through  the  veiling  flesh  till  His  raimeiit 

Kndied  to  the  dazsslinj?  brightness  of  light,  or  of  the  glittering  snow 

the  peaks  abov^  Him»  and  His  face  glowed  with  a  sunlike  majesty, 

midst  such  au  effulgence  it  was  impossible  the  three  could  sleep. 

loused  by  ihc;  ^letijdour;  they  ji^azed,  awe-sttuck,  at  the  worider,' 

Iheb  lb!  two  hiimaii  forms,  iu  gtory  like  that  of  the  angels,  stood  by 

[ISflide— Moses  and  Elijah— *tbe  founder,  and  tlie  great  defender 

the  Old  Disp^bsation,  which  He  had  come  at  once  to  supeTsede 

to  fulfil.  iTheii*  presence  from  the  uplxjr  world  was  a  syinbol 

bat  the  Law  and^thie  Prophets  henceforth  gave  place  to  a  higher 

pptosation;  but  tliey  had  al<u>  another  mission.     They  had  passed 

ptigh  deatlx,  or  at  least,  from  life,  and  knew  the  trhimph  that  lay 

Wbad  morttiAty  to  Ihe  faithful  servants  of  God.    Who  icould  speak 

[fiim  as  fhi^  pf  His  decease,  which  He  should  accomplish  at  Je- 

fsalein.  and  temper  the  gloom  of  its  anticipation?    Their  presence 

okeof  the  grave  conquered,  aftd  of  the  eternal  glory  beyond.   Tlie 

ftptj;  tomb  titider  Mount  Abarim,  and  the  horses  and  chariot  of 

lijah,"  dispelled  all  fears  of  the  future,  and  instantly  banished  all 

liaawea^^iBSl.    That  His  Eternal  Father  should  have  honoured 

aieerMl«m  by  buch  aa  embassy  at  irach  a  time,  girt  flis  toul  tb 


m 


TIi;^,H.IPEGP,<^EUJJiT. 


the  joyful  acceptoQpe  of  the  awful  task  of  redemptioQ.  '110011)01 
agitMibn  asxd  spiritual  Convict  passod  away,  to  ranirti'iio  morejol 
tneir  bitterness  till  the  night  before  Calvary.  His  wliole  nature  roie| 
to  the  height  of  His  great  enterprise.  Henceforth  His  one  tlioughtl 
was  to  finish  thie  work  His  leather  had  given  Him  to  do.  j 

Meapwhtle,  the  three  Apostles,  dazzled,  confused,  and  lost  in  won-l 
der,  gazed  Mlently  on  the  amazing  i^ight,  and  listened.  But  it  Is  noti 
given  to  earth  to  Mve  njore  than  brief  glii^ptes  of  lieaveti.  Mof«i| 
ahd  Elijah  had  etelOng  finished  their  mission,  and  w^rti  about  to  re>| 
turn  to  t^  piresenee  of  God.  Could  they  not  be  induced  to  8tar| 
awhile?  Peter,  ever  first  to  speilk,  and  hardly  k^owln);^,  iii  hirt  com 
fusion,  what  he  said,  wo^ld  at  least  try  to  prolong  such  Ah  intcrvtovj 
•  "  Master,"  said  he,  to  amplify  his  wbrds,  "it  Is  l?ood  for  us  to  M 
here;  Ictms  gather  sOiiie  branches  from  the  Slop^  arpnnd,  and  putiipl 
three  booths,  like  those  of  the  Feast  of  fubernadles;  one  for  Tliw,| 
one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elijah."  The  cares  and  troubles  of  hji 
wandering  life,  and  all  his  gloomy  forebodings  for  his  ^Master  ami 
himself/ nad  faded  away  before  siich  brightness  and  joy,  and,  in  hh, 
fond  clwd-like  simplicity,  he  dreamed  of  lengthening  oiit  tl)^  delightl 

Hie  Almighty  had  come  down  of  old,  to  Mofint  Sinai,  in  blnekneM)! 
and  diEirkness,  and  tempest;  but  now,  a  bright  cloud  descended  fromtli 
clear  sky,  like  that  from  n^hich  He  had  of  old  spoken  to  Moses  httb 
door  of  the  Tabernacle,  and  overshadowed  Jesus  and  the  two  heavonlj 
visitors,  filliiig  the  three  Apostles  With  fear,  as  they  saw  it  spread  round 
and  Over  their  Master,  a,na  those  with  Him.    It  Was  the  symbol  i 
the  l^ipsence  of  God,  for  He,  also,  had  drawn  njgh  to  hear  Vitnefiai 
Hii3  Eternal  Bon.    It  was  not  enough  that  Moses  and  Elijah  bad  hoi 
Ottfed  Him— a  voice  from  the  midst  of  the  cloud  added  a  still  highei 
te^imOny— "This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleasedj 
hear  ye  Him?'    Such  a  confirmation  of  the  great  confession  of  Rrtfl^ 
was  nevet  to  be  forgotten.    Almost  a  gen*iration  later,  wlien  ho  trroli 
his  second  Epistle,  the  remembrance  of  this  night  was  as  vivid  li 
ever.     * '  We  were  eye-witnesses,  '*  says  he,  "  of  His  Majesty.    For  U 
received  from  God  the  Father  honour  and  gloiy,  when  there  can 
stichavdice  to  Him  from  the  excellent  glory,  'This  is  my  belovei 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  Well  pleased;  hear  ye  Iiim.?    And  this  vo 
which  came  from  heaven,  we  heard.  When  we  we^e  with  Him  ini 
holy  mount."    The  brightness  of  a  vision  so  amazing  lingered  ini 
Diemory  of  those  who  beheld  it  to  the  latest  day  of  their  lives. 
•"  Sore  afra,id,  the  three  fell  on  their  faces,  for  who  could  stand  bcforj 
God?    But  the  Voice  had  come  and  gone,  and,  with  it,  the  Cloud  w 
the  visitors  from  the  eternal  world ;  and  JesUs  was  ojied  more  alon 
Oaiining  their  fears  by  a  gentle  £ouch,  He  bade  tticm  "arise  and » 
be  afraid,"  and  they  found  themselves  once  more  alone,  Master  nnj 
followei*Si  with  the  stars  over  them,  and  the  silent  hills  iuround.  Tl 
divine  gWry  had  faded  from  His  countenance,  and  His  robes  w« 
0]icjB  more  hke  their  OWn»  hut  they  o^^d  ^^vq|  forget  ittfitdiat  Male" 


:-;>^>r;iH-ii   r-^^f.!    '4fi 


^ii^*'^ 


THE  LIFE  or  CtlRTST. 


6(ri 


(hey  hail  aeon  Him;  never  forgot,  in  His  hiimUi&(ioB»  tliat  they  bifid 
ketrd  Him  called  "the  beloved  Son,"  by  tbe  lips  of  the  £tomal  Him- 
lielf;  nor  CQuld  they  ever  keHitate  whom  to  obey  wlien  they  had  i^en 
>s  and  Elias — retmssentatives  of  the  Law  and  the  Prophets — witli- 
l^w  Ixifore  Him,  and  had  heard  Him  proclaimed  from  the  Cloud  of 
the  Prcsenoe  as  far  higher  than  they.    God  Himself  had  said,  in  ex- 
\ma  words,  or  in  eHect,  ''He  who  is  now  with  you  alone,  whpso 
iMavpnly  dignity  you  have  seen,  He  whom  you  daily  see  in  His  iw^ont- 
|(d  lowliness,  is  the  same,  even  in  this  hurailialion,  as  when  in  tli^ 
Ibosom  of  the  Eatl^r-r-'My  Son,  who  pleases  me  always.*    Hpfice- 
Ifortb  receive  l)lie  Law  from  His  lips  alone;  Uenqefortli,  let  all  men 
hear  Him  only;  He  is  the  Living  Voice  of  tlie  unseen  (crod." 
It  was  DOW  morning,  and  the  nine  were  awaiting  the  return  pf  their 
iHostcr  and  His  friends.    What  the  conversation  wna  between  Jesus 
nd  the  three,  as  they  descended  from  the  mountain,  is  not  told  us. 
riiere  was,  once  more,  freedom  to  speak,  though,  doubtless,  they  did 
JO  with  a  strange  reverence,  hardly  venturing  to  talk  of  what  they 
Jud  seec  and  heard.  .  Nor  could  they  relieve  their  minds  by  tolling 
|tbe  wonders  of  the  night  to  the  others  of  the  Twelve,  fof  even  they 
ere  so  little  preiiared  for  such  disclosures,  that  Jesus  conunand^ 
liat  the  vision  should  be  told  "to  no  man,  till  the  Son  of  JUIaii  be 
BQ  from  the  dead."  ,5s 

It  .illustrates  the  difflcultv  Jesus  had  to  overcome,  before  new  re- 
}us  ideas  could  be  familiarized  to  the  minds  even  pftiiose  under 
I  continuous  teaching>  that,  though  the^three  had  often  heard  of 
reBurrection  of  the  dead  directly  or  indirectly  from  J^us  Him- 
elf,  they  were  at  a  loss  to  know  what  the  words  meant,  ,as  He  now 
ised  them»  and  disputed  among  themselves  about  them,  tie  had 
[old  the  Jews^  that  if  the^  destroyed  th^  Temple  of  His  body.  He 
hould  raise Itagain  the  third  day;  and  only  a  week  before  the  Trans- 
ration,  on  the  day  of  Peter's  memorable  utterance,  He  bad  used 
ilmost  the  very  words  which  perplexed  them  now.     But  though 

repeated,  they  were  stiU  dark  and  mysterious. 

t]»  resurrection  from  the  dead  was,  indeed,  an  article  of  thecur- 

it  Jewish  theology,  but  it  was  so  taught  by  the  Jiabbis,  that  the 

ee  found  it  hara  to  reconcile  their  previous  ideas  with,  the  lan- 

of  Jesui}.    They  had  heard  from  some  of  the  preachers  in  the 

aagogues,  that  Israel  alone  would  rise;  from  others,  that  tlie  resur- 

otlon  would  include  godly  heathen  also,  who  had  kept  the  sQve« 

ommands  given  to  the  sons  of  Noali;  from  some,  tliat  all  the  heathen 

[utolde  the  holy  land  would  be  raif^d,  but  only  to  shame  and  eyer- 

isMog  contempt  before  Israel;  whfle  still  others  maintained,  that 

either  the  Samaritans,  nor  the  ereat  mass  of  their  own  natiou,  wlio 

U  not  observe  ^e  precepts  of  the  Rabbis,  would  haVe  part  in  the 

8urrectio».    But>  if  there  was,  confusion  as  to  who  uiould  rise 

in,  there.,  was  stiU  n^or^  cQntradi<;tion  between  what  they  had 

h'&ys  heard  before,  of  the  occasion  and  time  of  the  resurrection; 


?f 


!l, 


602 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHBIST. 


tt 


and  the  words  that  had  fallen  from  Jem*.  They  had  be^D  trained  to 
believe  that  nil  Israel  woiifd  be  gathered  from  the  four  quarters  ofl 
the  eahli  at  the  coming  of  the  Messhih,  and  that  the  denn  "would  be 
lilted  immediately  after.  But  befone  this  resuk'rection^  -wliich  would 
thus  inaugurate  the  roign  of  the  Mcasiah,  Ellas  was  first  to  come,  and, 
they  still  clung  to  this  idea,  in  spite  of  all  that  .lesu^  had  said  torcj 
move  it.  They  had  always,  moreover,  heard  the  synasrcguo  prnidJ 
ers  say  that  the  holy  dead,  when  thus  rained,  were  to  take  part  in  M 
kihgdiom  of  the  Mesitiah,  at  Jerusalem,  amVonce  ihbre  become  fellow] 
citiateos  with  the  living. 

At  the  naention  of  the  resurrection;  therefore,  the  thought  infitantlj 
rose  in  their  minds,  how  it  could  take  place  when  EHas liad  not  ye 
appeared,  and  how  Jesus  could  sneak  of  Himself  albne  uS  rising  ft()n 
the  grave,  and  that  on  the  thira  day.    It  was  clear  there  muet 
Itonie  eontradiction  betwcet^  His  words  and  what  they  had  iiIwhj 
been  taught.    What  could  He  mean  by  this  rising  from  the  dead] 
Only  He  could  answer.  .  To  solve  the  point  they  asked  I^Pim,  "Ho\i 
lis  it  oiir  Rabbis  say  that  Elias  must  come  before  the  deid  shall  u 
raised-^thaft  is,  before  the  opening  of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  whieii 
thiB  resurrection  is  to  announce?   You  speak  of  yourself  rising,  alone] 
ftom  the' dead,  and  that  on  the  third  day,  and  say.  nothing  alx)uttliif 
i*eaiipearance  of  Elias,  which  our  Rabbis  say  is  to  be  three  days  befon 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah.     Is  it  wrong  when  they  tell  us  that:  1 
Will  stand  and  welep  atid  lament  on  the  hillB  of  Isiiiel,  over  the^  de$ 
late  and  forsaken  land,  till  his  voice  is  heard  through  the  world,  and 
'  that  he  "^ill  then  cry  to  the  mountains,  "  Pefice  and  blessing  con 
tot*  the  world,  peace  and  blessing  come  into  the  world  r'-*-**8alvatioa 
coWieth,  salvatfon  comethT  and  gather  all  the  scattered  sous  oi 
Jacob,  and  restore  all  things  in  Israel  as  in  ancient  times?    They  m 
'  that  Elias  will  turn  the  hearts  of  all  Israel  to  teceive  the  Meuiwil 
gladly;  howis  this  to  be  reconciled  with  your  saying  that  the  Mmm 
must  suffer  many  things  of  the  high  pnests  and*  rulers^  and  be  i 
Jected  and  put  to  death  V*    •*  '  ;        t 

"You  are  right,'*  replied  Jesus^  "when  you  say  that  Elias  mu 
con!ie  before  me,  the  Messiah.    The  purpose  of  God,  and  anciei 
prbphcey  Inquire  it.  /But,  as  I,  the  Son  of  Man,' now  when  I  bar 
come,  have  to  suffer  many  things,  and  be  set  at  nought  and  rejects" 
as  the  prophets  have  foretold,  although  I  have  given  so-  man)^  jMfooli| 
of  my  heavebly  mission;  so  has  it  already  happened  with  himvh 
Vas'the  Elias  sent  by  my  Father  to  prepare  my  way.    He,  like  my 
self,  has  already  comb,  but  they  knew  him  as  little  as  they  m 
knpwm  Me,  ancl  they  havedon^  to  him  as  theit  hearts' wished.^ 
'  hai  suffered  even  to  death,  as  I,  the  Messiah,  must  also  smm 
'  'Words  so  precise  cotild  not  be  misunderstboid.    Tlieyj  saw  tlial 
''%pbke of  Johii  the  BaptistJ      ■    "^i^ i-   >'^i>'^  '-'^  /o ^(y^tmh  -^v.  ■'■ 
3i>  ^  Our  ihoments  of  exaltation  and  rapture  are  only^passfag,  and 
often  thrown  into  vivid  coatitist  bythe  shadows' that  eonatahtlyr 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHIUttT. 


668 


beside  the  llffht.  Jesus  hnd  left  the  other  disciplcfi  at  the  f(K>t  of  tho 
monntain  wnon  Ho  ascended  it  ^Ith  Peter  and  the  mmn  of  ^l)edeo. 
The  niffht,  Mrith  its  wondrous  vision,  luid  pamed  awav,  and  lie  was 
now  rettimhne  to  His  little  baod,  who  waited  for  Him  in  ft  neigh- 
bouring hamlet  or  village.  Tho  Jewish  population  scattered  round 
Gesarea  Phiiipp!  had  already  heard  of  His  arrival  in  their  parts,  and 
from  various  motives  had  gatheredto  see  and  hear  Him.  Hence  no 
sooner  was  He  noticed  descending  the  Hlopes,  than  the  whole  multi- 
tude moved' in  His  direction  to  meet  Him.  His  sudden  appearanco 
was  opportune.  An  incident  had  just  taken  place,  which  was  still 
exciting  no  little  dispute  betweeli  some  K;ri  lies,  and  the  disciples.  A 
Jew  in  the  crowd  had  a  son— his  only  child— ^ho  had  been  afflicted 
from  birth  with  the  form  of  dismoniac  possession  shown  by  epilepsy, 
joined  with  madness  and  want  of  speech.  He  had  brought  liim  in 
the  hopd  that  Jesiis  would  heal  him,  and  tho  disciples,  who  hud  oftou 
b(!fore  wrought  similar  miracles  when  sent  on  tours  through  tlie  coun- 
try, had  trlMl,  in  His  abtonce,  to  heal  the  boy,  and  hacf  failed.  It 
i^fls,  indeed,  a  special  case,  for  the  lad  was  subject  to  violent  convul- 
sions, in  which  he  foamed  at  the  mouth,  and  gnashed  with  his  teeth, 
imd  these  had  often'  endangered  his  life,  by  coming  on  him  at  times 
when  he  would  have  been  drowned  or  burned  had  not  help  been 
near.  His  whole  body,  moreover,  was  withering  away  under  their 
itittuenc^l  ' 

The  failure  of  the  disciples  had;  apparently,  been  connected  witli 
the  excitement  and  agitations  of  the  last  Week.  Peter's  confession 
in  their  name  that  they  believed  their  Master  to  be  the  Messiah,  had 
been  sadly  overcast  by  the  shock  to  all  thdr  previous  ideas  givect  by 
Hi8rei)eated  intimat'jns  of  His  approaching  violent  death,  and  that 
a  similar  fate  might  overtake  themselves.  It  had  been  a  week  of 
spititual  struggie,  which  Jesus  designedly  left  them  to  undergo, 
though  He  kiiew,  throughout,  that  one  of  them  would  yield  to. the 
trial.  The  nearer  the  time  caime  for  the  journey  to  Judea  6f  which 
He  had  spoken,  and  the  less  they  could  conceal  from  theuisolves  that 
ttieir  devotion  to  Him  was  perilous  to  themselves,  the  more  troubled 
and  faltering  greiw  their  minds,  and  this  inevitably  affected  them  in 
all  their  relations.  In  such  a  hesitating  and  half-dispirited  frarnc, 
they  had  no  such  triumphant  faith  as  when  they  had  gone  out  on 
their  first  independent  apostolic  mission  and  diseases  and  evil  spirits 
yielded  to  tlieir  commands,  in  their  Leader's  name.  Hence,  they  had 
the  mortification  not  only  of  failing  to  work  a  cure,  but  of  having  to 
hear  the  eavfls  and  sneers  of  the  l^bbis,  who  were  only  too  glad  fo 
seize  a  indmeMary  triumph  at  tlieir  expense. 

•  Meanwhile,  the  crowd  showed  ifesus  all  outward  respect.  The  re- 
port of  His.  wonderful  deeda  elsewhere  had  raised  an  excitement  that 
was  visible  on  every  face.  They  gi-eeted  apd  welcomed  Him,  and 
were  impatient  to  hear  what  He  should  say  in  this  matter  between 
His  followers,  aild  their  own  doctors. 


*  I 


i 

i  in 


564 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


I'M 


l^irniiji^  to  thes^^ow^M  j^lie  AubIi  bJff'vicfei^^Jo^.j^iWsOM^ 


though  tliejr  had  been  bold  euQugh  beforie  tiw?  ^iM|le,^Jft9|ples,  tljey 

.^were  silent  in  the  commanding  pre^nce  of  their  |aaj^> ... 

;     Presently,  the  father  of  th^  unfortunate  t|o^^pres/seu,t]|a:6ugh  tic 

crowd,  catching  fresh  ^ope.^hat  the  T^her  .qpim,.  p^rhara,  do  wtat 

the  disciples  coul4  not.    Kneeling  before  |iim,  he  tpl4  all  that  Jigd 

happened:  howthe  dlsciplea  bad  been.wUlipg^  help.  b)i|t, had  faikl. 

The. whole  sto^  kindled  Chi-ist's  sad  indignation.    Hj^  ha'i^  l^^n  long 

|i^ith  bdth  disciples  and  people,  an^  aft^r,aU.|^|iSiii>jgh*y  i^qta  and  un- 

■  wearied  teaching,  th^  foi^erhad,  a$  j^Qst  ^^4^^^  ,V?<%  ^<>F^Hng  faltli, 

ahd  the  latter  were  ready  to  reject  flto,  ^^ti^^Jy, ,,  *'0  faithless^  and 

Feryerse generation, "cried  He,  "liffve  ye^  th^n,  no,^^  ^ij^U?,  Must 
be  al^aj^s  present  with  you  i  Are  ojl  thk^  proppj.,  you  pi&ye,  had  ^f 
my  help,  when  absent  from  you,  hi  bq^y^tfprgpit 
given  you  p6wer  over  demons,  and  to  cure,(^ikia|9e^,  apd  pic^misedto 
be  with  you,  that  you  might  do  6uc|i  wpD4^r^?  Sp^  ^o^Vd^yP"  show 
such  want  of.  faith  as  to  doubt  lii^y  prpra^sesK  ana  thlpk  anything  too 
difficult  either  to  attempt  or , dp,  whether  J  am  present  ivith  you  or 
not?  Will  you  never  cpnquer  yduy  upj^elieft  Hpii^, jipng  sha,itl 
suffer  you?    Where  is  the.  boy?    Bri^  hlni  to  niie4  ,2,^  j  ,       '> 

The  boy  was  brought  at  once ;  but  his  eyes  ho  sooner  met  tliOvse  of 
tTesUs  than  he  was  seized  with  a  paroxy^nfi  of  his  malady,  apd  fell  oa 
tlie  ground,  in  violent  convulsions  and  j&>aimng  at  the  j^pulh.  {in- 
sane, dumb,  and  writhing  on  the  earth^:  ho  ^<3u(^f. spectacle  of  tlic 
kind  could  well  have  been  seen:.  ,  , ,  j  ,  ;^^,j  ^.M^r  hjL  ,•!  ;s 
,  It  waa  desirable  that  the  crowd  ahPuM  have  the  wpple  incident  im- 
pressed on  their  min45,  and  it  was  necessary  f or  tl^e  p^ripanent  good 
-of  the  agonized  father  himself  that  his  faith  should  be  8t):engthen«). 

."How  long  has  he  suffered  in  this  way?"  a^k^d  J^e^us.  ,  ,.,  ^^ 

'*  From  chndhood,  and  often  ttie  spirit  casts  hivp^  itto  ^he  waiter  and 
into  the  fire,  to  kllUiim.  But  tt  Thou  mmt jlo  amtlt^ri^.^^^  ]\m 
compassion  on  me  and  him.  and  help  us.|%f^;  ^^^  5;^  vifTiif^  ^i  D?3h 

''  Jf  Thou  canst?''  replied  jcsus,  repenting  %\&  words  in  gentle  re- 
buke.—"All  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believes.^' 

The  intense  emotion  of  the  father  could  restrain  itself  iy(;>  longer. 
His  son's  cure  had  been  made  to  turn  on  his  ow^  confi^^iice  in  the 
Healer,  and  that,  even  if  felt,  might  not  Ikj  deep  enough  to  secure  tlje 
favour  so  uuspeakalily  wished,  lu  his  distress  he  Gpufdjpnly  break 
out  into  tlie  pitiful  ciy  which , has  risen  from  unnupoibered  hearts 
since  his  day,  "  YeS;  I  believe:  help  Tliou  mjpe  unbeUelr #^  iny  f# 
is  too  %veak."  , 

Tlie  crowd  had  been  closing  in  from  all  sides  op  J^si^s  ja^d  the  un- 
happy father  and  son,  and  further  delay  was  to  be  avohjed.    Turning, 
therefore, 
deaf 
him. 


T^|; .  I^IFIi;  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


the  boy  lay  still 


nd  motiopless,  90  that  he  seemedi  dead.  Hany,  in- 
m^sam^tmj^iui:  l^nti^kmtm  him  by  the  WdJaSa;  lift-= 
iiig  hitf  Tati,'dffivietfed  hiih  to  his  fkther^  ainldlst  ihe  Ipu^yrcxpressed 
W)nd^^of  «ietAf3titu(ie  at  the  mtg^^^ 

Tii9  di^clJflcS,  numlaed  by  their  failureiaijid  unable,  ia  their  sclf- 
decepitiofi,  tb  ftdc^'iliitf  f br  it,  took  the  first  opportunity,  on  Uieir  gain-' 
ing  privacy,  to  ask  their  Jyiaster  to  wjjat  ^t  wai^,  owinac.  **lt  vfM 
glinply?'  ,^aM  Jesifis,  *  becau^d  of  your  little  faitlt^  Jn^e^d,  X  n^y  say 
ycurwat^t'ttrfa^th,  for,  I  assure  you  if  yon  liiid  steadfast^  iinwayer- 


YQU  tl^at*  no  mountain  m  difficulty  would  be  sp  g^et^t^far  less  ttiia 
*6^e  whteh  foiled  ybu-^that  it  ^'ould  n6t.  kt  t^e  v^Qvd  of  fliro  tru^  jn 
(M,  be  mbVed  pm  of  youi;  way.**  "As  regards  this  cur^**^e  aaaed» 
'*ybu  had  to  do  with  a  kind  of  d^ihpnlac  possession,  "v^hiph  especially 
(lemands  strbhg  faith,  for  every  Attempt  to  overcome  it  yrith(;Hi|L  such 
fiiitii  as  cbnifeS  tlirou^h  prayer;  so  persistent  tjiat  if  negleck  eycjn  jthe 
needs'ofttliie  body  for  th^trae,mtijStt)e  fruij;^ess.  It  ijipver  is.  tibia 
greatness  bf  thp  difficulty,  biit  only  the  w^al^esfi  ojf  yoi^^  faith,  that 
stands  in  youi^  ^'£^.  ^  lletnembef  this  in  years  to  cprnp.'*  A^J 
Jesus  did  not  st  "'  *"-~  '-  xi-_  v*s_*_.^i  .it  *^___-:i_  'i^i.Mi-L*  i—* 

Ibiig  turned  bhce 
Dan,  across  tjie  si  , 
Holeli  lifiatshes  oh  its  south  ^de,  and'on  its  north  the  huge  mountain 
masses  of  liebanott  and  Heiluon,  and  the  tiroa(^wel^ watered. sweepi 
of  upland  valley  between.  He  would  thus  ioostdf>Jsily  reach  the  i)ills 
ofGalili^e  by  Hri  unusual  route,  and  cspape  the  publicity  of  an  approac|i 
by  the  ohifnary  rbads.  It  was  t^ie  last  time  He  w^  tp  visit  the  scene 
ofso  great  npafrt  of  Hi^  public  life,  andttcteTt,  as  lie  jpurnjeyjed  on, 
that  He  coula  ho  more  pass  froth  villagp  to  yillage  fw  opp^lyas  in; 
(lays  ^one  by^  for  thfe  eyes  of  His  enemies  were,  every whcfje  on^Hiip. 
The  time  He'  had  jpreviotisiy  given  tp  ilioacjhiiiff  and  hpaling  was  npw 
devoted  mainiy  tp  the  special  pTiepaWitiot^  01  His  discipiies  for  t^^ 
approachihg  ehd.  l^ow  and  then,  when  sppcial  pccasion  demanded. 
He  WHS  as  rei\dy  as  ever  to  irelieve  the  wretched,  or  to  justify  and 
repeat  the  WQi'ds  which  lib  had  so  of  ten  delivered  in  the  synagogues; 
but  He  usually  shunned  nbtice,  npt  Wislun^,  in  the  words  of  St. 
Mark,  that  any  man  should  krtoxv.  Avoiding  the  more  populous 
places,  and  seeking  by-paths  among  the  ^lills,  where  He  would 
meet  few  attd  i)e  little?  known,  He  made  His  way  towards  His  old 
Iwme,  OaJJljrrifrtihL  iJut  He  could  no  longer  show  Himself  anywhere 
as  He  had  done  in  the  days  of  His  popularity,  fpr  every  word  or  act 
^TOiild  have  created  new*  excitement,  and  given  a  fresh  ground  ior 
accusation.  He' had  resolved  to  go  to  Jerusalem  and  there  meet  E\s 
fate,  but  He  cbuld  only  do  thi^  by  guarding  against  anything  which 
nuKht  lead  to  His  arrest  in  Qalill^Q,  K)rintiSt  <iaae  Ije^wpuld  be  tried 


'i- 


td6 


•T&E  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


and  cb^dcmncd  ti^ '  a  local  court:  Jernsalctn  aVorii^ '  ^usl,  ^  the  c4 
iastrbplie,  for  it  was  Hie  centre  6f  the  tiatiph,  the  t^ddquarters  of  t^e 
priesthood  and  Ha,bbi8— His  enemies— and  Ilis  death  men  would  be 
distmctly  their  work:  th^ir  owen  and  formal  rejection,  as  represent- 
'  atives  or  the  natibri,  of  the  New  Kingdom,  and  6|  Himgelr  as  tKc 

jMMaii.  \  .   •  %kv:      :.  "'^'i:''     ^ 

I  .  He  stay^ed  i|i  GalUee,  therefore,  only  s6  long  as  His  puVpbsie  to  goto 
^c^usalein  perniitted,  apd  meanwhile  withcffew  f rom  pfoblic  lite,  to 
devbie  Himself  especially  to  the  Twelve  and '  prepare  them  for  liis 
deatti,  of  which  He  seems  to  have  spoken  very  oftelri.  One  of  tl^ 
fragniehts  of  His  intercourse  with  tliem,  while  slbw^ly •journeying 
onwircb  to  His  Qwn  town,  has  been  presdrvecl  to  ms.  *'  Ybii  nave 
heard,"  saidHe,  '/how  the  multitudes  express  their  ^ma^ment  at't^e 
inighty  power  of  God  ^hown  iu  the  miracles  they  hjlye  Sjeen  me  pqr 
form,  as  in  the  case  of  th^  cure  of  the  boy,  after  my  descent  fromtlie 
Qiount.  L<pt  their  words,  in  which  they  have  thus  acknowledged  and 
ma^ified  iny  acts  as  not  less  than  divine,  sink  into  your  memories, 
and  strengthen  and  confirm  ybur  faith  in  me  as  the  l&fessial^.  Fori, 
the  Son  <^  Man— the  Messiali— whose  mighty  works  you  have  heaitl 
extolled  so  greatly,  might  easily  have  set  inys^lf  a,^  the  head  of  the 
people,  and,  led  them  by  supernatural  power,  as  thej'aiid  their  chief 
men  wish,  to  outward  national  glory.  But  I  will  assuredly  be  delh*. 
cred  up  and  abandoned  by  these  very  crowds,  and  given  over  to  the 
authorities,  because  I  will  not  use  my  power  for  any  but  holy  and 
spiritual  ends.  I  will  be  betraved  into  thq  hands  of  my  enemies,  and 
they  will  put  me  to  death,  but'^I  shall  rise  again  on  the  third  day." 

They  were  too  full,  of  their  worldly  hopes,  which  still  mingled 
strangely  with  their  vague  recognition  of  their  Master  as  th^  So^  of 
God;  top  unwilling  algo  to  thin^  earnestly  pn  a  sub jef^t  so iinplt^^sant^ 
and  so  opposed  to  their  ideas  of  the,  Messiah,  to,Undprsta;p4  w^iat  H)3 


theodicy,  as  even  John,  apparcntly,  had  expected  He  would.  Suci 
language  seemed  part  of  His  dark  sayings,  with  a  jpecret  meanitvj 
which  He  would  some  day  explain.  They  would  f^iw  have  wished 
this  explanation,  indeed)  at  once,  to  calm  their  minds,  but  they  HqeJ: 
tated  to  ask  Him. for  it  Ho  might,  perhaps,  if  they  did  so,  tell  tlie© 
isomething  still  more  unpleasant,  as  He  had  done  hitely  to  footer,  li  a 
eimilar  case.  Besides,  they  did  not  like  to  think  about  what  Ihcy  so 
inucU  disrelished,  and  turned  from  matters  which  only  pied  tlieci 
with  gloom  to  others  more  in  keeping  with  their  wishes  ^nd  hopes. 

These  offered  themselves  in  the  distinction  Jesus  often  ^pemedtp 
make  iu  His  bearing  to  one  or  other  of  their  number.  Human  natur? 
is  always  the  same,  and  jealoujy  was  as  rife  in  thp^e  days  as  now. 
However  impartially  !H0  mi^t  treat  them,  their  own  charactc  ristics 
znad«  it  impossible  that  Pie  should  be  as  intimate  and  confidential 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


JIT 


trith  sonid  as  ^Uh  nfiiera.  In  some  cases,  as  in.  the  Tmnsfhraratloh. 
lately.  He  harl  thought  fit  to  take  onl3r  a  few  ofAtkiem  with  Him^and 
He  seemed  latebr  ta  have  put  esoecial  honour  on  Peter,  wbih  His 
fneB<^lup  far  John  was  closer  ana  more  tender  than  for  aoy  other.. 
All  this,,  ho^ayer^  lyould  have  troubled  tl^  less  fa^'oi^ad  oneiMttUi 
but  for  tlMiu:^  almost  invincible  belief  that  He  would  soon  proclaim 
Himself  as  the  Messiah  in  the  Jewish  sense,  and  found  a  great  palit-, 
ical  kingdom..  Everything  was  seen  through  this  preconception;  and^ 
any  mian^  of  preference  were  takea  as  in(hcations  of  future  position 
io  tUe^zpectdd  revolutioh.  They  assumed  that,  having  been  diosen 
from  alltheir  countrymen  by  Jesus  as  His  closest  folio versy  they  would 
Lave  the  chief  places;  ia  the  n^w  empire  He  was  to  found,  Imt  thiere 
was  abunoaht  roomifor  jealousy  in  their  individujtl  diaims  ta^iaor 
tiiat  prominent  diipity.  >.  Accustomed  to  discuss  eveiy1;hing  o|Mnly, 
Uiey  naturally  fell  mto  warm  controversy  as  to  the  just  distribution  ol 
the  great  offices  of  state  among  them,  when  Jesus  should  be  installed 
as  Monarch  of  the  world,  at  Jerwalem.  <  ■ 

In  tlus  dispute,  howeverj  their  Jiloster  took  no  part^  K^>  indeed^ 
did  they  wish.  Him;  to  do  so,  for  they  had  fallen  behincj^ilnprdcar  thai; 
He  mighitiiiot  heaF4;hemi  J  They  were  ashamed  to. have  Him  kiH)^ 
what  occupied  their  thoughts,  so.  little  in  harmony  .with  Hia^teac^* 
lag  and  spirtt.  Buit  He  had  noticed  it  all,  though  He  said  nothing 
for  the  moment.    Meanwhile  they  once  moro  entered  Caperaftimv'f" 


lijn' 


CHAPTER  XLVm. 

BEFbnlB    THE    J'EASt. 


There  |s  spin^thipg  intepsely  human  in  the  return  of  Jesus  to 
Qapernaun^  .i|i  the  tac^  b|  imminent  danger.  It  ha4  heen  His  home, 
and  He  was  in  all  sinless  regards  a  man.  He  longed .  to  see  the  old 
familiar  spots  once  more;  the  hiljs  behind  the  town,  among  whi^  He 
iiad  so  oftien  wandered;  the  shady  woods,  and  orchards,  and  vine- 
yards, rich  in  foliage,  or  gloyring  with  their  ripening  fruit  in  these 
summer  months.  He  had  often  looked  out  from  them  on  the  spark- 
ling waters,  and,  above  all,  had  met  among  ihem  the  few  whom  He 
had  gathered  round  Hipi  in  His  long  sojourn  as  their  fellow-citizen. 
These  He  would  now  fain  strengthen  in  their  faith,  before  leaving 
them  for  ever. 

His  entrance  into  the  town  was  marked  by  an  application  to  Peter 
by  the  lo^l  collectors  of  the  Temple  tax,  for  its .  payment  bv  'his 
Master,  sfose's  had  provided  funds  for'tjie  erection  of  the  Taber- 
nacle, by  the  imposition  of  a  tax  of  half  a  shekel  on  each  male,  pay- 
able at  the  "nun^bering  of  the  people, "and  tliis,  since  the  Babylonish 
Captivity,  had  I^en  if^quired. yearly.,  Ijt  w^  equal,  nominally,  to 
tbout  on^  and  threepence  of  our  money,  but  really  to,  at  leaat  six 


1 

1 

m 

1 

WM' 

J  K 

M 

j 

i.t^ 

.':   I 

■  :^:- 

'■   1 

1^ 

If 

'^ 

^ 

M 

rip 

if 

ii 

11 

m 


THB  WFE/  OF  CintieTi 


tfaneB^as  Jpnueli,  and'  wns  dcmandod: ir^m  Qveiy-^  Israelii  qf  ,^  .ftgip  of 
'.twcmtj^-^vesB  tho poorast^  •■  .  •,..!.,..  .,.c.  n,.,,  ,...  ,t;,,.n  .^;t '  ;v  .^ 
-  liwM:  mainly  from  l^tiiis  lieayy  tax,  paid  as  a  lacrc^^  ^^ty-txy  eveiy 
Jew,^'Wliatever  conn  try  ^tliat  tho'Tempk  treasui^  ^>m,  filled  ivUb 
tlie  millions,  of  silver  coins  which  -wore  so  strong  a  teiDptatioA  to  law- 
tees  greed.  Ci^assus,  Sabinus,  and  Pilate»  in  sofccflsuon^.  had  hid 
violent  haQds  on  this  uxuneasured  wealth,  and  the  j^ecklpsagr^Qed  of 
Florwiiaiits  plunder  was. the  proximate  cause  of  the  1^  gr£at\7ar, 
wliich  destrojred  both  iTemple  and  city.   ■  .;;.?;,,,► 

^oT^-Slxetlium^  or.  ?niessengers»"  who  collected  this,  lax  i^Tjudca, 
visited  each  town  at  flxec)  umes.    In  foreign  cbunlries  pl^s -«v-eie 
rappoiiited  for  its  collection  in  every  city  or  district  i where  ^th^  weic 
Jewfr^^aod  1  where  ^W^'o  thoy  not  t-r-tlie  chief  ^en  oftheircomipiuaitj 
in  each  acting  as  treasurer,  and  conveying  the  amounts  in  dujB  cou^ 
to  J«rusal9m.    Three  hugo  chests,  carefully  guaiided.  in  a, particular 
chamber  in  the   Temple,  held  the  yearly  receiptSfWliicli:  served, 
beaded  providing  the  beasts  for  sacrifice,  to  pay  tlie  Eabbis,  iij^pcctora 
of  yietim9«copyTsts«  bakers, i  judges,  and  others  connected  ylth  the 
Tetnpte'  service,  and  numerous  won^en  who  wove-  or  washed  the 
Temple  linen.    It  supplied,  a4so,.  the  costS;  qI  tl^^^wateT;  supply,  and  of 
f  |he  r«(pairs  of  the  vast  Temple  buildings.    -  ?  a;  ?   .fi  •  / 
IiiThe'ColIeetion  began  ia  t^e  Holy  Land  on  4^e  Utot  Adar-^partef 
OurFebruaiiy  and  Jlarch^the  month  of  the<  ."iretu]^i^ing;^nj'' aiwi 
tlienext  bofpre  that  of -the  Passover.    By  the  middle  of  it  tie  offlcial 
'exf^b^ngers  in  each  town  hud  set  up  tlieir  tables,  and  opened  their 
two  chests  for  the  tax  of  tho  current  and  of  the  past  year,  for  many 
.  paid  t^e  tax  for  two  yeilrs,  togetlier.    Tliey.wipplied  thei  old  §acred 
shekel,  coined  by  Simon  the  Maccabee,  for  ^  trifling  charge,  to  i^II 
wb©  r«^uired  it,  for  only  that  coin  was  received  by  tlie  Teinplc 
tftut^ori^s  in  homiige  to  Pharisaic  apd  national  »entinient.    At  fir^t 
,  every tliini^wasjlelt  to  the  good  will  of  the  people,  ^ut  a^teV  the  2^, 
-promf  t  payment  was  reqi^u^edt  and  ^curitic^,  siich  ap;  an ;  ^nder  g^- 
mei4  or  the  like,  were  taken  even  from  the  pil^^E)(^  ,com|i^  up  j(p 

,the  fea^,iyjf{t:'ff6rt/^'urn  or^  Md  r  fr'>.  mnd\.j{sti  jiMjiMii'fi  lU:rjj\  \>ix 

Itwas  vejy  J1kely,ttoeiore/thattlii6tiftie  of- rgwifce  had  expired 
.before  Jesus  reached  Capernaum,' so  tbat  the  celleetors— appareatly 
;  respectable  citizens— felt  themselves  justified  in  1  roacjhbttg  the  qu€6- 

tio0  to  Peter—- whether  his  Teacher  did  not  ^ay  the  two  drachmas? 

perhaps  they  fancied  H«  was  of  the  irreconcilable  school  of  Judas 
;  the  Galila3an,  who  would  pay  no  Temple  tax  so  long  as  the  Holy  City 

was  polluted  by  the  heathen  Roman..  His  enemies,  indeed,  Very  likely 

bad  insinuated,  that  this  was  the  case,  to  bring  Him  into^suspicioo 

with  government.  *  \ 

Peter^  ever  zealous  for  his  Master's  honour,  and,  as  usnaly  impulsire, 

BO  sootner  heard  the  application  than  he  answered  a|Brmatively,  en 
rliis  own.  authority^  and  forthwith  set  off  to  find  Jeistis  and  report  tbe 

mattw  tb  flim.  .  •  <  .-itriiiiir  i,..jmi,uijil-.j;*.-  ijna  .entUioniL 


ms 


'fHS^  U!F1^  OF  GHBifiT. 


The  ^enet  thne  for  pajrtnent  had-  passed  while  Christ  had  beetmway 
from  C^penMiiim,  and  the  collectors  were,  doubtless,  anxious  to  gatHer 
|11  MreajTS,  tei  t^ke  with  iliem  to  Jerusalem  at  the  apt>roachhi^  F^ast 
of  Taberiiaeies  in  September.  As  if  to  show  that  riot  eren  the  most 
i^isigni^ciiht'iiiatter  that  concerned  His  disciples  escaped  His  notice, 
eTen  when-QOt^ocKly  present  with  them;  Peterno  sooner  appeiired  than 
his  errand  wasr  as^ticipated  by  asking  him  Ms  opinion,  whether,  t^heu 
kings  levy  taxes  oi  toils,  tliey  exacted  thehifi^m  their  own  children,  ^ 
or  only  from  their  subjects?  !      v  'hK.H.i,«>jv  »i  i^  *i.  li^ut^^ 

'<i  think.'^  repriced 'Pfeter,  "that  only  the  fiiibj^etsipaV.** '  •♦'raen, 
6!  eourse,*'  replied  JFeSus,  ••  the  king's  childteti  are  free. 

Hewiflbed  40  ^Iiow  that  it  wbuld  have  been  no  failure  of  duty  to 
leftTe  the  tax  unpiaid.  Peter  had  already  o^ed  Him'  as  the  ''  Son  of 
Qod,-'  and  It  wa^f6r' the  Temple*  of  God  the  impost  was  levied.  It 
(hi^M;  therefore;  be  just  and^  proper  to '  collect  it  from  "tl^e  nation  it 
te!r|e,  but  it  w«|  oiot  fittibg  to  lask  it  from  Hih^.  *'  i  am  a  Mhg  and 
a  kin^^s  son;  fai*  ifiore  tjiaa  oi^y Koman  or  Herbdiah  priucei^for  I  am 
iie  Son  cff  Gkn!,  Iw  i^ou  hast  saS:^  and  this  tax  is  (f or  mr  FatherA- 
^k)d—th4  Great  King;  €o*  His  Temple,  and  thus  I  should ^ be  f weir."* 

But,  while  thus  maintaining  to  His  apostle*  His  rightful  immuuify. 
He  was  too  prudent  to  urge  it  in  public.  He  waS  iJotrecbgoSsfied'  as 
the  Son  Of  God' dtitslde  thb  little  ctrele  df  'His  dlseipleff,  but  was'  only 
ii^  tsraeliUe,  like  othei^,  to^men  «t  large,  and,  as  such,  wa^  lihdfer  the 
lA"^.'  'M  Would  have  given  j^routid  of  ficcusation  and  miscbnoe^ion 
h«d  He  hesiti^  to  pay  what  all  Jews  paid  cheetfully,  as  areligiotts 
mj.      [  .^5- '^.' -■■'   ■  -■■■   --  ■:*--'•■•■     '   '■       ,■■'■■    ■'■■'  '■-■  "-:^    -      ■ 

'^  It  i^oi]8d  not  (do  lor  tee,  nevertheless^^  continuedUe,  tlieref<«i6, 
"  tb^^e^^i^  refuse. '  They  would  itiot  iihderstand  what  I  have^beein 
siting  tKy  'yOU,  Take  ye^ur  lirie,  and  go  to  tlie'  lake;  you i  need  tifbt 
-#ttit^  4ili  ^'batdh  a  'number  of  fish  to^  mkke  upthe  amountl  Take 
tlie  filist  fiiatcbmos'lo  your  hook,  and  ybaWrli  fi«d'iu  its  mouth  a 
stWdr,  #hich'  is  twiici^  as  inuch  8^  is  needed:  With  it  you  caii  "jWay  for 
meandf<ir3roii^felf:"-   -'*■,  •  --  '-'--  ''^'.■■-'  '■'■■"    ■•'■  ••''  '•«J'?.-ii^ 

The  result  is  not  given,  but  there  can  be  no  question  that  the  com- 
.iiana  secured  it&  own  fulfilment.  .  No  leSsoh  could  have  been  ^Iven 
mdre  stilted  to  benefit  Petet*  and  bis  companions.  It  taught  them 
tbftt,  thougfe  they  Were  His  apostles,  they  could  not  claim  exemption 
frorrt  lab^uif  for  their  own  support,  but  yet  quiokened  them  to  a  firm 
I'kjose  on*  His  watchful  «areV  which  could  help  them  ih  atoy  extremity. 

^I'liey  remained  for  a  short  time  in  Capernaum,  and,  happily.  We 
I«ive  a  glimpse  of  their  quiet  private  intercourse?  d<^ubtlcss  the  pic- 
ture of  mahy  ^uch  oceasioiis.  Ho  had  Relayed  allusion  to  their  hot 
discussion  pn  the  way  till  the  quiet  of  evening  and  home.       »1  tlliTn. 

*'  Tell mbi"  said  IfCi  tur^)i«ig  to  one  of  them,  •*  about  What  were  you 
disputing  ^moUgVouts^ves  on  the  road?"  But  the  question  redeived 
B<)  aa^fseH  foi"«»  Were  alike  ftshAmod  of  their  imwortJiy  jeiilouski 
ami  aaiJLiitivjUB,  and  mi  humblcJ  and  sileut. ..  .  -  *  >w  ^JM^fV  r 


|i: 


QTO 


•THE  XIFE  OP  CUIUSTL' 


15 


f;  :| 


It  was  tfn  opportuiiHy  for  fmpressinijr  on  them,  once  mora,  the  fun- 
dnmeBtal  disracteristie  t)f  His  kin^dom^  Tlicir  dail^  ^<6itk;  via  dW 
ei|>lto,  reininded  thetti  eonthinially' of  thoii^  r^latiotfs  td  St;  ^ttd  it 
already  engrossed  thebrthooghtsibtit  thtjy  still  f ail^  tc^  i^H2e  it^ 
purely  spfiittml  charact^.  The  trifils  waitings  them  tbuddr^  Ik,  thus, 
the  niore  nccessarv^to  strengtiien  and  support  tbetti  fti^forefatod.  by 
corJifecttng*  their  misappreheii^ons,  and  elevatihg  tllelr  toiltf.  *^ » i^ '  - ^^ 
•  Ila  the  Sermon 'on  the  iMount  they  hnd  heard;  if  thtiy  cqiild  haV4 
understood  it,  h6w  utterly  His  kingdom  contrasted  i*ilh  all  their  nve- 
vioHisldea^.  They  had  hecn  tWd,  in  effect,  thht'tiioiiisl  fitness  albhe 
secured  entranceUo-  it;  and  ihat  every  esitemittl  claim;  Whether  the 
fulfilmeiit  of  Ifegal  duties,  or  national  privileife- or  sacred< calling- 
whatever  had;  hitlierto,  been  supposed  to  give  a  title  to  membersMp 
in  the  Old  Theocracy;  must  be  libandOned  its  v?6rthleSil.  The  reign  of 
God;  how  proclaimed,  was;  in  fact,  only  the'homage  bf  the  souV,  Whlclv 
had  ptepared  Itself,  like  a  purified  Temple,  bjr  humble  tepentancii 
and  holy  lifev  to  be  a  habitation  of  His  Henvcnl^  Fathery  -May must 
onlyife^iJiVefromGod:  not  preterkltogivetoifiiw.'     *^*"'**    j* 

€itizenship1ii<the  new  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  Wad  possible,  otily^ 
■jivDifctt  no  tlidi^ht  of  claim  obtruded.  -'       '    ' 

It  was  thus,  in «ffeet.  Simply  a  reproduction  of  thfe  spirit  Of  JcsiW 
Himself  that  was  demanded,  1<M^  the  great  ehatkcteristrc  Which  gave 
His  life  its  matchless  beauty,  was  His  perfect  divine  humility.  His 
lowly  meekhess  had  protected  Himi  at  the  opening  of  His  ministiy, 
wh^n  tempted  tO  i^lf -exaltation :  it  had  subordiniited  Hi^  t^wn'  ViU, 
as  by  a  law  of  His  being,  to  that  of  God;  it  had  opeiied  His  heart  to 
tlie  poor  of  Hi*  nation,  cast  out  and  despised  By  tii*  religious  pride 
of  the  day;  it  had  made  Him,  throughout,  the  friehd  Of  the  op-' 
pres*d,t&B  lowly,  and  the  wifetched;  it  hadled  Him,  of  His  free 
choice,  to  despise  all  worldly  honour,  and  it  was  bO#  bfearing  Him, 
with- a  kingly  grahdfeur,  to  the  abasemeMt  Of  tJieCi-OBS,  that  He  might 
open'  to  His  nation,' and  to  mankind,  tho  Way  to  ^oace  witJi  their 
Fftthejr  in  Heavien,  and  found  a  kingdom  of  hohntesis,  truth.Mflnd  love; 
to  eanoWe  and  bless  the  present,  and  expand  into  eternal  fdicity  in 
the  world  to  come.- ■■      :--^-'    ^''■'  -^'-  .       "■  -'^-'T;  •'*'■■- vfnfi^>-.-v  •-  ■■.;:, 

It  was  vital,  therefore,  for  Hi^disdpleisi,  tfeiip,i^  iit^Wl  life^  tUf 
should  have  the  same  heavenly  temper.  Without  it,  ttiey  coultl 
neither  be  cfficicaitiiistruments  in  spreading  His  klrigdwm,  nbt  have 
any  share  in  it  themselves,  for  it  was,  itself,  the  Kin^dom-^the  reigii 
of  God,  in  the  soul.  The  datager  of  self -elevation  ha4  been  greatly 
increased  from  the  moment  when  Jesus  had  accepted  from  them  their 
formal  ascription  Of  the  il^ssianic  dignity,  at  Ctesarejl  Philii)pi. 
What  seductive  dreams  lay  for  Galilajan  lishcrmenMh  their  being 
commisdoned  by  the  Messiah,  as  His  confidential  friends,  and  tlie 
first  digtiitaries  of  His  kingdom  1  They  had,  indeed,  heard  Jesus 
speak  OT  suifering  a  shameful  death,  as  the  immediate  rdsuHof  His 
proclaiming  Himself  as  the  Messiah,  but  when  the  mind  is  already 


'THEl  LU'E  0^  CflRlSI'/ 


tm 


pro6c(iiJpM%  IJU o«m  yjews^'tt &iiitiiedibTy')iftrd  to  ttim  ft.  "Even 
the  most  aiflcoimiiging  incid,entft  are  tranafprmed  into  i^npports,  or  at 
least  ar^^eaftai^^-'*^*^^^^^!^  Je$iis  had  mily  spoken  thus  to  try 
them:  jporha^Vit  was  one  of  tlie  dark  sayings  He  used  so  6ft4jn/" 
Their  ^itur^d%pltiy  in  the  kingdom  had  hem  the  topic  oi  oonstant 
disputes  and, id^Vl^s^i^'^r  ^^6^  s&ice  the  eventfut  d^y,  at  Oieaarea 
Philippi.  Had  they  not  received  spiritual  graces  and  powers?  For 
what  l)a4  the^  gone  througji  sp  much  toil  and  danger?  The  rewa rd 
could  not  be  ^  distant.  When  it  came,  which  of  tl^im  should  i^vo 
the  first  place,  and  he  the  Minister  of  tlie  New  Reign? 
They  must  be  taught  how  utterly  tliey  deceived  themsctvea 
Jesus  had  aat  down  In  the  house  and  called  the  Twelve  before  put- 
ting the  question.  As  they  stood  rountl  3ipi,— for  disciples  ei  i\ 
Rabbi  always  stood  wjien  their  masters  sat  down  to  teach  thcm,-^ 
His  first  words  scattered  tlte  whole  unwortliy  dream  of  their  hearts. 

"Whoever  of  you,"  ^^d' He,  >*' it  matters  not  whieh,  seeks  to  be 
before  the  other,  and'Woqld  distinguish  himself  tn«my  !^ingdbm,  pan 
only  do>80  by  cheerfully  stooping  to  render  even  the*  humblest  services 
to  all  the  reht.  He  miist  show  himself  the  willing  8ei*yant  <tf  all, 
by  doii^g:  wh{^teyer  ■  he  can  to  serve  tl^  others.  He  ina»t  seek  and 
find  hwgreatneas  in  being  the  humblest,;  iMPi^^jthelreif pre,  tiie  seryant 


-  V-r'i'^-v:! 


of  all.' 

SuQ^'lan^^ge  was  well-nigh  incomprehensibile  to  m^n  misled  by 
worldly  pride  and  ambition.  They  were  thinking  of  themselves 
rather  thaik  <^  their  Master ;,  of  receiving  rather  than  rendering ;  of 
selfish  ease  an4  honour,  rather  than  loving  s^-sacrifice,  which  He  had 
often  tbldlhem  was  the  oooidltiba  of >  their  discipleship.  De,  therefore, 
resolved  tp  bring,  them  to  a  bettor  frame,  and  this  by  an  ilkiatration 
rather  than  W^w^.  They  knew,  by  tixperleooe,  that  even  His  niost 
unpalatable  fmd  His  dani:e$ii  words',  had  a  greajber  f ulnass  of  truth 
than  ttieir  iijaperfect  insight  aoiild  realize.  They  had,  doubtless, 
also,  at  tlmeSf  j^isgJLvings  respecting  their  dreams  of  thei  future,; 
though  tJ^y  coul^  not  as  yet  lay  these  aside.  Some  of  them  bad  even 
gone  so  far  as  to  ask  Him  the  particular  dignities  He  intended  for 
each,  that  alj^.  future  strife  mi^ht  be  checked  by  an  autiioritative  an- 
nouacement.  ■ 

Calling  to  Him  9  little  boy  of  the  hpusehold ;  lifting  him  in  His  arms, 
and  pressing  him  fondly  to  His  breast, '—as  if  to  show  how  much 
nearer  such  an  one  was  to  Him  than  the  Twelve  standing  at  a  dis- 
tance roijnd,— He  drew  their  attention  to  tiie  child.  Love  of  children 
and  of  their  childish  traits,  had  always  marked  Him.  A  child,  in  His 
eyes,  was  a  type  of  the  grace  so  dear  to  Him^ — ^liumility.  It  raises  no 
overweeniiig  claims  such  as  men  advance,  and  accepts  all  its  rela 
tions  in  life  as  it  finds  them;  it  adapts  itself  iineonsciously  to  the 
lowliest  and  most  ungenial  tot,  and  ^uds  happiness  in  it.  It  is  the 
embodiment  of  dependence  and  need;  of  having  nothing,  (md  yel 
l(>bkin|ji;  with  simple  trust  to  a  higher  than  itself. 


i'.i 


679 


♦MS  ^  tlB*  oS*  CHftlSt. 


Th6  Tirelve  i^btod  Hi^  act  wtth  WQndof,  not  ki^o 
m^iit.    He  now  prbc^edeid  to  explain  it. 
MV««  aee  this  child,"  said  He:  **!  tell 


y^iiHt  Jt 


^',v^ 


You  see  this  child,"  said  He:  "'*!  tell  you  is^iieiririj Jf,  flKat.. UiSl6es 
you  a|»andon  your  present  woddl^r  ideas  and  ambitloUs  thoughts,  and 
become  as  simple  and  huipble  as  it,  and  as  loyingly  dependent  on  G(vd 
as  it  .ij9  on  man,  you  shall  not  even  %nter  my  Kingdom,  far  less  hold 
a  hi^h  place  \v{  it.  You  see  how  this  child  has  no  thought .  l^ut  r  * 
perfect  loving  trust  towards  pie;  how  it  does  not,  pretend ^to,glye  t" 
worth  of  what  it  receives,  but  opens  its  Whole  soul  to  md  with  artU 
innocence.  Such  sw6et  humility  must  hie  found  in  bilh  whji;)  woiiK 
tcekto  be  greatest  in  my  New  Kingdom,  "to  h^ve  the  heart  of  a 
child  is  the  fixed  abiding  condition  of  admission/6f  accepted 'service, 
or  of  honour.  This  child  |s  willing  to  be  the  least  of  you  all,  and  to 
serve  ypu  all,  and,  as  I  have  said,  whoever  of  ypu  is  like  it  in  this, 
is  the  ^eatest  among  yoii.  Your. ambition  must  guideitself  hv  this 
rule.  XOur  ^trife  shows  that  yo|i  have  hot  yet  nghtly  grasp«t  the 
true  nature  of  my  Kiugdoni.  It  has  no  external  dignities  of  power 
and  Tank«  fo^  i^  is  a  reign  of  principles,  not  a  worldly  dominion.  All 
its  membe|*s  ^re  therefore,  brethren;  on  a  footing  (^.  perfect  equality. 
Any  bne  iriay,  indeied,  distinguish  himself  beyond  others,  but  not  as 
In  the  Old  Testanaeiitt  Kingdom,  or  ^s  in  that  ot  tlic:  He^^lah  expected 
by  the  nation  at  large,  by  external  honour  and  dignity.  The  hououi's 
of  iny  Kingdom  are  won  cmly^  by  spiiitual;  likeness  to  myselfj,  your 
-  oxaihpie  and  Master.  3eif -denial,  s(m-sacriuce;  th^^surr^oderpf  per- 
son and  goods  for  the  s^ke  of  jthe  brotherhood;  i;Lns^lJ9sh  loyer-iare  the 
only  path  to  the  hi^he^tplac^"  . ,  _i 

V  He  had  now  answered  tlie  question;  l^i^ttje  sight  of  the  clbiild  kin- 
dled another  thought  of  nb.lc'SS  niouieiat.!!  *'  You  ai^e  looking  for  great 
events,  and  thinking  with  )weak  'ppde,  of  y^oi^r  claims  as  ^^y  ,fpUo>v:- 
ers,  a^d  may  be  tempted  to  slight  and,  dj^pjse  aiijf  one  , as  spiritless, 
and  ben^atlryou,  who  li  hunilwe  and  piij^sicimlng,  H  oi 

my  knee,  put  let  me  tell' yjOU,  that,  any  bnp  wh^  boh.Oyr$  and,  re- 
ceives to  his  heart  even  a  single  child-Tike  soul  whiii!\  dejightS-iti 
meekness  and  .humility,  as  leai^ned  from  me/has  dotoPrttie  sapie  iti 
spirit,  and  will  reqeive^a  like  reward,  as  |f  he,  had  jee^iyud  m^  my- 
self, and  done  me  personal  liouour.  And  since  all  that  is  don^  j^o  me 
from  an  honest  hea,rt,  is  "hon^age  done  to  my  Father  whcf  ^eht  We,  He 
Himself  will  shqw  His  appi-oval,  for  evpn  the  humblest  tot,  ijfoies,  if 
he  be  my  disciple,  is  great  a^d  honoured  before  Him,  "^-^-.^fp^  -^^^^ 

The  use  of  the  Word^  "in  my  name"  had,  meanwhile,  recallect  it 
incident  of  their  recerit  journey  to  John,  "'the  Son  of  Thunder." 
The  Twelve  had  met,  in  their  w^y,  one  pasting  oi;t  devils  in  the  name 
of  Jesus,  though,  he  was  not  one  of  their  company,  ^pA  itjstead  pf 
"receiving"  him;  had  chargecJ  hina  to  desist,  becaujs^  he  \y^  not  of 
their  owii  number.  John  how' reported  the  tnatter,,48  if  struck  My 
the  contrast  ^ween  his  own  cohdiict  aigid  tibe  counsel  Just  given. 
•'Forbid  Mm  hbt,^  replied  JcsUs,-^"<Jhe'wto,  ihbugh  nJiit  of  my 


THB  LIF^  OF  CHRIST. 


^m 


elrcjk»  hi8  jet  attained  so  strong  a  faith  in  me  that  ho  works  miracles 
thfotigh  toy  natne,  needs  pot  be  feared  as  likely,  hjr  any  sudden 
change,  to  speak  against  me."  The  want  of  forbeaimuoe  had  sprung 
frdim  thb  yaqt  6f  hiimility,  for  piide  is  the  special,  source  qf  impa- 
tience. "He  who  is  not  against  us,'*  continued  Jesus,  "is  for  us." 
He  whom  John  had  treated  so  harshly  had,  at  least,  acted  \n  His 
name,  thoUgli^  perhaps,  with  a  very  imperfect  conception  of  His  true 
dignity,  or  of  the  scope  and  greatness  of  His  work.  But  he  was  very 
different  from  the  blasphemers  who  did  not  shrink  from  speaking  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  spirit  of  evil.  Moreover,  the  nearer  the  end  ap- 
proached, the  mdre  heedful  it  was  to  root  out  any  signs  of  selfish  or 
hau^ty  feelings  in  the  Twelve,  and  to  lead  them  to  look  with  kindly 
eyes  on  even  a  partial,  if  friendly  relationship  to- Him.  He  wished 
them'  to  realize  that  worthiness  to  rank  in  the  New  Society  was 
shown  by  the  goodwill,  and  trustful,  chiN-like  spirit,  which  led  to 
devotion  to  Him,  rather  than  by  the  measure  of  knowledge  evinced. 
It  was  of  gi^at  moment^  at  this  time,  to  wake  kindly  i^nd  broad- 
hearted  feelings  towards  any,  who,  while  acting  apart,  were  yet 
friendly,  tfere  He  onc0  gone,  it  would  be  left  to  His  disciples  to 
continue  His  work,  and  it  would  depend  upon  thesp  whether  the  So- 
ciety, fou^ided  by  Him,' would  be  really  the  beginning  of  a  new  epoch 
in  rdij^oh,  or  only  a  piece  of  new  cloth  sewed  on  an  old  garment; 
whether  it  wotild  be  a  Jewi^  sect  or  a  faith  for  mankind.   ^ 

"  Ko  one  is  to  be  lightly  esteemed,  "^  continued  Jesus,  "who  shows* 
you  the  slightest  ihark  of  ^podwill  oriTiendsWp,-were  it  only  a  drink 
of  cold  water,  which  all  give  so  readily  in  these  sultry  lands — ^when 
given  because  you  are  my  disciples.  Eyen  this  wUl  be  rewarded  by 
Cfdd  4s^h  fttit  worthy  Kis  favour.  Nor  are  yoii  only  thus  honoured. 
SoprfeclouS  to  Me  is  the  hiimble  child-like  spirit  which  you  are  dis- 
posed to  despise,  that  if  any  one,  by  words  or  deeds,  cause  even,  •oe 
such  soul  '<who  believes,  to  turn  away  from  me ;  ^s  you  weife  in  danger 
of  d6ihg  when  you  forbade  the  stranger  to  cast  out  devils  in  my 
jDanie;  it  would  bo  better  for  him  that  a  huge  ass-millrstone  were 
hung  r6\iud  his  neck  and  he  drowned  in  the  deptl^  of  the  lake, 
that  hie  might  be  saved  from  so  great  a  sin. 

"Alas  for  the  world-wide soitow  which  the  sins  of  many  who  will 
call  tliehiselves  mine  will  cause,  by  keeping  men  from  me!  They 
will  jjiidge  ol  me  by  these  unworthy  f olio wei*?,  and  keep  aloof  from 
lily  km^dom.  It  cannot,  indeed,,  be  otherwise,  for  the  evil  that  is  in 
man  will  make  even  the  name  of  religion  a  scandal.  But  lio^v 
awful  the  judgment  that  awaits  him  w|^a  leads  another  from  the  way 
of  lifel         .    ""•  V  /     ,   . 

"1  havesaid  1hat^  would  be  better  for  a  man  to  die  than  that  he 
Uliotild  lead  another  "tray.  So,,  whatever  miay  lead  you  tQ  sin,  and 
thus  bring  scandsil  on  my.iuUne,  had  much  better  be  pt^t  from  you, 
i^t  ahy  cost.  If  an^^hing,  therefore,  however  dear  to  you,  incites 
^f)ii  p  iih^  6r  keeps  yotii  from  a  g^dly  iCfer  thrust  it  ffoiii  ypu.    U 


674 


T^g  UFJEOF  CH3|^Tv 


tbQjnpBt  precioufi  members  of  Uie  body— a  fdot  or  a  hand-»b4  c^t 
off/ to  prevent  djeatb  of  tlie  wiiolC;  how  mnch  ratlier,  at  atiy  sacrifice, 
whatever  sins  of  thought  or  act,  wblch,  by  misleadiiig  others,  would 
cause  us  to  losei  eternal  life,  and  l)f  cast  iiito  hell-fire,  whe^  their 
worm  n^yer  dies,  arid  the  fire  is  not  qiienchedt 

**  J^very  one  cast  into  the  fire,  which  the  prophet  thtis  calls  urt^ 
quenchaliie — every  one,  that  is,  who  gives  himsdf  up  t6  sin,  Nhnll 
certainly  suffer  the  wrath  of  God,  and  be  salted  with  ^^e,  as  the  vic- 
tims on  the  altar  are  salted  with  salt.  But  tevery  one  whose  humble 
anq  stei^dfast  faith  in  n;ie  has  shown  him  to  be,  as  it  WMe^  a  pure  and 
worthy  sacrifice,  fit  to  be  laid  on  the  ialtar  of  God,  will,  on  his  en- 
trance into  the  l>eavenlv  kingdom  of  th^  Miesstah,  be  saltied,  not  witli 
fire,  but  with  the  gift  of  highet  grace,  that  he  niay  endure  unto  life 
eternal.  Salt  id  of  valu^  to  prevent  corruption,  and  I  have,  before 
now/caUed  you  'the  salt  of  the  earth;'  becahse,  if  ycmare  my 
true  disciples,  you  will  arrest  the  corruption  that  ptevalls  itmonjr 
raen,ai)d  ma^e  the  community  sound.  How  dreadful,  hbwejrer,  if 
you,  the  salt,  lose  your  savour.  Hoiv  will  you  reg^n  it?  a  ifm 
turn  to  evil,  and,  through  sloth  or  faint-heartediless,  b^  untrue  to 
ypur  c^ihg,  hiQW  can  your  tieedful  bhergy  anid  effi^ency lib  restored? 
Yqu  wish  to  be  accepted  at  last  as  pute  ismd  woirthy  t)!fl[erhigs  to  God, 
and  to  receive  the  ^ft  of  heavenly  wiisdoni,  whicjii  is  everlastin^g  life. 
To  attam  it,  take  care  to  guard  the  salt  of  true  ivlsdom  'Whl<m  has 
•  been  ^h^eady  given  you— the  gi^ce  bestowed  on  you  to  be  mydis« 
ciples,  Beraember,  moreovet,  that  salt  is  the  symbol  of  pea)ce|  be  at 
peace  among,  yourselves^  and  do  not  dispute  and  ^ueas  you  have 
beet^  dping,lest;y6u  lose  the  power,  tod  fruits  of  my  teachmg. "    ^^ 

Jesus  had  for  thie,  time  digressed  froniHi&  brigiAaVsubjectMhii) 
hlipibte  and  pl^ild-like  ainoh^'His  followers-^butfiow;  returned  to  it. 

."  U^specting  those  VktU  ones  6f  whom  I  was  shaking— Jowly, 
sejf -distrustful;  as  weak,, yet,  it  may  be,  in  faith,  as  little  chfl^en  in 
strength — I iwould  further  say:  Take  heed  thfit  yedo  toot  slight  or 
CQntemnfwiy  oheof  them,  for, I  tell  ydu  so  greatly  honoured  atod  so 
dear  are  they  in  the  sight  of  God,  that  tile  humblest  rtf  them,  for  their 
very  humility,  are  placed  by  Him  under  the  loving  care*  of  the  highest 
angels,  who  staud  before  Him,  and  see  His  face  contimialjiyi  Glorious 
thpugh  all  angels  be,  only  such  exalted  s^irit^fhe  priheesof  heaven 
•r-are  thought  worthy  by  God  to,  minister  to  thetii  and'  protect 
them. 

"To  slight  Or  despise  even  one  such  would,  indeed,  be  to  undo,  so 
far,  the  very  end  for  which  I  have  come  as  the  Messiah.  You  may, 
by  doiug  so,  turn  him  away  from  me,  and  so  cause  his  soul  tO  be  loist 
Much  rather,  if  you  meet  with  an  humble  spirit,  dtill  weak  in  tlie 
faitlv  which  has  gofie  astray,  should  ypu  do  ydur  utmost  to  bring  it 
^^k.  Jp^r^what  shepheid  feeding,  it*  may  be,  a  htindred  ijheep,  in 
Qpr  uplstnd  ^a^tured.  if  one  of  them  stiiiy,  does  not  lifeav^  the  ninety 
lihd  Auie,.ah^  9et  off  into  the  hills  to  ^liek  for  the  cm  thait 'has  waQ< 


life  itPE'OF  CHKlSt. 


M> 


dcred  f  And  if  h^  be  so  hxfppf  a6  to  find  )t,  I  t^ll  foM,  be^ond^  doubt, 
he  rejoices  more  over  the  one  thus  saved  than  over  the  nincitjr  ana 
nine  tnat  had  not  etrayed,  Id  the  same  way  as  it  grieves  the  shepherd 
that  even  one  of  his  sheep  ehouTd  be  lost,  so  it  ^ev«8  my  Father  in 
Heaven  that  one  of  tliese  feeble,  simple  sould  Should  perish,  and  il 
sorelv  displeases  Him  if  it  perish  by  the  neglect  or  fault  of  any  oi 
my  disciples.,  -^ 

"  Let  me  paiss  to  a  distinct,  yet  related  subject— the  proper  trea^ 
mcnt  oz  a  brother  in  the  faith  who  doeig  yoti  any  wrong,  oy  anger, 
envy,  selfishness,  or  in  any  other  way.  Do  not  wait  till  he  who  nas 
tlms  injured  you  comes  to  you  to  make  amends,  but  go  to  him  by 
yourself,  and  tell  him  his  fault  in  private;  that,  if  posuble,  you  niay 
get  him  to  own  it  between  you  and  him  alone,  and  thus  the  scandal 
of  difference  between  disciples  spread  no  farther,  and  he  be  won  for 
my  New  Kingdom,  frbiti  which  he  would  have  been  shut  out,  if,  by 
refusing  to  b^  reconciled,  he  had  shown  no  repentance.  Seek  his 
good,  not  your  own  justjiflcation  merely :  however  wronged,  think 
less  of  yourself  than  of  his  eternal  salvation. 

"If,  "however,  he^will  not  listen  to  your  kindly  remdnsltrance  and 
persuasion,  go  a  second  time  to  hiin,  taking  two  or  three  witnesses 
with  you,  as  Moses  directed  in  other  cases;  if,  perchance,  though  he 
had  not  been  moved  by  your  single  appeal,  that  Of  two  or  three  sup- 
porting you,.may  lead  him  to  see  and  acknowledge  his  faiilt.  Their 
testimony,  besides,  will  prevent  his  denial  of  his  con^ssion,  should 
he  make  one,  and  afterwards  Tepudiate  it;  while,  if  he  refuse  to 
listen  and  to  admit  his  fault,  and  the  matter  must  be  brought  beforei 
the  Assembly,  it  will  support  and  confirm  at  once  the  fact  of  youi* 
private  Visit  for  iattemptea  reconciliatfon,  aiid  his  stubborn  refusal 
to  hear  even  the  two  or  threti  brethren  you  took  with  you  ob  the 

second  visit;."   ■  r=r<^yv-  '^     -'^     '•'';'■'.■,.-'■.:     , 

••  The  Rabbis  enjoin  that  the  offender  shall '  go'^fo  liitn  ^fiioin  he 
has  injured,  and  own  his  fault,  and  tliaf  if  lie  cannot  thus  procure 
forgiveness,  hS  shall  take  others  with  him  and  seek  to  obtain  it;  but 
'  I  require  that  he  who  is  wronged  do  this,  that  he  may  show  his 
humility,  a^d  his  patient  love  for  a  guilty  brother. 
.  "You  know,  moreover,  how  a  stubborn  offender,  who  refuses 
'  <rivate  auiends,  is  at  last  pr6clairaed  as  such,  in  the  Synagogue  and 
111  the  schools.  In  my  New  Society,  the  congregation  of  the  new 
Israel — the  Kahal,  or  assembly  of  my  followers,  which  will,  hereafter, 
bo  called  the  Church,  is  to  inake  a  third  finaji  latitempt  to  win  the 
guilty  one  to  repwitance.  You  are  to  tell  the  facts  to  the  '  congrega* 
tlon,  and  ask  their  godly  offices,  and  they,  through  appointed  repre- 
sentatives, will  then  seek  to  bring  him  to  a  ri^ht  wame  of  mind.  If, 
after  all,  he  refuse  to  hear  even  the  congre^tion,  you  are  freed  f roni 
further  responsibility,  and  are  absolved  from  all  fiirther  religious 
Klationsbip  to  hiriv,  as  you  l^ye  hitherto  thought  yourselves  to  be 
from  the  heathen,  and  from  men  of  vicious  liK,  siich  as  "the  public 


878 


1} 


frf.i', 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIfiff. 


CMI0.  Vot  UiAt  you  nt  to  despite  him,  or  refute  bim.  ibe  eoinmou, 
offices  of  humsmtv,  as  jour  countrymen  dp  to  suoh  clMtes^  lor  you. 
nre,8tfll  to  lo^eand  seek  to  win  Mm  back,  even  till  the  .yery  liist^  as 
your  Heavenly  Father  does  ivith  the  unthankful  and  evil. , 

:: '*  Let  every  offendel*  think  how  solemn  his  position  vii\\  be  if  thus 
obdurate  before  the  cmigregation.  I  have  already  gin^  retert-as 
the  Icey-bearer  of  my  spiritual  Temple — the  New  oociety,  I  have 
founded — i)ower  to  forbid  and  allow,  to  emutt  and  doOnc»Avhat  iu 
needed  f(>r  its  future  government  and  discipline,,  and  huve  told  yoU; 
that  \rlKit  he  ordainin  so  far  as  it  is  in  harmony  with  the  ,m)nd  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  will  be  confirmed  by  me  in  lieavqn,  iis  if  I  wcr^ 
still  with  you.  on  earth.  This  power  I  now  extend,  to  you  all,  my 
twelve  faithful  followers,  and  I  give  you,  as.a  body,  the  same  assui> 
ance  of  my  confirmation  of  what  you  appoint  for  .uiegovejrnmeiit  of 
my  Society.  I^eter  is^  thus, only  the  mrst  among  oquata.  .If  the 
remedy  I  liave  pointed  out  be  insuffloient,  as  my  Society  extendfi,  to, 
ra'e^t  such  offences,  Meave  it  to  you  to  devise  and.apply  what  ptber, 
means  may  seem  neededyas  the  occasion  demands^'  iuiiid  that  you 
may  feel  how  formally  and  solemnly  Ij  now,  before  my  dieparture,*  de- 
pute this  power  to  you»  I  tell  you,  further,  that. if  two  of  you  diall. 
agree  on  any  matter,  thus  affecting  the  .ealvation^  of  souls  by  the  r^^t;  ^ 
discipline  of  my  Society,  or  for  other  good  endsrand^shaU  ask  9iy; 
Father  in  Heaven  to  grant  your  desire,  He  wall. do  so,,  For  where 
t'vi^o  or  three  of  you  are  gathered  together  in  my  nsmejijaa,  in  .their, 
midst,  00  that  you  need  not  doubt  piy  promise,  that  what  even  so 
fewiagree  to  ask  my  Father^  ift  matteis  pertaiuii;igv  itp;  tQjt  ki^^gdpm,' 
will  be^ranted;"  ^•-'-  ■^.■\X'j  '  i-  :.,  >  ..  ..  ,n/i,(-  :/rv-,w': 
1  The  Twelve  had  listened  totheir.Master  in  reverent  silence,  but 
»b w  the  ever  self -aseertingi  Peter, ;  still  intensely  Jewishf  in  teeling,  in- 
tenupted  Him  by  a  question  conceived  in  the^  nurrow  ii|jq4.  f9i^|)>4j 
»pi^'itdf  Hrbt^isiii.- '  i>  .». ;  ...nivjrf)..  •  n^v-.jf'*-,;^^,  HniMi^i'lisixi'^  < , 
f"i* Lord; "said  he,  ^' our  teachers  tell -ua  that  if  a  persop^.ap  M\ 
wrong  wo  ar»v to  forgive  him^  a  flrstji second,  and  tlilrdftinae.lbjat  not, 
afpurth;    Whataayest  Thou?    Would  seven  tiu^es  l»  enough?" 

'**  I  am  fat"  from  limiting  my  requirement  to  seven  tam^s,  replied 
Testis:*  "So  far  from*  that,  if  you  be  of  a  truly  hiunbleandi^chUd-like 
spirit,  as  you  oughts  you  will  forgive  tio  seventy  times  sdv^eur-^that  is,  i 
any  number  of  tvnes./  Let  me  &w.  you.  my  thpughta  pq.^{^  PqIp,^, 
hy -a, parable^" ^''f^f^-'^f'M'  i^«  hmiiilriii^i■>^hi■^M^^AJ^■i  -^,| i.,.i(i.atrn.,f.  .,,(,  .^j 
r:V;The  subjects  of  my  ^kingdom' are  like  the  servants  pf  a  certain 
T^ler,  with  whom  their  lord  would  make  a  reckoning  So  he  callaj, 
before  hhn  his  revenue  collector»^the  gatherers  of  hiS.  taxes  and  tolJ^j ; 
and  demanded  a-  settlement  from  them.  Among  others,  pne  T7i!|«^, 
brought  to  Wm  whp  owed  him  ten^  thousand  .talent^.timtni!^.  thirty, 
rnJMions  of  shekelsi— a  suni  it  w^s^ hopeless  for  hii»;tP  Uunk.pf  rcn 
trying.  When  the  ^ing  heard  how/aau©hjhc  Q^Bd,  btti9ried^it 
that  'he  WMld b« pai4»' and comtnanded  him  to  be  sold  as  a  ^lavc. 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.  fi77 

with  hit  wife  and  ehildran,  and  all  that  he  had,  in  payment  of  the 
debti  On  lieariag.this,  the  aenrant  fell  down  before  hiiDk  Iwteechiius 
bim,  '  Lord;  Imvc  patience  wiAh  me,  and  I  wUi  pay  thee  alL '  At  thfi 
hlH  lord  vrM  movea  with  comDawion«  and  having  ordered  him  to  be 
unbound,  not  ODly>  gave  him  time,  at  he  had  asl{ed»  but,  knowing  he 
could  nevefr  pay,  forgave  him  the  debt  altogether. 

"This  servant,  however,  thus  freely  for^ven,  went  out  and  fqund 
one  of  his  fellow-servants  who  owed  him  a  hundred  denarii — less  . 
than  the  seven  hundrcth-thoiisandth  of  i  what  he  had  himself  owed—  ' 
and  laid  hold  of  him  b^  the  throat,  saying  fiercely,  '  Pay  what  you  * 
owe.'  The  debtor  thereupon  fell  down  at  bis  feet,  as  he  .lad  fallen  at 
those  of  Ills  lord,  and  besouglit  him, '  Have  patience  with  nle,  and  I 
will  pay  thee. '  But  he  had  no  pity,  and  cast  him  into  prlaon»  till  ^e 
should  pay  the!  debt.  His  fellow-servanta,  seeing  wlmt  was  being 
done.  Were  troubled  at  suck  hardrheartedaess,  and  at  the  ill-)treatmeut 
of  the- poor  man,  and  oame  and  told  their  lord  all  that  had  happened. 
Then  the  lord,  having  called  Uie  oiflender.  said  to  )il(n»<  'O  tooM 
wicked  servant.  I  forgave  you  all  the  great  debt  youo^ed  me,  bcr 
cause  vou  asked  me,  though. you  sought  only  time,  not  forgiveness. 
Should  notyou,ateo,' have  had  pity,  on  your  fellow-servapt,  as  I  had 
pity  on  you  f  And  his  lord  wiw  indignantvand  delivered  him  ovi^r 
to>  the  toriurera,  to  deal  with  him  in  the  priaon-house  as  they  thought 
fit,  till  he  sluMild  pay  all  that  was  due  to  him.,  '  .  •  .  >  <  a     ( 

"60,  the<  foiigiveness  God  has  granted,  you,  of  your  great  debt 
to  Him,  whioh  you  could  never  payr-rtbe, guilt  of  your  ,8in»-Hnu8t 
lead  you  A^om  your  heart  to  forgive  your  bi'other  man^  not  seven,  bujt 
any  numl)ero<  times,  thefar  Anuiller  debt  lie  nuiyowe  youj  for  ij(  yw 
do  not  forgive  him,  the  wrath  of  Qod  will  burn  upon  yoH^  ii.  tix^ 
gT<eatday,  and  you  will  be  oast  into  everlasting. paAi#Iupe;nt."  ,    , 

The  transoendcnt  Ioftin«8S'  of  Christ's  spiritual' ipatui'ealunea  QUjt 
through  this  whole>  episode.  •  In  His  perfect  humiUty  Ho  makes  no 
personal  claints.  As,  on  every  occasion,  He  declarer ,  ^mplicity  and 
fowJiness, 4i>ke  tlmt  of  ^ehildkood,  the  mark  of., true  discipleship;  asks 
DO  higliier  or  more  signal  acknowledgments  as  a  man,  than  was  to  bo 
sbowD  to  all  others;  and  ranks  the  friendly  and  kind  t];eatment  of 
aiiy  txf  His  folk)wert»  as  if  done. to  Himself.  He  domiipds  no  exclu* 
slvc  honour,  but,  on  the  contrary^  every  childlike  spirit  In  tlie  king- 
dom of 'God  has  in  His  sight  a  priceless  value^  however,  slight  the 
instance  by  Which  its  chai-acter  was  shown.  Tlio;  good  deed.,  4one 
to  the  least  of  His  people,  is  considered  as  personal  to  ](Iim^lf. 
N«ither  now;  nor  at  any  time^  does  He<  bear  Himself  as  one  to  whom 
all  were  to  bow  assei'vants;  He  takes  His  place  in  the, midst  of  the 
little  band  roUnd' Him,  as  one  who<  sliares  with  them  the  highest  and 
holiest'  joys..  Within  this  cirde  w«  ever  find  Um  streniithening 
and  encouraging  each  to  surrender  himaelf  |or  the  good  of  t^p 
rest,  and  to  diee/^nd  honour  xespeciaUyi  the  humb]/^t,  the  l^a^t 
<iBf(98ni«d»ihiLjaai)i0t  nnpc^eii^iQUa;  oiysk  B^ly  HiNi^q^  workeri» 


7m 


1'' 


ij' 


'tBEB  XIFU  OF  CHHtST^ 


i^ho'boiild^ot  ^ynsh'theinseWos  into  notice.  >  Meek -imct  li^wiy  hi 
heftk't,  1I«  was  do!  lees  of  an  inflnile  •■  pity,  ^^he  NeWiSoei«tfjr,!tatigbt 
l)^  Hkexftniple  And  words/ leAmed't  but  tbeywere  tonrepiroaace  ttie 
spirit  of  lit^e-  children/ in*  that  hitiievto  ufadmagiifedrgiitDdeiir  of 
humility  wliiclk  almost  rejoices  tor^uffer'bedwiswtit/giveariaiiii  P)hk>s- 
tunity  to  foi*give.         -:  'ni'^^H-^t-ihi  .i^^-  •.  ;..1  v'^f:^:?-^  ,-!<><u;«Mjt'- '.'•■• ; 


CHAPTER  Xli^IXi 

"  *P^  ^Vciifth  tttOttth;  Tisrii  part  of  our  September  and  ^October— 
* '  tHe  month  of  the  f Ml  fitreams, "  and  the  amtumnhl  equinox,  had  now 
coniel.  Nisan,  ''th^flower-month/'knownofoldasAbito^  "thedirmg 
mdhth,'*  had  seen  ilic  Paesejfver  pass  wiliiowt  the*  pre8«ice  of  Jesus. 
Ijjar.^^the  beautiful  month,  "-with  its  blossoming  trees;  iSlwap,  "the 
bright;"  Tammuz;  Ab,  ^nhe  fipuit  month;"  andtBlul,  '♦the  mouthicf 
wine;"  had  gone  by  in  the  iourney  to  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  toCfieBarea 
Philippic  Jesus  had  now  been  weil-High  Itaif  a  year  Uttlei«better  than 
an  ontfawM'fugjtiYfe,  hiding,  in  unsuspected  districts,  from  (His  f  ene- 
mies.'  The  fifteenth  day  ^Tisri  was  the  first  of  /the  great,  harvest 
feast  oif  ti«j  year^^-Jthat  of  'Dibernacles'*-*  time  aH  'the  more  joyM 
from  its  coming  only  four  days  after  the  Day  oiAtonement^^he  close 
of  'the  Jewif^h  Lent.  Galil^  was  nb  tonger  open  to  Hicrs  and  the 
Kingdoijfn  was  yet  to  be  proclaimed  in  Jeruibalem,  the  haiii|^%  eity  of 
the  l>empl\d;  and  «of  David;  •  He  knew  that  to  go  there  would  be, 
si^on^r^r  hil^r,  to  die;  but,  with  this  clearly  before^  Him,  He  calmly 
resolv^,  at  (^^  isuhmtons  of  duty,  to  transfer  the  sphere  of  His  activ- 
ity from  the  remote  and  secluded  securitv -of  tbJe  northtto  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Rabins  and  priests.  He  had  come  into:  the  world  to 
be  the  Lamb  of  God,  bringiug  salvation  to  His  people  and  mankind 
by  the  proclamation  of  the  New  Kingdom,  sealed  with  HiJ3(  blood; 
and  JerusaWm  alone,  the  seat  of  the  dispensation  He'  caaie*  to  super- 
sede, was  tliie  fitting  scene  for  inaugurating  the  economy  that  was  to 
takb  its  place. 

He  v(ras  still  in  Capernaum  when  the  great  cara;van  of  pilgrims  be- 
gan 'to  piiss  to  the  feast.  His  relations,  who,  as  yet,  »had  declared 
neither  for  nor  Against  Him,  had;  apparently,  come  over  from  Naza- 
reth to  get  Him  to  go  up  to  Jenisalem  with  them.  They  could  not 
have  felt  any  hostility  to  One  whose  holy  life  had  passed  under  their 
eyes,  but,  like  th^  nation  &t  large,  they  clung  to  what  they  had  always 
been  taught  by  the  Babbis,  that  the  Messiah  was  to  restore  Israel  to 
^•national  glorj',  aUdto  ti-ansferthe  sceptre  of  universftl  power  from 
'Rome  to  Jerusalem.  In  their  worldly  wisdom  they  could  not  under- 
iitandHim.  It  seemed  to  them  unwise  that  He  should  stay  in  a 
corner  of  the  land,  if  He  wished  to  establish  the  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
iisakk    The  fifthbisi  mBb  koew^  taught  that  it  'Wft»40t'  b»  Ml>  up  ia 


TBBUFWOTZQEStBtt. 


m^ 


fernMteth^'flnd  it  #as  ciearthat  il  oovM  be.  extended  beak  from  tbe 
Holy  Ctty,  'ttr'a  '€eiitrei<  Wh^  did  He  not  go  op  with  them  nowj  ^bey 
a8ked;'tothefflii&t,  tlwl  allTvliO'weieililemlly  to  Hlm,i(09  who  mi^ 
oeooiiie80»  mSglit  sevvHis  mlrac^  and  thiis  ibe  oonsirataied  tOfBup- 
port  Himt  '^Ndbodja," theyiureed,  i'Vwbo.akned  at  beiBg  a  great 
national  leader,  as  they  fancied  He  did,  by  His  claiminB!  to  be  the 
Messiah,  cotid  hope  for  success  if  He  wronght  all  the  "  ^tgns"  which 
were  to  rally  the  people  round  Him,  in  an  ou^o^the-way  place  like 
Galilee.  He  had  not  lieem  ati  the  last  Fadsaver,  or  at  Pentecost,  when 
the  people  were  eatlijBrcd  in  the  Holy  City  fiom  all  the  land,  and,  in-  • 
deed,  from  all  the  world;  b\lt  He'  might,  perhaps,  repair  this  error 
even  yet,  if  Re  Kv^nt'iip  now,  and  showed  Hia  power  beloie  jthe  as- 
sembiied  myriads  of  Israeli  If  tiiey  accepted  Him  aa  ]!i|e«»ah(  Iheir 
rery  nuthber^  liquid  sweep  away  the;  heathen  Hfaie  che^  before,  the  . 
wind,  especially  whetisixi^rted^  miraculous  help,  lt;Yras  unwise 
to  keep  batik  in  this^  obscure  and  hidden  !:^isitri(3t;;  He  sbo(ald«l^ow 
Hitfiseif  openly  to s  the  Jewsish wcMdd^  iVfhich  Me  ^M  <Qn!y.4f^-i?i 
■Jercwaleni.  ''"■'  mi^^ h  a^-^--"  o.i  r'^jrvf^  *  nufc^'-rfh-a^^nlimii  ''^hi  f f 
•'  Yah.  thiiik  ithe  present  the  fit  moment  for  carrying  out  my , plans/' 
said  J^us.  ''^*  tm,  terr.  it  is  not  yet  the  divinely ia|}pointedtu»e  for 
my  ddui^  this.  <'  You  may  go  up  opfeniy  before  alVlwae),  a^  any  time, 
b^catis^  yott  and  they  are  at  one  in  not  receiviiigi  me»  Thie^  liaFe  no 
reasottt^to  hatevyoti,  ilor  have  the  priests  «JMl4l9M>is;i.tbeirlc94ers; 
but'thiey  !hlite  tci^f  because  I,  the  Light  of  the  world-rthe  Irue  Mes- 
siah-^-^m  ifrhmh  all  shouldibelieve,  am  astanding  protest  agaiasii  tliem> 
that  they  si'A  in  hating'  and  persecuting  me^  as  a  transgressor  of  tl^ 
Law  arid'ablasphoma^,  because  I  have  witnessed  ogalnst  their  «pr- 
tuptiort  arid hj^pbcrisy*.  They  wish  a; political  JMfeasialj:  I  seekonljy 
BpirUoal  endsr.  6k)  uf>.  yourselves.:  -The  present  time  does:^ot  suit 
jjie  to  go  with  you."  Their  hope  that  He  iwould  lift  the  family  to  tbe 
lighest  honour,  by  heading  a  national  Messiaoic  movemenit,  ^had,  jcome 

tOnOthitig.       ■'     ■•■■■'-■-.     ,;:-     ;  \'         .,..•...;:; 

The  ic^bject  of  His  delay  was  to  avoid  going  with  the  great  Galiispan 
caravan,  A^ldch  entered  the  Holy  Ciity  with  public  rejoicings.  He 
would  be  recognized  at  once,  and  the  multitude,  in  the  cjkcitement  of 
the  time,  mightfagttin  try  t(>  force  Him  into  political  action.  Pub- 
licity land  popular  enthusiasin  would;  have  drawn  the  attention  of 
those  ?fi  povp*6r,  and  this  He  at  present  earnestly  wished  to  avoid. 
His  work  was  not  to  be  rashly  broken  off  by  any  imprudenj;  act,  for 
He  needed^  all  the  opportunities  that  remainecl,  to^ievote  Himself  to 
the  Twelve,  and  t6  His  other  followers.  He  coujd  go  up  a  few  days 
Alter,  iind' tbus  avoid  the  caravan.  :  The  fcMt , lasted  seven  days, 
.jlosiog  with  tbfe  eighth  as  the!  greatest,  and  thus,  everf  if  He  starM 
later,  H*  cmild  mingle  with  the  mliltltude^  and  find  out  bjow  men 
felt  towards  Him  and  His  worlciand  proclaim  the  New  Kingdom  as  • 
He  saw  fit.  '  Tho  danger  wouid  heijirejfted/.and  His  gr^at  endilpfitter 
fctftd:-:  li  was  more,  in  •k$e|iitt^i«(itki|if|,«pH;it  JP^4¥0id)j»H  ftPiNHif^ 


n 


i^y . 


'> 


m 


THELO'EOF  CHRIST*; 


atice  of  courting  popularity,  and  to  deliver  His  great  messagf)  of  lovg 
in'stillhie^;  leaving  its  rifec^fiooJta  its  own  dharmts,  and  to  th#  lowly 
huiniittY,  iself-denial,  and '^ttedcss,  witli  whiehit  was^tiveiied. 

Waiting,  tlier^fore,  fot  ^rilc  days,  tUl  tliingfe'were  quiet.  He  started 
witli  tlie  Ttvelve,  and  a  number  6f  disciples,  for  Jemsalenii  Cross- 
ing Esdraelon,  now  stripped  of  its  liarvest,  Engannim,  tlie  '^fountain 
of  gjtrdens,"  saw  Him  once  more  on  Samaritan  soil.*  The  caravans 
had  perhaps  goneovfer  the  Jordan,  td  travel  down  its  eastern  bank,  and 
thus  av6ia  the  pollution  of  the  direct  route  through  hated  Samaria. 

lie  had  been  kindly  received  in  the  ali^n  distilet  on  His  former 
passage  throuf^  it,  northwards,  but  He  waa  now  going  towards 
Jertisalem  instead  of  leaving  it,  and  this  waa  enough  to'  Touse  the 
bittetness  of  the  BainiEiiitans.  As  was  His  custom.  He  had  seht  on 
•messengers  befrtre  fiiin  to  secure  hospitality  for  the  night,  but  it  '^^g 
at  dnoe  refused.  John  and  James— "the  Sons  of  TJafunder"--A«:ho 
had  perhaps  been  the  messengers,  were  especially  indignant,  and 
showed  how  littlo  they  had  profited  by  the  lessons  of  meekness  tlicy 
had  so  long  been  receiving.  With  the  harsh  Jewish  feeling/^l^ich 
regarded  ^Very  onis  except  a  Jew  as  accursed^  and  hateful  to  God, 
and  sought  to  ei3tabllsh  the  New  Kingdom,  not  by  mildness  and  love, 
but  by  force,  they  would  faih  have  had  fire  called  down  from  heaven 
to  consume  the  unfriendly  village.  They  had  likely  spoken  of  Jesus 
as  the  Messiah,  or,  perhaps,  His  fame  as  such,  may  have  already- 
crot^ed  the  bdrdef.  But  the  Samaritans  expected/from  the  Messiah 
that  He^ould  restoro  the  Temple  on  Mount  G^erizkn,  and  instead  of 
tl^at,  J^sus  tv^as  golng^up  to  a  feast  in  JerUsalen).  John  and  James, 
hd\^evet,  cotild  make  no  atiowance.  Elias  had  onoo  ^lled  ftre  fr^m 
heaven  ih  his  own  honour:  how  much  more  should  men^rish  wIjo 
hdd^teje^ted  th^  Messiah.  The  teachitig  (rf  J^suis  had  not  as  yet  soft, 
eiied  the  fiierce  Jewish  spidt  of  the  Twelve.  Fanatical  bitterness  had 
stiTick  its  roots  into  thieir  dfeepest  nature.  How  utterly  were  they 
still  wanting  in  patience  towards  the  eri'ihg,  and  tilled  only  with  the 
thought  of  wrath  and  destruction!  They  had  not  yet  realized  that 
the  iangdoin  of  Jfesus  is  one  of  faith  alone:  that  it  canndt  Ue  spread 
hy  compulsion  and  violence,  but  mtist  spring  from  huniility  and  love; 
that  it  ihust  rest  on  free  and  honest  conviction,  and  can  grow  strong 
and  abiding  only  wheii  a  child-like  spirit  obeys  and  advances  it.  ^^iis>^'^ 

Deeply  troubled,  and  no  less  offended,  Jesus  turned  towards  tlie 
fierce  ze^^lots,  and  rebuked  their  foolish  and  cruel  harshness.  Tliey 
had  hearci  Him  say  that  He  came  to  serve,  not  to  reign;  to  suffer  for 
others,  not  to  inflict  suffering  on  any;  and  He  had  but  lately  told 
them,  once  and  again,*  how  He  was  about  to  give  Himself  up  to 
d&ath  for  the  ^ood  of  the  world.  But  though  their  aaiis  had  heard, 
and  their  conscience  approved,  t'heir  hearts  had  not  willingly  accepted 
the  ititimation,  and  hence  they  were  ever  exposed  to  fall  back  into 
Jewish  fanaticism.  Rebuking  them  sternly.  He  taught  them  a  needed 
liiii^  by  merely  passhig  to  another  viUage.        ,  .    ; 


THEXIPE  OF  CflRIST. 


ori 


It  WW  bard  for  th«  disciples  to  realize  that^  to  bt  follbweri  of 
Jesus,  theynoust  surrender  themselves  unoonditionally  to  the  wtU  of 
God,  and  devote  .themselye»  to  the  work  of  tlie  Klngaom,  without  a 
lingering  tie  to  the^  world  they  had  Jeic.  Th^  drcumstancies  demanded 
explicit  statements  of  what  discipleship  thus  involved,  and  hence, 
wken  fresh  applicants  for  the  honour  presented  themsolvies,  Jesus  Was 
moi'e  frank)  and- earnest,  if  possible,  than  ever  before,  in  setting  the 
cost  before  rl^uL  A  Samaritan  had  come  forward  asking  leave  to 
follow  Him ;  as  if  to  show  that  all  were  not  like  the  villagers  who  bad 
treated 'Him  so  unkindly.  It  may  be  he  had  very  imperfect  ideas  of 
what  his  wish  implied,  but  Jesus  did  not  leave  him  in  doubt.  He 
told  him  all  His  own  position,  and  all  that  awaited  His  disdples:  that 
He  had  forsaken  house  cmd  home  for  ever,  and  that  the  birds  of  the 
air»  andthe  beasts  of  tlie  field,  had  a  lot  to  be  envied  compared' with 
His.'.  '     ■  -  ' 

Tlie  seeming  harshness  of  His  replies  to  two  others,  perhiips  Sa- 
msritaas,  who  also  asked  leave  to  follow  Him,  is  explained  by  these 
facts.  From  the  fiwt  He  had  held  out  no  rewards,  but  predicted  only 
privation  and  differing  to  His  d^iples,  but  these  were  closer  at  hand 
now .  than  they  had  been  when  He  called'  the  Twelvei.  To  follow 
Him  had  come  to  mean,  literally,  to  leave  all,  and  to  make  up  one's 
mind  to  the  worst  He  was  a  mark  for  the  fiercest  hatred  of  those  in 
authority,  and  His  circle  could  not  escape  suffering  with  their  Master. 
The  most  utter,  unqualified  devotion,  the  puresit  spirit  of  self-sacrific<e, 
were  M^uired.  *'hkt  the  dead ;  those  who  will  not  receive  the  pr^bxih- 
ing  of  tfa^-Kii^om,  buiy  their  dead,"  Siud  He,  to  one  who  wished 
to  buryhifl  fatjher^  **  Surrender  yourself  utterly  to  God.**  Another, 
whose  want  ol  the  s\ipreme  resolution  demanded,  showed  itself  in  a 
request  to  be  allowed  to  bid  farewell  to  his  friendsi,  was  told  thatlt 
could  net  be.  *?The  prayers,  the  tears  of  your  cude  at  home,  might 
shake  yftui>4iefiisicH^  to  couscjcrate  yourself  wholly  to  thel^g^oni  of 
Goa.v  ')->v'{[«<vr ^-.r  -». .  ,     ' .;^f'w;/: :      ■  ,'':S'-0rx^^-'-^i; 

It  was  now  Boiahy  months  since  \lte  sending  out  of  the  Twelve  on 
their  first  misMonaVy  journey ,  It  had  been  necesnary  to  confine  them 
to  strictly  Jewish  ground,  to  avoid  offence,  and  from  their  owii  de- 
fective sympathy  with  other  populations*  Both  difticulties  Were 
now^  howevei*,  in  part,  removed:  the  openly  hostile  attitude  of  the 
leaders  of  the  nation  made  it  unnecessary  to  consider  their  preju- 
dices; the  Apostles  had,  in  some  degree,  gained  broader  charily,  and, 
above  all,  the  near  approach  of  the  end  made  it  desirable  tliat  tho 
full  grandeur  of  the  haw  Kingdom,  as  intended  for  all  men  alike, 
diuuld  be  clearly  shown  liefore  its  founders  death,  tliat-  there  might 
be  no  possible  misconception  afterwards.  Jesus  had  always  yearned 
to  proclaim  the  words  of  life  to  the  different  races  whom  He  saw 
afound  Him.  -A  boundless  field  opeued  itself  for  the  missioiUUT: 
labours  of  any  number  of  disciples,  and  He  now  had  round  lliai  a 
larm*  ^.uulbei;  than  before,  Avliom  Ho  couid  thui?  semi  oii^  ''ttlid^e' 


pi 
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THB ;  IHFH  ( OF '  OHRIKr: 

termuie^  thotefore,  toiMod  out  no  feweii  thaafieventyrtliaafoles;  in 
the  JewJAh  opinion,  the  number  of  tlid  nfttionfi  of  ^e  world;  The 
lesson  could  not  be  doubtful.  It  was  »  significanftaniiouncemeiit 
thftt,  for  the  first  time  hn  the  history  of  man^  a  universal  religion  was 
being: proclaimed.  ••    .      u^' inj-:  .".  :.Hrh*j-iv^wji;>*;c  biu;  <v-.. . 

Sfunaria,  tl^ough  which  He  waspaaiingj  had,  nstuxUly;  the  first 
claim  on  the  new  enterprise,  and  that  all  the  more  from  the  proof  of 
its  need  of  spiritual  light,  furnished  by  the  inhospitaliy  shown  to 
I{im,  who  was  bringing  that  light  to  its  borders. 

The  Seventy,  separated  into  pairs,  weire  deftuted  to  carry  t^e  mes- 
sage of  peace  to  all  the  hiibitatious  of  the  race  they  bad  formerly,  as 
JewSj  so  hAted.  They  had  grown  up  from  childhood  in  the  narrowest 
Pharisaic  spirit,  and  were  still,  in  some  measure,  under  its  spell 
The  Bi^bbis  did  not  permit  any  close  intercourse  of  Jews  with  hea- 
then or  Samaritans;  they  were  forbidden  to  enter  their  houses,  or 
return  their  greetings,  and,  still  more,  to  join  them  in  a  common  meal. 
But  the  grand  maxims  of  charity  and  tove  whidL  Jesus  had  sp  often 
taught,  were  now  to  be  put  in  pactii3e.  Jewish  exelusiven^ss  was 
to  .be  done  away  for  ever,  by  the  prLvclamation  of  a  Saviohb  of 
MawsvsJ}.  His  messengers,  therefore,  while  losing  no  time  on  the 
way  by  long  and  formal  salutations,  were  to  bear  themselves  with 
loving  trust  even  among  hostile  populations,  taking  neither  purse,  nor 
wallet,  and  wearing  only  the  sandals  of  the  poor— to  show  their  lowly 
bearing,  and  humble  pei'sonal  claims.  The  instructions:  given  for" 
merly  to  tlie  Twelve,  were,  in  fwjt,  repeated;  instructions  then  as 
amaiang  as  if  Hindoo  Brahmin^^  of  to-di^  wer^  seint> forth  with  orders 
tQ  care  nothing  for  caste,  and  uHSOciate  freely,;  and  even  eat,  with  ah- 
hqrred.  Parialis  and ;  Sudras..  The  Seventy  were  to  loin,  without  hes- 
itati09»  or  reserve,  in  tlie  househoki  life  of  the  hatea  Samaritans,  and 
eat  with  them  at  their  tables  I  No  other  condition  of  spiritual 
brotherhood  wan  to.be  required  than  that  of  a  believing  reception  of 
the  salvation  through  Jesus. 

Only  one  incident  of  the  journey  of  Jesus  Himself  is  recorded,  but 
it  ii»  wondrously  significant.  His  repulse  at  the  border  village  had 
changed  His  route,  for  now,  instead  of  going  straight  south,  He 
turned  eoi^twards,  and  followed  the  road  that  runs  between  Samaria 
and  Gulilee,  down  the  ravines,  to  the  fertile  meadows  of  Bethsheaa 
lor  Scythopolis,  where  a  ford  or  bridge  led  over  the  Jordan.  The 
route  stretched  theuccj  southwards,  to  Jerichoi(),;\,idji  itj5j'*4i  a*l3    isiJ 

The  calm  rebuke  of  John  and  James  for  their  anger  aid  revfenge* 
ful  spirit,  and  the  return  of  good  for  evil  in  the  sending  forth  the 
'  Seventy  to  preach  the  Kingdom  throughout  the  Samaritan  region^ 
had  shown  that  the  rudeness  He  had  received  had  not  ruffledf  His 
spirit.  He  was  now  to  add  another  proof  of  His  serene  and  lov  g 
natmre.  'As4h/ey  approached  a  border  village^  a  dismal  spectacle 
was,  preaented.  Ten  men,  hideous  with  leprosy,  ranged  themselves 
alii  4iitance  from  the  road,  as  similar  sufferers  stilldo.  lief  ore  theii 


THE ;  LIFE  i  OP  CHRIST. 


9B# 


httts  at  ^  ZUm  Qate  at*  Jerusalem.    It  was  a  law  In  Samaria  thai 
no  lepcrKOOulcl  enter  a.  town, 'and-  henoe  the  unfortunate  creattires 
accosted  Jesus  whilei  He  was  still  outside  the  village.    Misery  had 
broken  doWn  ail;  preiudice  of  race  or  faiths  and  had  brought  together 
even  Jew  and  Samaritan,  as  it  still  does  in  the  leper  haunts  of  Jerusa^ 
lem  and  N^Uitou^    The  ten  had  heard  of  Jesu^  and  the  wonderful 
cures  He  had.  performed  on  such  as  they«  and  no  sooner  saw  Him 
than  they  brokie  out  with  the  common  cry~*"Tam6l  Tam6l    Un- 
clean, unclean!    Jesus,  Master,  have  meroy  on  us."    It  was  a  sight 
tlmtmi^t  have  touched  any  heart,  for  it  must  have  been  like  that 
wbich  still  repeats  il»elf  to  passers-by  at  the  leper  quarters  else- 
where-^a  crowd^of  bug^s  without  evebrows,  or  hair  on  their  faces 
or  beadsr  the.  nails  of  their  hands  and  feet,  and  even  a  hand  or  a  foot 
itself,  gone  from  some;  the  nose^  the  eyes,  the  tongue,  the  palate, 
ino^e  or  lesa  wanting)  in  others.    As  thev  stood  afar  off,  th^r  lips 
covered  with  their  s^bas,  lik«  mourners  for  the  dead;  for  they  were 
smitten  with;  a  liviag  death,  which  cut  tliem  off  from  intercourse 
with  their  fellows;^  tM  pity  of  Jesus  was  excited,  and  without  even 
waiting  to  coma  near^  sent  hope  to  them  in  the  words,  "Go;  show 
yourselves  to  the  pnieats."i  ,  They  knew  what  the  command  meant, 
for  no  one  who  was  not  cleansed  could  approach  a  priest,  and  as  thej 
moved  off ^  ithe  disease  left  them.    The  Samaritan  would  have  to  sbon 
lii^nself  toft  Samaritan  priest;  the  nine  Jews  needed  to  go  np  to  Je 
rusalem  for  an  official  certificate  of  health,  at  the  Temple;  but  it  wst 
theleasteither  theone  or  the  others  could  do,  when  thev  felt  theii 
core,  to  return,  if  only  for  a  moment,  to  thank  their  benefaotcHr  f or  « 
delivemnce)£n>m  worse  than  death.    But  the  nine  Jews  were  too  ttuieb 
conceoUrated  oh  themselves  to  think  of  this^     Only  one,  the  Samar- 
itan, showed  nalural  gmtitude^  and  came  back  and  threw  himself  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  in  humble  acknowledgment  of  the  goodness  shown 
Iiim.    "  Were  theroi not  ten  oleaneed?"  asked  Christ;  "where  are  the 
nine?    Tne  only  one  who  has  returned  to  give  glory  to  God  ii  this 
Samapitan^  whoni.  Jews  call  a  heathcua,  and  an  alien  from  Israel. 
Aarise,  go  thy. way^  thy  faith   hath  made  the  whole."     The  Twelve 
bad  received  ianother  lesson  of  universal  charity. 

TliePeastof  Tabernacled  was  one  of  the  three  great  feasts  which 
(verjr  Jew  was  required  to  attend.  It  was  held  from  the  fifteenth  of 
Tisri  to  the  twenty-second,  the  first  and  last  days  beins  Sabbaths — the 
latter  " the  great  day  of  the  feast."  It  commemorated,  in  part,  the 
tent-life  of  Israel  in  the  Wilderness,  but  was  also,  still  more,  a  feast 
of  thanks  for  the  harvest,  which  was  now  ended  even  in  the  orchards 
and  vineyards.'  Every  one  lived  in  booths  of  living  twigs,  branches 
of  olive,  myrtle,  fir,  and  the  like, — ^raised  in  the  open  courts  of 
houses,  on  roofs,  and  in  the  streets  and  open  places  of  the  city.  All 
carried  in  the  left  hand  a  citron,  and  in  the  right  the  lulah—a  bran^tih 
of  palm  woveh  round  with  willow  and  myrtki  >  On  each  of  the  seven 
feast  days  the  priests  went. out  with  music  and  the  ohoiv  of  Levltei^tt 


'i\x 


^  i 


N 


{^' 


TffiB  litFE  OF  OHW^/ 


i; 

ai' 

i' 

if 

1 1 

atnldst  the  ehoxxtn  of  vast  muTtitudes;  to  dhtw  water  ii^ii  golden  ve«. 
6^1,  from  the  s^ing  of  Siloah;  to  be  {Kmred  put  «t  the  time  of  the 
mornifiig  ottering  as  a  Ubatk>n,  on  the  west  side  of  the  great  altar, 
aliiidst  ^eat  joy,  singing  and  dancing,  such  as  was  not  lui  the  vef^^ 
Iniic^des.  On  thie  evening  of  the  first  da^  a  grand  illumination,  Ti(m 
hug^  candelabra  which  shed  li^t  far<  and  near  over  the  city,  began 
in  me  Court  of  tlie  Womeii,  and  torch  dances  of  men  were  kept  up, 
in  ttie  c6urt,(  with  music  apd  songs,  till  the  Temple  gates  closed. 
V  triie  Jewisli  Authorities  kept  looking  for  Jeeus^  for  they  had  counted 
6fli%Hi&attendiiQg  the  great  national'  holiday,  and  thus  comfing  within 
thfjir  reach/ jbMt,  to  their  disappointment,  He  appeared  not  to  be  in 
Jerusalenil  So  their  oflScers  reported.  His  absence  had,  indeed,  been 
noted  by  the  multitude,  and  everywhere  He  was  the  subject  of  con^ 
vernation  aiid  discussion.  The  Rabbis  and  higher  Temple  dignitaries 
liad  shOwh  ilienisely^s  so  hostile  to  Him  that  no  one  dared  to  mention 
His  eame  except  in  whispers,  for  fear  of  excommunication j«  but  He 
was  more  or  less  the  one  engiossing  to^iic  of. the  bazaars  ]and  the 
booths  of  the  feast.  Opinions  were  divided.  SMne,  who  juaged  for 
th^lthselves,  maintained  that  He  was  a,  good  man,  and  thai/ it  would 
be  Well  for  all  to  follow  what  He  taught:  others,  and  they,  no- doubt 
thC'^^ai' majority,  who  took  their  opinions  from  their  religious 
leaders,  hotljr  and  loudly  denounced  Him  as  unsafe  and  dangerousv 
a  breaket'  of  the  Bjabbath;  for  l!»id  He  uo^  on' His  last  visit,  healeda 
bliiid'hi«iii;on^ei  bbly'day?'  ^'^^\l-^/[-f;^<^r  -^'-  '..::i'kM^lM^^^'h 

;]!ljreadwhi]e^  when  tine  feist  was  at  its  heignt,  ^iesus  suddenly  made 
His  a'p»p^rance  in  the  Temple  porch,  where  the  Rabbis  taught,  and; 
cateri^^  t^kkihg  'His  seat,  be^n,  to  teactli  the  crowd  that  soon  gathered 
round  l^iiti;  It  is  .not  toloLUs"  when  He  had  arrived^  or  whether  lie 
lived  forihew^k,  like  the  crowds,  in  a  succah  or  booth  of  His  own, 
or.c^  a  friend:  or  wliether  He  carried  the  fulab  and  citron,  as  others 
di^l  round  the  ^at  «f£ar,  or  attendeii  only  to  the  graver  matters  of 
HiS'Nev^  Kihgaoniv  We  only  know  that  He  ihowed  Himself  openly 
in:  the'  city  and  in  the  Temple  courts,  under  the  very  «yes  of  Hfs 
en^inies.  Isioyalty  to  His  work  bad  demanded  His  delay  in  coming,  for 
His  life  "wras  still  needed  to  proclaim  the  New  Kingdom  in  Jerusalem 
as  ty^el!  as  in  Galilee,  if  it  were  permitted  Hi«i»  He  h^d  lived  mostly 
in  thb  latter,  but  Jerusalem  was  the  religious  centre  of  the  nation, 
and  all  that  l^appened,  or  was  spoken  publicly  during  one  of  the  great 
feasts,  would  be  wafted,  like  seeds,  to  every  land,  As  a  Jew,  more- 
over.  He  had  a  tender  love  l"or  the  City  of  David  ar.d  of  a  still  greater, 
His  Heavenly  Father— a  spot  dear  then,  as  n«^  ^v.  beyond  expression^ 
to  every  Israelite.  Before  it  was  for  ever  too  latj,  Hewou^V  faiu 
bring  its  children  to  listen  to  the  things  of  their  peace,  wbicli  He 

aloihe  Could -tell  them, '  .  j]  h, ./■"-'  :.^i'T")'''^""^:;w}r%-^^''''^'^*}"'Ti;j^f'')  tifc'TU': 
The  Jewifth  authorities  were  astoinld^;  und  hafilly  kne^w  what 
ooturae  M'tike.  Comiujg,  themsolvies,  to  listen  to  the  foarless  kitvudei,. , 
:  ibsfmke  stiU  more'amazed  at  what  th^  heard.    They  i;ould  ttow 


Tjpi  hWK  OF  CWUISI. 


C8a, 


>( 


understand  how  it  had  beeniiaid  of  Hlmthat  He  bore  Hiniself  asonQ 
who  had ttUthofity  direct  iitlm.  God;  and  not  iJko  Uife  Rhbbis,  %hO' 
ncvei'  spoke  viilboUt;  quoting  an  authority ;  and  how  He  had  tnade  so 
great  ft  t»opulav  itnproasloa.  Art  and  study  of  effect  had  )a6  pljifc6  ^ 
ili5  discourses-;  for  the  copiousness  and  finish  d  ft  mete  rhfetoj*fcl£Ui 
weve  wantirig.  Hi^  resistless  power  lav  as  miich  In  Hims6lf  as  in  His 
words  i  ijis  oalm  diguity,  and  His  loot  of  mingled  ptirity  an^  tender- 
ness, confirmihg  all  Ho  said,  as  by  a  holy  sanction.  He  did  ttot 
merely '  treat  of  general  religious  and  moral  truths,  but  sp6ke  of 
quickening  fiicts  and  realities.  The  advent  of  the  Kingdom  df  Qod, 
iw  nature,  awl  its  jglorlotis  future,  but  above  all,  His  own  positloh  in. 
it;  as  itsljeadahn  Eihg,  asHe  in  whom  the  Father  revealed  Him- 
self, and,in  whom  men  were  to  find  salvation,  were  the  subdtatice  of 
His  addi-essea  Tbysy  wete,  in  fact,  essentially  a  testimony  respecting 
irimselffcahd  ft  aelf-revelafcioh.  Ther6  were  no 'sudden  and  ylolenl 
bursts,  no  brjlliftrit  flashes,  but  an  atmosphere  bf  more  than  eftrthl^ 
peace  rested  over  both  si3»5akfef  and  words,  from  fitst  to  last.  Th6 
most  amazing  clmms  were  Uttered,  not  only  without  a  trace  of  Self- 
cdnsciou.^pe8s,  but  with  the Idwliest  humility.  It  seemed  ak  if  allHili  j 
said  was  only  whftt  became  Him.  ,         .' 

But  With  all  His  humility,  and  in  addition  to  His  transcendent  dig^- 

nltv,  the  ful^it^  of  His  ktiowleijge  was  no  Ipss  remarkable.    He  Mfak 

intimately  famili^  with  hil  the  sacred  books,  and  ev^h  with  the 

hottOurecT  e:itra'Canonical  writing    He  met  and  Confuted  opitlf6u^ 

of  the  Rabbisjby  the  subtlest  and  most  original  refereflces  to  Scri|>- 

ture;  He  plferfced  beneath  its  letter  to  the  spirit;  He  distiiiguished  , 

with  the  keenest  ftcuteness'betweeh  the  Law,  as  giveii  1^  G^6d^  in  ita; 

I  scope  and  essehce,  and  the  Pharisaic  traditions;  and  He  clot&ed  m 

[tlie  simpfeit  la^iguage,  th^  profoundest  spiritual  tiniths  of  i)6tii  ^e 

La^  and  the  Prophets.  '  Such  a  phefriomenonwas  in<ixpRcftbl^*^.''f^''^^ 

Th^  authorities,  in  amazement,  could  only  ask  themselves  how  fi^a" 

cMild  have  sikJh  learning;  when  Hie  has  n0ver  studied  In  the  ^<bhool8.*' 

Where jcould' He  have  got  this  power  of  hahdlit^^;-  thfe  Scripttu'fes Hkd 

a  great!  Rabbi? .  Btc-wa^  alGaliloean,  and  had  !nevdr  attended  BUY 

Teacher.     Iilk0  the  old  prophets  He  iniist  havo  been  "taught  pit 

God,"  and  it  wfts evident  that  the  people  did  not  hesitate  to  recognize 

}Iim  as  one,  though  the  official  classies  were  fain  to  debiy  Him,  and 

[knew  the  effect  of  a  harsh  and  contemptuous  name.     *  *  How'  dould  a 

Icommon  man  like  this,"  said  they,  "who  has  never  lM?en  edtfcated  as 

la  Rabbi,  possibly  understand  the  Scriptures?"     Against  their  cojtt- 

piences,  tliey  tried  ti)  depreciate  both  Him  and  His  tejwjhingi       '  i' '^f,V 

Had  tlicy  slM^^vn  only  curious  or  friendly  wonder,  Jeisus  wotfl<i,^ 

lerhaps,  have  rwnained  silent.    But  it  wias  mfferent  ivhcn  they  wierb^ 

[ryiflg  to  excite  doulrt  and  suspicion  against  Himself  ahd  His  words, 

IS  it  was  cle^r  they  were  doing  from  what  He  saw  arid  heiard.    jL 

lei^utation  fromthe  authorities  having  at  last  given  the  (f^i^prtuixttT 

wJ«ply;  bfy  ft-(U|*ct  iittetTbggtioni^m^^^  buce*   "BiyWf 


l^iu: 


h^ 


TOT  IJ13&  aRGBRIST. 


doubt,"  sftid  He,  to  paraphrafio  His  words  slightly, ."  I  have  not 
<|'learned  in  your  schools  what  I  teacli.  JS^iii  txiy  doctrftie  Is  i^ot  a  mere 
'^invention  of  my  own:  h  is  tiot  ihinc  at  all,  but  Hla  who  has^sent  me. 
^fl  only  repeat  what  He  instructs  me  to  make  known  in  His  name. 


Lord  getteth  tlie  understanding  thereof.'  It  needs  f^  heart  willing  to 
bo  biught  of  God  to  comprehend  it;  a  heart  at  one  with  God,  and 
eager  to  do  His  will,  htowever  contikry  to  one's  own.  "^e  whose  soul 
li,ai9  no  love  of  truth,  no  oneness  with  God,  cannot  recognize  His 
trtith  even  when  he  heaw  it.  If  you  had  true  love  to  God  and  desired 
^to  know  Jlis  revealed  will,  and  to  carry  it  out  in  your  lives,  you 
%ould  know  from  whom  I  have  receiVcd  the  doctrine  I  teach,  by  ju 
power  to  purify  iand  calm  the  heart,  and  by  the  hopes  it  gives  for  the 
world  to  come.  That  I  do  not  advance  a  doctrine  of  my  own  inven- 
tion is,  moreover,  clear  from  th\s,  that  if  I  did  90  I  should;  seek  my 
dwn  honour  and  advantage.  But  if  I  seek  rio  honour  for  myself,  but 
only  for  Him  by  whom  I  have  beien  sent,  it  shbws  that  I  am  wortiiy 
of  trust.  To  strive- only  for  the  glory  of  God  is  in  itself  a  proof  of 
being  Ilif  true  mouthpiece  ftnd  messenge^'and  1  leave  you  to  say 
Whether  this  docs  not  apply  to  me.  Have  I  evo5r  sought  honour  from 
men  an>d  not  rather  the  honour  of  my  Father  alone?  Have  I  not 
always  profe^d  to  liave  received  all  from  my  Father?  I.hi\ve  had 
no  personal  end,  and  it  ii^,  thereforfe,  incredible  that  I  flioiild  be  a 
deceiver,  seekitiff  to  I6ad  mfcn  astray."    .' .^  ■ ,    i   •    "   -      ^  1      m 

T^hecaVil  of  the  Rabbis  thus  answere'4  Jesus  forth^tfi  tooktiie 
ioffcti^^ep  '*Il6u diarge  me,"  said  He,  "with! not  kndwmgthG  jLaw: 
yOti  do  not  l:e€j}  it.  Yovi  bdast  o^E  your  zeal  for  it,  and  otffect  indigna- 
tion for  my  having,  as  you  assert,  broken  it  by  healing  a  blind  man 
pn  the  Sflbbath;  an  Indignation  so  real  that  you  would  put  me  to 
cleath  if  you  cotdd.  But  (his,  itself,  is  a  violatibn  of  the  Law,  for  tho 
Law  commands  love  to  our  neighbour  a*b6ve  ove^- the  Sabbath,  find 
\h^  should  be  my  perfect  defence."  He  knew  tHattli^  authorities 
had  never  forgiven  Him  His  aniswer,  fit  His  foraier  vfeit,  to  their 
eiiarge  of  having  broken  tbe  Sabbath  by  the  miracle  at  the  pool  of 
Bethissda,  and  that  they  were  plotting  His  death,  cten  now,  on  ac- 
eomit  of  it.  : 

Meanwhile,  the  crowd,  perhaps  knowing  less  than  J9[e  of  the  secret 
designs  of  the  hiferarchy,  or  alfecting  to  deny  thfem;  believed,  or 
feigned  to  believe  Him  in  no  danger,  and  broke  out  in  angry  repudia- 
tion of  such  a  chaige.  They  had  heard  the  Babbis  often  ascribe  Hiu 
works  to  Becl!:QJ)ub,  and' feu  back  tm  the  bliisph^nipus  slander  as  an 
explanation  of  His  language.  He  niiist  have  a -dfevil.  The  Babbis 
wcrc^^ffht.  He  was  criizcd.  The  evil  spirit  thdt  spoUo  through  Ifini 
was  trying  to  stir  Ihcin  up  against  their  spiritual  guides. 


THE  LIFE'  05^  'CHRIST. 


687 


crowd  at  larfle,  "  Ypur  lenders  are  plotting  to  kill  me  for  doing  an  acjt 
of  mercy  on  the  Sabbath.  But  all  of  you  are  in  a  measure  guilty  by 
your  symt^athjr with  them;  shown  In  your  unrighteous  anger  at  mo 
on  account  bf  it,  dn  the  same  ground.  But  that  you  may  see  the  in- 
jasticc  of  your  charge,  let  n^e  remind  yoti  of  what  often  takes  place 
in  regard  to  d/^umctsion.  Ttiat  rite  was  ounmanded  by  Moses, 
though  it  dates  f  i!^m  Abraham,  and  you  are  so  strict  in  performing  it 
At  tiie  prescribed  time,  the  eighth  day,  that  you  circumcise  a  child 
even  on  the  Sablmth,  if  necessary,  •that  the  law  of  Closes  in  this  par- 
ticniar  be  ndt  broken.  Do  you  think  the  Sabbath  was  llvst  given  on 
Sinai,  and  hence  gire  tiie  older  law  of  circumcision  the  preference? 
Or  liave  you,  of  your  own  accord,  decided  that  in  some  cases  the  law 
of  tlie  Sabbath  mhst  give  way  to  other  jparts  of  the  law?  Yoii  accept 
the  saying  of  the  Rabms,  that  'circumcision  drives  away  the  Sabbath/ 
Bat,  if  you  perform  cl'rcumcision,  with  all  the  wprk  it  involves,  on 
tlie  Sabbath,  without  breaking  the  day,  how  can  you  l)e  angry  at  me, 
if  I  broke  it  by  a  Nijrork  of  mercy  so  much  more  beneficial  to  its  object 
as  the  making  a  bhnd  man  whole  On  it?  Never  judge  by  appearance^ 
bttt  look  beneath  the  surface  and  Judge  righteously.^' 

But  now  6ome  joined  the  crowd  who  knew  of  the  plots  of  the 
iiuthorities  against  ^id  life,  and  could  not  uaderstand  how  He  i^ouM 
be  allowed  to  teach  thns  openly  without  interference.  Hia  words  and 
bearing  had  softened  their  prejudice,  and  made  it  seem  pos»ble  that 
the'  authorities  had  beconie  Convinced  that  He  was,  In  reality,  the 
Messiah,  and  sanctioned  thid  course.  But  the  mere  suggestion^  m  Uie 
siiape  of  a  question,  was  enough  to  raise  a  hot  dispute  among  theo- 
loffiajns  so'keen;  **  Do  not  the  Rabbis  tell  us,"  said  some,  *'  that  1^ 
Messiah  win  be  bbrn  at  Bethlehem,  but  that  He  will  be  snatched  away 
by  spirits  and  tempests  soon  after  His  birth,  and  that  when  He  returns 
the  second  tlnwe  no  one  Will  know  from  whence  Jle  has  come?  But 
we  knoti^  that  this  matt  come&  from  Nazareth.  ;Gur  chief  men,  if 
they  chocise,  may  ^cept  Hini  as  the  Messiah ;  we  will  not. " 

Jesuf?  Was  still  sitting  in  tKe  Temple  porch,  teaching,  but,  on  hear- 
'm  what  was  thus  openly  said  in  disparagem^t  of  His  Messiahship, 
He  broke  off  His  discourse,  and  called  out  in  a  louder  voice  than  He 
had  hitherto  used.tb  the  noisy  disputants — "You  do  certainly,  iu 
your  own  isense,  know  Who*!  am,  ana  whence  I  come,  but  in  a  higher 
sense  you  know  neither.  I  come  forward  as  the  Mcssiali,  not  of  my- 
self; I  am  sent  by  One  whom  yoil  cannot  truly  know,  so  long  as  you 
cling  to  your  worldly  ideas  of  the  Messiah^— by  One  who,  alone,  has 
the  right  and  power  to  send  forth  the  Messiah,  and  has  done  so  in 
I  sendina:  me.  I  .know  Him,  though  you  do  not.  for  I  have  come  forth 
1  from  Sim,  and  no  other  than  He  has  Sent  me.        ^  '      -  5 

His  hearers  at  cilice  saw  vi'hat  whs  implied  in  this.    It  was  npless 
Ifean  a  claim  to  have  come  forth  from  God,  and  was  equivalent  to 
issertiog  divine  dignityV for  He  SAidnothiug  of  being  only  fM:^  imffeh 


f 


mm 


fc'M 


t 


;i. 


h 


Mi 
it 


888 


THEM/llTB  OF  GIIRIOT.   r 


II  i 


mc^iski^^'ahcftiti^ttii^  miifedc  for  vrmch  Ho  liftd  bceittfo  asaailed 
jusllfled  Himself  by  saying— ••llyFothcr  fvrorlcefih  hitborto,  and  I 
woirl^;"  dud  tiie  words  had  souudcd  bo  blasphemous,  tbatribe  author 
itics.badsoudit  to  kill  Him;  because  He  had  not  only  broken  the  Bib' 
bath,  but  ba4  said  that  God  was  His  Father,  makiog  Himself  equal 
with  Godj  The  hostile  part  of  the  crowd  rightlyf  saw  a  similar  claim 
repeated  now,  and  with  the  wild  fanaticism  of/tbcir  raco>in  tlmt  ago, 
proposed  to  lay  hold  of  Him,  and  hurry  Ilim  outside  th«  city  on  tnc 
mst(int>  to  stone  Him,  as  the  Law  .against  blasph^ny  <  ea1oincd»  fiut 
His  boiir  had  not  yet  comc^  and  whether  from  .^r  of  the  Galllisans 
at  the  feast,  or  from  other  reasons,  ^cir  ttifgt  died  4iway  in  words. 

The  fame  of  His  miracles  in  the  berth  had'  preccdeu  Him  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  was,  now,  further  spread  by  the  rieportaof  the  Galilicau 
pilgrims,  and  deepened  the  effect  of  His  ctire  ol^thd  blind  man  at  His 
last  vi&it-T-the  very  bitterness  of  Hi*  enemies  htivinffkeptit  from  be- 
ing for(!;otten.  Numbers  had  thus  been iin!q>£c»)eaJii  His<  favour, 
even  before  Hi^  appearance  at  the  feast,  and  not  a.f^w  lOf  those  voro 
now  so  f^v.  wotti  over  by  the  still  higher  evidence  of  Hi*  wondroua 
words,  and  whole  air  and  bearinff,;  that  maujl!  felt  conataraiaed  to  admit 
Hisislaim  to  be  tile  Messiah.  Miracles  had  always  been  held  a  charac- 
teristic of  the  Messiah's  advent,  and  even  the;  bittenest  enemies  «f 
Jesus  did  notdeny  His  supernatural  powerif  Itw^ts  «vldetitthatHe 
was  rapidly  f^alning  ground',  and  the  hierarchy  linewi  ibat  if,  He  vm 
they  must  fan.  If  they  could  arresti  Him,  whiles  His  «dborQnt&  had 
not  t^  vet  ventured  on  an  open  mov-mentiiin  Hia  support^  a^l  might 
be ^cVi  The Phai^seeSi  therefore*  andthoBaddu^eanrCbief  pricstsr- 
mortoJl  cnQmies  at  all  other' timcs~-bastily  dssued  o  warrant  to  appro- 
hei;\(l  Ijitti,  and  scht  some  of  the  Temple  poliice,  to  carrv  it  qut 

,  xhe  si^Iit  of  the  well-known  dressi  of  these;  ofl^cpials,  on  <  the  out- 
skirts of  His  audience,  told  the  whole  story  to  the  quick  fiatelUgoucfl 
of  Jesus,  and  "with  that  readinessiwhich  always  marked  Him,  He, 
forthwith ,  begatt  a,  calm  and  el^r  unticipation  of  Hia  nqar  death. 

', "I flhaU  be  with  you,''  said  He,  "Only  a:  short ti^o  Iqnjjor,  fori 
shall  soon  i^tmti  to  my  Father  in  Heaven,  wshoifiont  me.  Tlicn  tho 
days  will  come  when  sorodistress  will  fall  uip(m  this  city  and  land 
for  rejecting  me,  and  you  will  «cek  help  and  deliverance  from  the 
Meswah,  that  is,  from  me,  but  ye  will  not  find,  me- then.  <  Persecuted 
and  put  to  death  now,  ye  Will  then  long  for  me  in  vaiu>  when  for  ever 
gone  from  you,  for  where  I  shall  then  be  you  cannot  go,  to  fetch  mo 
fjwm  thence  as  your  Saviour."  '^  ^  ■:■  nA    -na  y, 

.'"What  does  He  mean?**' asked  those  round;  '*wiU  He  go  to  our 
Greek  spGaking'brethren-^tbe  Hellenists  in.I3gypt,iQ|*  Asia  Minor,  or 
some  other  of  the  lands  of  the  Gentil(j3?"  ,,  '  <     .  > 

;/Tl^  attempt  to  apprehend,  Him,  nor  ?8J  j 

He;  .disturbed  again  during-  the  week.  The  lost,  iday  qf ;  the  Feast, , 
knQwn  as  'VtheHosatini^  RAbba,"  and  the  ♦'GTeftVi)ay|,**  |ou^d  Hte 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRJSTl'^T  (^ 

MiotiB  thither  early,  to  meet  the  crowds  MsiBm^ed  for  ^nyqg 
prayer.    It  was  a  day  of  special  rejoicing.    A  great  prbcessioi)  of 
piljfrims  inarched  eeven  timet  round  the  city,  ^th  their  lulabs. 
Inusic,  and  loud-voiced  choirs  preceding,  ian4,th^a4r  was  ^ent  with 
■ihouts  of  Hosanna,  in  commemoration  of  ^he  t§tung  of  Jcripno,  t^ 
ir^tcity  in  the  Holy  Land  that  fell  into  tlie  h(^uds  of  ih^ir  Faih^rs. 
Other  niultitudQs  streamed  to  the  brook  of  diloa^,,a^ter  tl^e  priests 
andLevites,  beaiftffg  the  golden  vessels,  with  w^ich  ^.draw  soflji^  o^ 
liiie  water.    As  many  as  could  set  near  the  strcjum  drsfiK  ol  it  am|diit 
llnud  chanting  of  the  words  of  Isaiah— -"  IJo,  ^yery  one,  ^^la^  thir^tetlj,  ' 
Icome  ye  to  the  waters,"  "  With. Joy  shall  we  djaw  water  fiom  tW 
Iwells  of  salvation,*'— rising  in.  jubilant  chants  on  every  sMe^     XJiP 
Ivater  drawn  by  the  priests,  was,  meanwhile,  borne  up  to  thcl^|impjej 
lunidist  the  boundless  excitement  of  a  vast  thi'ong. .  3ViC^,A  f^VQi 
|wte,  apparently^  passing  at  this  moment.  . '  ,| , '!  i»' 

I  Rising,  as  the  throng  went  by,  His  8pirit  was  moved  at  such  hpnoL,. 
lenihusiasm,  yet  saddened  at  the  moral  decay  whic^  ,inistook  a  mere 
Iccrertiony  fbr  religion.  It  was  burning  autump  we^tjier,  \yhc,ft,t5ho 
Kuh  had  for  months  shone  hi  a  cloudless  ^ky,  aa4;th^  early  rains^were 
liooffed  fot  as  the  monsoons  in  India  after  tjjiie.  siunmer  j(ieat.  ..W^ter 
|ati3l  times  is  a  magic  word  in  a  sultrv  climate  liiui  Palestine,  tjiMiji; 
Itliis  moment  it  had  a  double  power.  Standing*  therefore,,  to  giveiafia 
[words  more  solemnity,  His  voice  now  sopnde^,  f^  and  near  qV^r^tifia 
Ithrong,  with feoft  clearness,  which  arrested  all  f-rr;  .,  ,   ^  ,  ,  , 

I  "  If  anyman  thirst,  let  him  come.unto  me  fHid  drink,  ff^t  will  glye» 
Ibirathd  livini^  waters  ofGod's  heavenly  grace,  9f  wlucu  the  v^^jtpr 
I  vow  have  naif  <jrawn  from  Sildah  is  onJiy,  as  ypu^  B^ahbistqllyqij',,^ 
type.  He  that  believes  in  me  drinks  into  his  spul /ronfi  my  f tif ne^,  44 
|from  a  fountain,  the  riches  of  divine  grace  and  truilji; ,,  ^ffir,ax)\tiit^y 


lipsandilileln holy  wor4sianddeed&  ijulQk- 
enlng  thei  thirsty  around  him."  He  ^mcant,raads  St.  ,Jpnu,^hait 
this  quickening  missionary  2eal  and  power  .would,  firi^rSjipw  itself 
after  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  when  He  Himself  had  entered  on 
Ills  glory.  Streams  of  holy  influence,  like  rivers  of  living  water, 
would  go  forth  from  His  Apostles  through  the  Spirit's  overflowing 
Mness m  their  souls.  >r'}rii-ti>  ■ .  yj.^"u^l,' i^' 

The  whole  discourse  was  now  ended.  The  impressions  it  hkd  left 
were  various.  Many  who  had  listened  to  it,  whispered  to  their  neigh- 
bours that  they  were  sure  "This  was  the  Prophet  to  come  before  the 
Messiah."  Otliers  maintained  He  was  the  Messiah  Himself,  but  this 
oplnioa  led  to  hot  dispute.  "Does  the  Messiah,  then,  come  out  of 
Nazareth?"  asked  the  incredulous  Rabbinists.  "Does not  the  Scrip- 
ture say  that  the  Christ  comes  of  the  seed  of  David,  and  from  Beth- 
l^m.^the  village  where  David  was?"  But  the  division  in  the  crowd 
wis  tlie^fety  of  Jdsus,  Xor  those  who  were  fiercest  to  lay  hand| 


'1 


m 


lit  •!  ;•■  .; 


000 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


on  Him  as  a  bYasphemer  and  Snbbath-1>r«a]ccr  were  afraid  to  do  go  i 
89  strong  did  tlio  party  seem  whicli  supported  Him.  ' 

Tlie  Temple  police  sent  to  arrest  Him  Iind  remained  near,  to  the 
close,  to  watch  meir  opportunity.  But  the  power  and  majesty  of  His 
discourse,  whicli  had  spellbound  so  many  others,  had  overawed  and 
impressed  even  them,  so  that  they  dared  not  touch  Him,  and  ^ent 
^ck  tofheir  masters  empty-handed.  To  the  angry  idemand  for  an 
explanation,  th^  could  only  answer;  "  Never  ihan  spake  as  this  man 
speaks. "  Thi^  Pharisees  in  the  €otiiidl— the  special  guardians  of  the 
public 'orthodbky-^pifofcssed  themselves  shocked  at  such  difloyalty 
oh  th^  part  of  nien  Entrusted  with  the  commissioln  of  the  higli  cede- 
sit^ical  court.  "How  <ian  you  be  so  Idd  away?  Do  you notseeJ 
l^at  6nly  tome  of  the  ignorant  rabble  believe  in  Him?  Have  any] 
mett  of  position— any  tnembers  of  the  Council,  or  any  Rabbi^-Hdooe 
1^?  They  are  qualified  to  judge  6n  siich  Inattets;  but  as  forthe 
hibble,  who  have  accepted  such  a  thinsgrcssor  as  thiB  Messiah,  itsbo^rs 
that  they  do  noi  know  the  Law,  and  are  therefore  accursed!  of  God." 

One  faint  voice  only  was  heard  ih  th€  Council  in  hesitating  deface 
ptJ^^y  It  was  that  of  KicodemUs— His  visitor  by  night  on  Uii 
first  appeartoce.  ''I  khbw,  sits,  you  are  zealous  for  the  Lavvr,  aodl 
righthr  condemn  those  who  are  ignorant  of  it.  But  does  the  Lat 
Sancitlon  our  thns  condenihing  a  mttn  before  it  has  healxl  him,  anfl 
found  exactly  what  he  has  done?"  He  had  not  moral  court^  to 
take  a  side,  but  could  not  withhold  a  timid  word; '  Like allweak 
m^,  h6  foutod  Uttle  favouf  for  his  faint-hearted  ^utlon.  "Are  ybn, 
also/like  Jestto,  otrt  of  Galilee,"  they  ai^ed,  **that  ybu  believe  In 
Hitti;  only  ignorant  Ckililnans  do  to?  Search  the  scriptures,  and 
you  will  toe  that  no  Oalilffiian  was  ever  inspired  asi^ropllet  hy  God: 
the'  race  is  des^sed  of  the  Highest,  and  is  it  iik^hr  it  should 


Jerusatfem  the  Metoiah?^  I  . 

In  their  blind  ra^the^  forgot  thiatj  at  l^ast,  ^ohah,  and  Hoses,! 
and  Nahum;  wenel  Gialilseans,  and'  they  ignored  the  faict  that  if  m 
folloi^rs  of  Jiesus  wer^  mostly  Trom  the  illit^tnte  hdrth;  He  had  idiQ 
not  a  few  even  from  the  sons  of  bigde^d  Jetttsalcm.  ' '  ^''^ " 

.iV-  .        ,    .>.>..,■■  ,      •.     .      '  "'''"I 

,\\'^  ■'  ■-.?':;. t^i3';}il"  ,     ...    ..  ,.i    ■    i^^eii!  7l(|fmr 

'.\  •..       ■   .  ,.;.j).   .    i^"  '         Jnolj 

I  ...  :-':.n 


■Ulii^lM 


..'■{j»    Jjij    J;:  itilj 


'  •>   !        •  •   l»iUOli«    JL' 


■Hi' 


^JS-.*-fft.i.U".*---^'  v-4»>"'!<i'i;»it.'.i»liJ  6i.X.  ,iit'.i-"«#l«fe'^»;  ■';■::'.- j-'  ll"vly•^^^fi,_^l^yM.^t  'uv.. 


iiv#*BU'v'>'^-'^- 


r^m'bl^d  h^''-  ^■^"-  '^^ 


CHAPTER  li.  .    ,fk, 

AFTBR   THB  FEAST. 

All  who  attended  the  Feast  of  TabernadeB  were  required  to  sleep 
in  the  city  the  first  night  at  least,  but  were  free  afterwards  to  go  any 
distance  outside,  witliin  the  limit  of  a  Sabbath  day's  Journey.  Jesus, 
iccustomed  to  the  pure  air  of  the  hills  and  open  country,  and  with 
littie  sympathy  for  the  noise  and  merriment,  or  for  the  crowds  and 
confusion,  of  the  great  holiday,  was  glad  to  avaU  Himself  of  this 
freedom,  and  ijrcnt  out,  each  night,  after  leaving  the  Temple,  to  seek 
sleep  in  th^  house  of  some  friend  on  the  Mount  of  Olives;  pechaps  to 
tliat  of  the  family  of  Bethany,  of  which  we  hear  so  much  soon  after 
this.  The  early  morning,  however,  saw,  Him  always  at  His  post  in 
the  Temple  Courts;  now  in  the  royiU  porch;  now  in  the  court  of  the 
women,  through  which  the  men  pasted  to  their  own. 
<Thc  vast  concourse  of  people  ftom  aH  countries,  and  tho  general 
I  excitement  and  relaxation  of  uie  season,  had  gradually  led  to  abuses. 
I  jpilgrimages^  in  all  a^ea,  have  had  an  indifferent  name  for  theip  ia- 
fluence  on  morals,  and  the  yearly  feasts  at, Jerusalem  were  likely  no 

.exception.  -  .        'r^-\\\>£-'-'       ■■  - '    >'■'    .■■    '•  ■         '  'rn-i) 

A  large  number  of  ped]^e  had  already  gathered  round  Jesus,  when 
aconunotion  was  seen  in  the  women's  court,  where  He  had  sat  down 
to  teach.  A  woman  of  the  humbler  class  had  been  guiHy  of  immo- 
rality, and  the  Scribes,  on  the  moment,  sav^  in  her  sin  a  possible  snare 
ior  the  hated.  QalilsBan.  It  was  not  their  business,  but  that  other 
husband,  to  accuse  her;  nor  could  she  be  legally  punished^; except %- 
diVorce,-if  he,  himself,  were  not  a  nian  of  pure  hfe.  It  was  Uie  cus- 
toin,  however,  in  cases  ol  difficulty,  to  consult  >  famous  B^bbi,  and 
juLvaiitage.  w^  l&jnen  of  this,  toi  entrap  Jesus,  if  possible,  by  asking 
Ifiim  to  addudicaii^  on  the  casQ.  If  He  condemned  her,  and  insisted 
I  that  she  should  be  stoned  tq  deatl^^  it  woidd  injure  Him  in  the  eyes 
of  the  people,  for  the  Law,  in  this  particular,  had  long  been  obsolete. 
I  from  the  very  commonness  of  the  offence.  If  on  the  other  hand,  He 
Isimply  dismissed  hev  they  could  charge  Him  with  slighting  the  Law, 
Ifor  it  was  still  form  binding.  To  condemn  her  to  death,  would, 
Imoreover,  bring  Him  under  the  Koman  law^  as  an  invasion  of  the 
jright  of  the  governor. 

Leading  forward  their  trembling  prisoner — unveiled,  and  exposed 
Ibefore  the  crowd  of  men — the  bitterest  degradation  to  an  Eastern 
jwoman— they  set  her  before  Jesus,  and  asked  with  feigned  humility — 
\  "Teacher,  this  woman  lias  been  guilty  of  sin.  Now  Moses,  in 
jthe  Law,  charged  us  that  such  should  be  stoned.  What  is  your 
opinion?" 
Knowing  theur  smooth  dissimulation,  He  instinctively  felt  that  thii 


it; 


) 


693 


LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


mock  respect  was  a  mere  cloak  for  sinipter  des|g^s.    Yet  the  incidem 
threw  Him  into  a  moment's  contusion.    Hi^  «oul  shrank  from  thi 
spectiM^lc  thus  brought  before  Him,  and  ih  iii3  stainless  purity  H 
could  riot  bear  to  look  on  tli^'filttn  oiie:    Stooping  down,  therefore, 
'  at  once  to  hide  the  blus^  He  could  not,  pr^ivent,  and  to  show  that  E 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  siich  a  matter,  He  begjm  to  write  oi 
f  j  Hie  dudt  before  Him^-naost  likely  tlie  very  wdrida  He ,  was  presentl 
i/itc  utter.    Had'  they  xyhosen  to  read  them^ 'they  might  have  spm 
V*  thetnselvee  tiie  opeh  ^xpdsure  that  followed,'  But  they  were  to 
r  occupied  with  their,  plot  to  read  the  warning, and  again  and  s^; 
(iiepeated  the  qiiestion,^to  force  Him  to  answer.  <  At  last^TaisingB 
i-teuctidi  am^meat ana  16oking  straight  at'<themr<He.|Baid-T  , 

ii  u:"Let  him.^m^ng  you,  who  is  fitee  from  sin  of  a  tike  kind,  casl.thi 
o  ifirst  stone  at  U(^;  i»  is  required  of  the  phief  witness^  by  Moses. '!.3 
xcolt  was  fin  age  of  deep  imiriorality,  {),nd  the  wc»ds  of  Jesus  went  ti 
■I  their  cohsoiences.    He  Had  again  stooped  and  liegun  to  wriite,  as  m 
as  He  had  spoken,  perhaps  to  remind  thena  how.sin,  t^heaifelW 
by  penitence,  is  effaced^  f or  ever,  like,  characters  written  in  dui 
lineati'wlidfkv -their 'ownbdsomsbep^    their  judges.    One  aft^rjo 
^MOthop^  beginning  at  the  oldest  among  them,  moi^  oM,  t^  the  vc^ 
.lasli^  iind' Jesus  waalefl^  alone,,  ^ith  the  womaja,  ii^  th^  imdi^  of  tjici 
■•crowd/    •    -^^Hmi^^Airi^mM^S^i''^  <.     .    'iri-tfi^mi^iM'tAt''    \ 

.  Bising  once  more,  and  nnding  only  the  woman  I^,  He  asked  heii- 
(;M>.(^Wi[Mn4n,wher6  are 'thine  accii^lil^?  .  1^^4*00.09(3  (»ade|iui  iiyi^, 
^^biy  castiilg  li  stone -at  th/6e?",,  '   '  h>''v/::^i}X-!iijxvtjl^,  -k^'^^'^'iyuAmm: 

■a«HMTbf-onei  liord.''  ■•'■j,>^/\S  .•'  :-  ^a  i>^\imifrk 

^mV'  Neither, "  said  He,  "ihall  I.    I  come  not  to  condcimn,,  btft 

,  JSttve^   ^I  am"i!io  crimjnaV  judge,  either  ,tp  sentencie  or  ac^t.  i  Go^i 

pent  of  thy  guil^*  and  sin  no  more.  ;  ^^         -  ]>    i)    fin 

i^iHis  enemies  had  often  murmured  at  the  pity  and  favour  He  hi 

!  sbowh'  40  the  faJlcm  tind  outcast.    They  knew  bow  He  iiad  l(;t 

sinfui  womfifli  waslr  His  f^et  with  her  tears,  and  wipe  them  with 

loose  i  bairt  bow  He  had  eaten  with  pi^lleaos  (uid  sinners,:  and 

He  even  had  a  publidan  among  H?s  disciples.  .They  had  hoped 

UBe>  all  this  against  Him,  biitf,  once  more,  their  schemes  had  /^nl; 

tiiirned  to  their  ownshame.    He  had  given  no  opinion  for  the 

,.lete  Itit*",  or  dgainst  it:  their  own  consciences  had  set  .the  offend 

This  incident  past.  He  began  His  discourse  again- toJthose  m 
Him.    He  still  sat  in  the  court  of  the  women,  or,  aa  it  was  sometii 
cidled,  '*the  treasury,"  from  thp  thirteen  brazen  chests  for  ofleriD 
with  their  trumpet-like  mouths,  opening  through  the  wall  of  il 
buildings.  ■  Tlie  coui-t  was  the  great  thoroughfiire  to^  that  oi 
^Israelites,  wMch  was  reached  from  it  by  thp.nl^eniSt^jM  leading 

'-the'great -gate.    '  -  •—   -'     •. ,  , /'^i'.vv^r^"*->i*J%W!!fc^^^^ 

In  the  address  of  the  day  before.  He  had  spoken  of  Himself  m 
rliiHni^'tlie  wiiter  p£  Ufis  f or  the  thirst of.th%99uk,.,j,^To>giy«' 


THE  Lirt  6i^' ij^reiR 


^•fe 


o98 


i//ji:H>5*JjiililmiB0D 


to  drink/'  WM  a  common  pbmse  foKtead^ipg  and  ex^lsihiiifl^  ,thd 
Uw,  and  fatrnte  its  meaning,  when  used  b^  our  LorcLvm  ffoj^mt  to 
allHis  hearerB.'  Water,  in  such  a  climate,  was  )h<i  nwt  necessary  of 
life,  and  flowing,  or  living,  waters  pictured; -at  o^ce,  every  jm^ge  of 
Joy  and  prosperity.  But  the  mighty  liglit,  fii[\iig  the  hea^vdtis— the 
tiwt-born  creation  6f  God— lifts  the  thoughti^  from  indiyid^al  benefit 
to  tliat  of  the  whole  race,  for  light  is  the  condition  and  source  of  aU 
^,  dJike  to  nature  and  man.  It  was  the  cliaractcristlc  of  Jesus  id. 
make  everything  round  Him,  in  creation  or  common  life,  Hla  texts 
lad  iUustratiohs:  ■  The  shouts  of  the  multitude,  as  they  brought  up 
th&  golden  vessel  of  water  ^rom  Sitoam,  had  iutVoduped  the  discojuube 
on  the  living  waters.  Round  the  court  in  which  He  now  sat,  r69o 
j th*^ great  candelabra,  in  *whose  hu^e  cupii  the  illuminat|pus,of  JEhe, 
feasts  were  kindted,  that  batiished  iight  from  the  city/ and  4n'WbiPse 
brirhtness  the  multitudes  found'  darkness^  changed  to  cU(y..^d  Vi^x 
m rm^  used  m■^texi^^''^^'i '-'■'': 'r''-^^''- 

!  PointiHg  to  th^mv  and,'  from  theti^j  to  the  ^Ibn^iouji  stui,  }u$t  risen 
Uvtf  the  Moimt  ofOlites;  and  shinihg  wi^  diikzling  sp)^dour:dA 
ieiwhite  houses  of  the  city  and  the  niSrble  aha  ^614  of  the  Tphii^o 
Ifulls  and  gatefe,'  He  began  la  nriwdi^cour^,  in  langpiage^  "W^McU,  frofii 
lie  lips  of'Isi'Jew,  Was  a  direct  clttird  to  be  the  Messiah.  ^  fipi^^  > 

"I  am  the  Light  of  the  Worid,"  said  He— ''that  is^.dfjhjf Whole 
mat  of  man  1?'  Buch  words  f  roin  One  v^ljo  was  humility  itsew-^One 
|ttl^»wledged  b^raH  to  have  unbounded  supernatural  po:vtrjgrjat  ^U 
Icommand,  yet  so  self-restrained  that  Rehires  used  it  for  Hjii'owiji 
ladvantage,  and  was  so  unassuming  and  lowly  that  even  tl^0,^e^est. 
lid  poorest  Mt  perfectly  free  to  apt)r6ach  Him— were  utt^c^l 'vHfea ' 
dm  dimiity  which  Vouched  ^heir  trtttti!  '-''Ija  me  dwe|I»  ^imm 
uth,"  He  continued,  "  and  from  ihe  it  slimes  lortji,,  Iik0  i^e  J^t» 
HiU  mankind.  He  who  becomes  fiiy"  true  discrole,  an4.foMowaw^ 
pncerely,  Wil^  no  loffgeir  *W«UK' fn  the  darkness  of  igporan^  an^afh, 
briuoh  is  th«^  dtiath  bfithe  soul,  but  in  the  ligbi  ot  eyerte^^g#<ji, 
^vea  to  the Uhildf ew  of  thfe  M^ssltth^s  ldh|dbm'."    '  ■ "   ;j,  .  ^  ^X 

Some  partisans  of  the  Rabbinical  party,  who  remaiiie4ifo,  ^lEifcfi 
Um,  listened  with  Ca^r  attention' to 'evei^  word.    Eiiraged  at  t-tve 
lilure  of  the  last  attempt  to  entrap  l^im,  -vrhat.they  '.^d  mw  heaS,, 
iphich  wasfarbejrohd  ^hiit  atijy  prbphet  had  ever  ^ifi!mea  for  lum* 
elf,  deepened  their  bitterness.  ; 

"  You  make  yourself  jud^e in  your  OWn  f iivoUr, **  baid  they.    '*  You 
jqaire  us  to  believe  you,  on  your  own  word.    Itis  to6,mu(Qht0a^ 
i man's  witness  on  Ms-  own  behalf  is  Worthless. " 
"I  do  not  make  myself  witness  in  liiy  mvn  favour,"  replied  Je^us. 
pour  rule  does  hot  apply  to  me,  for  1  sp^ak  lipt  f or  pavself  aloue, 
Tit  as  the  mouthpiece  of  Him  from  ^hOih  T  came,  ana  to  whom  I 
all  soon  return.    If  you  knew  who  He  was,  you,  would  be  f orc?d 
wceive  His  testimony  to  nie.    '  Biit  yoi^-  dp  uot  ^;i?p?v  ]|un^^iul 
"^toie  you  reject  it^  f6ry*ou  knoW  heithei-  v/hehCe  1  cam!e  nor  whither 


::;  Mii'-i-;  K 

1 

f^Mi 

'  i 

||.__^- 

s 

'''Pis-'  ^^S^ 

■;,  %ffiM^Bi 

l^^B 

|M 

m 


Tffls^  ^IPE  OF  ohkist: 


I  Bhall  return.    I  know,  and  muidt  kno>«ri  best,  whose  messenger  I  am, 
and  w)iat  commission  He  has  given  n^e.   You  have  no  night  to  accuse 
me  ad  a  deceive,  for  you  are  not  in  a  position  to  judge  of  me,  since 
you  know  nothing  of  my  mission.    You  look  at  me  witii  jaundiced 
eyes,  and  judge  only  by  my  lowly,  outward  appearance,  and  are  thug 
misled.    li  by  myself,  judge  neither  in  my  owns^  f avorar,  nor  against 
an;y^ne,  for  I  hiave  come  not  to  condemn,  but  to  save.    If,  indeed, 
in'anv  case,  I  seem  to  judger^fi  in  this  instance  respecting  my  com' 
mission,;  it  is  not  I,  alone,  whado  so,  but  I  and  my  Father  who  has 
seut  m^  judge  together,  and  thus  the  judgm  ent  must  bei  tine.    I  am 
ndt -alone;  &e  Father  who  sent  me  is.  with  me,  and  thus,  even  by 
your  owu  Law,  hy,  which  the  testimony  of  two  «i«fi  is  (received  a» 
true,  that  Which  I  oflEer  for  myself  is  morethain  suf&dtent,  for  I  offer] 
you  ray  own  word,  and  no  oJ^e  can.  coUvict  me  of  untruthfulness^ 
and  also  the  witness  of  my  Father.    He  witnesses  for  me  by  the  very 
truths  I  utter,  and  by  the  miracles  you  admit  I  perform.'^Air  ^?  i  •    | 
."Whejie  is,  then,  this  second  witness.  Thy  Father?"  retorted  His 
ddVersaiies^    '  *  We  do  not  see  Him.    H«  must  he  here^  if  ^ » as  you  aayj 
HfeisaVitnessfbr^ou?"    He  had  too  often  spoken  of  Goa  asH'isI 
Father  to  permit  pfany  mistake  as  to  His  meaning,  but'  they  affectd 
to  misunderstand  Him.    With  perfect  calmness,  Jesus  replied,  ' '  Ym  \ 
ask  who  iiS  my  Father,  and  do  not  know  me,  myself.^  I  cannot: 
sWet  you  till  you  ha(ve  juster  conceptions  of  me.    If  you  k>okedat| 
me,  my  teachmg,  and  my  deeds,  in  a  right  light,  you  would  knotr 
who  my' Father  is,  for  Hb  reveals  Himself  in  met    iBut  your  hearts! 
are  noW  so  prejudiced,  that  you  would  not  understand  what  I  mi^iu 
tellyou,  either  of  myself  or  of  Him,  were  1 1©  attempt  itv  1(i  <o  ^^ikn 

'These  Were  bold  words  in  such  a  place;  the  very  stronghold  of  His 
enemies;  but  as  He  finished  and  rose  to  depart,  nosone  kud  hands  on 
Himr  His  hour  waa not  yet  come.  '      i  ''     jHv 

A  fragment  of  another  discourse  delivered  like  this  in  the  Temple, 
on  o^ae' of  thie  f ollctWing  days,  has  been  preserved  '  The  immediate 
cirdtit^tancei^  preceding  are  not  recorded,  but  there  muist  have  been 
another  dispute  with  His  enemies.  Afresh  attempt  to  win  them,  foi< 
lowed;  with  solemn  warnings  of  the  results  of  their  finally  rejecting 
Him.    ,  ,"•  ■  \:.:v'   :-r;  %•    t   -v:'?..id.  .y^ii^',''  >  ■' 

'  "The  time  approaches,"  said]  He,  in  effect,  '^^fwheri  I  shall ledw 
you,  and  when  1  am  gone  you  will  seek  mey  that  is,  you  will  cry  out 
for  the  Messiah,  but  in  vain,  fmd  will  look  for  Him  Without  success; 
you  will  fain  be  delivered  from  tlic  calamities  that  will  come  on 
yoii;  but  you  will  die,  unpardoned  and  unsanctified^  with  yoursiiu 
on  your  souls,-^ie  here,  and  die  for  ever;  for  yom'  seeking  me,  thai 
is,  the  Messiah,  will  not  be  from  faith  and  repentance,  but  only  a 
despairing  cry  for  deliverance  from  temporal  distress.  Youcamiet 
hdpe  to  be  able  to  (go  up  to  heaven,  to  lind  and  brijig  me  dowduj 
your  Saviour.  I  shall  be  gone  from  you  forever.";!  70  h^n  '^  »? 
,,f^«  WUlHe  kill  Himself?^  fusked  (me  of  the  bitterest  among  the 


THE  LIPKI  OF  CHHIBTr 


tm 


itanders,  witlrMaBphenioiift  irony*  /  ^^ In  that  case,  certainly »^  wo  ishall, 
not  be  able  to  follow  Him,  or  willing,  either,  to  where  iS?  will  golf, ..« 
Taking  ho  notice  of  the  coarse  insultiog  jest,  Jestus  went,  on  to. 
point  out,  calmly,  and  with  surpassing  dignity,  that  they  intake  as 
l^^did.  only  because  they  could  not  comprehend  Him  &r  Bis  say- 
ing, coming  as  H«  did  from  above. ;  'I  You  spring  fitHn  the  earth,  X. 
I  from  heaven;  your  natures  and  hearts,  in  keeping  with  yoiur  origin^ 
gie  witbo^'theMg^er  wisdom  ;and  divine  life  of  those  who  are.  born 
of  God.    ¥6u  have  tbe  thou^ts  and  ideas  of  ti^is  ag^:  I  spteak  tliosg 
of  the  New  Kingdom  of  Gw*     It  was  on  this  grouad  I  saiii  to  yoMr^ 
^t  you  would  me  in  yom?  sins,  fw  only  faith  in  ms,  as  the  Messiah,  > 
can  raise  those  who  are  not  born  from  above,  gross  fleshly  souls^ 
bom  only  of  thet  flesh,  to  higher  divine  life,  ija  time  and  .^temity., 
\]iym  do  not  believe  that  I  am  He,  you  ah^  certainly  die  in,  youc 


I  am  He,"' was  thie  sumi  of  Jehovah's  self -proclamation  in  tiis 

I  Old  Testament,  aaoid  it  W{ls  now  repeated,  in  its  lofty  majesty,  b^i 

of  His  own  Messianic  dignity.    He  could  assume  that  th0 

I  question  of  the  Messiah  was  the  ever-present  and  supreme  thougl^Ot 

of  all  His  faearen^.    The  one  point  was  whether  He,  or  another  yet  tt 

[come,  were  the  Bxpiected  One.  .  }  ,>.':i^■^^■'s>Au-,,r  ^ 

The  Rabbinists  perfectly  understoodHuni,  but  would  sot  aoknoMrl- 
ledge  that  tiiey.did  so,  and  asked  Him  contemptuously, .;"  Who  art 
mou:  then?**i't>JHffa:5a  4j%ii::  |}:  lii     .  .,  na^i/, ii. 

H  am  what  Chavesaid  ^om  t»e  beginninglof  my  ministry  1  was,.- 
Ikowcan  youstillask?  I  have  much  to  say  respecting  you,  mucb^esper 
Icially  to  blame;  but  I  refrain,  and  confine  myself  to  my  immediaite 
|mission,-^to  proclaim  to  mankind  what  I  havc' reoeivea  from  Bim 
Iwho  sent  me."  Strange  as  it  mi^tseem,  tiiou^  He:  had  used  similar 
Iterms  so  often  that  the  allusion  to  God  was  generally  recog{ii^:fi»Gi  at 
Iwoe;  His  hearers  did  not  in  this  instimce  understand  Him.    <u   •  /. 

Seeing  theib  hcdita1ion,>He<xmtinued>^-r"Had  you  acloiowledged 
Imeasthe  Messiah,  you  would  have  understood  what  Ihavesaiaof 
Imy  Father.  But  when  you  have  ciiicified  mej  you  will  know  that  I 
hm  He:  and  that  I  never  act  alone,  but  speak  only, what  I  have  hewd 
jfrom  my  Father,  before  I  came  into  the  world.  My  glory,  which 
be  revealed  after  I  die,  will  force  you  to  realize  thia/'     He 

eferred  to  tlie  future  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  after  His;  resur 

ction,-4he  miracles  of  Hie  Apostles,  the  spread  of  His  kingdoniL, 
{the  judgment  of  God  on  the  nation,  and  His  final  return  in  the 
ploudsof  heaven  at  the  last  day.     "My  Father  who  sent  me/'  He 

ottthiued,  "  has  not  left  me  alone,  though  you  do  not  see  Him,  but 

ave  befcnre  you  only  a  lowly  man,  in  the  midst  of  enemies;  He  is 
^ver  with  me,  for  I  do  always  the  things  that  please  Him." 

These  lofty  wcwds  must  have  been  wondrously  borne  out  by  His 

rhole  air,  and  by  the  calm  truUi  and  beavenliness  of  Hid  tone  and  looks; 

'  t,  instead'  ot  revolting  His  hearers  by  the  eoutvadictloa  between 


,  fj, — 


'■■•!? 


m 


696 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


ein,tmB  Ho  awful,  and  Him  who  made  them^  wbkb  ^e  instin^tivdy 
t'cel  there  must  have  been,  had  the^  been,  uttened  hy.  siofultmea  like 
ours^lve^,  th^  won  maiiy  to.  believe  in, Jpm,  U^we  «»4  tU^ft,  ^Jhe 
Messiah.'.  ii^t^J-.m':'*-)  ^Af}hl;it'fi>!)i^i^--r^.'<':M(h.';:Ui--h:--Jn-!r(^a''y;'>rv')f-'  ■■.  ?•;.    ,•.-. 

It  is  impoflBmle  not  to  feel  that  such  wx)rds  were  a  distinct  c](^m  j 

of  al)solute  sinleesness, on  wliich  noinere.inaa<cQuld,for,&momQi}tj 

venture.     Yet  in  His  moutli  they  seemed  only  the  fitting  e^ipjtessiea 

of  evident  truth.    Nor  is  it  possible  to  exaggerate  their  ,in\poi:taiicc.  I 

When  we  remeniber  how  cuuit^ly  His  whole  )ife  was  d^^vQt^dto  the 

enforcenfient  of  the  pureirt  morals  even  in' the  domaii^  of  thcmgkt  jtBd 

conscience,  they  a^ouire  a  significance  that  awesN  pier  mind. ,  Buc}A.fin 

absolute  purity  iint)lled  the  keenest  discrimination.betwe^  goodqind 

V  evil,  holiness 'and  sim     ''To  j^leaee  God,"  was  with  (Him  no  emply 

phrase^  but  implied  a  divine  holiness  in  tJie  very  fonnjtaips  q%  beipg; 

pure  as  the  light  of  n  morning  without  clouds.     Yet  His  language 

.  respecting  Himself  was  always  the  same.    Tlie< greatest  saint?  are 

TOi<^Bt  reamr  to  bewail  tlieir  unworthiniese,  but  He  never  foria  mpmeiitl 

humbles  Himself  before  God  for  sin;  never  aslcs  pardon,  ifK  it;j|Qd 

not  only  makes  no  approach  to  expressing  a  sense  of  Breeding  rep«;it 

ance  aiid  forgiveness,  but  calmly  takes  on  > Himself ;  the  divines  pK-i 

rogative  of  forgiving  the  sins  of  men.    The  Idet^l  of  .hunfiilijty>a^d 

truth,  and  holyiHei  lie  most  have  known  His  own  spiritiial  ^to  i^jtbl 

exact  fldel  ity  if  or  the  passing  of  evep  an  unwortliy  thoyghjt  9^«r  ^i^fh 

a  soul,  would  have  instantly  clouded  its  peace  and  ioy^  ,Yet,TviJhl 

this  perfect  self 'know  ledl^,  He  eould  calmly  elaim  that  His  f^xim 

saw  in  Hiin  only  I^ia  own  ixmsi^  ^^  Vi^f^  \i^^m'^>■y^i^\^^^ifm 

-please' HiHif:ni-.'T^,.fi;iW;'<4^  yu^iftJiJi iv»f»-..-Ai^y''4 ft*^.',^*^'  o^iiif^^-v^  tjv ,  I 

The  overpowering  tmprosslan  produced  on  His  bearers,  W{^,noi| 

ever,  too  sudden  and  supei^cial  for  jpermanenoe.  I 

.  ^Resuming   His   discourse,  therefore,  He   contin)ttedrTiaddressJng| 

those  who,  for  the  moment^ in  spite  <^, themselves, fbeiiey^  .on  Hiinj 

«>-'*  If  your  present  professions  be  deep  and,  lasting,! and,  you  con tinuel 

:, permanently  in  the  same  mind;  acknowledging  me  as  i^He  Me^mJ 

'  and  <5arrying  out  my  teaching  in  your  hearts  and  liv^s,  you,  ^iU  IhiI 

my  disciples  indeed.    You  will  then,  by  experience,  know„the  p9\y,erl 

«nd* worth  Of  the  divine  truths  of  my  Person  and  teaching,  jforinyj 

words  are  tlie  truth,- and  the  truth  will  make  you  free* '!;^    ,   ,    ,, 

He  spoke,  of  course,  of  spiritual  f reedont:  of  emancipation  £1:91^2 
sinful  life  by  the  elevating  and  purifyang  influenceof  ithoij'newfaitlii| 
,  .but,  like  Nicodemus  with- the  new  birth,  or  the  Samaritan  wionipl 
*wit]i  the  living  water,  or  the  Twelve  with  the  leavenof  the:  Pharisee^I 
they  underst(^  the  word  only  of  political  liberty,  and  in  a  momeflj 
:i«hoWed  how  little  tliey  understooa  their  new  Master's  spurit.   Tlir 
f  aSerce  Jewish  pride  was  instantly  in  a  blaze.  ,     .      .         ,    . 

' '  Vtf^V  :^hflt  do  you  moan?"  said  they.  "  We  are  the  descendi^n 
of  Abraham;  the  race  to  whom  God  gava, the,  promise-  p£  being, t' 
first  of  nations — His  chosen  people.    We  luive  never  been  in  bondu 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Wt 


jarer?,  w^,TiOF-B  and 


to  any.  What  do  vou  mean?"  They  conveniently  forgot  the  e^\- 
gode^tif  ;^g2rpt  and  Babyiou^  and  thought  of  thtxsliadow  of  polltioal 
liberty  tlicy'«ia.5oiyted'midei*thte  pritdcmt  Roman8«by  th6  retetttionof 
their  own^  laWs,  iWm  the  protected  States  of  India  tinder  Britain.  It 
was  an  offence  punishable  with  excommunication  for  one  Jew  to  call 
anotlieV  a  slave,  and  part  of  their*  morning  pn^er^even  when  und^ 
a  foreign  ^oHe;  ran  thud-^Bleased  be  theLord  our  God,  King  of  the 
Universe^  who  hagf  made  me  a  free- mani" 

But  Jeshs  answ^ed— •'•  With  all  earnestness,  let  me  tell  you  that 
every  one  w^  ^commits  sin  is  under  the  power  of  sin — a^  slave  under 
that  of  Mfr  master.  I  sp^k  of  spiritual  liberty,  not  of  political.  You 
have  need'of  the  help  I  can  and' will  give  you,  if  you  desire  to  free 
yontseMfrom  this  nloral  slavery— 4he  bondage  to  yoteir  oWn  sinful 
mplinations  and  habits.  Ymi^are  slaves  in  the  greiit  household  x>f 
God,  not  sons,  and  the  slave  has  no  claim  to  remain  Always  in  the 
household:  it  is  in  the  power  of  his  lord  to  sell  him  to  another,  or  to 
put  him  dut;  wl»n  ^he  pleiMtes.  All  men,  wh<f>tner  J'feWS'  or  others,  are 
slbnm.  ihd  as  suchr,  slaves  of  their  sin','  and  must  be  mHde  free,  before 
they  can  claim,  as  you  do;  to  belong  of  right  to  tlid  household  of 
God.  He  will  hot  treat  the  Waves'  of  sin  itm  His  sons;  but  ^111  4utn 
tliein'ouit  df  His  kingdom  as  a  lord  drives  out  an  iin worthy  sl&ve. 
Biit  i,  the  Bon  of  G^;  abide  in  Qod's  household,  as  His  »on;  f<7r 
ever,  and;  hence,  if,  by  the  truth  I  proclaim,  futkd  the  grace  I-secttre 
you,Ifeee  you  flBoin  slavery  tosin,  you  wi^l  be  really  free;  not  out- 
wardly only;  ilnd  in  name,  as  nowj  Were  I  not  ic^  be  Always,  as  His 
B6n,ji]t  the  household  of  €tod,  my  Father-^you  might  ddubt  nay 
power;  or  fear  because  of  my  absimee-;  but  my  presence  there  Ibr 
ever  gives,  you  perfect  security  that  the  freedom  I  offer  Will  be  T^al 
and  flSidini?; '  I  know  that  you  are  descended  from  Abraham^  but  it 
is  only  in  a  bodily  sense.  If  you  wei*e  his  Bpiritual  sons,  yoti  Would 
believe  in  me;'btrt,  now,  in  spite  6f  your  passing  belief,  I  seethAt'you 
have  turned  i^lnsfe  nie  already,  and  gone  back  to^  those  who  wonld 
Wilttie'.  NecKt'I  say  that  y'ou  act  thus  only  becaute  my  teaching  had 
no  real  hold  oh  your  hearts?  I  have  told  you  what  I  have  seen  when 
Iwas  Still  witirmyFlitlierj  but^oti  act  aceording ta the  teaching  of 
yoarfatherf"'^' ^  .';;:-.."; -^  ;.■■_  ,-.!..'V;,i{;  ,,  ■    ,,.  .       ,    ■    ,.    ,:r 

"Our  fatlier,"  intermpted  some,  "Is  Abraham,*'— for  they  safw 
that  He  meant  sometMng^ltje.  *'If  ye  were  in  the  true  sense/' Re- 
plied Jesus*-^ '  '^  not  in  ipere  but  ward  descent-^the  sfjus  of  Abraftiam, 
youwouldhnitate  Abraham;  to  do  so  id  the  only  descent  from  him 
of  worth  before  Gtod.  But  you*  seek  to  kill  me— a  man  who  hias 
8pok6n  to  you  the  truth,  which  I  have  rebeived  from  God  for  yotir 
|OQdr  because  it  humbles  your'pride  and  self -righteousness.  Abra- 
ham would  never  have  acted  thue:  He  received  and  rejoiced  in  tiie 
truth  as  revealed  to  him»  thbiigh  it  was  far  less  clear  than  my  words 
have  made  it  to  you.  The  fact  is,  I  repeat^  with  unutterable  sadneas, 
Ijtni  act  a$  ;j^oar  father  toadies  ydikfV 


\V\C\ 


ziv^HiUi  \o  iait.& 


Li:-'  Ji'i 


■^. 


11 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 

•*  What  do  you  mean?"  cried  out  a  number  at  a  time.  *'  You  say 
'that  Abraham  is  not  our  father-^who  iedur  father  th^ci?'  Bo  you 
mean  that  Sarah,  our  mother,'  was  unfaithful  to  Abraham,  and  that 
he  waa  oillyih  name  our  father,  not  in  fact?  We  have  only  mu 
father,  not  'hioo,  as  they  have  who  are  bom  from  aduHevy,.and  it  you 
detffit  ia^^mA«(m,  itmufitbc  6^"  •      hiir  si^<>    < 

"If  ^Ood  wei«  your  father,  you  would  love  MB,',' qjuietly  replied 
Jesus,  "for.  I  am  the  Very  Son  of  ©od,  proceeding,  m  my  Being. 
from  Hiini  and  descending  from  heaven  to  ihankihd.    I  have  d(  *| 
cbmei  from  any  personal  and  private  act  of  :my  own,  but  as  the  Mes  ' 
siah  sent  fdHh  by  the  Father.    ¥ou  cannot  understand  what  I  say, 
bciieaittie  your  hearts  are  so  gross  that  you  )iave  ho  ears  for  my  teach- 
ing fit  is  dark  to  you  because  you  are  morally  blind.    So  tar  from 
f^bemg  the  spiritual  Obildren  of  Alsmham,  far  less  Of  God,  you  are 
chilSien  of  the  devil;  and,  <a:ue  to  your  nature^  ye  copy  your  father. 
-From  the  begimiingbf  the  hurnan  race  he  wasi a  murderer,  and' put 
a  war  the  truth  from  him,  because  there  is  no 'truth  in  him.    The 
deHrd^  is  a  liar  by  nature;  axid  lives  in  li^fes,  and  knows  nothitig,  in  his 
Itieirt;  of  truth;  and  his  children  are  liars  like  their fatliei^that  is, 
.    .^  thiey '  tluniist  away  the'  truth  from  them,  as  you  are  doing  now^ 
I  .*''««  Because  I  spef*  the  truth/ and  do  not  seek,  like  8ati>»,  towin 
yOttto  evil,  by  nattering  your  self-deception  and  sins,  you  do  not  be- 
lieve m&    Yet,  would  I  deceive  you?    Who. of  you 'oan  convict  me 
of  sih?    But  if'  I  be  sinless,  I  can  have  nor  untruthfulness^no  lie- 
ih  me,  and,  therefore,  what  I  speak  must  be  truth  and  truth  only. 
Hemx  I  am  right  in  saying  you  cannot  be  the  children  of  God,  for  he 
'  -"thi^  is  of  G^  hoars  God's  words— ^that  is,  hears  me,  for  I  speak  j 
J  Ofhe  woids  <tf  God.      That  you  are  not  really  the  children  ©f  God, 
though  you  call  youi^elves  such,  explains  why  you  do  not  believe  j 
'■•'iinirte.^*  ■'  '-•■"■>■  ■■'■'''"   ^r'^      '--tf-i.  i-ij--' ^  ,-  :    •■. 

'  iv    "Tha*  proves  what- we  said' o!f  yiyn,'Mnterrupted  aome  of  the  i 
ll5rowd.     "  Such  language  about  your  own  nation  shows  that  we  were 
'IM^ht  in  sating  thai  yon  wete  a  Samiuitati»-''an  enemy  of  the  true  I 
riMJOpleofCfod,  and  possessed  with  a  devil."  m 
•  "^-  *''I  have  not  a  devil;''  replied  Jesut; '*■*  I-  honour-  my  Father  by  I 
these  very  words,  for  they  tend  to  the  glory  of  God.   As  He  has  im/^\ 
me,  so  I  teach  you,  when  I  say  that .  the  wicked  are  servants  and 
children  of  laiedeVil.     Y^i  though  I  speak  not  from  my  own 
authority,  but  that  of  God,  you  do  me;  His  messenger,  the  great  dis^ 
lionour  of  saving  I  have  a  devil.    But  I  shaU  not  attempt  to  refute  I 
^^-the  slander,  for  I  care  nothing  f oi'  either  your  approval  or  pniiso, 
"^Thereis  one  here— ^my  FatheT-^-who  cares  for  myhonoiu*,  andwiUl 
judge  those  who  contemn  me.    Would   that  none  of  you  exposel 
-youwdivea' to  His  wrath!    May  you  rather  receive  from  Him  life  I 
eternal!     Once  more,  let  > me  repeat,  He  that- believes  in  me,  andj 
obeys  my  words,  sliall  never  taste  death." 
Ab  usual,  the  hearers  put  a  material  seiMC  on  these  words,  and  ub-I 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


% 


(lerstciod  them  of  natural  death;  taking  it  as  a  proof  of  their  assertion 
that  He  had  a  devil-^that  He  could  promise  any  one  that  he  should 
never  die.  "  Even  Abraliam  died,"  they  continued,  "and  so  did  the 
prophets.  Whom  do  youmake  yourself?  You.  put  yourself  above 
all  men,  even  the  greatest.  Abraham  could  not  ward  off  death, 
nor  could  the  prophets;    Do  you  daim/  to  be  ^greater  than  thev?" 

"If  I,  Xor  mere  desire  of  glofv,"  replied  Jesus,  "  were  to  boas|;  of 
being  greatei*  than  Abraham,  such  glory  would  he  idle.  If  what!  nave 
sttid  tends  to  exalt  me,  it  is  not  I  who  honour  myself,  but  my  Father, 
by  whose  authority  I. act  and  speak  that  honours  ihe—my  JPather,  of 
whom  you  sav  He  is  your  God.  If  you  fail  to  see  how  He  constantly 
does  so,  it  is  becehisb,  in  spite  of  your  calling  yourselves  His  peoj^e, 
you  have  hot  knoTfn  Him.  Butlkhow  Him,  as  only  His  Son  can. 
If  I  were  to  say  that  I  did  not  know  Him,  and  speak  His  Words,  I 
ghould  be  like  yourselves,  untruthful;  but  I  hpth.  know  Him.  and 
keep  all  His  commands,  for  my  whole  life  is  obedience  to  5im.  ^ 
'  "  But^hat  you  mi'y  knbw  that  I  really  am  greater  thaneven  Abhdi^hi 
— ithe  J'rtendof  (Jbd—letnie  tell  you  that  Abraham,  when  he  received, 
with  such  joy,  the.  promise  that  the  Messiah  should  come  l^m  his 
race,  and  mem  an  nations,  was  rejoicing  that  he  would,  hereafter, 
from  Heaven,  see  ray  day,  and  he  nas  seen  my  appearing;  troifk  his 
abode  in  Paradis^,  and  exulted  at  it." 

The  crowd;  Iglrbss  as  usual,  understood  these  words  of  Abraham's 
earthfy  life;  and' if ancied  that  Jefsus  Was  now  claiming  to  have  been 
alive  so  h)ng  agoasthe  time  of  Abraham,  and  to  have  known  him. 

"  ft  is  two. thousand  yeattJ  ago  since  Abraham's  d^y/'  broke  in  a 
vdice,  **aiid  you  are  not  fifty  years  old  yet;  do  you  me^  to  flay  you 
have  seen  Abrt(.ham?"         '  - 

"I  mean  to  'say^"  replied  Jesusf,  '^far  more  thaneven  thikt  Let 
me  tell'you,  lw}<ib^i%  iitn).D8t^s6ldmntty, ^before  Abfrsj^m^^^r^  born, 

'  This  wa^'thc  very  ph«we  in  which  Jehovah  had  announced  Him- 
self to  Isreal  in  Egypt.  It  implied  a  continuous  existence  ftom  the 
t)egMniiag,  asif  the  ^p^akeFhad  claimed  to  be,  ]Qimself,  the  Uncreated 
'fiternat  Ab^hiim  had  come  into  being,  but  Hb  had  existence  in 
Himself ,  without  a  beginning.  '        '  . 

His  hearers  instantly  took  it  in  this  august  meaning,  and  Jesus,  the 
Tfuth,  made  no  attempt,'  then  or  afterwards,  to  uiidecejive  them. 
Utterly  turned  against  Hiih,  they  rushed  hither  aijd  thither,  in  wild 
fftnatleism,  toir  stones,  with  whfch  to  put  Him  to  death  as  a  blas- 
phemer. Many  of  those  used  in  the  building  of  mrts  of  the  Temple, 
still  incompliete,  lay  in  piles  at  different  parts.  Bjut  Jesus  hid  Him- 
self iimong  the  crowd,  sjome.  of  whom  were  less  hostile,  and,  in  the 
confusion,  passed  out  of  the  sacred  precincts,  to  safety. 


i';    •» 


It  t9i 


If! 


•   -i" 


5  words,  aBduB-B"?'!^' 


t^ 


.Tf^tHlf-*  ^iV^inuir 


'■^J  fi-41:  ♦?  4* 


CHAPTER  LI.  >        ; 


^/>iX^weiS>Earc8  aemsnded  ^t  Jesus  should  for  a^UmQ  wUbdraw  from 
JerusalenLafter  tUe  DUtbreiJi:  of  murderous  fanaticism Jji;i  thfi^IleQ^p^o 
jCDiiMris^aiid  He  would  l^  .tUe  more^  inclined,  to  this  l^ec^u^e  JudeaJi^j, 
>as;$:ei>/h4d  so  small  a  share  in  Hisi  miuietry,,  The  wmeasw^d  relig- 
ious, pride  which  bad  i^eaisted  any  impression  in  His  first  lengthemnl 
Kisit^mighl *  possiblx  yield,  in  some  cases, ,after  tJbte  incidents  of }% 
jwQrk.iw  Gahlee.andrtlpru§4lem,  and  doui)tl€(,sa,did  spj.pjarhaps, in 
^more  instances  thaii.  we  sa^spct.    JSnt  whatever  vthesucipe8s„fifi'«ouJlS 
not  leave  the  epscial  hprnermud  of  Israel  .ivithoutone  moRe  attemfit 
4o  ^m  it  Jq  the  New  Kingdom  of  Ood»    flence  the  ne^ct;  moniths,  till 
after  the  Feast  of  Dedication,  in  December,  were  spent  iei|>h/W:  inJ^- 

viln  these  last  weeltsrof,  His  life  Jenus  lownd  a'home,  ©"oipi  ,t3nie  tp 
;Ume,in  thebosomof  a  village  family  in  Bethany,  on  theeafii  eideof 
the  Mount  of  Oliyes.    When  He  firat  came.to  la).ow  them  is  n^ot  tQl4: 
perh*^  Ahey  were  .among  the.  few  fruits  of  His  former,  aojourn  hi 
;5«deai-,pp^8*hiy  the  family  ol  him  whoria  known,  in  the,  Qo8pelii,{<3 
Simofi  ,in<|.X*^per;,one  of  the  converts  of,  the  early ,J[udeanlaboursiJu 
gratitude  forjbiis. miraculous, ewe.    Bethany -is, gasily^ueachedjfi'OHi 
,>Jeruit(d0w«M-The  flight  ;of  steps, pn  the  ea&t.side  of  the  Temple^  heforq 
the  Golden  Gate,  led  to  the  quiet  valley  of  tlie  Kedrpn.    A  hridge 
-over  t|heiscwtetiroesdj:y, channel  Pf  the  stream  opened  into  a  camel 
nath«W<^&  P^^'  jGethiemane,.  in,  *  plow,  and,  gentte} a.scei?t.over  tlM) 
'brow  of  the  hHi  which  lies  between  the  Monmt  of  Olives  and  tliat 
wJticlfv  JRompey  had-deflUjdjby  bia  eauip;  called,  from.U>is„.the  HiUof 
Offe^iQei    To  save  di^ance,  howevei!,  a  j^tway,  ran|r!om  Oet*iSewattP 
.ovecvlihe  top  of  Olivet,  and  thi»^.trayellersfa-wot,.hl^e'«^e&u8iiortlifi 
wiQSjIrpart  preferred  to Mthc  ftther  easier  but, more  cijc)»itoiis.roftd. 
Descending  the  eastern  slope,  a  few  steps  led  Irom  4h^  hare  hill-side, 
with4tsis«attered»  priqkly  shrjuhs,  to  a  sweet  dell ^ iriQh,,in  fig,  alinQnd, 
anf^  olive. tceesi  through  xvhich  wound  a,  road,  Jhere  aifd  th^e  qut  m 
in.the.sideof  ithe^ill.  ,  Ascending  the  east  end  of  the  dell*  Bethany 
Jay  close  in  si^i.bnly  three-quarters  of  an  hour'adisitanee  fyojn  Je- 
rusalem, but  hidden  from  it. hy  a  spur  of  the  Mount  of  OUveSi,  Tlw 
ruinsfpf:  a  tower  nse,  naw^  over  Ihe  highest  point  of,  tb«  vilioge,.  l^qt 
,^^ey,^Be  of  l»r;e,r  date  liliauvthe  dap  otour  liord.,   The  hepse^  whito- 
washed  and  flat-roofed,  lie  hidden  among  the  surrounding  heiglitij. 
ami(^t  green  flelds  aiid^trecs  of  many  kinds;  all  the  more  charming, 
as  the  eastern  side  of  Mount  Olivet,  the  httcKground  to  the  pict^lrQ. 
is  miich  more  barren  and  dreary  than  the  western . 

In. this  sequestered  spot,  on  the  edge  of  the  jgrcat  wilderness  of 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


^ 


Judea,  Jesns  found  a  delightful  retreat  in  the  vluc-oovcgred  cottngn  of 
Martha  and  Mary  and  tlieir  brother  Lazaruit.  Loving  and  boloTMl,  it 
iilways  offered  a  peaceful  retirement  from  the  confusion  and  danger 
of  the  Temple  courts,  or  the  still  more  exhausting  circuita  of  His 
wider  southern  journeys.  >  It  was  the  one  spot,  so  far  as  we  know, 
tliat  He  could  call,  l>ome  in^  these  iast  months  but  it  was  apparently 
the  sweetest,  and  most  like  homo.  He  had  ever  had. 
'  IHie  hfoU8ehoId>  consisted  of  two  mntetB,  and  a  broiher-^^Martlia, 
Maiy,  and  Laztirus-^nahios  which  mark  the  (rausltion-chaiactt^F  of 
the  un^oii^  for^  whitfe^  '^  Marthik"  was  the  unchanged  native  equivalent 
df  "lady,'*  ^^  Iltoy''  and"  Lassaruft"  were  <^rc<jk  forms  of  the  old  He- 
brew "Miriatn"rtnd  "Elea^er."  May  we  tracer  iu  tliis  superioritv 
to  narrow 'conservatism,  a  lil)eraIUy  in  their  parents;  r^hioh^  lediboth 
tiiemaod  their  ctoiidret)  to  receive  tlie  Oalilsefin  teaclier  so  readily  4Uid 
flofondlyt  Tivey  liad  «vid«;ntly  been  diseiples  befon  his  kst«tay  in 
Judea;  li^ly  fionl'ttiie  time  of  their  now  dead  Valuer,  wl^x  had, 
doubtless,  often  talked  over  his  doubts  or  reasons  for  lovii^gi  trust,  iu 
their- dompaiiy.-'  -3    ■!'•■  -    ..  •;■  ■•.■.' 

Martha  appears  to  have  been  the  head  of  Uic  little  household^  and 
ihay  havd  diieh^  asmanv  have  believed,  a  widow.  The  faniilT  seems 
t<)  have  hod' a '^dod  social  |>ositi(Mivaoid  to  have  been  above  the  aver- 
age ifl(.  csroumstanceiL  Tke  cliaractcr  of  the  two  sisters  shows  itsi^f 
Vividly  in  tlie  first  notice.  Martha  shares  the  piety  of  her  sist^er^  but 
fails,'  at 'first,  to  rise  t«)8ilch  a^  High  Concepldon^fthenaUuie  and  ^dig- 
nity of  their  wondrous  Friend  as  bcF  sister,  and  is  busied  with  tJie 
practical  4fc{a^ii  of  life  to  an  exfeat  that  seems  to  Him  eicoesBive^  Ami- 
ably aaxious' for 'the  eohi/ort  of  her  gu^t,  she  h  absorbed;  in<)very 
detail  of  hospitality  which  she  thinks  likely  to»ples^  Him,  while 
Mir^  sits/4t  His  feet,  to^^iyten'to  His  words 4i^  watch  His^^ every  K>ok. 
!^he  btisy,i  ilketlierly'  Miirtha,  «ee|ng  Mary  thus.  seemMigJj  idle«  •  fe^ls  ^ 
paiisiog  jcaktu^'  and  aambyanco;  wawortlay  of  her  'calmer '  self '--for  a 
Irordi  to^'lier^ lister  trould  doubtless^  have^  been  -enQUghrr-<and  ^co^ 
iMpatieiit^  wlth>'a4(!!omp)aijQt  toJesus^  not  friee  fiom  irreve^eiMje. 
<^Ijord>^  s^/y»  she,  ;**do  y<wi  not  cfere  that  my  sist^  has  left  me  to  do 
iHthe^orkalone^i'  If  y«ff  speak  to  her,  ^le  will  hisAp  meJ*  i  ^  if 
16  imply  tlih,t  Hit  >would  pay  no  altention  to  iVlartlm'ts  words.' 

The  gentle  calmness  of  Je<mai»  too  grateful  to  both  for  their  loving 
tenderness  to  overlook  ti^  good  in  each«  had  only  the  tcnd^rest  x«eply. 
^*]^farttlai  Martha,"  said  He,  "my  wants  are  easily  satisiiedi'andit  i», 
ksidesi  better,  like  Mary,  to  choose  the  one  thing  ueodful  above  all 
^supreme  eoncera  for  the  tilings  of  God-^for  they  alone  •can  never 
be  taken  tto9»  us^"  Of  Ijitzarus,  befoi«  his  deaths  We  only  know  t^t 
\m  spirit  and  teniper  were  such>  that  Jesus  uiadohim*  in  an  especial 
manner,  His  friend.      . 

A-ft  tiicid&tttfiff^hifi  period  IS  preserved t>y  St.  Luke.  In  oneol  our 
LM^'^'joui^eys  in  the  Ue»ghl)9urhood  of  Jerus9!lem,  a  Kubbi,  skilled 
is  tlie  Mosaic  Jjaw;  and^  a^  such,  a  publie  tosaclver  and  interiHreter  of 


■■■-«s. 


1-1] 


.  ■■■ 


w» 


THE  ^^;fm^.oF^^^Q^^^^: 


the  Rabbinical  rales,  rising  fW)m  bin  fieat  among  his  stodents,  as  Jesu8 
passed,  TMolt^  to  ^how  his  i^fedom  at  tlie  expeniie  6f '  the  <  hated 
Gralilffian;  and  trap  Him,  if  possible,  into  some  doubtfiri'  utterance. 
'*  Teacher,"  adked  lie,  *'what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?  Wo 
know  what  the  Babbie  en jofe,  Imt  what  myest  Thou  1?'*     <  • 

** What  is  irritten  in  the  Law?"  ref^ied  Jesus,  "  how  readest  thou? 
For  the  law  of  God  dione  can  determine  soeh  a  matter:  V 

QU6ting  a  piu^sage  Which  every  Jew  repeated  in  e(U;h  morning  and 
eYen!ng^^l|)ra^er,^d'Wore  iti  the  little  text-botes  of  hit  ohylactery^ 
'   —     -   '    ithallthv 


he  answea>ed  glibly,  ''Thou shalt  lore  the  Lord  thy  Ood  wi 


thyi 


heaH,  and  inrith  alf  tht  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  ivith  ail 
thV  itoindr'ftnd  thy  neighbour  as  thyself     '''  '    '^^*   uM  liril^JiH  .,  ,i,i. 

^*» Ytou!  arie  ^uite  rig'ht/'  ftaid  Jesuii.    ''Do  thISi  and'^tfOikn  live."- 

' The  iflfnstver  hardly  l^ft  room  for  anvtbing  further;  but  Mm  ques- 
tioner woufld  not  be  balked  of  an  opportunity  of  fihowing  bis  acuto^^ 
nes6,  and,  perhiips,  of  drawing  Jesus  into  «aii9culty.<  l^j^ommHiid. 
was  80|)]«aUas  not  to  furnish  subjects  for  dispute  to  hair^itting 
thcologmns  of  his  class;  and,  in  this  case,  there  had  beeA'andless 
wran^ing  in  the  Rabbinical  schools  on  the  definition  of  Uie  word 
•*^<i€f}ghbbtir.''  Jesus,  nioreorer,  as  wite  well-known,"held  Tery  broad 
Tiewis  oil  tfao' "subject;'  views  Utterly  heterodox  in  'the^' eyed  of  the 
schools.  Determined  not  to  let  conversation  drop,  the  questioner^) 
therefore, 'O^iied it' afresh?  -^mu-'-^i^mmi   ■.-     ^i-  •<>««  vHi^mircyrf    ■ 

"But  you  hfeve  not  told  me,"  said  he,  *'whD  ii^my  ndgfabour. 
Pray  db 60,  else  I  riiaiy  flail  in  my  duty."  ;      »  1 

Instead  of  answering  him  diretftly,  Jesus  replied,  in  (he  fashion  of 
the  Rabbis  themselves,  by  a  parable,  which  I  amplify^  lor  its  clearer 
urid^siandlng;  i'  '.-0-  <-.  i.u-    -  v.  .^i^  ....  m;:.'*-^*'    m 

**A  certaiu  fhan','*ifaM  He,  *'%ent  down*  fi>6mJerti^a)ein  to  Jericho; 
Ydti'knbW  th^*  Way;  sd  steep;  Wild,  and  dangerous;)  well  called  thtif 
BI6o^y'R6ad.  f6r  Whty  can  leil  how  many  robberies  and  murders  have 
hk^paied  t)n  It  iti  these  uiisettl^thnesiWliett  the  country  Is*  full  of 
H^eii^dfive^'frt^m  their  homtea  by  bpprebsiou  and  misery?'  Aa^he  went 
on,  a  band  of  robbers  from  the  wild '^rges  through  wbich  the  road 
sinks,  rushed  but  upon  him  ^  stripped  him,  for  he  waaa  poor  man, 
with  only  his  clothes  to  take  froim  him;  beat  liini  when  ho  resisted; 
aM^tiieftfmade  blf^  leaving  him  half  d^ad.'   i'   -  "  *'i   /   '' - 

-^^*As  he  lAy,  bleeding;  infusible,  and  naked,  on  the  rough  stones,  a 
pri^^  who  lived  at  Jbrichbi  Ilk©  so  many  more,  and  had  liniahed  his 
course  at  the  Tefiaple,  Went  past.  He  was  busy  reading  the  copy  of 
the  Law;  Which  all  pri^st»  cany  withthetn;  but  ns  he  came  near  and 
saw  thb^^  Wounded  and  seemingly  dying  man,  he  luiatDy  crossed  ovcTj 
end  t^assed,  on  the  other  side  ofr  th«  road,  afraid  of  dediini^'himsolf 
by  blood,  or  by  the  touch  of  bne  perhaps  unclean.  i>  -  •'  i 
**6oofi  after,  a  Letitc^-alsb  f^omtnef  Temple, 'ciMn*^^  by,  and  he, 
*^ii^ii6hhe' saw  the  injured  man;  stepped- over  to  him,  and  stood  for  a 
time  Ibbkiilg  at  hitn,  bat  pii^ese&tly  crossed  tl^  road  ^  again^)  as  if  hti 


,  «V  -J  A 


THIfc  LIFE  6p'  drfRtdt. 


m 


had  boen  polluted,  and  went  on  in  all  ba^flcu^lk^  Uke  should  hap* 
pen  to  himself. 

••  But  0  Bamaritari,  travelling  tliat  way,  came  where  the  poor  man 
lay,  and,  when  he  saw  him,  was  moved  w^h  compaasion  at  his 
misery;  and  went  to  l^im,  and,  lighting  from  his  ass,  bound  up  his 
wounds,  after  pouring  oil  mixed  with  wine  on  them,  tp  ftseuage  the 
pain,  and:  soften  tlie  injured,  parts;  and  sot  h|m  on  his  ownlbeast, 
never  thlnldng  who  he  might  be  lip  was  helping;  whether  Je'w, 
heathen,  or  felTow-countryman;  or  of  his  own  danger  in  Huqh  d  spot; 
and  brought  hint  to  the  Ij^han.  which,  you  know,  stands.at  th^  road- 
side, amidst  the  bare  walls  of  rocli^,  three  hours  frqna  Jerusalem. 
Therehehadeveryear^  taken  of  him,  and  stayed  with  him,  tending 
him  throQgh  the  night.  Qis  own  lousiness  forced  him  to  leave  hifn 
next  day ;  but  before  doin^  sovhc  went  to  the  keeper  of  t^e  ikhaa,  and 
gave  him  two  denarii^  telhng  hipi  to  take  csre  of  hin>,  and  adding^*  r 
tiiat  if  more,  were  heeded*  he  would^ve  it  when  he  ciime  l^ck. 

"Which of  these  three,  do. you  th^^*  was  neighbour*  to  hitn  ,^a%, 
fell  among  the  robbersf  r .,  ^1,/, /<    r.   t  ,;;-.*.. 

The  Rabbi;  true  to  his  national,  h^red,  would  not  utter  tho  hated 
word,  " the  Samaritan."  "He  that  had  mercy  on  him,  no  doubt," 
Raid  ho. 

"Go  and  do  thoii  m  like  manner,"  replied  Jesijs,  and  left  him;  if, 
Immbted  and  mortified;  it  is  to  be  hopea>  a  wiser  and  better  man j     ' 

A  fragment  of  the  familiar  instructions  of  these  months,  by  whjoli^ 
.TeMus  dmly  trained  ^His  disciples,  4s  preserved  to  us  by  St.  Li|ke.   He 
Imd,  at  an  earlier  period,  given  the  T-^elve  and  His  other  hearers,  %. 
model  of  prayer  in  the  Sennon  on  the  Mount,  but  now,  one>  perha^ 
of  the  later  oitsciples,  asked  for  a  form  ^'  wayer  suiph  as  other 
Rabbis^  and ,  as  Johoy  gave  their :  followers.    With  the  gentle  repe-  ? 
tition  we  so  often  find  in  the  Gospels,  Jesus,  forthwith,'  once  more^i 
ritoited  th^  model  He  had  already .  given,  nvd  took'  advantage  of  the- 
request,  to  enforce  the  value  of  prayer  by  similaa*  assurances  of  answer 
ftom  God  as*  fie  had  given  before.      In  one  detail;  howeyerj  He 
varied  His  language,  by  adding  a  brief  and  pointed  parable^?'  v^ 

"You  knOw/Nsaid  :^e,  " how  it  is  wit|i  men.  .  If  any  of  you  have 
a  friend,  and  go  to  him  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  and  calf  through 
the  door,  '  Ft^pd,  lend  me  three  loaves,  for  a  friend  of  mine  has  just 
come  to  mv  IJOuse  from  a  journey;  the  weath^*  was  so  hot,  he  ceruld 
not  start  till  the  cool  of  the  day;  this  has  made  him  so  late;  and  I 
Imve  nothing  to  set  before  him;'  most  likely  he  whom  you  thus  dis- 
turb will  say  to  you  from  within,  'Tronic  ine  not;  the  door  is 
locked  for  the  night,  and  my  children  are  with  me  in  bed,  and  I 
cannot  wake  them.  I  c^annbt  get  up  and  give  you' what  you  dskJr^ 
Yet,  if  you  refuse  to  leave'andkeep  renewing  your  re(|uesti  he  will; 
in  the  end,  rise  and  give  you  a^  manylpayes  as  you  nee<L  yi^ldii^ 
to  your  Iraportunity,  w;hat  he  woUjd,  not -do  l9r'ydu  a»his  Mend. 

"If,  now,  selfish  m^t  listen  to  those  who  thus  will  nottaik'e  a  denial, 


'  t 

I,  ■ 


t   If 


in 


'\ 


ii 


1  "■,1111 

?3  -  ip  mi 


M* 


TH»;  rUFE.  OP  i-pRlOT* 


Iww^  inw^li  ;niQr)B  ewely.wui  th«  Qod  of  )ove Jistea  to  iii)amU«  and 
pereistent  prayer?    Be  sure,  therefore,  that  they  who,  "with^  ef^rnefi^, 
f)elioving,  souls,  seek  the  supply  of  spiritual /wantf^-^  themselves' 
Of jOthers,  will  assuredly  hi^ye  t^ieir  petitions  beard." 
MMWl^Ue  He  was  still  in  J^rusal^m  and  its  n^lghbourl^ood,  the 
Seyentyi  having  fulfilled  th^ir  mission,  made  their  way  Wck  to  Ilii^. 
Like  the  Twdye,  tlipy  returned  in  gvpaX  loy  at  their  success,  and  re;- 
ported  th^t  even  tliq^cvils  had  been  subject  to  ^them,  ,t|ir9Ugh  tUdr 
Master's  imui^,  though  they  had  received  no  special  pow^r  oyer  them, 
6nc^,a«,He  had  given  to  the  Twelve.  /It  was  a,, moment  of  calm 
triumph  to  «I?su8,  as  the  sure  anticipation  of  iufiuilely  greater  results 
liereiuter. ,   lim  spirit  caught  the  contagion  of  llvnir  ^^adness,  &m\ 
^om  and  (despondency  were  for^ott^n  In,  tfici  vision,  of  the  future 
^rhtpuph  of  the  New.  Kingdom-^Hw  one  all -absorbing,  th^uj^ht.    But 
tlieito.VHas  a  danger  lest  their  yeiy  success  nughjt,  (njure  thexn.    TIiq 
consideration  it  had  T^on  th^m  n^jglit  tend,  to  ,unvvp|1hy,pi^ide.    It 
ws^  needful  toi  lyu^n  them,  and  ymouerate  their  fselv-confidSeuce.' 
.    "  You  need  not  wonder,"  said  lie,  "  that  Satan n^  not. able  lo  with- 
^tan4  yw.  i  Lomg  eie,  ,no:>^,  I  foresaw,, iii  spirit,  th^thc^.jvpuld  fall 
likftj  a  .lightnlngs-fl^sh  from  the  height  of  his  pq^vcr,  at  njvy  corai^ff, 
and  the  putting  forth  of  my  might.     He  has  fallen,  now,  to  the  fjartJ, 
w;he!t€i  his  cralt  find  designs  con  be  seen  and  met.   Ilis  sw^y  is  a]i  eacfy 
broken  by  th#  npW:began  ^ingcjlQin  pf  God.   It  has  ali^ujcj^  T;im  4p>Vd, 
a»  it  were,  from  tjio, sky,  witli  its  ^crecy  »U)d,,sudden  siirp^iges;  and 
hc!  is,  njQ?^,  a».if  .seen,  and  e^^y  p  shujo^    I ,  m^f^  .bi;oken  ,hi8  sceptre, 
apd  wade  it  possible,  for  ;you  to, do  what^ou  l^yedofl^^^,  Take  hee^, 
tk§f§ffiite,i^l  io  think!  too  much  of  yowselyes,  aS;  if  tlip  su9c^s^  A^'(;rc 
y(0wown.   jt  now,  give  yon  fi^r  gr^at^r  powc?r,  tlia?>,^ny  you  have  y^t 
-^oyedt    You  will*  hereafter,  tyead  allsataniq  powprs—the  se^peu^s 
nndi  ^coipions  ;^  heU-^Tunder  y^our  jCee^,  a^  .yi^^yfs  tr^ ,  jinder  foqt 
;tii^ir  ooiiiq^erpfl  fqes,  and  jiothing  wijl  Jje  sfuffer^d  t9,Jii»)tfer,.jfp)y 
triumph aS(my#^rvAnt§.     ITou  m&^d^nop,  tJ^ejtvfv^e.Mr  SfiUn.,.,  .,,j^ 
;.:.!*'.  Y^t  pnocpssjov^^r  tjie  enemy  of  .«ouU,  is  ,not4h^t  iiji  whiph  y^^^ 
should  rejoice  most.    It  may  raise  pride,  and  make  you  too  secure. 
^Ba^^ilj  jrejoipQ^,  ithat  your  nam/es^  as.  m^  disciplQf^, arje  ^n,  jthe  roll  of 
oitieens  of  tlie  If ingt^m  o|  Heaven*  -M  ijj;^n  ^'^^p^^tcly  grpa^er  Jioiipu^ 
tiia^  anyoutwt^d  J^^spect  these,  won^ei^s; could  brijp«^'<^U.,**      ,tj  inm, 
;  The  murderojus  outburst* from  w^hich  Jesus, liad^d, was  f6\v,ji 
. thing iOlttie  pa8tj.$o  that  He.jpould  once  more  yent;ire  into  Jerus^le^i, 
andj  even  mto  t^ie  Temple,  ,  Tho  spacious  porches  w'ere  ^  favQuiite 
Munjt  of  J^e  iaflO jcted  iKjo^a^d  among  these,  ofapobf.m^,  bliiui 
from  his  birth.    Surrounded  and  followed^  as  us\^al^;by  a  n4fal)erj]tt' 
4l8<$iples,  Jiesusj  wa«<  one;  day,  p^psing,  wh^en  this  i^ai^j  attracted  His 
noticew  i.It  i8>not  seid,thai,i&  jpoke  tpjhii^-bu^  the  iflyeqre  Jf^ci  ofw^ 
iMfiagjaniiheedi ito  himi siVggest^.^  ftqve§ii<wM|«9ft9.ol  those. r^^^^ 
illim*;  tlVBabbi*''  .4hoy  oskftd,,  /'  we  l^yfi  ^^  ta^t IMt.  childi^ 
itfi  .feoro  teBMfeiBrefflte4,  PW0d^  bl Wj  (WrvP^eryvisft  diefeptlyer-ior 


THE  LTPlfi  OF  CHKIST. 

4om«  bIa  of  their  piireritfl,  or  for  some  sin  coimnlttod  by^tliemseltFMi 
before  birth.  Who  sinned,  in  this  case — this  man  or  his  parents— 
that  he  was  bom  Wind?''  ^t 

Tl^at  there  was  a  strict  system  of  rewards  and  punishments  durifir 
the  present  life,  according  to  the  merits  or  sins  of  individuals,  had 
been  the  original  doctrine  of  Jewish  theology.  It  had  gradually, 
however,  b^c^n  modified,  though  still  held  by  ^the  multitude;  and  it 
wns  superE(cded  in  the  New  Kingdom  by  the  transfer  of  final  retribu- 
tion Ui  the  future  world;  The  Rabbinical  theology,  sedulously  taught 
in  every  synagogue,  Sought  to  reconcile  the  contradiction  l)etweeii  the 
liiereditary  befiei  and  the  facts  of  life,  by  laboured  and  imsatisfactory 
theories.  The  words  werte  put  into' the  mouth  of  God  Himself,  in 
bne  of  ihe  curreut  apologues  so  much  in  vogue,  that'  *^the  goodihao; 
if  prosperous,  wais  so;  as  ttie  son  of  a  righteous  man;  while  the  unfor-* 
ttrnate  good  man  suffered  tia  the  son  of  a  sinful  parent.  Bo,  also,  the 
wicked  mad  might  be  prosperotjs,  if  the  son  of  a  godly  pal'ent;  btft  if 
unfortunate;  it  showed  that  his' parents  had  been  Binners."  It  wtfs 
faither  believe^  tliat  a  child  might  sin  before  its  birth,  though  it  is  a 
questich  Whether  thei^  was  any  general  idea  of  the  transmigration  of 
souls,  to  account  for  suffering  a^ithe  punishment  of  sto  in  someearU^ 
existence.  .?'>;»=■■.:,   ■      -'i     .-'.  .^i'  "•   •       .  m.-i;, .;,■:.•  .m.  , 

•"Th6  AiflietiOn  of  this  mati,"  replied  Jesus,  "has  been  caused 
neithfer  by  hife  own  sin,  nor  by  that  of  his  parents;  but  his  being  borli 
blind  offers  tin  opportunity  for  the  display  of  the  ditine  power  and 
goodness  in  his  person.  It  is  on  #udi  sufferers  as  he  th&t  I  miiSt  show 
the  mighty  w6rkl3  which  Ood  hasglveif  me,  as  the  Messiah,  to  do.  In 
His  service  I  must  work  unweariedly^  as  He,  my  Father,  Himsetf 
ilirorks.  Like'  Him  with  His  work,  I  cannot  intermit'  mine  eveb  on 
this  day,  though  it  be  a  Sabbath.  I  am  like  one  wb(y>  cannot  leave 
his  task  till  the  night  comes,  w^en  no  one  can  work.  •  The  night  is 
coming  br^lohg  to  tn^,  When  I  shall  cease  from  all  such  labours,  aa 
the  workman'nO^s  at  the  dose  Of  day;  As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world, 
I  mtist'bc  the 'light  of  toen:  when  I  depart,  the  light  will  be  with- 
drawn."    '•'.'•    ■"■'-■;  •;■':' -"■^■■"'   -'"■''"■    -  •'  ■  '''  ^-■;-:*'-P'  --^^^'-'^m 

He  might'haVie  o|)etifed  ifhe'ms  of 'tWe  1^ 
great  lessori'^as  to  be  tiiugm  Hfs -enemies.  He  wished  to  protest 
once  more  ags^st  t^fe  Hyjiodritical  strictness'  of  the  Rabbinical  obscrv- 
8uee  of  Salrotlth;  Whitih  so  entirely  destroyed  the  true  Si^ificance 
of  the  hdfj  day.  H^  Would  show  that  it  was  in  full  accordance  with 
tlie  office  of  the  Messiah,  not  only  Himself,  to  do  what  the  dominant 
'party  dcnbiiheedf^  Wo]^K,on  the  Sabbath,  but  to  require  it  also 
fromhfmwh6m  Ho  toured.  *  ;;    i  ;.        i  :   !; 

It  Was  tlic^  belief,  in  auti^quity,  that  the  fealiva  Of -bnc  Who  was  fas^ 
Mg  was  of  lix^heflt'  to  Weak  eyies,  and  thfat' clay  Telieved  those  Who 
sullfered  from  tumours  on  the  eyelids  It  may  be  that  Jesus<  thought 
Hthisi'atanyrate,  stooping 'to  the  gi'otmd^  and  mixing  saliva  with 
««n8  of  the  dustv  Hef  tbuched  ihe^}'^ff%f  the  MiM^kuaa  With  k^  and 


V.U 


^fiU 


l>i 


^^H 

1 

I'   Pk^^R  f 

»«     fijafSB  1 

"j  ^  UM' 

^B 

4 

i1 

'.  t? 

r»t\  ^B 

'1    i'i 

Qryf^,^B 

-'vm 

^g^B 

H|llf!i 

^»9 

mm 

iHl 

Ill 


•MMi  tLWE<  XXr?  CHRIfnr. 


ittdi^  s^ttt'liim  to  iltraflArIt  dff.'in'ithe  podi  <rf  ^BikMi9(t»i'fHltw^|mpQf. 
^Ible  that  tbe^ky  OP  thfii  water  covld  rcstoie  tht>  f^f^ght;  /Q^t^  > jesijiB 
hd'^.once  more  asserted  His  right  to  do  works  olvflaoijey;  onthf^  Sal^ 
it)&lii  i^in  apposition  td  ftlse  harrow  pretences  of  i  the ;  j^hafFic^^:;  m^  the 
YjEtith  of  the*  man  himself  was  put  torliie;  testi  Het'if^itl^Wll^jip  .fus 
dotnlinfinded,  and  his  sight  wns  at  ofice  made.p«pfeflt*7hr'tfT  />tif 

'  FtiU  of  childish  delist  at  the- possession  of  themew  ^fzing  sem^, 

the  mah  miist  have  attmcted  attention, .,  t^em  wt^^>  ^^  change 

wrought  in  his  appeai^ance  prevented  his  being  recpgQIzed.,    tiie  iivas 

well  Imown  in  the  city  as  a  beggar,  blind  fiJ^n*  bi«^/birt^j  Kl^esently, 

some  i&sked,  doubtiikg'  th^^ense^^  r' i£  tibiftiwere  IH>t  b^  .^fho  s^t evienr 

day^bietfghigf'    "ili  <»  he^/' said  oole;  ^  ffj$  }»,6om»  We  Im/km," 

BsA&  dmtite.'   **  1  (tm  he;"  said  the  man.  i-/VHaw  ^  you  getyoiir 

si^ii  Uien?^  asked,  aimsliberat  onoct.   Tli«imaR)t<Hdrtheii^,;','VVihere 

is  tbw  Jesittf  they  asked  again ;  butlie  «Duld  noii  I^W     mi    /?       ( 

It  'wias'  dear  that  andtlier  great  mii]»6le < bad  tmiit  .pQifp^ip^c^  ^by  '^e 

Teacher'Whom  tlie  authoritiest  denounced;  m^t  hm^%  it^m  y^xaXavn 

motive,  the"  man  was  taken  ^before  themi'!  Thja^S^gbt  rOt  bim  might 

lehsn^  thieir  feelingi9i  towaMs  Jesus,  for  eyen  tbey  di^-iiQt  p^t(sna  |o 

dehy  tlie  stipenifttiind  poWer  erf  jtheir  tiatediioppopf  p|^  ^H^ftugb .  ,th!?y 

tried  to  attribute  it  to  the  help  Of  the  Prince  of  devils.      ;     ..,^  ^  ;  V 

t  Brought  before  the  diam&taries:  of  %)^  Law  cmd  ;^ei^f ,  |;lie  man 

'Md  to  repeat  the  /story''  of  hisdire.i  «The  mii?9c}e  jcq\^  ijio^t  be  ^dcoied ; 

but  liie  eharaiTtei}  of  Jesus^mi^t^  ivt  least,  bf  #9cri^dited,  fo^  it  ap- 

-pjeaired'thali  He  had  daved  to  ia^k  the  Sabbatlv^bo^h  ]A:#ci  and,  woij. 

**Thi8maii  ib  not  <rf;.6od,"  sfUd  some  ot  the  Cpupi^iljs  V-fcff  opes  not 

thelji#  est^BsljF  forbid  thc^  Anointing  Qf  tbe  ^yes'^it^  sa)iya  on  the 

8abbath,  as  workf    And,  besides,  no  foaling 'iip^rHS^titfi^jcin,^^^  S^ 

,  bath  ei^cept-wlseA  i\fe^indfm^t.*^:imu&Mr-f)r-.tiith ^^^i^miS-^i'niV'''  '■ 

■  ■:  '*fHoW oOiild  k  BWm  ithat  does  wrong,  woj*»s^|(?i^pvi|^lesf*^ replied 

■fibine  of  the  more^  liberal-minded.    God  wpuld  .neyei|'giyp4»UfUi  power 

to  such  iEi  person.   Thereiis  something  spejsi^l  |^<U  i;ie$s,),0|[^mg  ii^to, 

ih  this'  base  of  Whatiyou  call  BabbatbrrbyealcMag-r-Tbef or^jyfou  /i^       so 

confidently."  ;' 

'  TRey  were  hopelessly  divided,  and  at  4ftst^iik^,^^jfi^it^,  resolyed 
to  get  the  Option  of  the  man  himself.  ..Tbey}aisJte4Jiifn^!to^ 
T'hat  he  thought  of  Hhn  whoj  had  i  cured  bin^;ni'j»r^<^l^  Hii^  a 
prophet,"  answferedi the  sturdier  confossor^  -  But  it  wpuiS  never  do  to 
admit  this,  for  eveik  the  Rabbifti«^Q^i4bat^prp|)h'4^)lgli^t  dispense 
with' the  laws  of  the  Sabbath.  H'i:r!/^w-r'.'v?-  ,f>i  k^r.^";nr/  i.^- '  ■ 

The  hostile  pai-ty  in  the  Council  were.. in  &  strait,,iijid  would  fain 
deny  the  fact  of  the  miracle  altogether.  They  WQuId,  at  least,  re- 
huire  more  evidence  than  the  man's  own!  word.  ;  ^nding  thp  officers 
for  his  parents,  ther^ore^  tbey  had  Ha&m  bKOUglii*  bf^prie)  them,  and 
asked-them'>— "  ;  .   ''i^^4m)im^^^dfmj  ^W-m^trfsW'-inii£^,i^ 

'  ^^Is  this  Tour  son^  who,  as  >you;  «ay«}Wa^  p>oif»  pHna?;;^jHpw  coines 
'^h6  tOVadc.  if  that  wer«  so'^"  .But  Uim^^u$iticN^  bifpu^llno  relief,  for 


T^HS^MFB  OPHCBRiar. 


m 


acknoWiedgiil^iil'  that  be  was  their  son;  and.  that  he  i  ua4  i^i^  poTa 
blind:  "He?  te'i6f  age-^«flk  himselfi"  added. tfeey>  .Ifor  w^  iJ^^ 
(iautt6h,i<ilJtifi*ifl^;'for  they  bad  heard  that  if  aQv^one  ackifoiyj^&e^ 
Jesu9  a»'tn^ 'Me^lkh  be> wa<^  be  '.'put, out. of  the  Byn^og^eyf  a 

ftunishment  invc^vih^thei  direst  ccaisequenees  socially  and  rdiiglqu^ly. 
t  wa^,1n  fa(6t,  t^le'leBsie^exoonlm«mieation;  .whjch  lasted  iW^)^  day s^ 
but  ipi^ht  be  lengthenied  for  ooatinued  impenitence,  ojr ,  curtailed  hy 
contmiop.  tt^ttut  ft  perSooi'Uttteriyifrom  the  synagogue,  ,for  eyen  if 
he  eiit^M  it/b^'wai^  reckoiied  eis  not  present;  < no  mourning  ior  i^i^e 
dead,  land'iio  Hie  of  circiimci6ibn,  could  take  plaise  i^, bis  ji^Q^u^;  a&d 
no  one  btit  his  wife  or^chUd  could  come  within  four  cul4t8;<M  Jium. 

TJie'diM66ip[tttcdGbuAcil  could*  only  fall  back  on  the  maM  Itt^W* 
*•  tbi  must,"  tbi^  told  hMl  • '  take  *  car©  of  himself ,;  else  ij^^  W9^^ 
have  to  deal  w'Mi  hithl 'He  had  better  tell  thDwbolie  tru'^ipi,  ^i^.  con- 
fess w^iathe'knefW  about?  this  Jesua^and  thus  show  '^^  bp  h^9^  Cfpu, 
by  giviti*  Hitaa  ti^e'^ldrf;  for  we  know,  very  well,"'  pwd'tliey,  *f  that 
this  nian'is  a  sinneri*^  But  <he  was  neither;  to  be  ji^rowrbea^ji^i^Qr 
drligooiied,' and %duld  not'jdeld  an  inch  toeitheF'tluTeats pr persua- 
sions: "It  i^  a 'V^ry  stVatige  thing,  ^'  said  ^e,  'litbaVyw  talk  AJlio^^ 
Him  so.  ,  I  caa  say  nothing'  itbout  Hia  being  a  i^inii^r.;  t  ^nJy  t^yf. 
tMt  ^h^ii^asi'I  yaii'Mhd,  ^  now- I'See^^'H,' i .  ^vMi;^ 

Foiled  once  more,  they  fell  back  on  their  first -^Uf^tio^,  ^  .**lPf^^:  Is 
it,  yp*!!  say.  He  did  to  foul  .How  wasi  it  iHe  open^  your  ^yes^" 
But  t&ey  had  ^db' With  (^ne  <^f. sterner  and  majziter  ^f^  U)ai;mi6^. 
*'Itbld  ymi  all  that  alifeady,-' 'replied  he^  "andyoujdidj^QttlJs^p;  why 
do  ybti'wferi  to  hear  it  agafaif  'Are  y<»i,  id^^  b^  ^(>ia,.  |^p|med«  to 
b(JedAid'Hi^dlfeii)»iesf"^'^  '■=  ^.' -'    ^'w-.i  ..m[.-      ->vv.v=,.'  .ir.i.--^- 

The  coiirt  was  not  accustomed  tobe  treated  With  ftO/Jittie  qefeyence 
iiiid  awe  •  ihfeii'  ^rld*  and  digsity  were  sadly  Awstei-ed.  an^  tljfy  for- 
got both  In 'tbfek  teXcitfement.  With •  the pas&ionate,h?at  o|,%i§|^tols, 
they  siobtifed  to' insult  sad  wrdngle  with  tha  bumble  (Crpaturej^  their 
tar.  A4  tliiji^  <^ld  ^t  toothing  against  Jesus^^  from  Jiimy  tj^ey 
branded  him  a«  His  disciple — "  You  are  a  disciple  of  tl|i3,ftat^iBeaw: 
we  are  the  (jdsciples  of  Moses,  the  man  of  God:  we  know  that ^ God 
spoke  to  JMfbs^s,  biifr  as  for  this  fellow,  we  know  JWtiwh^  h|a^!  sent 
Him— itf  ititist  have;  beei^'  Beielsiebub,  at  besti  V    ,  *       <  j;^)!^^^  .4  .j  Jii  .^ 

Unaba<?hed,  and  true-heartedi^tbe  manwaanot  to^putjOO^m  by 
(Bither  pi^lest  dr  Hftbbi.  '"Well,  this  is  very  strMige,"  retf^r^ed  be. 
"  You  say  you  don't  know  who  has  sent  Him,  and  yet  ftei  l*as  opeijed 
my  eyes!  %^mkn'  who  has  done  that;  must,  as  you.  knqw,  hav^  come 
frofti  God,  knd'bie  n6  sinner;  for  evoryi  one  knows  that  God  alope  can 
give  p()\^er'to  w6rk  such'a mii^aclcandHo  does  not  hear  sii^nersjiiwt 
only  tiiosi^  w^d  ^6rsliijj>'  Hini  trwly ,  and  do  His  wiU.  ;  8p  wi^ijderf ul 
m  mstaJi^ce  of  the  power  of  €k)d  being  granted  to  apy  paa  ^as  p^ter 
l)een  b^M  of [  iib  Wat  Whloh  Itas  been  gmnted,tQ,tbia  ^e^sV  for, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  aUch  a  tiring  was ;^9VJ^r  Iw^w^  «a 


i 

1 


m 


TBmu^^oFr^mmffi^ 


th»!Qpeiih|g  ol  the. eyes: of  ft^ipap  Ijqrn. .Wiii4,  .eyf9?( 5l)X% 
thie  propheto;    There  is  na  sm;!)  tblng  in^ny  Pfjifj^pfWi 
f^op^t9.    If  this  mail  were  not  from  ©00,.  M4r  <^ W  ^jli^  ^o^^Wl-'' 
[^f Whatr •  sereamed sey^ral Tdiwsiiti Q^ee.,  / * y9W^.ici|!e|i|^ twnte<! 
in.y9«ap  Viery  gov^  Witii  sin,  before  ydtir  birtjh^,  a?id  jfom  Wlih^^s  rois^^ 
erabie  pupi&linient  on  yoUjrrfj^ou,  hq  ouit^dM-PUt  Fortlw 
0o  you  Vferitiure  (b  te^ch  iis?    Yo-u  »re.e:iccomiiavj4o,aMJ^^^ 
feey  east  him  out  of  the  synagogue,  ther^  an^  j^h^p.         ,  ^  /     '     ^ 
rJUe  report  of  tUia  incident  aqon  reached  ,J,ef»^s^    The  blind  bj^ggat 
>v«»,the  first  confessor  in  the.  New  KingdQW,  jiiM^  «?  t-ord.  Jbst  np 
tinie;  in .  acknowled^g  and  dtrengthieniftg,  Qpe  wh^o  lij^d  owjied  6(51 
ieai^essly  befbr."  the  very  Council  itftelf.    peeing  fiiiin  but.' i^nd  telliiio; 
himHehadhe«rd  of  His  gi'iUefulMe%,ijje;flpe4rr^^1^QU  tfelievi 
btt:  tl^e  Son.  of  dbd,  do  you  nott'f> .  Tb«;)aiam0,,  ^s  .J^at  of  Jesbs; 
Jiinis^f;  had  net  reached  him,  but  hejknew  it  as^pne  pf  the  titles'oi 
the  ^^piB^t^d  :aitessiah.i    *^Who  i^  ^e,  Xi<3(rd/\^lie_d  b^,,in^ 
*'  that  I  inaybelieve  on  Him?"    ''Thbu  hast  seen  .Him^^evje|Uow,, 
iiB^wered  Jesus,  Mand  it  is  He  "who  talks>yith  thee,'*,;  t^wa^en.d^^ 


y  now  con|?s6ed.,  . "iora."  ^i^ld  lii^; 


?■''''■  ■>  i 


Th€(,.  l^aled  oi^e  had  before  him  the  mysteyioiw  ^eihg  whbs^  power 
towards,  him$(bl^3iad  shown  Kim  to  be  **tlie  messen^ei:  •  sent  Bt 
Go4,^'-:*Him #hotti  honhad  onJy  "       '     "^     ^"     ' '" 

^'I  beUeve,"  and  rendered  Him. 
)f  eiewaor^God's  anointed^ 

,  ]yieilni^]b!iJ^  a  crowd  had  gathea:ed«  89  the  |)ef gar,  i)bW  spejitig  hot 
only  teith  bodily  but  spiritual  eyes,  thr^ew  hims^IjC  at  ,Hl|f^t.  ift 
y^9  a  -moment  of  deep  emotion.  .  •  Addressing ; .  Bimseli  to  tho^ 
arouitd, amoii^ whom*  asusual,, were ftom^ o^  the  ever-Tf^tc^ful  Rab- 
liifi  Jesys  ^ia^d  tlie  oppor^tunity  for  a  few  more  words  of  ^aiTjingi:^ 
Y  ^I  B,m  oome  Ititb  thiGt  w^ld, "  said  He*  *^  S^n  in  'niyidi^  jtb^^^jparafe 
Ihe  yfh^sA  from  the  xjbaff^  and.  toJbrmg  ^  Judgment-Jjfee  dHisipn 
among  men.  The  poc^'  in  spirit  who  feel  .then  nc?ed  jpf  ^lyi^e.  triim, 
imd  mourn  their  spiiituaL blindness.  ^J'C  jenJIght^nf  4  by  ^^>  W^  ^^^ 
who,  think  they  «ee,an^ancy  they  know  the  triitli,  ari^  shp-wh  tp  tie 
blind,  ^nd  aire  shut  out  from  my  lungdoni,  totHe  bliiurni^ss  ;t]bey  haye 

ehosen."  \ ■    :'-..*  .■;,:.,         ,    ,   -.•'  V^ '■■    '■  ^  ^<.'..  ^'       ':'. 

'•  Are  we  blind,  then?"  asked  some  of  tlie  Rabbis, i»,  the  crqwd. 

He  had  classed  them  as  Uiosc  who  fancied  th^y  alon^e  $kw^  and  their 

pride  was  roui^d  by  His  venturing  lo  spealf,  or  ,them,  the  teabhek  of 

thenation,  as  blinMr'languageso  opppsod  ;|Qv  |^^;  i^r|^ipti^^  s|ibvvii 

them  as  a  rule.  ,t  'iv.'--,/':,  ■     ^-  .  1      -^  ..r  :•,',''.  ^ if -ci*  ''v'...:,,''''^\ 

;jff  Blind?"  replied  }Jesu9—^"  it  would  be  if^^elUf  yx^u  w^re  sb,  rot,  in 

'^HhJaA  caso,  your  disbelief  in  me  would  nptbesmiul.     jt^^ouldnot 

,  Allow  a  wilful  resistance  to  divine  jtruth,  but  onlvthat,  ybifl^d  not 

yet  attained  the  knowledge  of  It    jiut  sinc^  you  claim ^pjs^pl  it  m^ 

yctur  tmoeM  criminal,  and  deepens  yoiir;  guilt,  fpr  it  .is  your  ^piriiuil 

pvide^l^ch  leads  you  to  reject  me»  and  thus  kfeeps  you  fi;'^ifi  beil^V' 

^•fag.;^dN8areoeiving4)ardon.,'%..,.^.,,,,^,   ■.it^:m'^:x..n^liMu-.omB 


:,:!>».['  itii'  ■Ot'H^ 


TflS'* 


L>  ,'       '1  rr 


OF^tfeRlST. 


m 


the  li^l^pj^dt  ^  sheph^M  tb'  Jji$ Jlock  liv^ty  diff^rent.froiA  thd  Hid-' 


„      -,__  _^     ,,„ipln.__,-.  ,._., ._-^  ,. 

ch0icat4nja  TOJ^eif^t  6nfe  of  sonic  othfer  pdtts.  Tne  lonsllrtfess  of 
shei^U^r^  tii<?  in  nie»6  bouQtncs  throws  man  and  th6  eteattir^  he  tends 
80  mijitelx  t6^etIie^•r^b^^ds  ihem  so  to  edeli  other  b^  a  sehs6  of  com- 
panioiibliip^,  Of  dangera  shared,  and  pleasure^  mutually  en jdyM-^that 
the  Eastern  i^tiepted,^Ke  the  shepherd  of  our  Own  inoUntHins,  forj^etd 
the  distanoti  betw^eii  himself ^^M  his  iloicfc,  and  biecoines  their  friend. 
Kdi-  Is  th0  sense  of  depfendfenc^  only  <)ti  ills  side.  The  ihe^p  are 
drawn  to  tbelr  ihe|)herd^  as  much  as  he  1 6'  them.  They  are  Ml  t0  cttch 
other.  They  share  in  con^mon  the  sfl^nce  iihd  16ri6ly  maghificeiice  Of 
the  mouhtaiiis,  of  th^  desert.    We  lelirn  io'  lote  that  mr*  which  we 


the  thpusand  incidents  of  t>a59t(n:allif6  Ih  wild  districts, 'db  With  olir 
ighl^nd  sheplidrds. 


''  I  Uav^.6b)he.into  tfi^'world/'  said  fi^,  in  effjict,**  to  gather  together 
into'ii  ^e^t  f^ld  the  new  Israel  of  God.  He  irho  enters  lirjr  th^  door 
is  a  true  ftn^^airthprized  under-shepherd,  but  aif  who  eiiter  otherwise 
are  iii^  thie  lerfers  a^d  shc4)herd^,  but  are  liire  thieves  and  robbers 
rctfmb^V^ifthe^altfbi^^  ;(        :  V 


who 


"Whfya  the.  true  shepherd  thus  enters  by  the  door,  the  ffli^p  Ke 
tends  hear  histoiee,  ana'  B6f  'balf^'  theifa  by  name,  HnH  leadd'tlifeTft  otitL 
And  when.  1^  Jhas  led  f6l!thall  his  o#n,  he^des  bcf:bre  therii,  k  the 
shepherds  b^^teife  ^heir  sheep,  ntpd  his  doi^  imlo#  liirn,  becat^Se'thcy 
know ' his  yolce.  And,  ak  a  dtirintejWho'i'^iiot th'e  fehefiherd  known 
t)y  ^^  flOqk,  fis  .'y^ooti'  a^  the  '^iceji^hear  his  toiCiSlj'  sctititdrs  if  in  iil^rm, 
so,  white  trti^  shebhei'ds  ai-e  recogni:5ed  as  jiiicTi  by  the  sp\r!luaf  Israel, 
metieuaey&'  am  knfjVli  by  ih^t  wb^ds,  and  shunned."  The  drift  of 
this  parablk,  w '^lleigory,  "^as  sutedtfntly  trah^aretot,'  bnlt  thos^  at 
whom  it  was  pointed  were  too  self-satisiied  to  recofirtiize  it.  "  Th6y 
declared  it  uhintenigibl^:  "'  ,  r      ^      .  r  .,/ 

^es:as,  th^ifef6i^,  ffeit  Himself   necessitated   t!<^'JieiWJi>ttlkj^^ 
thouffht,  and  tbds  enforce  it  on  the?r  iittehtion?  Vt^:  ^^mi^B^'r^obh^^ 

'•rsee;*"i^ald  H^,  "that  you  do  hot  uhderstah^d  ttie- jihrablc/ 1  hare 
juat  delivered;  let  me  explain  it  I  tell  you  with,  the  utmdst  soldm- 
Tiity;  IM 'the  9he  only  Door  of  the  fold  of  the flbcK'bf  ^^od.  Other 
teachers  hd^e  soVight  to  lead  you  in  your  da^,'  but  all  who  have  ddAe 
so,  bqfor^  ifty  fcdfnihg,  are  likfcs  th^  thifevfe^  aM  rbbbter^  who  hiitfStA 
fojd  'dyerm  %;a1l.  I  f ir^nkfy  telt  you  1  mean  the  pi1eist«  and  H4l)hi|. 
my  enemies:  Tiieyhj^Verefiis^  to  cnt^^.'tfiroiigh  Me\  thflktor/-^a 
ha\^i-ej^'cl£d  h^^:''   fetrt  th4  'tWie  Mfe^'of  God— tliJe  sbfrlto^    ' 


have  not  listened  to  them. 


Note  well,  s^^l  i*e{>eat  it,  I,  khme,  lamth* 


1^ 


if 


4ko 


THE  LIFE  OF  CH»l»*r. 


clpatpf  tbc^tniefold  of  the  flock*  of  Ood.    If >  *by  oqe  e*l«t  Ijy  ine 
,ji     ..  HT,  ^y^      -J    u...      '   sach^r  arid  l^aid^Jifctf  «hf  flock,  he, 

Id  ^o'  come,  aiid  i^r^aei'tBd  to  life 
.     ,      ,  ^  ^ce  to  llife  sh^p^mf^,  io  Ifel^d  them 

'He  who  d'oed  not  thus  enf^  throiigh  ihe,  jaeeks  the 


the  Good  Shepherd,  for  I  have  come,,  not  to  destroy  the  flock  6f  Ood, 
but  to  give  them  true  abiding  life  in  my  kingdom,  and  that  with  all 
fulness  and  delight  of  spiritual  ;loya.     .  ^ 

• '  I  am,  indeed,  the  Good  Bhejiherd,  for  I  come  to  lay  dow  i  my  life 
for  the  sheep.  But  he r who  is  f^  hirq^ng  ^nd^  not  a  true  shepherd— he 
who  sQeks  tp  lead  mid  teach  the  flqek  of  God,  not  from  love  and  self- 
$acHliii;i^^l)u,t  for  g^ip~^me hjrpocrite  who  t>retchd8  liD  h^a ^shepherd— 
aeei^^fhe  po^et^  of^fl  colrhinft  l|k€  a  rayfening  wolf,  to  tear  the  flock 
T)y  persecutibnsV^iid  fleefl,  ana  leaVe^'it  to  itHfat^;  ^thall  theY  snatch 
off  many,  and  scatter  all.  He  thus  flees  because  he  is  only  a  mreling, 
i^iiiiking:  of  hlmtolf ,  dfid  carihg  hothing  for  the  sheep. 
■^  '"'I,  oiice  mow,  ain  the  Good  iBhelih^rd,  and  rip  hirelih^,  for  I  know 
Xuv  sheep,  and  they  know  me  with  such  deep  ^ommiinioii  of  loveahd 
8j^t^4l  life,  as, there  is  betw^ii  mV  h^avemy  Fatihfer  aiid  myself; 
anjitshajl  pi^sently  Iftyjdown  my  life  for  them.  Ttet/iiot  for  those 
9f  Xsi^elJalone^^^'  X  jiaVe  other  Jsheep,  of  Ptheir  I^udlfi,  and  them  also  I 
mtist  Mq  intothd  one  fold,  that  the^' may  l)e  but  one  flo^' under 
me» the bne sliepherd.  '■  .  •,( ; 

" put  this  triumphal  issue  can.be  reached  onfjf  by  mf  death  and 
resurrection';  yet  I  rejoice  to  die  thus  ifor  the  she<ep,  i^hKie  the  love  of 
.  my  heaVetily  feather  rests  on  me,  because  I  give  myself  ifor  them,  i  I 
di^frei^y,  of  my  ovfn  ch(^ice,  a  willing  'ielfsacriflee.  Ko  one  takes 
iny  Hiti  from  irte,  bttt  I  lay  it  down  of  B^ysalf .  '  I  am  sfent  forth  by  my 
^[father,  av'the  Messiah,  and,  as  such,  lay  down  my  life  and'  take  it 
kgaiii^^nPt  to  cairy  out  aiiy  Purpose  of  >my  otrbi  but  to  complete  the 
great  pla|i  of  salvation  .God  has  dPsigi^ed.  It  is  Id  obedience  to  His 
divihe  cpnimaiid  I  thus  freely  give,  my  self  up'  to  deaths  and  it  is  to 
complete  tne  eracibus  plan  of  mercy  towarda  ttie  floi^  which  my 
deatli  .will  4'eaeem,,  that  I  shall  rise  again  fi^m  the  grave  as  theit 
Great  Shepherd,  to  gdide  tli^m  to  heaven."  > 

Had^he  bigoted  crqwd  known  the  full  significance  of  some  of  these 
words,  they  wouldiiave  risen  against  JesUe  once  more -for  the  future 
admikion  of  the  heatiien  into  the  New,  Kingdom  of  God  was  more 
dis'tincUy  UitimAted  ^han'ever  before.  4^s  the  end  ol.  His  wpfk  drew 
n^ar^,  the  riavrow  prejiidices  eveii  of  the  Twelve  were  Pver  more 
cpi^tajitiy  kept  in  View,  and  the  thought  that  the  kingdom  He  was 
[founding  thust  Embrace  all  nations,  dauy  enforced!  m  *  y .  *^r^ 
1  BUt'^hfilther  this  Wide  catholicity,  which  a  Jew  would  nair^  lield  as 
:fr#^^:1^  hiis  nation;  dor  the  thy^tyriptiis  illusions  to  His  own  future. 


T19B  X4FE  OFCHRI^T. 


w 


we?©  Hg|titly;im4e]r8tqod.  Tfhe  pld  sl/in^f  r  that  "  He  had  IvdevlL  and 
wad  jxi»d  m  cQiuaqaeiice^  and  not  worthy  to  bie  listeii^a  to/*  tode 
f roi^  t)lA  Uj^s  o|  9^N|ie,^Qd  t^e  l)w^  that,  even  jthe  motit  liberal  i^dtig 
the  crowd  could, say»  ^as  tn^  pesMUve  praise-~'*Taese. are  liot  Uie 
worda -'*  ~ ^^-^~  *- - ^  *^  -D^iau-  ^t^wii^V  j;.***  i;tu.f.» 

doul 


wai^ 


80  heaafle^t;*^  rt!(lj?S«!d9|^^;t^..9PPf>Jin|P  of  ^tW 
bl^ijd. 


■v.'^;' 


I  'i. 


If  i  t  *• 


TTv) 


T; 


■A    «.;■ 


•viXfi>m'.  ot>"'4>,i 


-l[:^CiJ>IiI|  p'/ilf/  riJlOl.1  ,  -KSfjJ    JiC-A.' 


It  was  laow  near  the  e,nd  of  EhlBleT-rtlio  cold  m^)mn•-HM^ 
to  pwt  .<jf  oiv  :tioyeinb^  and  t>i9Pempw. ,  The  twen^-iltu,  qC'^o 
month,  whloh^aiccor^mg  to  Wieaeler,  ^^l»  tMa  y«ar,  9n,lAe,.«0t)i^X>e* 


cemh0r>i  wm,  wi^  the  ne.xt  spveoc <^ys„a  tinie  0i,,uiUlT^i?3al  j^ciQ|ictjtig: 
for  the  I>edicatioa  Fe^yaV  in^  qoniTnemor^tipn  o>t,tho  renewal  of  the 
Temp)^.  woyp|»ip,  aftcir  its.  8^(lI^en»iQa  ,^^ 
wi^hcld  thtw^h^the  yreek,. ,  v  .,, 


Jesui^i  Qver  .p&aseito  ^ingl|9 in  innocj^nt^j^oyay  and  gtad  to  s^ale^ihe 
^pportqai^it  f<)kr  prool«iaijing  tU^  Tifew  IS^iqeaom.  iifhicjl|Ltiie  ptketin^i 
of  the'WWfiftJ^wied^,  oncer  mow  rte  to.feusatek^ 
.He  hadi be««ft,in, the  neighhouiliOQd  pli^co  th^  F^t  ol  T^herj^acles, 
nearly  three  months  before,  and  tma  visit  wou4d.Jbe  t]^e  |istii  ti^jHis 
final  e*tryi. to  d^B. 


tlje  e*8t  side  ot'  the,  .Teinple ,  enclosure ; . Is^pwfn !  as,  Siowimou'a  porch, 
f rooi  a  tmgmm%  pf  th^  |li^.  .Temple,  J^ft  -s^iH^  Jjy  ^J^^^ 

The  rain  drove  the  people  from  the  <)p6n  courts,  and  Jesiis,  like 
others,,  was  in.the  ^orch,  app^ientLy  .without  If  is  discip|e^.  ^,  TOe  time 
was  fitted^; to.  wt^e  the  old , temptation  pf.  a;mb|tipnf  iia4,lit  Jmd  any 
charms.  How  easily  might  He  eclipse  the  licto  of  al^^iUiii^,  ji[^}oicthg, 
atid  by  U\8  sttperaatural  power  achieve  yicto^)!9J^,  cbtnpared  with 
which  those  of  Judas  Maccabosus  ivpul4  be  nothing!  ,]Bnt  I^ehad  far 
nobler  aims.  ,  ,  ,^        i, 

The  Pharisaic  party,  themselTes,  may  l>ave  hi^d  such,  secret  tl^b'Ughts 
in  connection  with  Him.)  Be  thip  as  it  may,  they  now  sa(|den]ty  came 
and  Iw^anitP  ask  Him  if  He  would  not,  at  last,  relieve  tlieirni&da  by 
.some  direct  and  express  declairatiqn  whether  He>  were  tlie  Mei^iah  or 
not.  It^inay  be*  He  eovil4  r^aQ,  in  tbel^j  lobks  th^t  He  needed  only  to 
speak  a  wbrd  to  have,  their  support^  and  "He  juiew  that,  both  they 
and  thermition*  ^t  such  a  time,  were,ready,tQ  flame  inta  unive^l'en- 
UmaiaanL  ioir  any  le^fr^  :^|p^9j^l^^v^(^^]^al|^  t^?  J^ 


^1 

{?.! 

ill 

"^vpi 

^  M''W  s 

^||,lJiffiJH 

jm||»BBmKI 

n 

mp 


^,!n 


THE  tipfe  oiF  ckiiist. 


912 

Hoiiie.     But  Qtffiuy  ambition  V6(ad,;;5i5|»/i^tt^ 

fM  We  hove  waited  lonfi^and'fWKiously,"  said  th^i." fop  pome  de- 
cisive  word.    If  Thou  art  the  Messiah,  tell  us  openly; "  .    li  i  <  . 

t  J I  have  Already  told  you,  *  ■  wasniyeT^  Jesus,  '  *  both  by,  the  witness 
of  the  .Heracles  1.  have  done  in7py  Father's  nfun^ ,  and:  in  words ;  but 

^yoi^  havoinot  belie>yed  me,  because,  as  I  salijl  not  long  ogp,  you  are  not 
my  disciples,  or,  as  I  loVe  to  call  them,  my  sheep.  If  you  had  beeo, 
you  would  have  believed  in  me.  You  may,  jourselves,  see  thftt  yon 
are  not  of  my  flock,  for  those  who  are  so  listen  to  my  voice,  and  I 
know  them,  and  they  follow  me,  as  Aheep  Know  and  listen  to  the  voice 
of  their  Shepherd,  and  arc  known  by  him,  and  follow  him.  Nothing, 
indeed,  can  be  more  close  and^ibidmg  than  my  relations  to  them,  for 

.1  l<^d  th^m,not  to  mere  eai-thl^  good,  but  give  thiem  eternal  life,  »nd 
am;.th^rwshejiherd  hereafter  as  well,  as  here;  taking  care  that  they 
shaUin^Vcr  .perish,  and  that  no  one,  even  beywid  death,' shall  apatch 
them,  opti  of.  my  hfcnd. .  Moreover,  being  in  my  hand*  they  Vi-e,  in 
c^ect^  iu  that  or:my  Father^  for  Heis  c^rer  with  me,  and  woirks  % 
nie.  He  gave  ,tl>em  t<>  me  at  first,  and  He  still  guards  them,  norcan 
any  oiie  snatch  them  fh)m  His  hands^  for  He  is  greater  than  all  the 

EowBT^  of  .«art^  and  hell     Wonder  not  that  I  speak  of  their  beinjaj 
othinDUy  Fal^fsfaands  imd'iii  minCr  f^r  I  and  the  Father  arc  One." 
,13)0  es^itjiblc,  fwuitical  :crowd  had  listened,  patiently  ti0  the  last 
wOi^s.  .whict;  Sieemed  ttie  most  audaciou^'  blasphemy-^a:  claim  of 

.  essential,  oneniess  with  the  Almigbty..  In  a  moment  they  WM'e  once 
more  scattered  in  seaifch  of  stones,  with  which  to  kilj  Him,  for  what 

.  thf!^  deemf d  His.^rimOf  and  presently  gathered  ix>un<^  Him  again  with  ; 

.  theni,  toiell  Him  to  the  earth.-    But  J  esits  remained  undismayed.    "I 

'  havfepdonft.maiiy  great  vorks  of  mercy,"  said  He,  catai)y>;" which 
slii9w;^at  the  F^er  is  with  inc,  because  they  could  only  COme  froia  • 
the  pteisence  of  Hk  power.  They  are  enough  to  show  you  that  H0 
thinks  me  no  bla^hcmer.  ,]^(>if,iwji^ch,  of  thefe  mighty  „^orkg,iifil! 
you^stonC  me?"  .  :•  ,  '•i-iiX'-::frAfv'  -r'T'^-r-iX  'Mk-^<-  ''v(h'ii?^ii' :/■•',*  ilh' 
"Me  would  not  think  of  stonini^Tbee  for  a  good  work,'*  answered 
thfe  crowd;-  wit  Is  for  your  blasphemy— that  you,  a  man,  should 

,  make  jroutself  God."     .  /  ; 

'  .V'lsitncjt^writt^  in  your  Law,"  replied  Jesus,  ,** of  the  rulers  of 
Israel,  the  representatives,  afad  earthly  embodiments  of  the  majesty 
of  Jehovah,  your  invisible  King,  'I  faid  ye  are  godsf*    If  Crod  Him- 

.  self  called  them  gods,  to  whoni  this  utterantje  of  His  came,— and  you 

"cjuinot  clenv  the  authority:  of . Scripture, rr bow  can  yOt  say  of  me,-^ 
whom  the  Father  has  jonsecjrrfted  to  ft. far  higber  office  thim  ruler, 
or.iftvjBiiprciph^^t— to  that jot  Messiah;;  and'  Khom  lie  has  not  oniy 
thus  set  apart  to  this  great  oflRoe^  but  sent  into  the,  w^rld  clothed 
with  :th^.  mi^ity  :powers  I  have  shown,  and  the  fulness  of  grap 
an^  tmUh^On  now  seein  me,-:f  that  I  Ua^plJ^me,  becati^  liiatse  9b^ 
I  ajii  God's  Son?    Your  unbelief  in  hie,  which  is  thg  ground' of  the 


THE  Ll^TE  pP  CH1U»'^4 


•tf 


chaige,  ^uUi  have  some  <rxcu3c  if  I  did  upt  pcrfornf  such  works  as 

""  But  U  I'do  such  workft. 

,'c  me;  &iat  you  ma^  thu9 


ptov€>meio  hitvtf  been  sent  by^niy  J^alh^n 

then  believe  them,  if  you  vvill  not  believe 

leArn  ati'd  know' that  what  ](  have  said  is  triie^that  the  JETather  is'  in 

me,  and  I  in  Ihe father."  '  •      r 

Tliey  hadVfUteu  for  a  retractation,  but  had  hciird  a  defence.  In- 
stkhny,"  hfeiids  WeVe  thrust  out  on  every  side,  to  lay  hold  on  Him,  and 
lead  Him  out^de  the  Temple  to  stone  Him;  bat  He  shrank  back 
into  the  ctowd, 'and  passing  through  it^  escaped. 

Jerusalem  and  Juaua  were  evidently  closed  against  Him,  as  (^alilcc 
hsid  be^i\for  some  tliiie  past.  There  seemed  only  one  district  in  any 
measure  jsafe,-^the  half -heathen  territory  of  Perea,  across  the^otdau.' 
The  ecclesiastical  authorities  and  the  people  at  larg*},  instctid  of  ac 
copting  Him,  and  tlie  spiritual  salvation  He  offered,  had  become  stead- 
ily mare  olKhirate  and  hostile.  It  was  necessary  at  last  to  give  up 
nif  attetripts  to  win  tlieiii,  and  to  retire,  forthe  t^iort  Umc  t^kt  yef 
rcma,iu€ki  to  Him,  to  this  ^afer  district.  He  .chb$e  the  part  of  it*  in 
whicli  John  Wd  begim  his 'ministrations;  perhaps  in  hope.^  of^a  more 
liopefiil  soil,  from  the  cherished  remcmbraijce  of  His  prodei^e^spri 
perhaps  as  a  Bbdt  sacred  to  lioly  assOcsiations  of  His  own.       ;^>il,  ^^ 

Here,  Mtti  His  wonted  earnesthess.  He  once  moi^'i)rD0laime!(i  the 
^«W  Kingdoin^  and  was  cheered  by  a  last  fliclfer  of  succesa;  for 
crowds  "^"^"--■^- ——-"-■*  "-'*'" -i.—!.' --:  -L. — L  T«L  :jj_ 


^\1i8  greMei*  than  himself, —is  tru6;  for  not  only  does  He  teaphu^ 
X\k  xvbtdh  6f  %uthV  He  confirms  Iheni  by  mighty  wonders,.which 
siipw  Him.to  be  the-Messiiih."  Jesti?  wa.s  reaping,  as  Bengelvaays, 
tlie  po^liUillpus  fruit  of  tKe^Bajjlist^s  work!    ;       ?    '  '         e^  - 

Tlie  i^uiQt:b6lti^eat  of  Perea  wals,  ho wevei*,  sooii  tbilbe  brokerit'*Th9 
finiiiljf  i)f  Bethany,  to  whom  Jesus  owed  s6  manv  hap^^y  hours,  bad 
been  iii  bfealtlf  '*»rhen  He  left,  but  a  message  suddenhr  reached  Hinf 
frbin  the  t"vVo  sistei's,  Mary  and  >tiirtha,  the  very  i^mplicity  of  which 
still  touches  the  heart:  *'Lord,  he  whom  Thou  lovest,-H5ur  brother 
LkilSlif^-^issfdk."  His  lov$  they  felt  woiild  neied  nothing  more. 
The  messihgers  doubtless  expected  that  He  would  have;  returned 
with  them  at  pnoe,  but  He  saw  tilings  in  a  higher  light,  and  napved 
ori  a  diffet-eat  spidtual  plane.  lustead  of  going  with  them  therefore. 
He  dl^hii^i^d  them  with  the  ihtinxiation  that  the  dickness  would  not 
really  end  ifa>leatli;  but  would  be  overruled  by  GkJd  to  His  own  glory, 
b^  disclosing:  that  of  His  Son— »Iesus  Himself,  li  wasfrom  uoih- 
diSei'enOiEi  th^t  He  thus  delayed,  though  it  left  His  friends  to  bitter 
disi^ppoititmeiit,  and  Himself  to  the  suspicion  of  neglect.  *^'  He  loved 
Martha  and  h^r  sifter,  and  Lazarus,"  says  Johii.  But  still  He  delayed, 
in  oD^dknClB  tC|  a  higlier  counsel  than  man's. 

The  ichessci^rs  had  taken  a  day  to  boine,  and  it  would  take  anr 
c^r  f (if  J^us  to  eo  to  Bethany,  but  though  He  knew  thi9,4i«  19- 

■       .  ;  -.--••-.  ii4«i       ifi-       -«i       •  ^  ■  •'_;-..;,     •..•.y*.v    ■•jS**; 


m 


1?ftfe  iiiiPE  OF  cHiaeT; 


Sained  two  dfiypi  ^br^fin'thc  pince  where  the  sdcl  news  lirtd*  rentlied 
im.  On  t^e  ^hlrd  di^,  however,  He  siirpri^d  Hi» 'diteeibflted,  who 
had.fuiicied  thi^t  He  hesitated  from  fear  of  iIi6*eneiHiei»,t>):'tclliTig 
thetn  that  He  was  abQUt  to  rutum  to  Judea.  • '        '  ^ 

r  :*'  The  Rahbiq  ^nd.  priests  were  seeking  only  therdther  da^  to  stono 
lliee,  K^bbi/'  sai4  they  in  amazement-^**  and  art  Thdtt  wSlly  gdng 
ba^k  into  tfie  ypry  jaws  of  danger?"  :      .! 

"Tiie  time  altotted.  me  by  God  for  my  work,  "replied  Jemis,  "ia 
^ptyejt  done,  aQd  so  lon^  as  it  lastis  no  one  can  harm  ihb.  Ilic  time 
ir^ppointied  for  a  man^  is  like  the  hours  of  fight  given  to  a  tr6,Veller  for 
|his  journey.  Tliere  is  no  fear  of  his  stumbling  in  the  dhy,  becaiis6 
'  he'^es  theti^;  p^t  fkshe  stumbles  when  it  has  set;  so  man,  thoiigli 
he  walk  safely  till  the  appointed  time  ends,  can  do  so  no  longer  wlicii 
it  is  oyer.    Till  mine  is  ever,  I  am  safe."  ■      - 

Paiii^ng  &  few mlniit^s.  He  went  on  totell  thCm  why  He  Witseoing 
to ,  Beihf^,^  in  spite  of  all  danger.  ' '  Oiir  friend  liazat^s/'  Isaia  He, 
**|ij^  l^fen  asloep,  but  I  go  tliat  I  may  awake  him' out  o^^isleep." 
TJi^wmi^g  to  e^pope  themselves  or  their  Masteir  to  unneoesi^Ty  peril, 
their  wi)£es  ]fead  in  these  words  a  cause  for  remaintng  liV'here  thoy 
WW,  ,!•  Tp  sleep  is  good  for  the  sick,"  said  they,  thinking' He  spoko 
of  .natural  sleep.  35ut:theii:  hopes  were  speedihr  dashed,  **  Lazarus," 
said  He,  now  openly,  "is  dead,  and  I  am  glad;  for  yoii^  6ake^;  that! 
was  not  th^re  to  heal  hhn  from  mere  sickness.  The  far  gr^titerprocf 
^f  my  divine  glory,  which  you  will  see  in  my  raising  hnnftt)m'tli6 
graye<  woiild  not  have  heen  given,  and  tliiis  you  would  hdve  Ibst  t!ic 
aid  to  8t\l^;lSnner  tru§t  in  me,  which  is  so  necessary  ncjiW  I  Atn  so  sobii 

i^^tcaveyou.".-,;  ■-:.:'■  ■;,'■":    ,"  .-  ■•{^■.'  ■      ■'■'■"'  -^  ■"y^ 

•  Such  words  might  have  at  once  quieted  their '  learn  in'd  kindled 


t|s  to  ri^  ojur  Hvesi    Let  us  ^  "with  Him,  that  we  &^y  ih^#  our  loiii 
qn4  fidelity  by  dying  with  ithm."    A  true-hearted  hut  sad'mttnl 

It  is  clear  that  Jesus  feared  violence,  for  as  He  approached  Bfetri- 
nny,  ;^e  lingered  outside  tihe  village,  as  if  to  learii  how  faiatfefs  stood,  * 
beiore- yen  luring  farther.  Nor  Vifas  it  'without  icau!se,f(ft^  notwitli' 
stajidingiheirjfriehdship  "With  Jesus,  the  family  of  L^arus,  moving 
ia  good  soelety  aa  theydid,  Imd  manyiriends  ana  conisecUbns  amongst 
thos^}  hostile  to  hfimi  i^d  a  number  of  tliese  had  conic  to  pay  the  cud- 
tpmaay  visit  of  cojidolepce  to  the  two  sisters..  -   ' 

,*riie  four  day^  si^ce  tlie  death  had  been;  sad  ones  in  th^  little  house- 
/hold.  They  had  fasted  all:  the  day  after  it,  and  had^nce  eaten  notli- 
ing  but  ai^ occasional  egg,  or  some  lentilesj  forthat  virafe  tl^e  only  food 
allowed;  moiimera;  fortfie:  first  seven  days.  The  corpite,  Which  lad 
had  a  laipphurnijig  beside  it  ^om  the  moment  of  dbath,  a"^  a  syiiil:dl 
of  the  mii^brtallty  <?f  the  sowl,  had  bedn  fjprne  to  the  gSRive  af tfer  a 
few'l^iibra;  ^q  egg  hiM^  l)een  brokeir  «a  diyinbc^  of  MJftid^ 


THOC  %WE~(XF  OUVSBT 


mn 


>,tM 


the  cott9g9  ieft  t6  the  tMro*  siirviyora.  The  fuMrHl  ]itooeaBion  hifd 
b(^n  saq;  eoougll^  with  its  dii^  ftntes,  and  wAilitig  hired  wonM; 
the  two  sistem  and  thdr  relatibna  following,  and  then  the  n^glA)otiA 
m\  friends;  for  it  was  held  a  religious  datyifi  all  who'conld^  to 
atteod  a  corpo^^to  the  graven.  At  the  groves  mmith;  the  men  had 
chanted  the  snblimc^  ninetieth  Psalm  in  a  slow  eiretilt  of  sevefi  times 
round  the  bier,  on  which  lay  the  dead  wm|>ped  tn  white  lin^n.  The 
long  processloQj  headed  by  the  veiled  women,  had  stopped  thrifce  on 
the  way  to  the  grave,  while  the  leader  spoke  words  of  <j6mfort  to 
the  bereavedones,  and  tender  exhortations  to  passers  by  »—'^  (Comfort 
ye,  comfort  ye,  ye  dear  onesl  Lift  up  your  souls,  lift  up  your  S6u1^! 
Gome  ito  me,  all'  ye  Who  are  of  sad  and  tixnibled  heart,  and  take 
part  in  thp  sorrow  of  your  neighbours." ' 

Once  more  in  their  desolate  home,  the'  sisters.  With  Veiled  he^dti, 
even  intJioit  own  chamber,  and  With  uiitondalefd  f e^t,  sat  do^^ 'on 
the  earth,  in  themiidst  of  adrele  of  at  least  ten  friends  or  professtohni 
mourners;  with  rent  clothes  and  dust  on  their^  heads.  !moiI^^  ^t^kc 
tilt  the  bereaved  ones  had  done  80,  but  every 'l^utenc^'  of  theirs  ivas 
followed  by  iBomeword  of  sympathy  and  comfort,  ^d-  by  th^  wftiR* 
of  the  mourners.'  !  And  thus  it  wbuid  be  for«evto  days/BUd  had  bfeeri 
forfour^lmforeJesus  arrived,  for  many  friend?  had  <x>me  froili'.Je- 
lUBalem  to  comfort  the"  two  sisters.  iiiU)'i*>o  ^'-'^  <  imniu  'mi^i,M>-M4 

WoBd  was  presently  brought  to  the  h6da6i  ttiat  #^^  hrtd^ibihe, 
and,  forth wi^,Mart)ucy  true  to  her  character  as  th^  liidi^  Mtfre  of 
the  two  sisters,  rose  from  the  ground,'  where  %he  and  Mdty  had  bfeen 
sittings  and  ^ent  out,  wrapped  in  hey-  motirnin^  ^  d^^ '  arid  dte^pljr 
veiled,  to  go  to  Him;  but  Mary  remained  where  she  was/fot  (ih^nakl 
not'heard  the  good  n^wfii  ►•.  •-••.i-  ■-•  ■-  -    ^  •'-     'i.'-ic  ■  ^-J:  -  ••'  ii;j>.-^ 

"Lord,"  ^id  Martha,  When!  ihe  saw  Hfml,  *J* if  Thori  iiade*^^ b^ 
here,  my  brother  would:  not  have '  died  ^''-^-a^"  if 'she  thoiiglit,  '^^Why 
M  He  thei^sdelay ?'■  But  as  she  Hoofced  at  Hln^  her  faitW  ifethreid, 
ao^sl^e  addied,  ^^  Yet  though  he  be  dead,  I  khow  that  God  will  ^tit 
yoii  yourutnu^st 'priiyer^  even  if 'it  be  tO'  receive  back'liazaruifroih 

••  Youriwother  will'Tisfe'i^Mn;**  repHed  J^lik;^  d^8«|ii»dlir%titti^- 
UQii;^  wQr'd^/^to  lead  Martha's  faith  ftroih  mere  per^tial  ihter^  to 
higher  thougiirts.'  Martha  understood  Him  only  of  the  rij^iiri^tion 
at  the  last  ^y»  in  which  she  felt  assured  liazarus  would' 'have  part, 
and  had  hoped  for  something  do  much  nearer  8bnd^^ater,thatso 
vague  an  answer  disappointed  her.  She  couM  only  flhd  WotdS  tb 
say,  with  god  resignatiofa,  that  *'«he  knew  that  116  wbtlld  rise,'*  as 
Jesus  had  seemed  to  say^  **  at'the  last  day."  *       '  ''   i  i,  i  ?  /vs  r.      » ^ , 

It  was  well  she  answered  thus,  for  Jesus  p*e*Bftiy'ttS6d^1*f^ti»r^ 
to  turn  her  from  mere1)ersonal  interests,  to  Hihi^lf,  and,^  in  doiri^'so, 
uttered  that  "wondrous  seBtenoe  which  had  Carried  4io)>6'and%rium)^ 
to  miUioHS  «£  the  c^ng  and  the<  bereaved,  and 'will  dd  sd  While  "^ihe 
wdmorti^ty  «iidui^    ':'  I/f-Huicl  iM  ^i^thtfr'  btil  I--^'  sttfr  taie^'Bisof. 


/ 


«t6 


TUK  IvlFE  OX'  CHRIST. 


Teotion  and  the  Life.  He  that  belloveth  on  mo,  though  he  werw  dend, 
yet  shAlt  heiliTevimd  whosoever  liveth  and  heHeyMh.oninf^  Hhull' 
nerer  die"-^wordt  which  we  may  paraphrase  thuair^MI  am  Ho 
whose  is  the  power  to  raise  from  the  (Wad,  and  make)  alive  foT  e\^r. 
more.  He  that  l)eiieveth  in  me,  though  his  body^di<»v' will  yet  q^. 
tinue  to  live  without  bvealt  oriintemiptiou-rfortiidli'tberesuric^tion, 
h6  will'be  in  paradise^  and  aftcr-it,  aud  by  its  meant,  ho  wiH  ontoi*  AHi 
the  fuhicss  of  life  eternal.  And  every  one  who  is  still  *Uivc,  uud 
'!l)eli©v«s  in  mo.  will  never  (iie,  in  any  truo  senses  for  the  denth(Of  tlic 
body  is  not  really  death,  but  tho  open  gate  into  life  eteriml  Beliov«9i, 
thou  this?"  •  :  , 

•*  Yea,  Lord, "sobbed out  the  striolEen, ht'art.  /f  Ibelievc  that  Tiini 
nrt  the  King-Messiah,  the  Son  o(f-Qod,  who^wasto  pome  -  into  Um! 
world;"  and  having  made  this  great  confession,  she  went  Hwuy  to 
icall  her  sister  secretly,  for  fear  o^  those  hostile  to  Him  ismong  Ut 
own  friends;  *  *  Mary, "  whispered  she^  * '  the>  Teacher ,  4s  here,  mi 
cMte  for  thee. "'  Bhe  would  not  ment ion  the  name  ifor  cauti^o» 

It  was  enough.  The  next  instant  Mary  was  on  the  ^ixmd  (to  JcBUtt 
who  was  still'cutside  the  village,  in. the  place  where*  iMartha  had  met 
Him,  The  way  to  the  ^rave  .was  in  that  direction,  and  the  frieodti, 
cbnoluding  she  had  gone  thither  to  weep^  kindly  rose  and  folloMviHl 
her,  that  she  might  not  be  kft  to  her  lonely  ^  ief. ;  Jesus  coukl  no 
loLgerTemain  hidden,  but  the  presence  of  hostile  witnesaoSiCOBfimuxl 
the  UKMre  strikingly  tlie  great  miracle  that  was  to  l6Uoww  mn  v  lol 

Fluting  intears^at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  cQibmcing  them,  Mnit^ln 
full  heart  ovter^owed  in  the.  same  himent  as  her  sister  s^  for  theyjitfl 
.often^6poken  the  same  wprds  to  eao^i  otherv  '- Lord,  if  Thou  Mt 
been  here,  my  bmther  had  not  died.''  The  presence  ofihoi?.fiieiid», 
who  she  knew  were  no  rfriepds  of  His,  hindered  ttiove.  It  wa8  a 
moment  fitted  to  rnocve  even  a  strong  hearts  for  thoae<.  around,  witli 
tpue  Oriental  domonstrativeness,  wept  and  lamented  aiQud,<nlongwit)i 
Mary.  But  the  sight  of  men  who  Were  filled  withntbe  bittei est  enmity 
to  Himself,  Joining  in  ianientations  with  Maiyv  His  ^e^hearted  frioud 
-r^men  with  no  sympathy  for  the  highest  goodness,  but  ready  to  cbam 
it;  dn  His  person^  from  the  earth^because  it  condemned  tiioir  coldii- 
ligious  hypocrisy T^showing  natural  tenderness  while,  auch  mali)$ni(v 
was  la  their  heart»^roused  His  indiguation,  so  that  He  visibly  nthHu- 
dered  with  emotion,  and  ihad  to  restrain  Himself  by  un  earnest  effoi^, 
Yet  the  doud  of  righteous  anger  passed  off  in  a  mom^t,  and  sorrow 
forfils  friend,  and  for  the  grief  of  tlie  loved  one  at  His  feet^  mmtivfi 
itself.  Silent  tears  trickled  dovyn  His  cheeks,  forj^  ithough  He  wtm  tko 
Son  of  God,  He  was  no  less  truly4hau,Qur«ie^vfilf  A<fiiaiitmQveii'by 
thej^ight  of  human  sorrow.; /^vr«:/y?V:? J; V  f>£<*  ;•$->•  ,:>.i,-,^^f.Vv-r  -nri  ;■■■  ,  -y;^ 
i  Th«  gipup  of  mourners  were  ivar|o\i8ly  affectod;  the  imoit.  kio# 
remaFldiiig  haw  dearly  He  must  have:  loved  the  dead  man,  that  w 
BhpiM  >mw  weep  a<^  at  His  death.  But  t|ie  move;  ttialieiQiis  isd 
bfM?^n!iH^.QAiy  aa^  19  Hla.tjsarSfa  Felcoipt  proof. Qi^Bi»  helpleiDOieiii 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRlSf. 


# 


f(i^hAd  It  been  Mher^iite;  cntiM  H^  not  fie  w(^11  Imre  etired  Lasoruft 
of  his  Uliicto  as  g(ve  Hifflit  to  the  bUndt  The  healing:  of  the  blind 
min  toast  Mtely  have  oeen  a  cbicat;  for  certainly  He  wo^ild  baye 
cotne  to  BsthAnr  flooner,  bad  He  been  able  to  do' anything  for  Hin 
sick  friend.  Tne  muttered  words  reached  the  cars  of  Jesus,  and 
roused  aneir  His  indignation;  and  thiis,  tritb  mingled  anger  and  sor- 
niw,  He  I'eadied  themnve. 

tike  inbist  graves  in  the  limestone  districts  of  Palestine,  it  was  a 
rdcdss  Ciit  itif  the  side  of  ^  natural  cave^  and  closed  by  a  huge  0tono 
lilted  into  a  groove.  "     - 

In  this  glboniy  liiche  biy  Lazarus,  Bwathed  from  head  to  fo<|t  in 
loose  linen  wrappings,  and  now  four  days  dead.*  r     ;;\|  ,  /»   »,. 

••Talce  away  the  stone;"  said  Jesus.  * 

But  Martha,  ^th  her  wonted  matter-of-flaCt. nature,  shrank  at  the 

Wofds,  for  she  thought  of  the  awful  spectacle  of  her  brother,  now 

I  hastening  tO'  comiptirm.     Christ's  words  about  the  resurrectiQU  had 

I  tak^ii  away  any  liOpe  of  seeing  Lazarus  alive  aj^ain  till  tHe  great  <lay, 

aiid  she  would  luther  the  sacred  remains  wer<Q  ief  t  undisturlied.    4- 

gentlcreproof  from  Jesus  was,  however,  enoiigh  to  let  her  leave  Him 

wHis'wM    **Did  not  I  send  word  to  thee  bv  thy  messenger  that  if 

tlKJU  wouldst  oiily  believe  thou  shouldst  see  the  glory  of  God?"    So 

I  thejr  took  away  t»e  strine. 

Jesus  had  already,  in  the  stillness  of  His  own  breast,  communed 
jwitb  the  Father;  and  kaeW,  in  Himself  that  His  prayer  that  Lazarus 
might  be  restored  to  lifie  had  been  heard.  Lifting  up  His  eyeii  to 
hetiveii,  He  now  tittered  His  thanks  that  it  had  been  so.  ' '  Father,  I; 
tirank  thee  that  Thou  hast  lieard  me^yet  I  khew  that  Thou  hearest 
mc  always,  for  Thy  will  is  ever  mine,  and  mine  is- ever  Thine.  But 
I  thatik  Thee  thus,  for  the  sake  of  those  who  stand  around,  tht^  they 
[may  1)6  convinced  that  whiit  I  do  is  done  in  Thy  pcKwer^and  that  I 

m  assuredhr  dent  forth  from  Thee."     ■  >  »  ^ 

Whatfolfowed  is  b^st'giVen  in  the  words  of  St  John."  And 
l\Titen  He  had  thus  spoken.  He  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lazabits, 
COME  FORTit.  Atid'be  that  was  dead  came  forth,' bound  hand  Uid 
foot  with  grave-clothes;  and  his  face  had  been  bound  about  with  a: 
Inapkin-^tSiat  hkd  tted  up  his  jaw  four  days  before,  when  it  feU,  in 
A(iatii).  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  '  Loose  him,  and  let  him  go  ^ome):' " 
[and  he  Who  had  been  dead,  now  freed  from  his  grave-clothes,  himself 
pturned  in  the  fulness  of  youthful  strength  aiid  health  to  thecotfltge 
|froni  whidt  he'had  beeU  carried  forth  on  a  bier  four  days  before. 

Of' the  af  tef-irtstory  of  Lazarus,  with  One  momentary  exception,  we 
liinow  notliing,  for  none  of  the  numerous  traditions  and  legenda 

ppeclinghim  are  i^ettable;  ;,Re  is  «aid'to  have  been  thirty  years  Old 
[wtenhe'wasTais^  froto  the  dead,  and  to  have  Rved  for  thirty  years 

*  r;  to  haw  been  of  royal  Ascent;  to  have  owned  a  whole  quartee 
DfiijRisalenir  ftnS  fo^  haive  bden,  by  professionva  soldier. :  His  boi;ie» 
Terfi  Said  to  have  been  found  in  the  year  a.d.  890,  with  those  of  Mary 


El 


^m 


618 


THfi<  iUFE'  OF  iCHBIBT. 


f3 


Hai^daleBe,  ia  the  klsnd  of  OvpniB!  and  the  nmiiiika  thiM  boBQiired  j 
wen  carried  to  Constantinople.    Other,  tiaditlooii  talcei  him  to  Mir. 
seiUes,  and  speali  of  him  as  the  first  Christian. Bishop  of  that  c%. 
But  the  veiy  extravaganoe  of  these  legends  show^theis  worthlesstiesg  I 
as  history. 

The  results  of  the  miracle  were  momentoiiA  to, Jesus  Himself. 
Many  of  the  party  of  the  Rabbis  who  had  come  to  comfort  the  sisters^ 
found  themselves  constrained  to  beUevein  one  whosei  claims  were 
attested  bv  an  act  so  transcendent,  and.  sp  indisputable.  But  some 
justified  ul  that  Jesus  had  said  of  their  malienity  by  not  onlv  shut- 
ting their  eyes  to  what  they  were.determmed  not  to, admit,  but  by 
plying  the  informer  to  the  ecclesiastical  authorities.  . .  ,  j 

The  great  ecclesiastical  court  of  the  nation,  known  in  the 'Talmud  I 
as  the  "  Sanhedrim,"  had  been  in  fibeyance  for  many  years,  for  Uierel 
is  no<  trace  of  it  during  the  whole  period  of  the  ilerods,  or  of  the! 
Romans.  <  The  name,  indeed,  occurs  mihe  New  Testament,  but  it  isl 
situj^^as  the  Gneek  word  for  "an  assembly,"  which  was  Adopted byl 
theBabbis,  at  a  later  period.    Herod  had  broken  up  the  great  Rab-| 

,  binical  council,  and,  henceforth,  the  only  authorities  jKecQgniz«di)i 
the  fountains  of  Jewish  Law  were,  the  ischools  of  si^ch  Babbis  as  HiHeli 
jmdSchammaL.  There  was  no  such  t^ing.aa  a  legal  Jewish  c^urtl 
which  had  po\^er  to  enforce  its  decisions.  The.  auUiority  granted  ,to| 
the  leading  schools  was  only  a.tiibmteot  confidence  in  their  souDdf 
iiess  and  wisdom.    Hence,  in  the  days  of  Christ,  there  was  no  leg 

.Jewish  court. in  existence,  and  the  criminal  processes  mentioned 
^connection  with  Him,  weis  only  actsi  of  assemblies  which  the  hi{ 
priest  for  the  time,  the  only  representative  pi ^e  old  Theocracyi-e 
ognized.by  the  supreme,  if oman  authority,  caUed  together  in  wi^ 
haste,  informally,  and  which  acted. by  noi  judicisl  rules  qf  procedujie.'] 

itrrnSoch  an  illegal  gathering  was  summoned  by-the  Badducean  clilefl 

Sriests  and  the  leading  Pharisaic  Babbis,  to  disQue^  what  should  r 
one  respecting  Jesus,  now  tliat  the  Jncontesitable  ifactrpf  the  Tesor-i 
rectioa  of  Lazarus  had  crowned  all  His  firecedingt  miracles.   m\ 

i  ing  no  idea  oC  ^  >  Messiah  /apart  fro^m-  political  frevqlution,  to  be  liisuj 
giirated  byi  Him,  it  seemed  likely  that^  if  spmeflung  w^re  not  don^tol 
put  Him  out  of  the. way,  the  excitement  oi , the  tpeoplei.. through j|ii 
miracles,  would  become,  jrresistil^le,  and  lead  to  a  i^Auonal  ri^J 

'^fiercer  even  than  that  of  Judas  the  GaUl^ai^,,  Itlo.the/pppiilar  pti 
represented  by  the;  Pharis(ee9  present*  this  would  be  np  ^uude^^i)!} 
issue;  but  the  courtlyi Sadduceea  fdinink  from  any  distixr^anc^,  fi^l 
ingthat,'in  the  end,  the  Bonmns  wo^d  crush  Jil^,with,tltc^r  legpu 
and,  as  a  punishment,  abolish  the  hierarchical,  con^jtution,, which  genr 
them  their  wealth,  and,  poi^ition;  and,  with  it,  the  ecclesiastical  aDil 

.civil  laws  which  flattered  the  nation  withai^  Ifiusoiiy  ihdepen^ejjcflJ 

The  Temple,  and  all  the  far-reaching  vested  interests  boui4|j 

with  it^  :had  long  existed  only  on  ^ufferaj;icei«and,w9^1d  at  once  v^im 

in  the)atorm  of  a  national  insu^^ction;  f^nd^^e  nitiion^str^ppcCpfj'' 


TlIS  LIFE  6F  CHBIfiT. 


m 


local  laivi)  M»  Tital  tA  a  lUeocmcy,  would  Ikj  secularized  into  a  |Mrt  of 
Rome,  with  ihe  bated  •  iaperial  lieatbea  law,  instead  of.  tlie  Iwwaof 
Qod  and  tlie  Rabbis.  ,      . 

The  acting  high  palest  at  this  time  was  Joseph  Calapbas.  He 
bad  been  appointed  by  the  procurator  Valerius  Qratus,  ihofHy 
befoi%  that  Govemor  left  the  province,  in  a.d<  25r— when  Jesus 
was  about  twenty  years  of  age:  and  he  cmitinued  to  hold  .his.  great ' 
office  till  the  year  a.  d.  86,  w^n  he  was  removed  by  the  proconsi^l 
Vitellius,  shortly  after  the  recall  of  Pilate.  Be  was,  in  every  way,  a 
creature  of  the  Romans,  and,  as  such,  received  little  respect  iron  the 
nabion,  thoufdi  his  dignity  secured  him  ofBcial  authority. 

Rising  in  the  meeting,  which  bad  been  hitherto  verv  divided ;,a9d 
irresolute  as  to  the  wisest  course  to  be  taken,  Caii^has  begged  to  give 
hil»  opinion— 

"You  know  notbinr  at  all,"  said  he,  "else  you  would  not  have  so 
much  questioning  an<rdiscussing.  You  have  not  considered  that  it 
ig  expedient  for  you,  in  view  of  your  interests  as  priefeis  and  JRabbi^ 
diatthia  one  man  diould  die,  to  save  Israel,  as  such,  from.  the>  de- 
struction that  threatens  it;  if  you  let  Him  stir  up  a  Messianic  revolt; 
i^t,  iu  that>  case,  the  whole  nattion  must  perish.  The  Homans  will 
Dome  with  their  legions  auad  close  our  Temple,  annul. oui;  indepen- 
tee  by  abolishing  our  laws,  and  waste  us  with  five  and  sword.: 

There  <iould  be  no  misconception  of  words  so  plain.'  They  were 
a  distinct 'advice  to  those  i^esent  to  put  Jesus  to  death,  as  the  one 
way  to  save  thcfmselves,  and  maintaki  things  as  they  were  in  Church 
and  State.  'Words  so  momentous,  for  they  decided  the.  fate  of  Jesus, 
might  well  seem  to  Bt.  John  no  mere  human  utterance,' but  theinvol- 
uDtary  expression  through  utiworthy  lips,  of  the  near  approach  of 
the  suprelne  actln  the  divine  phm  of  mierey  to  mankinds  <  > .         u. 

From  thiit  dhy  the  defU;h  of  Jeans  waaonly  a  question  of  time  and 
of>pdrtunitvi  "^  Henceforth,  the  Jewish  primate  and  his  suffragMis 
kept  steadily  in  view— in  concert  with  their  hereditary  and  dcMcny 
mmies,  theliabbis^the  arrest  of  Jesus,  and  His  subsequent  death. 
Tlieir  officers,  or  atiy  one  hostile  to  Him,  might  apprehend  Uim;  at 
imy  monient.  It  was  clearly  no  longer  pos»ble  for;Him  to  show 
fliinself  openly,  and  He^  therefore,  retired  with  His  disciples  to^  a 
«ity  called  Epbi-aim,  n6w  difficult  of  identiflcation.  It  seems  to  have 
Imti  in  the  wild  uncultivated  hill^cOuntry,  north-east  of  Jerusalem, 
between  the  central  towns  and  the  Jordan  valley.  A  village  pow 
imown  as  El  Taiyibeh,  on  a  conical  hill,  commanding  a  view,  of  the 
Whole  eastern  AJope  of  the  country,  the  valley  of  the  Jordan,  and  the 
■Dead  Sea,  t^oUgh-  only  sixteen  ' miles  from  Jerusalem,  has  been 
thought  by  Dr.  Kohinson  the  ^te.  It  atfswefrs  at  leMt  in  its'  secluded 
privacy,  and  the  ready  access  it  offers  to  the  still  wilder  regions 
jkyond.  '  -  "  '  ; 

Only  a  few  weeks  remained  of  our  Savlotir's  Ufcy  and  these  He  had 
I  to  spend  as  a  foj^tive;  foiWhom  no  placid  was  Bafe.    He  had^  however, 


iii 


1>  f'^ 


i 


Tf:^3gi  iiFfe  OP  iMiiiM 

tne  joj  or fseemjl  •  fne  old  ^ nthiisiasm  of  the  imiltitudeo  >r0th''Pd,  for 
Mamew'and  li^rk  lx)th  epeiik  of  the  rast  numbers  wj^o  followfiil 
Hkx:  in  thia  qlosiog  period,  attracted,  doubtless,  "iiore  by  the  fam«  of 
His  past  miracles^  and  b^  coDtinuous  displays  of  the  «8me  supernatUv 
rai^wer  towards  tlie  diseased  of  every  Ikiod,  than  by  His  teaching. 
Yet^here  must  have  been  ntit  a  few  '-sheep"  in  such  vast  BatheriDgs. 
The  clouds  were  t>arting  as  the  day  olosed^  aiid  were  bemg  lighted 
with  sulaset  colours,  befora  the  nieht  darkened  all.  -^^-.rW^. 

•  From  Ephraim  He  soon  passed  over  tibe  Jordan^  to  what,  wJB 
moment^  seemed  a  safer  retreat.  The  lesser  exeoramunicatton,  whicfe 
had  driven  Him  from  the  synagogues  of  G&liiee  and  Judea,  had  per- 
haps expired,  or  the  bann  may  not  have  been  effective  in  Perea;  W 
Heonce  more  had  access  to  these  assemfblies  on  the  Sabbaths,  and  was 
allowed,  as  before,  to  teach  the  people,  who  were  thu^>  most  easily 
reAche4  It  w^s  impossible,  however,  that  He  could  long  avoid  coj- 
lisipii  wjth  some  or  other  of  t^e  countl^  Rabbinical  wws,  whicli 
fetterpd  every  movement  of  f fee  spiritual  life,  and,  as  in  the  jpast,  thij 
fanatical  Sahbo^^h  laws'pftered  the  firot  oc^sions  of  trouble.  T^o 
iijstaiices  are  re^rde4  by  St/lAike.    o^f^l;  ' 

As.Pe  was  teaching  on  a  l^abbath  In  thle  synagogue  of  oi^e  of;tiie 
outlying  towns  of  Perea>^half  Jewish,  half  heathen---He  noticed  Jfl| 
the  aumence,  .b^tnd  tiie  lattice  which  separated  the  wdnMiiifi^omtlie] 
men,  a  poor  creature  drawn  togetheriby  a  rheumatic  affection,  vfifY'i 
hi^d  bowed  her  frame  so  terribly  that  i^e  could  hot  rtdse  herself  erect, 
A9  €^e.  painfully  struggled  into  her  place,  Jesus  »eiw  her,  and  doulit- 
less  reaoi  in  her  snpplicating  looks,  and  in  tlie  very  fact  that  she  iid 
come  to  th€»  House  of  God  in  spite  of  such  physical  inflnr4ty>  an^^vt- 
di^iee  that  shie'was  a  fit  subject  for  His  pitymg  hcip.    ]n|sing,  and 
calling  across  the  congregation  to  her,  the  welccMU^T^p^ds/feil  oalier 
ears-^*  W«matt,  thou  art  loosed  from  thine  infirmity.;"*  TheeUre  wW. 
ihetai^ti^eous.    In  a  moment  she  w'as  once  more  istraight  and  whole,! 
after  eighteen  yeaiis  of  defornlity,  anc*  her  irreprBsslli)^^  thanks  to  <7f|4 
for  the  mercy  vouchsafej(t  herj  i^g  ^irQUgl^-t^(8.<^Dua|^^^ 
a;greoi^ coBfanotion.  <'|if w  Mt^L'-^  ..,r;^r!r^r;'?!-^V'if.j^f v^-^^'f^ 

The  head  of  the  congregaticm,-  however,  was  a-  cold  RabbihiOT^ 

dant.  Intensely  iM'ofessional,  he  could  sec  nothing  but  an  irregii-j 
ty.  It  was  the  Sabbath  day,  and  the  Rabbis  had  decided  that  Wj 
cure  was  lawful  on  the  Babbath  except  where  death  wa&  imminent;, 
"Silence,"  cried  he,  indignantly,  "  there  are  six  days  in  which  mi 
ought  to  work;  it  would  be  much  more  becoming  if  this  person  were, 
toremiember  that:  and  if  you,  for  your  part,  wapt  to  be  healed bjj 
Him,  see  thatf  yott,  come  on  a  week-day,  so  that  He  have  no  excuse, 
fofDrcaking  the  holy  Si^bath^  by  doing  the  iwor^^  of  curing 

on..iii",'j  ,  ■   '::_    ['■:■   -.-V'.     "  :t  .■../'■.::.. \. :,>■;■;■::,;'■;  .  ^ 

rlndtgnation  flashed  frona  the  eyea  of  Tesus,  and.  tuniing  to  )ii| 

speaker,  He  denounced  his;  heartless'  formp^ism,  so-  >rt^rfy  oppo^l 

io  the  true  religion  of  which  He  was  the  officiaA  repreB(6htativc.  ' '  yoi^ 


^n\\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  .(^HRIST^ 


021 


inci  the  whole  cla^s  who  think  with  you,  ar?  hypocritical  actors, '- 
gjld  Her  **y6iir  Wp^cte  prove  it,  for  mey  are  contradiicted  by  your^ 
iljiiiy  coaduct.  Do  yoii  not  loose  your  as^s,  or  your  ^x*ai,  from  the  ' 
iriainger,  .where;th6fjp  iuje  tie4i  oil  the  Stibbath,  and  lead  them  away  to 
witcr  them?  At^d  If  so,  ought  not  thi^  woman,  a  daughter  of  Abra^ 
Iiafli,  and,  as  such^i^he  of  God's  o%n  peopte^-who  is  of  unspeakablyv 
greater  worth  thatt  htiybx  or  ass,  to  be  loosed  lo^day^  hough  it  A^  tm 
Sbbath,  from  this  bond,  with  which,  Satan  has  chimed  heri,  tot^Qvit 
eighteen  years?"  m^^'ti^flf^iC  •'•v^:^  'y''  :'  \  \-yolo;  Ap,r:.,r.f^V 
There  could  be  no  reply  to  such  a  vindication^  The  ruler  and  Sis 
(i[irty  were  silenced,  and  put  to  shame  before  the  quick- wittiiij«ii- 
ifience.  The  worsHj?  of  the  letter  had  received  another  deadly  blow. 
A  second  incident,  very  similar,  occurred  soon  alter.  Olie  6f  the 
le^in^  Pharisees  had  invited  <Fesus  to  dine  with  him  on  the  Sabl:^th^ 
a^the  day  specfelly  devotfed  to  social  ent£^tainments  by  tbe  l^b- 
bi^,— with  the  sihister  deislgh  of  wutcliii^g  Him  and  reporting  to 
Ihdsfe  in  authority.  A  number  of  Habbis  and  Pharisees  had  been  in- 
cited to  meet  Hini,  but  tlicy  had  not  yet  lain  down  to  their  meal,  when ' 
a'rii^n,  ill  with  dropsy,  efitered  the  op0n  uoor  of  the  house,  with 
others  who  dropped  in.  with  Oriental  freedom,  to  look  on,  and  ^tand 
atbut.  In  bis  case,  no  doubt,  tlie  motive  of  his  comimg^Was  tlmt  hea 
liMit  attract  the  notice  of  J^sus.  He  was  afraid;  however,  to  dpeak,^ 
fdrf^ar  of  tlid'ie  presCTit,  and  patietttly  waited  to  see  if  J-esus  would/ 
of  Ifis  own  accord,  cure  him.  He  had  not  long  to  wait,  Lookin?? 
at  bim,^  Jiesuff  turned;  to  the  guests  with  the  question  He  had  asked 
b^foje,  in;siinllar  circumstances-^**  Is  It  lawful  to  heal  on  the  Sabf 
bai)^,  or  i^  it  noty"  Ih  their  conscieiices  they  could  not  i^yltwais 
i^Vbut  fevsr  nien  have  th^  OoUrage  of  their  opinicms,- when  current 
tihtiment  Wins  the  othfer  Way, '  so  they  were  silent.  But  silence  waa: ' 
,» virWat  aflfanitlvie,  f  or,  it  it  weife  wrong',  it  Was  their  bounden  dut^, 
Kilie'pt4)H[6  guai^iati^^^  to  say  so.    Passing  Over,  tiic^o. 

tf^iffe,  to  the?  swoUeh  and%retched  being,  HO  put  llis  hand  onhimi 
Iclii'M^  him  '^t  on6e,  and  sebt  him  away.  Then,  turning  to  tlieooni. 
and  baffi^el'donnpahy,  He  completed  their  discomfiture  by  an 
1  sjniilar.to  that  which  He  had  made  in  the  case  of  the  woman 
li^ftted  shortly  before.  "Which  of  yoti,  letme  ask,  if  his  son,  br 
Vfenoiily  h^sCx;^  had  fallen  into  a  pit,  would  not  immediately  drav?- 
Sft  M,  ofi  discovfering  it^von  on  the  Sabbath?"  I^o  wonder  that 
iothi%  ftirtheif  was  said  on  the  subject.  s  ^   l     *  i    '  ^ . 

file  couches  On  Whi^  the  guests  reclined  at  meala 'were  arranged 
las  to  fbWn  thtfee' sides  of  a  sqtiare,.  the  fourth  being  left  open  to  al- 
Hh6  servant^' to  bring  in  the  dishes.    T^e  right-liand  couch  was 
kbkd  the'  iiighest,  atia  the  others,  'the  middle,  and  the  lowest,  re^ 
^tivcly,  and  the  places  on  each  couch  were  dlsitihguished'  in  the 
e  way,  from  fhe  fact  that  the  guest  who  reclined  with  his  head, 
;i^re,iiei  the  bosom  of  him  behind,  seemed  to  be  the  lower  of 
^0.    The  hijrhest  tplliieti  oa  the  hiahest  coach,  was,  thus,  tho 

't  ■     yrUiiuii^i^-i>.ifi-t  B.:,\Hi\'^-m^^i.w  hnli->id'fj%        ■  '..' 


6d2 


THE  LIF^  OF  CHRIST. 


IP 


"cVief  placo;*'  «ii,d  human  nature^  the  mme  in  all  a^^s,  inevitably 
xnadie  it  b^  ea^erfy  wveted.  and  as  precedence  wfts  marKed  bydis- 
iarice  from  it,  mere  was  an  almost,  eqiial  anxiety  to  get  W  near  it  jis 
possible.  With  tlie  vanity  and  seff-rigliteousncss  of  a  moribund 
caste,  there  was  no  little  scheming  among  the  Kabbis  for  the  best 
place,  and  much  anxiety  on  the  part  of  the  host  nbt  to  give  offence; 
lor  to  place  a  Rabbi  below  any  one  not  a  Rabbi,  or  below  a  fellow 
Rabbi  oif  lower  standing,  or  younger,  was  un  unpardonable  afironij 
and  a  discjredit  tp:  religion  itself.  The  intolerable  pride  that  Iiaj 
niad^  9i?e  of  their  order,  in  the  days  of  Alexander  JanujeuSj  seat  liini- 
self  between  Alexander  and  his.queen,'  on  the  ground  th"*  "  wisdom" 
m^de  its  scholars  sit  among  princes,  remained  unchanged.  SiichJ 
p^tty  ambition,  so  unworthy  in  public  teachers  of  mprals  and  religj 
x6h,  and  so  entirely  in  contrast  vvith  His  own  instructibna  to  Hisdij-I 
ciples,  to  seek  no  distinction  but  that  of  the  deepest  humility,  did  m\ 
fail  to  strike  the  Great  Guest,  who  had  calmly  taken  the  plafeasj 
signed  Him.  Addressing  the  company — "  You  are  wron^"  saidHeJ 
*^ln  revealing  your  wishes,  and  obti-uding  your  sielf, -assertion  in  sucli 
a  way.  Let  me  counsel  you  how  to  act.  If  mvited  to  a  marriage  feasU 
n^ver  take  the  cliief  place  on  the  couches,  lest  some  one  of  higlierl 
standing  for  learning  or  piety  come,  and  your  host  ask  you  to  gpl 
down  to  a  lower  place,  to  make  room  for  the  more  honoured  gmesj.l 
Tajke,  rather,  the  lowest  place,  when  you  enter,  that  your  host,  whenl 
he  comes  in,  may  iavitc  you  to'  take  a  higher,  and  thus  honour  yoiil 
before  all.  t'ride  is  its  own  punishment,  in  this,  as  in  far  ^aywl 
matterSj  for,  whether  before  God  or  man,  he  who  exalts  himself  T\i)l| 
j)e  humbled,  and  he  who  humbliis  himself  vsrill  be  exalted. "  ■ 

f^'lt  was  an  old  custom  in  Israel  to  invite  the  pooret  neighbours  toW 
special  ituealii  on  the  consecrated  flesh  of  offerin^tf  not  used  at  t)if| 
altAr,  and  oh  similar  half -Jt'ehgions  occasions,  to  brighten  their  povertyl 
for,  the  moment,  by  kindly  hospitality.  This  beititiful  usage  was,  ij 
thb  time  of  Jesus,  amohg  the  thingi  of  the  past,  for  the  priest  (|f 
Rabbi  of  His^  day  would  have  trembled  at  the  thought  of  beiiis 
defiled  by  contact  With  people  whose  T)osition  made  it  impossible ) 
be  p.s  scrupuiohs  in  the  observance  of  tho.  endless  legal  injunction 
demanded,  as  themselves.  '   "     *'         vjvr'^f^^''  *^ 

>*"The  meal  at  whifch  JeSus  was  now  present  was  Very  possibly  on 
to  which,  in  old  times,  such  very  different  guests  would  have"  \mi 
asked.    Or,  it  maybe,  the  luxury  displayed  drew  the  attention  qfl 
one  60  dimple  In  His' habits.    Not  a  few  neighbours,  in  very  diflerenj 
circumstances  from  the  guests,  had  likely  entered,  to  look  on  atij 
H^teii,  but  caste  looked  at  them  askance,  as  if  they  were  an  inferio 
race!    Noticihi  this,  6\xc  Xtord  addressed  Himself  to  the  host  in  i 
friendly  way:— •■■''^'''^■Bv^frHV'.^f'i  i^M-    ,      •v.,,,iA/' 

"^^' Have  you  ever  thought  what  hospitality  wbuM  yield  you  mo 
i(fl:ea8tir«6?'  When  ydu  wish  on  i^pecial;  occasions  to  give  a  dinner  tt 
Istrnpeir.  kt  me  tell  you  what  you  would  alwtiyii)  look  back  upon  W 


THR  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 

(he  purest  J6y."  Do  not  ih\  He  your  rich  friends  to  it,  or  your  family 
or  kinsmen,  or  -jreil-to-dO  neighuburs.  Tliey  will  invito  you  in  return, 
and  this  will  destroy  the  worth  of  your  act,  for  wh^ch  you  expect  a 
recompense  from  God  at  the  resunrection:  Instead  ofsuchi  guestsi 
invite  the  poor,  the  hungry,  the  lame,  the  maimed,  and  the  blind.  If 
you  entertain  such;  they  will  reward  you  richly  by  their  CTatitudei 
and  if  you  hav6  invited  them  from  an  honest  heart,  as  a  duty,  Gqd 
HlmJielf'will  rtemetfiber  it  at' the  resurrection  oi  the  righteous. 

One  of  the  •  gueste  h^  listened  attentively.  Tlie  ^lention  of  the 
jtisurreotion  of  the  ri^tebUs,  nq.turally,  under  the  circiunsta,nces, 
raised  the  thought  of  the  heavenly  banquet  which  the.Kabbis  eXpecl>- 
ed  to  follow  that  eveht.  "  Blessed  are  those,"  said  he,  ">vho  shall 
eat  bread  at  the  griBat  feast  in  the  Kingdom  of  Gk)d,  afterthe  resurr 
rection.  B  woulcl,  indeied,  be  well  to  give  such  entertainments  as 
Thou  hast  nakied,  which  woi^  be  thus  so  richly  repaid  in  the  world 

This  ren^ftil'-ga%^  tens  aii  (>tipbi^iinity  of  deliverinig  a;pai*SMe 
I  which  must'  have  i^.tenihly  counter  to  the  prejudices  oltlie  €»m- 
pany.  The  spirit  of  caste  that  prevailed  in  th^  liierarchical.  party> 
and  their  uttfe?  Want  of 'sjrmpathy  few:  the  down-trodden  masses/  were 
abiorrent  to'Ijis  whole  nature.  It  was  daily  clearer  that  the  relig- 
ions and  rndtiri  iiapttlse  by  which  He  tvas  to  revolutionize  the  world, 
wpiild  never  <»>tne  from  Israel  as  a  nation.  The,  opportunity  ha4 
been  offered  aiid  even  pressed,  but  it  had  be^  re jecjted,  and  hence 
&  was  free  to  proclaim  the  great, truth,  which,  for  a  time.  He  ha^ 
iMd  bafck,'thitit  the  Heathen,  as  , well,  as  the  Jew,  was, invited^  on 
equal  tenps,  to' the  i)tivileges  of  th^  New  Kingdom  of ;  God,  It.was 
teially  necessary  in  these  laSt  niionths  pf  His  .life  to  make  thi? 
ffominenti  th^  ^he  ihinds  of  the  disciples,  abpye  all,  might  be  pre- 
lared  for  a  revrflutipn  of  thought  so  B^oinentoiis,  apd  signal.  Jje, 
iietefore;  dIow,  toiok  every  opportunity  of  showing  that  the  invl^' 
fioiisof  the  New  Kihgdom,  in  fulfilment  of  the  eternal  purpose  of 
God,  were  to  be  addressed  as  freely  to  heathen  as  to  Israel,  andth$^ 
Ihe  religion  He  Was  founding  NKas  one  of  spirit,  and  truth,  and  libertij 
[(irthe  WHOLfi  woRiib.  This  revelation,  so  transcendent  in  the  his^ 
toryof  the  race.  He  once  more  disclosed,  had  they  been  able  tp^unV 
taand  Hint,  at  the  Pharisee's  table. 

'  "A  certath  ms^i,"  said  He,  as  if  in  answer  to  the  last,  speaker, 
"made  a  great  supper,  and  invited  many  guests;  doing  so  early,  that 
hey  might  hftve  ample  time  to  prepare,  and  keep  themselves  free 
Tom  other  en^figepients,,  When  the  hour  ifixed  for  the  banquet 
me,  lie  sent  his  servant— as  is  usual— once  .more  to  those  in,vitei.to 
y  that  all  was  ready,  and  to  pray  them  to  coihe.  But  though  they 
id  had  ample  tinie  to  make  all  arrangements,  they  were  still  alike  busy 
nd  unconcerned  about  the  invitation,  and,  as  if  by  common  agree- 
'M,  each  in  |uvn  excused  himself  from  accepting  it.  '  I  have  just 
ught  a  field,*  said  one,  '  and  must  go  and  see  it — I  beg  your  master 


^' 


J 


wt 


If:;;"', 


"(IP 


tt 


eu 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


"ifftW  hold  me  excusOtd  *--and  went  off  to  his  land.  *It  is  irapossible 
for  me  to  come,'  said  another,  'for  I  have  just,  bought  five  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  am  on  the  point  of  starting  to  try  them.*  A  third  begged 
to  be  excused  because  ho  had  only  just  married,  and  therefore  could 
not  conie,  as  he  had  a  feast  of  his  own. 

"The  servant  had,  therefore,  to  return  to  his  master  with  Ms 
sorry  list  of  e^ccuses,  each  of  which  was  a  marked  afftoht.  '   •  I  shall 
see  that  ray  feont  has  not  been  prepared  for  npthiiig,'  said  he  to  the 
servant— -'ffo  out,  at  once,  to  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  and 
bring  in  all  the  poor,  the  mdimed^  the  b^hd^  and  the  lame  you  eiui 
find,  that  my  t^bie  may  be  tilled. '     fVi/.V 
}    "There  wfts  still  room,  however,  after' this  had  bedn  done.    'Go* 
Outside  the  city  to  the  country  roads  and  hedgeWJi,ys,V  said  the 
househo)der>:Vand  gather  any  waifs  and  beggars  Vdu  find;  and  torn-  \ 
pel  them  to  come  in,  for  my  house  must  be  filled,  and  none  of  tlfe  | 
men  I  invited  to  my  pupper  will  taste  it.* »» 

Hfldi  the  hearers  out  known  It,  this  parable  was  a  deadlj^  thrust  at  j 
their  toost  pherlshed  prejudices.  The  priests  and  Rabbis,  leadew'of 
the  nation,  had  been  invited  again  and  ^aln  by  Jesus  and  His  dis- 
ciplesito  the  spiritual  banquet  of  thejjew  Kingdom,  but  they  had 
despised  the  invitation,  on  any  excuse,  or  on  none;  The  poor ind 
outcast  people,  the  sinners  and  piiblicans,  and  thiB  hated  miiltittide, 
who  neglected  the  Rabbinical  rules,  had  then  been  sunimoned,  and 
had  ffladVy  <ibme,  and,  now,  the  invitation  was  to  go  forth  to  those 
outside  Isrjael— the  abhorred  heatlw^n— arid  they,  top,  were  to  come 
fredy',;ahd  sit  down  at  the  great  table  of  the  kin^doin  of  the  Messiah, 
with  no  conditions  or . disabilities!  while  tlje^^  "who,  ii»  their  pride,  had 
refused  to  come,  were  filially  rejtnted. 

It  IwaS'  Uie  proclamation,  once  iBore,  of  t^e  mighty*,  truth  whim 
might  well  be  too  hard  for  those  wlv>  first  hewd  it,i;6  iinderstanq 
since  it  is  imperfectly  realized  after  nbeteen  c^nttrHes-i^that  ext<!rn?ilj 
tit^s  a(nd  formal- acts  are  of  no  value  ^vith  God,  in  themselves:  thiJt I 
He  looks  at  the  conscience  alone :  that  neither  ctii^ihiiisibn  nor  ^ac- 
rificesi  nor  legal  purifications,  nor  rigid  observianceM  Babbath  lawd 
nor  fasts,  but  the  state  of  the  heart,  aetehmnes  the  relation  of  mtrnfoj 
,God.'- 

Before  leaving  the  world,  our  Lord  would  put  it  beyond  questiohl 
that  His  religion  knew  no  caste,  or  national  privilege :  that  it  was^iil 
dependent  of  the  cumbrous  machinery,  of  rite  and  ceremony  ^hidil 
had  crushed  the  life  out  of  the  religion  of  the  Old  Testament;  Mil 
that  it  could  reign,  in  its  divine  perfection,  ^.auv^uman  heart  tliati 


opened  itself  to  tlu)  Spirit  of  God. 


lUii     ivji 


fir**, 


.■It 


^.i 


§,'  said  lie  to  the 


.:ft 


y^ 


CHAPTER  LHI. 

II?  FEREA. 


■  ii. 


The  incident  of  tli^Sabteh  meal,  in  thie  liouse  of  the  Pharisee, 
liad  occurred  as  Jelsus  was  Jourtieying  by  slow  stages  towards  Jerusa- 
lem. He  had  long  ago  felt  that  to  go  thither  would  be  to  die;'  but 
His  death,  in  what€iver^aif  t  of  the  cduntrj'  Hemlght  be,  apprehended, 
was  already' deteriiiinea  by  His  enemies,  and  it  was  necessary  for  the 
future  of  His  Kingdom  that.  He  should  not  perish  obscurely,  like 
John,  in  somfe  lonely  fortress,  but  with  such  publicity,  and  so  directly 
by  the  hands  of  the  uphdlders  of  the  Old  Theocracy,  as  to  leave  tJieu: 
deliberate  rejection  of  His  teaching  in  no  doubt,  and  to  brii^  hoaie. 
to  tliem  the  guilt  Of  His  deiith.  : 

Yet  He  was  in  no  hurry.  It  was  still  some  time  till  the  Passover,, 
«idHe  advancedleisurel^  on'His  sad  journey,  through  the  different 
Tillages  and  towns,  teaching  in  the  synagogues  (Hi- tlie  Sabbatha,and 
ftfl5r>yliere,  day  by  day,  through  the  week.  Meanwhile,  the  miracles 
which  He  wrought  before  continually  Increasing  multitudes  excited 
in  Herod,  tihe  local  ruler,  the  i^ame  fear  of  a  political  rising  as  had  led 
him  to  imprison  the  Baptist. 
In  spite  of  our  Lord's  earnest  effort  to  discourage  excitement,  by 
imping  every  worldly  hope  or  ambition  in  the  crowds  that  followed 
\m,  and  leaving  no  question  of  His  utter  refusal  to  carry  out  the 
Dationial  pro^aiiyne  of  a  political  Messiah,  Herod  was  so  alarmed 
iiat  he  lidade  efforts!  to  apprehend  Hiin.  Had  the  thronga  increased 
with  His  advance  from  place  to  place,  as  they  well  mighty  so  shortly 
^fore  tlie  Pa^dOVor,  He  would  hare  entered  Jerusalem  with  a  whole 
jarmy  of  pMsai^  ^nd;  comptomised  Himself  at  j6nqe  with  the  R^jjoan 

Authorities.^  \'^"''''T^*"'"^^--'"' ,  '    .'  '  '       ''    ■•    ■  '.'  '■■  -'. -  •'^' 

He,  therefor^^  spared  no  efforts  to  discourage  and  turn  back  to 
jteir  home^  those  whoni  He.  saw  attracted  to  Ilim  from  other  than 
Hritualmotitesf.  He, wished  none  to  follow  Him  who  had  not 
Cvirited  the  cost  of  doing  i3o,  and  had  not  realized  His  unprecedented 
dera9.nds  from -His  disciples.  Instead  of  courting  popular  suj^ioit, 
ttow  that  His  life  was  in  such  danger,  He  raised  these  demands,  aj^d 
I  refused  to  receive  followers  on  any  terms  sh.ort  of  absolute  self -sur- 
render and  self-sacWtice  to  His  cause,  though  He  had  nothing  what- 
lever to  offer  ia  return  beyond  the  inward  satisfaction  of  conscience, 
and  a  reward  ill  the  future  world,  if  the  surrender  had  been  the  ab 
solute!  y  sincere  and  disinterested  expression  of  pe^soipal  devotion  to 
1  Himself.  .  ;  ••  ;  - 

"Consider  well,"  said  He,  "  before  you  follow  me  farther.  I  de: 
I  sire  no  one  to  do  so  who  does  not  without  reserve  devote  himself  to 
I  Die  and  my  cause.    He  must  tear  himself  from  all  his  former  con* 


626 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


i 


fi 


nections  and  associations,  and  offer  up,  as  a  willing  sacrifice,  the 
claims  of  father,  mother,  wife,  children,  brother,  or  sister—and  even 
his  own  life,  if  necessary,  that  he  may  be  in  no  way  hindered  from 
entire  devotion  to  me  and  my  comiihands^  -Qhort  of  this,  no  one  can 
be' my  disciple.  Nor  can  he  who  is  not  willing  to  bear  shame  and 
sulfenng  for  my  sake.  You  cannot  be  my  disciples  unless  you  are 
rcftuiy*  to  be  virtually  condemned  to  .die  for  bein^  so;  tibless,  as  it 
were,  you  already  put  on  vour  shouiders  the  wei^t  of  the  cross  on 
which  you  are  to  be  niaitea  for  confessing  my  mime. 

*^It  is,  indeed/ no  light  matt^,  but  needs  tlie  gravest  consideration, 
You  know  how  men  weigh  everfthing  beforehand  in  affairs  of  cost 
or  danger:  much  more  is  it  needful  to  do  so  in  this^ase.  No  man 
would  1)6  BO  foolish  as  to' begin  building  a  house  without  first  Angling 
out  the  cost,  and  seeing  if  he  otin  meet  it.  Ho  will  not  lay  the  foun. 
dation,  and  run  the  risk  of  not  being  fllbie  to  do  more,  for  he  kno^ 
that  to  do  so  would  make  him  the  scioff  of  his  neighbours.  Nor 
would  any%hi^  or  prince,  aC  war  with  anothel*,  mai^h  ov^t  against 
hirifl,  WithdBt  thmking  whetherhe  could  likely,  with  ten  thousand  men, 
overcome  an  enemy  conrfng  with  twice  as  many;  If  he  feel  that  tiie 
chfenees  w^e  against  hiro,  he  will  seek  to;  make  peace  Iwfore  his  enemy 
come- near,  and  will  send  an  emibassy  to  him  to  propose  conditions, 
No  less,  but  ratJiep  mudi  liioro,  careful  consideration  of  the  dangers 
you  run ;  of  the  greatness  of  my  demands;  of  the  losses  you  must  en^ 
dure;  of  the  shame  and  sufferihgiisertftmt  to  follow— rarcf  needed,  be- 
forecasting  m  yGur'lot'wlth'me.''-vrrwf^t  •*:^s\/^>'ffni'...-j  ...rw  i.-;;./.  :.  ,[,i.x;(j| 

**  Yet,  as  I  have  said  elsewhere,' before;  it  is  the  noblest  of  all  callings 
to  be- my  disciple,  if  you  really  can  accept  my  conditions.  For  to 
him  who^  is  truly  my  follower^  ft  is  given  of  God  to  keep  alive  and 
spread  the  spimuaf  life^f  men^iast  salt  ke^s  sound  and  fresh  that 
Which  is  Seiasoned  by  it.  My  disciples  are  designed  by  God  to  be  the 
Spiritual  Bfil*  of  the  JJarth.  But  if  the  honour  be  greater,  so  much 
the  greater  is  the  responsibility;  for  if  a  follower  of  mine/through 
hankering  after  worldly  Interests,  lose  his  spiritual  life  and  thus  lose 
his  po'»^ert?o  further  my  cause,  liow  can  he  hope  to  regain  it?  Heis 
lilde  eali  that  has  lost  its  strength^  and,  as  such  wortJiless  salt  is  cast 
out  of  men,  so  he  wilt  be  cast  out  of ;  God;  from  this  kingdom  of  the 
Mci^iah,  at  the  great  'day.  He  who  ic-  thoughtful,  let  him  think  of  all ) 
this!"-  '  •'•  ■  ■  '■■    ^-  '    -\V    '■'■      -i'-ii-'^-)i;-:    ■•  >^  ■:'  '.'I'    ^  . 

A  great  Englisii  writer  has  pictured:  an  imaginary  character  as  liaTf 
inga  sweet  look  of  ^odness,  which  drew  out  all  that  was  good  in 
otherSi  There  must  ha,ve  been  some  6uch  divine  attraction  to  the  i 
poor  and  outca«it  in  the  looks  and  whole  person  of  our  Lord.  India  | 
is  not  inore  caate^ridden  t^an  the  Judea  in  which  He  lived.  The 
aristpcracy  of  religion  looked  with  hatred  and  disdain  on  the  masses  i 
of  tlieirbwn  nation,  and  with  bitterness  still  deepeir  .on  all  menofj 
foreigt)'  birth.  The  ruin  of'  long,  disai^av9  jeara  of  civil  war.  aad 
foifeigtt^  domination,  had  ooverea  the 'land  with  misery^    Thereigi 


TH&  LSFE  OF  CHRIST. 


627 


of  Ae  Herods  had  beieii  a  continued  effort  to  rebuild  burned  towns, . 
and  restore  exhausted  finoneesi  but  the  Roman  tax-gatherer  had  fol*  i 
■lowed,  vampir^-like,  and- had  drained  the  nation  of  its  life-blood,  till  it  i 
|waftsinkln^,asihHRoman  provinces  sank,  sooner  or  later,  into  general  • 
[decay.    In  a  land'  thus  dbtibly  afflicted  by  social  proscription,  and  by 
lerorincreasiugsocutl  distress — a  land  of  mutual  hatreds  and  wrongs 
Ltbe  suffering  multitudes  hailed  with  instinctive  enthusiasm  ono^ 
Uiio^  like  Jesus,  ignored  baleful  prejudices;  taught  the  sunken  and 
Ihopeless  to  respect  themselves  still,  by  showing  that  He,  at  least,  still 
Igpoke  kindly  and  hopefully  to  them,  in  all  their  sinfulness  «lid  niiis- 
|ery;  and  by  His  looks  aita  words,  no  less  than  by  Hisiacts,  seemed  to 
eckon  the  unfortunate  to  gather  round  Him  i\»  thei  r  friends  >   It  must 
ftve  spread  far  and  wide,  from  His  first  entrance  on  His  ministry. 
jhat  H«  hdd  chosen  a  publican  as  one  of  His  inmos),  circle  of  disciples. 
nd  that  He  had  not  disdained  to  mingle  with  thti  most  forlorn  and 
jnkiBn  of  the  nation,  even  iA  the  friendliness  of  *;he  table  or  the  cot- 
Prom  .ma»y  a  wjindowless  hovel,  where  the  ismoke  of  tlie  honse- 
jiold  fire  made  its-way  out  only  by  the  door,  and  the  i>tie  earth-floored . 
fpaitment  was  shai-wd  by  the  wretched  family,  with  the  fowls,  or  even  - 
fcffits  they  chanised  to  ownr^-a  liovel  which  the  priest  or  Babbi  would 
havedied  rather  than  defile  himself  by  entering— ^the  4srtory  spread; 
(ow  the  great  Qalilsean  teacher  had  not  only  entered,  but  had  done 
oto  raise  the  dying,  and  to  bless  the  living.    All  overlie  land  it 
snfrom  mouth  to  mouth  that,  for  the  first  time,  a  great  Rabbi  had 
ppeared  who  was  no  respecter  of  pereons,  but  let  Himself  be  anointed  t 
ya  poor  peiiitent  linnet,  ahd  satt  in  the  booth  with  a  hated?  publi- 
an,and  mingliBd  freely  in  the  naarfcet-place  with  the  ^crowds  whose  i 
[etyneighbourfi6od  others  counted  pollution.     Still  more,  it  was  felt 
\\he  proscribed  millions,  the  CagOts  and  Pariahs  of  a  merciless- 
jieocracy,  that  He  was  theft  champion,  by  tlie  very  fact  that  He  was 
etned  an  enemy  by  tb^  dominaiit  caste;  for  opposition  to  it  was > 
(lyalty  to  them.   >  '  ;  ;  ; 

,  Hence,  the   multitudes   wTio,  on    this   last   .-fourney;  especially, 
ftthewsd  round  Jesiis  with  fi'ieiidly  sympathy  and  readiness  to  ric*') 
pe  His  instru€?ti6n8»  were  largely  composed  of  the  degraded  and/ 
jespised— the  *'  publiicans  and  sinners-*  from  far  and  near.    The 
^bis  enjoined  lliat  a  teacher  shouFd  keep  utterly  aloof  from  such 
|Bople,  "even  if  one  had  the  worthy  design  of  exhorting  them  to 
ad  the  Law"— that  is,  even  with  the  view  of  reclaiming  them.  :  It 
ia.siga  that  wisdom  did  not  dwell  with  one  if  he  wont  near  the 
lief  or  the  usurer,  even  when  they  had  turned  from  tlieir  evil  ws^rs. 
DC  Buperstitiohs  reverence  demanded  for  thosiB  who  kept  the  Rab- 
oical  laws  strictly,  was  only  equalled  by  the  intense  loathing  of  the 
Borant  commonalty.    No  Rabbi,  or  Rabbi'd  scholar,  might  ooi  any 
ount  marry  a  daa^ter  Of  the  Am-ba-aretz--or  unleamed-'^for  the 
88  multitude  were  an  abomination,  jand  their  wives  loathsome  veiv; 
i;  and  the  mosi  repulsive  crime  known  to  the  Law  was  no  woi^ 


«28 


TUB  44FE  <  )F  XJHinST. 


tbaQ  to  marry  araopig  them.  No  031c  inidit  walk  pn  a  journey  with 
ia**  common  mon."  Itwfts  ftteraly  forbiddeu  to  popiVtc  ttie  I^aw  By 
l)eii)^8^n'to  read  it  before  one.  Their  witness  was  refused  in  the 
J^id:i  courts,  and  it  was  prohibited  to  give  testiiapipiiyin  their  favour: 
no  secret  was  to  be  told  them:  they  could  not  be  gua^aians  of  orphang, 
nor  aUowed  to  have  charge  of  the  alms4)ox  of  the  svnagogue;  niid  if 
they  lost  anything,  ifo  notice  of  its  having  l^ceu  found  wan  to  he 
^ven  them.  * 

TNo  Wonder  that  the  Babbis,  and  the  hierarchical  party  at  large, 
ow^ned  that ' '  the  hatred  of  tlie  common  people  towards  the  '  wise '  ^^s  1 
greiiter  than  that  of  the  heathen  towards  Israel,  and  that  the  wivea 
hated  the  dominanf  caste  even  more  fiercely  than,  their  husbands." 

That  Jesua  should  outrage  the  established  laws  of  privilege  andJ 
exclusiveness,  hy  allowing  those  to  follow  Him  whoiiqiBabbis  woujil 
not  allow  to  approach  them,  and,  still  worse,  by  receiving  them 
hindljr,  and  efftmg  with  tlierti,  was  a  bitter  offence  to  the  Pl)uristeij| 
and  scribes.    In  their  eves,  He  was  degrading  Himself  by  consortingl 
^1r}th  the  "nnclean  ana  despicable."    Nor  could  th^^  s^' any tlii 
more  fi^tted  to*  excite  the  mortal  hatrfcd  of  tlieirchis?  against  Him. 

'^  The  storm  of  bitter  murmurings  erelong  reached  the  ears  of  ourl 
Lord,  and  He  at  once  seized  the  opportunity  to  define  Hispo^itioDl 
unmistakiibly,  and  show  that  the  course  He  took  was  in  keeping  \\itii| 
liis  whole  aim:  ■   i  I 

'  "Letme  R»k  you,"  said  He,  to  some  irritated  Hahbis,  wliomiif- 
Ttiured  at  seeing  Him,  on  one  occasion,  surrounded  by"  piiblicaM 
and  sinners,"  "who  of  you,  if  he  had  a  flock  of  a  hundred  die^y 
nnd'one  of  them  were  to  go  astray,  would  not  leave  |the  ninety  auj 
inine  on  the  pastures,  and  go  off  after  the  one  tjmt  was  lost^  till  I, 
found  H?  And  y^hen  he  had  done  sp,  would  l^e  not  lay  it  6h;ii^ 
sjiouliors  gladly,  and  carry  it  back  to  ihe  jQock?  and,  ^leri  he  M 
oonu '.  holne,  woul  d  he.  not  Qpl\  together  his  friends  and ,  hei^lihout^ 
to  ^rjioice  with  him  at  his  having  found  the  sheep  that  WaaTcstf; ''' 
^,i"Yotr  scribes  and  Pharisees,— Rabbis, — lawyers,,--think  yoti arf 
»6  righteous,  that  you  need  no  repentance.  You  speak  of  some  1)1 
your  number,  as  having  nev/er  committed  a  sin  in  their  lives;  ofaofiS 
wlio^  only  sin  has  been  such  a  thing  as  haying  diwie  put  tl^e  pk 
lacteries  on  bis  forehead  before  those  op  his  a^;  ,'aiid  call  sonief 
*  perfectly  righteous. '  Let  me  tell  you,  that  all,  ihen  as  j^uch  are  I! 
great  flock  of  Obd, — for  all  are  His  sous,— and  tliat  wl;en  oaaviHi 
has  gone  astray,  and  has  lived  in  sin  comes  to  himself  and  re^eni 
there  is  greater  Joy  in  heaven  over  his  return,  than  over  ninety  ai 
nine,  who,  like  you,  think  they  have  no  need  of  repentance,  ina 
this  be  the  Case  in  heaven,  how  muqh  more  ought  t,  liere  on  ^sitj 
to  rejoice  that  many  such  penitent  ones  come  to  me,  than  at  jm 
coming  in  proud  self-sufficiency  to  \^o^st  that  jou  need  nothip^Atfij 
hand.''^,  „':.  ■■  -  '.  ■ 


THE  LiFii  6#  nmisr 


%^ 


^  only  len^ftchm®,  weife  io  tose  one  in  one  of  th^  dark  window- 
itss  hovels,  lid  wnlcti  so  many  of  our  people  in  these  evil  days  live, 
wquld  she  not ,  light  a  lamp  and  sweep  the  floor  over,  and  spare  no 
pnins  in  seeking  .t^l  slie  found  it?  AndV^en  she  had  found  it, 
wuuld  she  not  6a}l  together  her  friends  and  neighbours,  and  ask  them 
I  tp  rejoice  -^ith  her  for  having  found  the  drachma  t^iat  was  lost?  Iii 
the  same  way,  It'ellyou,  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of 
Go^,  in  the  highest  heaven,  over  one  sudot  sinner  as  those  you  srt 
bitterly  despi^,  who  turns  and  repents.  Well,  therefore^  may  J 
elfH^y  rieceiyc  thena,  and  mingle  with  them,  when  they  coo^e  to  f^e  to 
lleamtl^e  M^ay  haci^tp  God..  "'- 

"Let me  tell  you  a  parable. 


||tjier,  pil  tliis, '^iylded  between  the  two  all  his  living,  retaining^ 
jlioweyer,  tl^e  larger  sbi^  6i  thfi  eld^rs^n  in  his  ha,nd's  till  his  owpi 
■death,  as  he  might  have  done  with  that  of  the  younger  son  also.' 
to  share,  h^w^e^^j  M®  S^Y©  i^^^o  the  young  man's  own  hands. 
I  "(!But  bieiore  loi\g,  the  younger  son  began  to  dislike  the  restraint 
lof  hia  f athet*s  hoiisq,  and  gathering  all  toother,  set  off  for  a  distant 
lcp^^try,  and  t)i^  ^ye  ]iis  passions  the  rems,  and  lived  m  such  riot, 
{at  erelong  his, whqje  means  were,  scattei^d.  But,  now,  when  ho 
a4  spent  lus  aili^  a  ^cat  famine '  wose  in  the  couhtnr,  and  he  hegan 
IW  m  distress.    At  last  it  went  so  haird  with  him,  that  he  wsis  glad 


|t§rall,  ho  did  notj  get  even  his  food  for  which  he  had  bai-gainea, 
[or  neither  his  master  nor  any  one  else  thourfit  of  him,  and  ne  wda 
m  to  starve/  He  even  longed  to  fill  iunaseli  with  the  pods  of  tlio 
ro^)-tree,  whiich  areied  out  to  swine,  ahty  are  sometimes  0aten  by 
^^yery  poor,  Wki  no  man  gave  hina  any  even  of  them,  y  Z: ' 
J'in  his  loneliness  aihd  sore  trouble,  he  began  to  Reflect.  *Hoti^ 
tony  labourers  imd  Household  servants  of  my  father, '  said  he  to  Jiiin- 
■^^  'have  more  hread  than  they  cati  eat,  while  I,  his  son,  am  dying 
of  want.  I  will  arise,  and  go  back  to  my  father^  and  -will  con- 
imy  guilt  and  un worthiness,  and  telf  him  how  deeply  1  feel  that  I 
avesmned  against  heaven  and  done  great  wrong  towards  hiih.  I 
fill  sav  that  I  feel!  ath  no  longer  worthy  to  lie  called  his  son,  arid 
pll  ask  him  io  treat  me  like  one  of  his  hli^d  labourers,  arid  will  tell 
ti^at  I  will  gladly  work  with  them  for  my  daily  bread,  so  that  he 
(veiyeme'?igr*iu/-."  _'^."  '  .  "■{'>'■  '' 
i  lie  had  no  sooner  resolved  to  do  this- tbah  he  rose  to  return  to 
iBfather's  house.  But  when  he  was  yel^a  great  way  off ,  his  father 
p  hiin  and  knew  him,  and  ran  out  to  meet  liiifi,  fiilt  of  tenddr  con*- 


t  f 


«80 


^HE  LIFE  pP  ClfRIST. 


pasAon,  and  fell  pn  ^ia^ncck  aod  iusa^d  ^im  tencju'rly.  r  Ai»cl  tbc  son 
said  to  him,  '  I  liavo  ^iioed  against  Qod  and  ogalnat  lUefs^aQd  am  nut 
-worthy  that  thou  slionldst  any  longer  call  me,  Uiy  so^/,  He  could 
not  say  what  he  had.  intended  besides,  when,  he^  saw  how  foiully  ])|^ 
father  bent, over  him,  notwithstajtiding,  hJa  sins.an<|  ^Hy.  Nor  >vji8 
more  needed ;  for  his  father  called  put  to  his  servants, ;  Brfog  me  ti  foIk', 
the  best  there  is,  that  he  may  have  my  finest;  and  pp^  it  on  him;  iuid 
put  a  ring  on  his  finger,  nnd  sandals  ofi  uis.feet ;  he  slyill  no  lonircr, 
like  aislaye.  be  without  either;  and  bring  the,  faJLt^'d  calf  and  kill  it! 
We  shall  have  a  feast  to-day  i^nd  be  merry,  for  my  spn ;  lost  and  dead! 
as  I  thought,  in  a  strange  land,  is  once  more  home;  difa4  by  his  tains,  1 
he  is  alive  again  by  repentance:  a  lost  w^derer,  he  tlf^,^oturn^(l  id  I 
the  fold.'  ,,:    ■  ,    -  ,,...  ■  ■■  '       L.  '        '■  iv-.        .    I 

*'  The  elder  son,  metvnwUile,  had  been  in  the  neld,iHri^]^fhc  labourers, 
but  now  cjvme  towM-ds  home,  And  ^s  he  drew  near,  .fip  l(ix!nm  nmk\ 
and  dancing.  Calling  one  of  the  servants,., lie  thei^^p<!)n^  iuiked  \yliatl 
liad  Iiappened,  and  was  told  that  his  brbtlier  nad  coi^elli^cVaiidl 
ihat.hi»  father  was  so  glad  to  have  him  once  xiu^re  fale,i}nd  sound,! 
that  he  had  had  the  best  calf  killed,  ana  0yqn  jcr  a  i^ast  to  (lie| 
iiousehold,    .  ^  /  ,( 

£►4, * '  But  now,  instead  of  rejoicing  ovef,  his  brother's  rciuni,,  the  c 
son  took  amiss  such  gladness  of  liis  father,  at  having  Jiifi^  safely  linck 
again/  and  would  not  go  into  the  house  .^t  all,  p;r, take  f^k^y  puit  iu  Hid 
rejjoioings.  The  father,  theref pre,, ever  kin^  ai^d. gentle,  went  outr 
him .  to  soothe  hamj  and  tp  beg  ^t4m ,  ^o  come  i«,  ,  AH  he  could  saj, 
however,  failed  to  soften  Iws  ^leart,  and  hq  vqnt6d  his  ^liK^onlcnl 


Indieed  your  son,  ti^ugh  J  will  not' d^U  him  iny  I?rpt]^9r,-Ttlus  felji 


Tl.T 


-youfhave  been  always  by  mv  sipe, , while  your  w^thjer, has  tafjj 
away  from  me,  or  that  all  that  I  have,  belongs  t^  you  as  n^yl^eii 
ifcurely  all  this  should  r^se  you  aboye  suclf  hard  ludgmeits  an 
jealous  thoughtSi  What'  coufd:  we  do  but  rejpiqe  W'lien  u  long- 
son  has  come  back  again  to  his  father's  hpusc.t ' " 

The  parables  of  the  Lost  Sheep  and  of  the  Lpst  Piece  of  Silver  1 
been  enforced  by  the  noblest  pf  all  thp  parables.    Henceforth,  for  j 
ages,  it  wtis  proclaimed  beyond  the  possibility  of  rnisconception,  (iial 
-in  the  teaching  of  Jesus,  Opd  lopks^with  unspeakably  grc^ttrfavoif 
on  the  penitent  humility  of  '*  the  sinner,"  with  its,  earnest  of  mi 
.tude'  and  love,  t^ban  on  c^ld  cori^e^tnes^  in /wliJk;li  the  Jijeart  ban  np  placj 
.i  ..We-areiiidebted  to  St»  Luke  fpr  isbrnp  piher  ^ragmo^tSiVf' 
■ipaching.bf  ithes^aafit  w^ek^-  ^,  -;^,  ;.^:i  mii^,.,.,^mHi.iiL..,iii 


Am< 

fiijblici 

ivcre,  ( 

ftll  wer 

ft  few  » 

ever  tr 

greatest 

princlpl 

to  Iiave 

tliey  luK 

••Ac( 

charge  c 

this  mai 

so  lie  cal 

(It  tlie  sa 

no  loni'e 

"  The 

do.    « I  ( 

tomed  to 
which  h( 
.carry  it  0 
each  Iro\j^ 
all  this  ] 
inlssionet 
amount  U 
mmple, 
lord?Und 
his  bill;  a, 
a  hundi'et 
"nly  eight 

factor,  he 
when  lie 

"Some 
secured  |ii 
And,  in  tr 
of  this  Wei 
fellows,  th 
brethren. 

"As  the 
thoucrh  it 

aprudeiic. 
life.    Byi 

fho  interos; 
wljom  you] 
^^Mm  inj 
no  longer  ff 
'  of  Manimol 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


m 


Am<yngthe  great  multitudes  -who  had  thronecd  after  ^  Him,  the 
jiiibUcans^  6f  the  district  were  cspeclallv  noticeable.  Many  of  them 
were,  doi^btldsd,  'in  a  good  position  in  life,  and  some  even  rich,  but 
nil  were  expojsjed  16  peculltir  temptations  in  their  hated  calling.  Not 
afe\<^8eein  to  have  listened  earnestly  to  the  first  Teacher  who  had 
over  treated  them  as  men  with  souls  to  save,  and  it  was  oL  the 
greatest  itiiportahcc  to  them  that  they  should  have  wise  and  true 
principles  for  their  future  guidance.  The  following  parable  secius 
to  have  been  delivered  specially  to  them,  as  part  of  an  address  wlien 
they  had  ^vthered  in  more  than  usual  numbers. 

"A  certain  rich  man  had  a  steward,  to  whom  he  left  the 'entire 
charge  of  his  affairs.  He  learned,  however,  from  some  sources,  that 
this  man  was  actinir  dishonestly  by  him,  and  scattering  his  goods; 
so  he  called  hilh  ahcl  'et  him  know  what  ho  had  heard,  telling  him. 
at  tlie  same  time,  to  make  out  and  settle  all  his  accounts,  as  he  oould 
no  longer  ho^d  liis  otHqc. 

"  The  steward,  kno'wihff  that  lie,  wh^  guilty,  was  at  a  loss  what  to 
do.  *  I  cannot  di^,'  said  ne,  to  hiia'^elf,  *  for  I  have  not  been  acdus- 
tomed  to  It,  and  I  am  ashamed  to  beg.*  At  last  ho  hit  on  a  plan 
which  he  thought  would  serve  his  end,  and  at  opce  set  himself  to 
carry  it'otit.  (+oing  to  all  his  master's  tenants,  one  by  one,  he  asked 
each  ho\^  much  rent  or  dues  he  had  to  pay,  though,  in  fjicfe,  lie  knew 
all  this  beforehand.  When  told,  he  pretended  to  have  been  com- 
missioned, Ih  fcorrtpUance  with  his  own  suggestion,  to  lower  the 
amount  in  each  ^e';  and  he  tlws  secured  the  favour  of  dll,  For 
cxamnle,  li-^  went  to  one  and  asked  him  '  How  much  owest  thou  to  my 
lord?  and  when' told  '  A  hundred  pip^of  oil, 'bade  hlni  take  b)ick 
his  bill,  aii^ 'wHte  another,  instead,  for  fifty.  A  second,  who  owed 
a  himdi^ed  ^liarters  of  Wheat,  he  told  to  make  out  a  fresh  writing  with 
only  eighty.  In, this  way,  by  leading  them  to  think  him  their  bene- 
factor, he  inade  sure  of  friends^  wiio  would  open  th^ir  hou4fe«  to  him 
when  he  had  been  dismissed. 

"  Some  time  after,  when  his  master  heard  hdw  cleverlj^  he  'had 
secured  }ih  dWn  ieiids,  he'  could  not  help  admiring  hiis  $l\reWdness, 
And,  in  truth,  it  is  a  fact,  that  bad  men  like  this  steward^— tlie  sons 
of  this  world— hot  of  thd  next — are  wiser  in  their  dealings  with  their 
fellows,  than  the  sons  of  light— my  disciples— are  in  theirs  with  their 
brftlhren,  soiis  of  my  heavenly  Kitigdom,  like  themkelves; 

"  As  the  master  of  that  steward  commerided  him  for  his  prudence, 
though  it  Was  so  worldly  and  selfish,  I,  also,  must  commend  to  you 
a  nrudeiice  of  a  Jiigher  kind  In  j-^our  relations  to  the  things  of  this 
life  iBy  becomuig  my  disciples,  you  have  identified  yourselves  witii 
the  interest  of  another  Master  tlian  Mammon,  the  god  of  this  world— ^ 
whom  you  have  hitherto  served — and  have  Ixifore  you  anotlief  course 
ojidaim  in  life.  You  will  be  represented  to  your  former  master  aaf 
no  longer  falHiftil  i^  him,  for  rhy  servic^e^ls"  so  ulteriy  opposed  to  that 
of  Mammon  that,  if  faithful  to  me  you  cannot  be  faithful  to  hitu^  and 


1  !!■ 


■!-;^:'F 


iaHi'iilii 


Ji»l-* 


>\' 


^  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.' 

lie  will,' iii^ieonspqiience,  assuredly  take  vonr  siewat^shlp ' M  thU 
iKTorld's  goods  from  you— that  is,  sink  yon  io  poverty,  fTs  I  havie  often 
Miid.  I  cbunsel  you,  therefore,  so  to  use  the  goods  of  Mamtnon— thn 
worldly  moans  suU  at  your  command— that,  by  truly  worthy  distri- 
bution of  them  to  your  needy  brethren— and  my  disciples  are  mostly 
pbot^— you  may  make  friends  for  yourselves,  who,  if  they  die  before 
ybti,  will  wclcbine  you  to  everlasting  hibittitlons  in  heaven,  when  you 
pass  thither,  at  death.  Fit  yourselves,  l»y  labours  of  loVo  and  deeds 
Of  true  chiirily,  as  my  followers,  to  become  fellow-citizens  of  the 
heavenly  mansions  with  those  whose  wants  ybu  have  relieved  while 
Uicy  were  still  in  life. 

'^'T?*  If  you  be  faithful,  thus,  in  the  use  of  your  pofesessions  on  earth, 
you  will  be  deemed  worthy  by  God  to  be  entrusted  with  in- 
finitely  greater  riches  hereafter,  in  lieavcn,  for  he  that  is  faithful  in 
iliid  lesser  stewardship,  has  shown  Ih^t  he  will  be  so  in  a  higher,  but 
he  who  has  misused  the  lesser,  cannot  hope  to  be  entiiisted  witbn 
.^atcr.  If  Yt)U  Show,  in  youir  lifo^  that  you  have  not  been  faithful  to 
God  in  'th6  use  of  this  world's  goods,  entrusted  to  you  by  Hiih  to  nd- 
thinister  for  His  glory,  how  can  you  hojie  that  He  will  cdmmit  to 
your  keeping  the  uusj^eakably  grander  trust  of  heavenly  riches?  If 
you  haVe  proved  unfaithful  in  tlio  steward (ibjp  of  what  was  noV  yours 
-^the  worldly  ineans  lent  you  for  a  time  by  God— how  cati  you  hope 
to  be  honoured  with  the  great  trust  Of  eternal  solvation,  whi^h 
would  have  been  yours  had  you  proved  yourself  fttrf Or  it? 

/'Be  assured  that  if  you  do  not  use  your  earthly  riches  falthfnlty 
for  God,  by  dispensing  them  as  I  have  told  you,  ydu  will  ilfevcrehter 
iny  heavenly  Kingdom  at  all.  You  will  have  sliowh  that  you  ate 
eerVatit^df  MimiSaon,  and  Hot  the  servants  of  G'cdr-fdrft  is  inipcs- 
tae  for  any  itiati  <o  serv^  tWd  masters."  -    < 

Stifeh  Tin worldlj  counsels,'  so  cx>ntTurt  to  thHr  o%«  spirit,  were 
received  -t^itli  cdntemptuoud  ridieule  b j  flie  Pharisees  stitodihg  f punrf, 
iis  tJb^  mefe  dreams  of  a  crazed  enthusiast.  Th^  IdVi^  of  lifoney  liad 
Mcoijie  a  characteristic  of  their  decaying  reli^iou$nefes;aiid  It  seemed 
to  tbem  th0  wildest  folly  to  advise  the  rich,  as  theli'  t^fest  wisdom,  to 
tf^  theft*  "^eiiith  to  make  friehds  for  the  fiitute'  "worldi  instead  of 
enioylngjl  here.  It  is  quite  possible,  indeed,  that  solfce  of  them  ifeit 
tlie  w'otds  of  Christ  as  a  personal  reproof,  and  were  all  the  more 
embittered. 

Patient  as  He  was  in  the  endurance  of  personal  wrongs  and  insults, 
the  indij^ati^n  of  Jesus  was  roused  at  such  sneers  at  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  ge^nuiiie  religion,  and  He,  at  once^  with  the  <Jalm  fearless- 
ness habitual  to  Hiui,  exposed  thi?ir  hypocrisy  alid  unsafencss  as 
8I.rritnaI  ^ides.  '    4   "  '  ■  ■  .  u  t^si  Hi:\y  jv^r-,       -, 

••Youyield  your  h^ads  high,"  safd  H*e,  ^^and  aift^ct  to  be  saints! 
befbi'e  men--^uch  perfect  patt^fl^  Of  fcifity.  Jhdeed.  I3iiit  y^^a  mi^ 
jiidg«'>lliAen'by  y^iirsclveS.-  '[fmvt^mSv.  'P^^^: im- '-^^mh-  ,^  _ 

**Bttt  God,  who  knows  all  things,  and  judges,  not  by  the  outward 


TlUi  LlFi;  PV  CiaUBT. 


<m 


ftppenronce,  but  by  the  heart,  knows  huw  UlfTcrcnt  you  aro  in  reaUtT 
({•oni  wtukt  yon  make  im^u  l>«li«ve.  Your  pretcudea  huliooss,  wl)ioU 
\R  m  highly  thoiu^t  of  by  men,  is  an  abomiaatlon  before  God.  .  Tou 
ignore,  or  exDlaln  away  the  commands  of  His  law,  wlkiu  tikny  do  no( 
suit  you,  ana  thus  are  mere  actors,  for  true  godlinesa  honoura  tlie 
whole  Law.  I  condemn  you  on  the  one  grouna  on  which  you  claim 
to  be  mo&t  secure.  You  demand  honour  for  your  strict  obedience  to 
tlie  Law;  I  charge  you  with  h^'pocrisy,  for  vuur  designed  and  delib* 
erate  corruptiour  of  that  Law,  to  suit  yourselves.  , 

"  Sincerity  js  demanded  from  ihos^  wlio  wish  to  scrrc  Qod.    That 

which. Mo^es  aQd  the  Prophets  so  long  announced,<*>that  to  whiclit  ail 

the  Scripture^  point,  the  Kingdom  of  tlie  Mes.siuli— has  come.    From 

ttiu  time  when  the  Baptist  preached,   that  kingdom  ia  no  Icyiger 

future,  but  is  set  up  in  your  midst,  and  with  whut  success!    Every 

</ne  presses  with  eagerness  into  it.     But,  as  vou  know,.!,  its  Head 

nnd  King,  make  the  most  searching  demands  from  ihoae  who  would 

eater  it,  and  open  its  ci^acenship  only  to  those  who  are  willing  tq 

overcome  all  ditiiculties  to  obtain  it.     Vou  ciiurgo  me  with  breaSng; 

the  Law,  but,  so  far  from  doing  so,  I  require  tliat  the  whole  Law.Jn 

its  truest  sense,  b^  ol^eyed  by.  every  one  who  seeks  to  enter  i  the,  NfiWf 

J^ingdom.  It  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth,  I  tell  men,  to  pass  away^ 

tl^an  for  one  tittle  of  the  Law  to  lose  its  force.    But  howJ^ltXerent  i$ 

it  with  youl     Take  the  one  single  case  of  divorced     What  loose 

examples  does  not  the  conduct,  of  some  of  your  own  claas  supply? 

what  conflicting;Qp1ni()us  do  you  not  give  on  the  question?  JL  claim 

tliat  the  word^  of  the  Law  be  observed  to  the  letter,  and  maintalia,  in 

opposition  ti9  yoiir  hollow  morality,  that  any  one  who  puts  away  hia 

wife,  except  for  adultery,  and  marries  another*  himself  oon^oits 

adultery,  and  th^t  he  who  marries  t^e  woman  thiii^iiJUvo^ccd  4i  a)aQ 

gailty  of  the  same  crime.     Judge,  by  Ihia /Whether  you  , Ctrl  m09t 

honour  the  La w—whpther  you  or  I  are  the  safer  ^4iQao£  the  PQPQie* 

Bpw  God  must  despise  yoiir  boasts  of  speqial  ze^l  JCor  flis  gl^yV^v-vri 

/'But  tl^at,  nQt^ithstanding  your  sneers,  you  m&y  feel  tlic,$r^t^  q| 

wliat  I  have  just  ^aid  as  to  the  results  of  the  poaaessip^  ojt  .ric|ie9# 

when  they  Qa'e  not  employed  as  I  have  counselled — to  m^ke  ,£ripn4* 

for  yourselves,  who  will  wplcome  yqu  to  l^eaven  hereafter,  let  m9 

'.eU  you  a  pard,ble.  ,i     .  .,., 

"There  wa«*  certain  rich  man  who  dressed  in  robes  of  fine  p^rpie 

-the  raiment  of  princes — over  garmentiSi  of  the  costliest  Egyptif^Q 

eotton,  which  only  ti^  most  luxurious  c^n  buy.  ;  ;   . ; 

"There  w^^  a^so,  in  the  samp  place,  a  poor  diseased  beggar  muned 

liazarus,  who.  had  been  brought  and  set  down,  as  an  object  of  c)iaii^y« 

before  the  gates  of  the  great  man's  mansion,  where  be  lay  belplessi 

day  after  day;  so  abject,  that  he  longed  to  be  fed  with, what  €eU  from 

the  rich  man's  tahle.    But  tj^e  rich  man,  tl^o^gh  he  often  saw  ^m, 

and  k^ew^is^  ci^ie^  ahowe(|, him  no  kindness,  and  instead  of  helpi^ 

Hie  sufferer,  and  thus  niaking  a  friend  with  his  n^onej",,  w|iQ,^r 


;:.'|:-|. 


I 


m  '''^  ''■* 


ni 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


iielp  Jiim  hereafter,  as  I  advise^  had  no  thought  except  of  himself, 
and  of  his  o^h ..pleasure.  The^ooi*  man's'  case  'vf is  mdeied  pitiful; 
he  could  not  even  drive  away  the  unclean  dogs,  Whicli,  dajr  by  day, 
c^e  and  increased  his  pain  by  licking  his  sores.  ' 

'**It  came  to  pass,  after  a  time,  that  Lazarii.^  died,  ind  was  carried 
by  the  aiigels  to  Paradise,  and  theirc  set  dovi^n  n^j^t  t<i  Abraham  on 
the  biitiqiieting  couches,  at  the  fehst  in  the  kihgddl^  of  Q6d,  with 
his  head  in  the  great  patriarch'^  bQsom— the  highest  uJaoe  ,qf  honour 
that  Paradise,  cmild  give, '  ^?'V' 7- ■^:^^^':/™ 

:  '"Ereldng;  the;  rich  nian  kli^o  died,  and,  unli'ke  Ia2&tos',  Whom  men 
had'' Mt  iincared  for,  even  in  his  death,  he  was  h6houred'  with  a 
si^rituous  fiin^ral.  ' 

■  "* He,  also,  passed  to  Hades;  n6t,  hpwever,  to  that  part  of  It  where 
l*aradi«^o  is,  but  to  Gehenna/the  place  of  pain  and  tbrhieni  ir^  tlie 
wbrid  of  shaded.  And  m  Ilades  he  lifted  up  hi^  eyes,  and  sav/ 
Abi^hath  in  tlie  tar  distande,  in  th6  banqueting  liaU  of  bliss,  with 
Lazarus  rjscllniilg  next  Wiji^  in  his  Ijosom,  as'  his  most  hqiiQured 
frfeiid,  Aiid  he  knetv  theih  both,  ^nd' remembered  lioW  ,Laziirus  had 
Jain  ^t  his  gatfe,  and  thougjit  of  this  as  a' bond  betweeti  them.  *0 
Father  Abraham,*  cried  he,  in  his  tormciits,  'haye  mercy  on  my 
a^ony,  I  beseech  thee,'  and  send  Lazariis,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of 
his  firij^er  In  Water,  and  cool  my  tongue,  for  I  am  tormented  in  this 
flange.  *  So  great  had  been  the  change  in  their  positions,  that  now  the 
despised  beggar  was  Ciatreated  to  do  even  so  smaH  a  faydur  to  hint 
from  ^\'1lom  hfe  hiniself  had  once  looked  tot  any  faV6ur  in  vain !  Dives 
would  fain  make  friends  with  Lazarus  now,  but  could  not  bethink 
hiih  of  any  gooci  deed  he  had  ever  doiic  him  to  holp  him  to  do  so. 
'-'**  Abraham  now  called  this  to  his  mind.  *  Son,  said  he,  *  wonder 
not  that  you  aAd  Lazarus  arc  in  such  opposite  cf^nditlqiis  hei^,  from 
thoT/e  ;;^ou;had  when  in  lifd.  Yoii.  then,  hud  as  much  earthly  hap- 
piness asyou  could  enjoy:  i^ou  had  it,  and  set  j^^our  heart  on  it,  and 
lived  only  for  yoUrsellf.  Had  you  used  ybur  wesaltli  ^^  a  godly  man, 
in  dding  ^ood  to  those,  lik6  Lazarus,  who  hecldea'pity,  instead  of 
lavishing  it  on  spleiidour  and  self-indulgence,  ybti  \Vd^^''l  J^^ve  had 
gbdd  laid  uji  for  you  nbw.  But  you  Hved  only  for'c^artJi,  ind  the 
^ood  yoii  chose  has  been  left  behind  you.  You  niadd  j^our  porlion 
in  vour  lifetime,  and  have  none  here.  But  Lazarus  fendurecf,  while 
stift  alive,  the  sufferings  allotted  him,  and  he  has  none  in  this  state. 
Penitent 'and  lowiy,  he  borotliem  patiently,  as  a  child  of  Qod,  and 
is  now  receiving  the  reward  of  the  poor  in  spirit.  Ilik  position  and 
yohrs  are  reversed,  for  he  now  finds  consolation  and  joy,  in  exchange 
for  his  earthly  miserj'-,  but  you,  pain  and  sorrow,,  instead  of  your 
self -indulgence.' 

^f*"  "Besides  all  this,'  added  he,  *  between  this  happy  abode  and  yours, 
there  is  d  great  space,  across  Which  no  one  can  pass,"  either  from  us 
to  yoti,  or  from  you  to  us.  so  that  it  is  imijossible  tha|  you  should 
have  any  share  in  oiir  joy,  or  that  we  can  in  any  vvdy  lessen  your  pain.' 


'V  ^:^  :i 


Titfe-  LIt'E '  OP*  rililWST*'. 


em,  semsn— 1  naa  peen  lowiy  ana  peniient,  using  ijiy  we»itli 
en^f^incdr  in  blessing  the  wretched.    I  sh9uld  then  have  been 
lea  %  Lazarus,  and  such  as  h^,  into  the  eyerl^liijg^  ji^bita- 
Panidise!'  *'       '  '    '      ■     ,V 


"NdW,  for  the  first  time,,  th^i'ricb;  man  siiw  tj^e  fjilTejJt^ni;  of  |iis 
misery,  aiid  its; cause.  'Would  that  I  had  acted!  differently/  cried 
he,  '  wheii^  iii  life.  Would  that,  instead  of  living  for  ni^y self— hard, 
impenitent,  Selfish— I  had  been  lowly  and  penitent,  using  ijiy  wealth 
as  God  er  "*"'''"'  *    *''    '   --^-  ----•*     ^  -*    ^^  -^       '*      ' 

welcomes 
tions  of  Piiradi 

"  'Biit,bhf  Father  Abraham,'  he  continued,  'let  me  be  (ho  only  one 
of  my  father's  house  to  come  into  this  doleful  place.  Send  I^a^jirus, 
r  beseech  tiiec,  back  to  earth,  to  my  father's  house,  fo?*  I  have  ftyij 
brethren,  who  live  as  1  lived.  It  would  add  unspealtabjiy  to^iy  paj^n 
if  they  also  c^me  to  this  abode  of  woe.  Oh !  let  Lazarus  go  aiid  warn 
them  of  what  has 'befallen  me,  their  brother* 

'"To  escape  your  sad  doom,*  replied  AbraTiam,  'tlicy  muj^^  nectjs 
repent,  and  live  the  life  of  the  godly.  But  for  this  tUe  Law  ^nd  the' 
Prophets  are  the  appointed  nieans ;  let  tliem  listen  to,  tli^)p. ' ,.,  /    , ,  '^ 

'"Nay,  Father,  Abraham,'  answered  the  lost  one,^^. 'tltat  fs  nbl 
enouffh.    It  did  iiot  move  rne  to  repentance.    But  if  a  deaCjnau  re^ 


It  would  not  irioye  them  m  the  least,  for  so  amply  ^re  the  Scrip 
tares  fitted  to  persuade  men  to  repentance,  that  those  yrhom  they  dq 
not  win  to  it  would  not  be  persi^aded  even  if  one  rose  from  the 
dead.'"  ,        '  ,    \ 

The  Rabbis  had  listened  to  thp  parable,  but  it  touched  their  o^y^ 
failing  too  poiritidly  to  raake-  them  care  for  any  longer  con,fcrencci 
with  Jesus^  Wlie^i  they  wi^re  gone— it  may  be  while  He  was  resting 
with  the  Twelye  in  the  cool  of  the  evehihg— the  incidents  of  the 
whole  day  were  passed  in  review,  and  Jesus  uotipdt^at  th§  words 
ancl  bearing  of  ttis,  opponents,  respect  for  whohi^  as  the  teaclfet^of 
tile  nation,  was  instinctive  with  every  Jew — had  not  been  ■without 
their  effect  even  on  Hjs  disciples.  It  was  evident  tlint  the  very 
nature  of  His  deiiiands — the  trials  and  persecutions  to  conje.  'and  the 
weakness  of  human  ;iatufe— would  raise  moral  hindrances' to  the  full 
aiid  abiding  loyalty  of  not  a  few.  ■  .  .^: 

By  way  of  caution,  therefore.  He  no\v  warned  them  on  this  poittt> 
"It  is  imppssible,"  said  He,  "to  prevent  divisions,  disputes,  and 
even  desertion  and  apostasy,  on  the  part  of  some  of  you,  m  the  evil 
times  to  come.  Misrepresciitation,  prejudice,  the  bent  of  different 
minds;  the  weakness  of  some,  and  tlie  unwortliiness  of  others,  will 
inevitably  produce  their  natural  results.  The  progress  of  my  kin^-. 
dom  will,  I  foresee,  be  hindered  more  or  less  from  this  cause,  but  it 
cannot  be  avoided.  Yet,  woe  to  him  who  thus  hinders  the  spread 
iind  glory  of  the  Truth.  It  were  better  for  him  if,  like  the  \yorst 
ci*imiaa1,  he  were  bound  to  a  heavy  millstone,  ana  cast  into  the  8^a^ 
tlin:i  Hiat  he  should  cause  a  single  simple  childlike  soul,  Mio  be^ 


■  ■ru  I 


i  1  'nii 


If  ; 


1  i| 


:  1/^'  I: 


-L    i' 


m 


THfi^  aLIFE  OF  CmUBV. 


lleves  in  me,  to  fall  Take  heed  that  you  neither  .misleoicl  nor  are 
misled!  Remem1)er  that  I  teit  you  tli^t  offences  must  be  prevented  or 
removed  by  a  lowly  forgiving  spirit  on  your  part.  You  know  how 
far  you  are  yet  from  this;  how  strong  pride,  love  of  vour  own 
opinion,  harshness,  and  impatience,  still  are  in  your  hearts.  To 
further  my  Kingdom  when  I  am  gone,  strive  above  all  things  for 
peace  and  love  among  yourselves.  -i-^'  !:-uv>l *'%l,my  biil^  . 

"  The  one  grand  means  of  avoiding  these  causes  of  offence  and 
spiritual  ruin  is  unwearied,  forgiving  love;  by  that  frame  of  mind 
which  you  see  so  wholly  wanting  in  the  Rabbis,  that  they  have  evea 
now  murmured  at  my  so  much  ns  speaking  to  sinners,  from  whom 
#uch  simple,  lowly  brethren  are  to  be  gathered.  If  such  an  one  sin 
against  you,  and  turn  away  from  your  fello;  ship,  rebuke  him  for 
his  sin,  but  if  he  see  his  error  and  repent  of  it,  and  come  back,  for- 
give him:  aye,  even  if  he  wrong  you  seven  times  in  a,  day,  and  feel 
and  acknowledge  his  error  and  promise  amendment,  as,  often,  you 
must  each  time  forgive  him  freelj':."  '. 

The  Twelve  had  listened  to  these  counsels  witli  intense  interest, 
but  their  moral  grandeur  almost  discouraged  them.  They  felt  that 
nbthing  ig  harder  than  constant  patience  and  loving  humility— never 
returning  evil  for  evil,  but  ever  ready  to  forgive,  even. when  repeat- 
edly injured  without  cause.  ■  It  needed,  as  they  feared,  stronger  faith 
than  they  yet  had,  to  create  such  an  abiding  spirit  of  tender  meek- 
ness. They  had  talked  over  the  whole  matter,  and  saw  only  one 
source  of  strength.  Coming  to  their  Master,  full  of  confidence  in 
His  divine  power  to  grant  their  request,  they  openly,  and  with  a  sweet 
humility,  prayed  Him  that  He  would  increase  their  faith. 

"This  request/'  answered  Jesus,  "shows  that  falth^  in  a  true  and 
worthy  sense>  is  yet  to  be  begun  in  your  hearts^  If  you  had  it,  even 
in  a  small  measure,  or,  to  use  a  phrase  you  hear  every  day,  as  a  grain 
of  mustard-seed;  instead  of  finding  obedience  to  these  counsels  too 
diflJicult,  you  would  undertake  and  perform  even  apparent  impos- 
sibilitiesr— acts  of  trust  which  demand  the  highest  spiritual  power 
and  strengtli.  To  use  words  which  you  have  often  heard  as  an 
illustration  of  acts  naturally  impossible,  you  would  say  to  this  syc»- 
more  or  mulberry-tree,  '  Be  thou  plucked  up  by  the  roots  and 
planted  in  the  sea,'  and  it  would  obey  you— that  is,  you  would  be 
able  to  do  what,  without  faith,  seems  as  impossible. 

"To  such  efficiency  and  eminence  in  my  service  will  true  faith  in 
Me  lead  you:  but  beware,  amidst  all,  of  any  thought  of  merit  of  your 
own.  Your  faith  must  grow,  and  cannot  be  given  as  a  mere  bounty 
from  without:  it  is  a  result  of  your  own  spiritual  development  anii 
true  humility,  which  looks  away  from  self  to  me,  as  tlie  one  con- 
dition of  this  advancement.  You  shall  have  the  increased  faith  you 
seek,  but  it  will  be  only  by  your  continued  lovinc  dependence  on  line, 
your  Master.  If  any  of  you  had  a  servant  ploughing  or  tending  your 
nock,  would  you  say  to  him  when  he  comes  home  urom  Uio  Held  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRifiT. 


687 


the  evening,  .'Oome  near  immediately,  and  sit  down  to  mfiat?' 
Would  you  not  rather  say,  'Prepare  my  supper,  and  make  your- 
self fit  to  wait  on  me  at  table,  and  after  I  have  supped,  you 
shall  eat  and  drink?'  Would  you  think  yourself  under  obliga- 
tion to  the  servant  because  he  has  been  working  for  you,  or  be- 
cause he  Awaits  on  you  as  required?  Assuredly  not,  for  your 
servant  had  only  done  what  it  was  right  he  should  do  as  a  servant. 
Be,  you,  such  servants.  There  is  a  daily  work,  with  prescribed  task^i, 
required  from  you.  The  great  supper  will  not  be  till  this  life  is 
ended;  but  when  it  is  ended,  you  must  not  think  of  yourselves,  on  ac- 
count of  it,  except  as  becomes  servants;  and  should  you  be  rewarded 
or  honoured,  you  must  not  forget,  that  it  is  only  from  my  free  favoui^ 
and  not  as  payment  of  any  claim;  because,  in  fact,  you  have  dons 
only  what  it  was  your  duty,  as  servants,  to  do.  The  servant  who 
does  less  than  his  duty,  is  guilty  before  his  master,  but  he  who.  has 
done  his  duty,  though'lie  has  avoided  blame,  has  no  reason  to  think 
himself  entitled  to  reward.  Feel,  tlierefore,  in  any  case,  that  your 
work  has  not  been  beyond  your  rightful  duty,  and  that,  though  you 
have  escaped  condemnation,  you  hav«  no  claim  for  any  merit."         f 

The  hostility  of  the  Rabbis  was  growing  daily  more  bjtter,  after 
^ach  fruitless  attack.  At  each  town  or  village  they  gathered  round 
Him,  and  harassed  him  at  every  step  by  attempts  to  compromise 
Him  with  the  authorities.  i 

On  one  of  tljcse  last,  days  of  His  journey  towards  Jerusalem,  a 
knot  of  Pharisees  had,  thus,  forced  them-selves  on  Him,  and  sought 
to  elicit  something  that  miglit  serve  them,  by  asking  Him —  I 

"  Master,  you  have  often  represented  yourself,  both  by  word  and  \>j 
mighty  deeds,  as  the  Messiah;  but  we  see  no  signs  as  yet  of  the  com- 
ing of  the  kingdom  of  God.  When  will  it  come?  It  has  been  long 
promised. " ^ !•  0  rf''^'!::'4  i*t/ff  \.       .  -I 

"  The  kingdotti  of  God,"  answered  Jeru^,  "\b  something  entirely 
different  from  what  yoti  expect.  You  look  for  a  great  political 
revolution,  and ;fehe  establishment  of  a  Jewish  empire,  with  its  capital 
in  Jerusalem.  Instead  of  this,  it  is  a  spiritual  kingdom.  In  the  hearts 
and  consciences  of  men,  and,  as  such,  cannot  come  with  the  outward 
display  and  circumstance  of  earthly  monarchy,  so  that  men  may  say, 
'Lo,  here  is  the  kingdom  of  God,' or,  *  lo,  there;'  The  coming  of 
the  kingdom  develops  itself  unobserved.  I  cannot,  therefore,  give 
you  any  moment  when  it  may  be  said  to  have  come,  for,  in  fact,  it 
Ir  already  in  your  midst.  I,  the  Messiah,  live  and  work  amongst  you, 
nnd  where  the  Messiah  is,  tliere  is  His  kingdom.  There,  already,  is 
it  steadily  adtiuicing,  after  its  nature,  like  the  seed  in  the  gi'ound^ 
likt2  the  grain  of  mustard-seed,  or,  like  the  leaven  in  a  woman's 
measure  of  meal. " 

The  malcvotent  question  thus  met  a  reply  which  at  once  balked 
curiosity,  and  laid  on  all  the  most  solemn  responsibilities ;  for  if  the 
Messiali  was  iieally  among  them,  how  imperative  to  fit  themselves  for 


m 


di  ml 


M 


ti..,  ml 


698 


THB  WF^  OF  CHBIST. 


entering  Hi9  kiogdom!  The  i^terrpgiitprs,  fiuUing  tlielr  siuifter  effort 
Yftin,  presently  left,  a^4,  when  thus  alone,  Je.sus  resumed^  the  subject 

with  His  cjisciples.  :        ,,1  'i...i.    ••  .  ;^!t-4r'v"'-i-V-v  ...vX'^n 

"I have  only  spoken  to  these  men,"  said  He,  'V6f  tliie  grdwth  and 


development  of  my  kingdom,  unspen,  and  silently,  in  the  hearts  of 
men.  To  you  I  would  now  speak  of  the  future.  Days  will  come 
when  trouble  shall  make  men's  hearts  long  for  oae  of  the  days  of  the 
L^on  of  Ivlun  hack  again,  and  false  Messiatis  will  rise,  pretending  to 
bring  deliverance.  But  when  they  say  to  you,  *Lo,  there  is  the 
.Wccaiah  come  at  last,'  or,  *  Lo,  here  He  is,'  go  not  out  after  them;  do 
not  follow  them.  For  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Mau^will  be  as 
i^uddqn,  as  striking  to  ,ull  eyes,  as  miglity  in  its  power,  as  when  the 
ivghtning  leaps  from  the  cloud  and  suddenly  sets  the  whole  heavens 
in  iiame.  There  is  uoineed  of  asking  of  the  lightning  '  Where  is  it?' 
iT  for  any  to  toll  ^ou  of  it. 

'*  But  tilts  comuig  will  not  be  now.  I  must  first  suffer  many  things 
from  this  generation,,  and  be  rejected  by  it.  Far  from  approaching 
>vith  flow  royal  pomp,  seen  and  welcomed  from  afar;  far  from  tlje 
world  haillRg  niy  cyinj?)g,  and  preparing  for  it,  as  for  that  of  an  ex- 
peptcd  king:  tUpy  will  be  ^usied  in  their  ordinary  affairs  when  it  13 
i-earest;  tlfl.  ttudUeijly,  wide  ruin  and  judgment  burst  on  them,  as  tlie 
Jlop4  on  the  men  oi  f  Up  divys  of  Noah,  and  the  fire  from  heaven  on 
Bodom,  in  the  days  of  Lot,  bringing  destruction  on  all.  Men  lived  in 
jPjCCi^rity.theu;  they  ate  and  drank;  they  married  and  garve  in  marriage, 
^itJLi  no  tUoug'U  or  preparation  for  the  impending  catastrophe. 

"  Xt  will  bo,  t!ie  fame  at  my  coming.  Men  will  be  as  secure;  tlit 
day  w^ill  bi^'.st  on  them  aa  suddenly,  when  I  sliall  be  revealed  in  m) 
glory.  AVheu  it  coiues,  there  will  be  an  awful  and  instant  separatior. 
of  hian  from  inuTi.  The  [':ood  and  evil  Avill  no  longer  be  mixed  to- 
gether. He  v.ho  would  save  himself  must,  on  the  moment,  pan 
froin  those  whom  t!ie  peril  threatens.  He  who  lives  in  a  town,  must, 
as  the  destrtictipu  {ipproaches,  so  hasten  his  flight,  that  if  he  be  011 
the  housetop  when  it  draws  near,  he  must  not  think  of  goiiig  into  the 
house  to  sate  anything,  but  must  flee,  at  the  loss  of  all  earthly  pos- 
sessions. He  wuo  ia  in  the  open  field,  must  not  turn  back  to  his 
house  lor  his  goods,  but  must  leave  all  behind  him,  and  escape  witb 
his  life.  You  hear  iiiy  words:  see  that,  in  that  day,  yoii  give  heed tii 
them.  Remember  Lot's  wife,  who  perished  for  looldug  back,  in  dis 
obedience  to  the  divine  command.  Whosoever,  in  that  day,  shall 
seek  to  preserve  hU  iife,  by  unfaithfulness  to  me,  shall  lose  life 
eternal,  and  ho  who  io.seii  Uiis  life  for  my  sake,  will  secure  heaven  for 
eve^.         _  - 

"The  separation  of  men,  at  my  coming,  will,  indeed,  be  solemn! 
Those  who  spent  this  life  together,  will  then  find  thenjselves  partd 
forever!  T  tell  you,  in  that  ni^ht  there  will  be  two  men  in  one  bed; 
one  Avill  b  .  taken,  and  the  other  left;  two  [X)or  slaves  will  be  grinding 
felWi:  for  tJM^  Ji,yu|ghuia,^ya'9thej-;,(>n9  wjll  Vc  t^lifju  4E<i|ho other  left.'' 


tlt^  LIFE  OF  CHRl&t: 


689 


Tlie  Ifiy^ve  liad* listened  with  breftthle«i^  attention  to  this  vision  of 
the  future.  Tliey  had  heard  much  that  Wiva  new,  grand,  and  fearful, 
and  they  trejnbled  with  a  natural  fear  at  the  awful  picture  set  before 
them,  "^hj^re^  Lord,"  asked  they,  "will  the  Messiah  gatlier  His 
own,  tljat  they  nia,y  be  safe?  Where  is  the  refuge  in  which  those 
who  love  Thee  will  be  received  in  that  day?" 

'Who  says  to  the  eagle,"  replied  Jesus,  "where  the  carcase  is? 
His  keen  eyes  see  .it  from  afar.  Whore  the  Messiah  will  be,  and 
where  the  gathering  place  for  the  saved  will  be,  thev  will  see  from 
afar  for  whom  it  |3  provided,  and  with  swift  liight  will  betake 
themselvef  thither. " 

The  mompntcjus  eannestncss  with  which  Jesus  had  so  often  spoken 
of  the  difficulty  of  beii^g  truly  His  disciple  had  sunk  into  the  hetu-ts  of 
many  who  heard  it,  and  the  free  access  to  Himself  lie  permitted, 
must  often  have  been  u^d  to  seek  counsel  on  a  point  so  momentous. 
It  was,  moreover,  a  passion  with  the  Jew  to  speculate  on  every  ques- 
tion of  theology,  as  is  seen  in  the  vast  system  elaborated  by  the  Rabbis. 
Tlie  mysteries  pf  the  future  world  especially  engrossed  them.  By  the 
multitude  it  was  taken  for  granted  that  every  Israelite,  as  such, 
would  have  a  portion  in  heaven,  but  there  vieVG  not  a  few  others 
who,  like  Esdras,  fancied  that  "The  Most  High  had  made  this  world 
for  many,  but  the  world  to  come  for  few :  as  He  had  made  much 
common  earth,  b^t  little  gold."  One  in  whom  His  words  had  raised 
such  questions,  took  advantage,  about  this  time,  of  His  readiness  to 
listen  to  their  doubts  and  inquiries,  to  ask  Him  if  more  than  a  few 
only  would  be;  saved,  since  He  had  snid  it  was  so  hard  to  be  His  fol 
lower.  Instead  of  answering,  direcit/,  a  question  which  could  only 
gratify  curiosity,  Jesus,  ever  practical,  gave  lUa  reply  a  turn  which 
was  much  more  useful. 

"  It  woi^ld  ,]3enefit  you  little,"  said  He,  "  if  T  answered  your  ques- 
tion as  y^u  >yi^hi  ♦he  great  matter  for  you  is  that  many  will  not  be 
save4,  so  that  it  beconies  you  to  strive,  with  intense  earnestness,  to 
enter  in  through  tlie  narrow  door  that  leads  to  eternal  life;  for  many, 
I  say  unto  you,  who  would  like  to  enter  at  last,  but  do  not  thus 
strive  now,  will  seek  to  do  so  when  too  late  and  will  not  be  admitted. 
if  once  you  be  abut  out  from  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  you  will 
in  vain  plead, your  external  connection  with  me  now.  When  the 
great  oanquet  of  heaven  begins,  the  Messiah  will  cause  the  door  of 
the  banqueting  hall  to  be  shflt.  If  vc,  tlKn,  come  to  it  and  knock  at 
tlie  door,  saying  'Lord,  open  to  us,  He  will  answer  from  within,  'I 
know  you  not,  whence  you  arc.'  If  you  urge  that  He  has  foi^otten 
you,  and  that,  if  He  will  bethink  Him,  He  will  recollect  that  you  ^dte 
and  drank  in  His  presence,  as  companions  at  the  same  table,  and  that 
He  had  taught  in  your  streety,  He  will  only  answer,  '  I  tell  you  I 
know  you  not,  wlience  ye  are.  Depart  from,^ne,  all  ye  workers  of 
um'itjhteousness,'  .  •  '      •  -  ■'  '     .     .    j 

"  N'Vliat  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  will  be  there  as  ye  stand, 


»■ 


I 


*!. 


I 


0 


»' 


GIO 


THE  lilFE  03f  CHRIftTi 


thus;  'And  ficci  Abraham*  and  Isaac,  aud ,  JflfCob,,aiHV,aJl  1)^9  pipophclo, 
in  t^e  kingdom  of  Gold,  and  yourselves  cast  out  ^  What  w,aiUiig, 
when  you  see,  instead  of  yourselves,  the  heathen  you  have  so  de- 
spised, come  from  the  east,  and  west,  and  north,'  and  south,  and  sit 
down  at  the  great  feast  of  heaven.  Believe  me,  there  are  many  who, 
now,  befori)  the  setting  up  of  my  kingdom,  are  first,  who,  after  it  is 
set  up,  will  be  last;  ra«ny,  like  the  heatiien  who  shall  enter  to  the 
feasti  who  will  become  my  disciples  only  late,  and,  shall  yet  take  a 
first  place  in  my  kingdom^,  ^eet^ijtt  ye  presSjOniTi^rhile  tM  door  is 
rtittopentoadmityou.'V    ,rt  ;:ni       ■f^.;^^^^^^:^,     ,       ; 

Jesus  had  now  been  for  some  time  in  Pereaj  i^  tlie  Ignjitory  (rf 
Antipas,  the  murderer  of  John.    The  intense  unpopulanty  of  the 
crime  had,  doubtless,  been  a  protection  to  Him,  but  there  were  many 
reasons  why  such  a  man  should,  wish  tlie  great  Wonder  Worker, 
whom  he  personally  feared  so  much,  as,  perhaps,  the  murdered  Bap- 
tist, risen  from  the  dead,  fairly  out  of  Ins  dominions.    Unwilling  to 
appear  in  the  matter,  he  used  tlie  Phariscep,  counting  on  their  readi- 
ness to  further  hisend  of  getting  rid  of  Him.    Some  of  their  ni^mber, 
therefore,  came  tor  Him,  with  the  air  of  friends  anxious  for  His  safety, 
and  warned  Him  that  it  would  be  well  for  Him  to  lehve  Perea  as 
(][uickly  as  possible,  as  Herod  desired  to  kill  Him. 
j  Jesus  at  once  saw  through  the  whole  design,  as  a  crafty  plan  of 
Herod  himself  to  expel  Him.     He  was  on  His  way  to  Jerusalem,  and 
contented  Himself  with  showing  that  He. gave  nogrounds  for  politi- 
cal suspicion,  and  that  He  quite  wejl  understood  how  littlj^  friendship 
there  was  in  the  advice  the  Pharisees  had  given  Hini.    ,'/i .  |  4  i    " 
iX'^Qo  and  tell  that  crafty  fox,"  said  He,  "  that  I  kriovr  why  he  is 
.ftfraid  ol  me,  and  wishes  me  out  of  his  land.    Tell  him  there  is  no 
cau6e  for  his  alarm,  for  I  do  nothing  to  wake  his  suspicions.    I  have 
no  designs  that  x^an  in jui«  him,  but  confipe  myself  to  driving' demons 
from  poor  men  possessed  with  them,  apd  to,  healing,the  sick.    These 
harmless  labours  I  shall  not  iacermit  till  the  time  I  have  fixed  to  give 
to  them  is  over.     It  will  take  three  days  more  to  pass  quite  out  of 
Perea,  and  for  these  three  days  I  shall  be  in  his  territory,  but  on  % 
third  day  I  leave  it,  for  I  am  now  on  my  way  to  Jeitisalem,  to  die 
tli«r6.     Herod  will  not  need  to  trouble  himself  -  to  kill  me,  for  it 
would  be  unfitting  for  a  prophet  to  die  outside  the  holy  city."    Sucli 
a  message  was  virtually  an  intimation  that  He  knew  that  it  would  l)e 
by  the  hands  of  those  who  pretended  l^ndly  to  warn  Him,  and  their, 
allies,  that  He  sliould  perish,  and  not  by  those  of  Antipas. 

The  word  Jerusalem,  and  the  thought  of  the  guilt  of  the  city  so 
tenderly  loved  by  Him— guilt  soon  to  be  increased  by  His  violent 
death  at  its  hand,  filled  His  heart  with  deep  irrepressible  ^notion. 

"O  Jerusalem  I  Jei-usalem."  cried  He,  in  a  louder  voice,  trembling 
with  sadnes&^"it  is  thou,  the  Gity  of  the  Temple,  the  City  of  the 
Great  King,  who  killedt  the  prophets,  and  stonest  those  whom  God 
sends  unto  tiiee!  Thou  art  still  ti'vie  to  thine  evil  repute!   How  often, 


THS'  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


im 


j-~ 


'/r* 


TN  p: 


oh,  hW  pffe^J't^^ytf  tn^thw  children,  would  I  havo  gathorfici 

them  all  found  me  safely,  from  the- dangers  before  them ;  aa  the  careful 
hen  calls  together  her  brood  when  the  shadow  of  evil  falls  near,  and 
spreads  ner  wmgs  oYtx  them,  and  guards  them  from  every , harm* 
But  thou  wouldst  hot  let  me  do  thee  this  service*  For  what  shall 
come  on  thee  th6ti  must,  thyself,  bear  the  blame!  The  divine  pro- 
tection 1  would  have  given  thee  thou  hast  refused  and  hast  lost,  not 
will  I  appear  in  tliy  desolation  as  thy  helper.  Thou  wilt  not  see  mo 
till  I  come  to  set  up  in  thee  my  Kingdom,  and  receive  thy  homage, 
no  longer  to  be  denied.—as  the  Messiah,  the  Blessed,;  who  .oomes  in 
tliename^ijf  the  Lordr*^  *  '  k  Titui    •  .  u. 

M^^fo//*''  CHAPTER  LIV.        .       ,  .,    <ii^r^a^H^rt 

The  lofty  dfemjitids  of  Jesus  from  His  followers  had  fllted  tho 
Twelve  >irith  doubts  and  misgivings  of  their  power  to  fullQl  them.  A 
continuous  ^elf-denial,  wliich  thought  only  of  their  Master,  and  a 
patient  love  which  returned  meekness  and  good  for  evil  and  injurj!, 
were  graces  slowly  attained;  how  much  more  so  when  they  could 
ouiy  strike  root  in  the  heart  after  the  dislodgement  of  hereditary  prej- 
udices and  modes  of  thought?  .      :<i«iii  bo-rvH 

A  sense  of  weakness  had  already  led  them  to  ask  that  their  faith  in 
Jesus  as  the  Messiah ;  able  to  aid  them  in  all  their  straits  and  trials; 
iniglit  be  strengthened.  The  utterance  of  that  faith  in  prayer  was  no 
less  necessary,  at  once  to  obtain  the  grace  needed  to  bear  them  through 
difficulties,  and  to  raise  them  to  a  steadfast  confidence  in  the  tri- 
umphant Imauifesttition  of  their  Master's  Kingdom,  of  which  He  had 
more  thaU  onqe  spoken.  Lest  they  should  grow  slack  in  this' great 
duty,  He  reminded  them  that  their  whole  frame  of  mind  should  be 
one  of  habitual  devotion,  that  they  might  not  become  faint-hearted, 
and  give  wry  before,  the  trials  they  might  have  to  suffer,  or  at  tho 
Sccraing  delay  iu  His  coming.  His  words,  as  usual,  took  the  form,  of 
a  parable;  ^^r;-^'*'  ,,;=^:-:.'v^'  ^  <:'^-  ••■■    '■Jii^.*iijs»i;iv^  ^01,  av/iji  ,ln.^^i>  4>iu#, 

•'There  wias  Ifct  A*^clty,"  said  He,  "  ft  judge,  who  neither  feared  Q06. 
nor  reverenced  man.  And  there  was  also  a  widow  in  that  (iity  who 
had  an  eneno^y  from  whom  she  could  hope  toget  free  only  by  the  in- 
terposition  or  the  jud^e.  So  she  came  often  to  him,  asldng  him  to  do 
justice  to  her,  and  maintain  her  right  against  her  adversary.  But  he 
paid  no  attention,  for  a  lon^  time,  to  her  suit.  At  last,  however,  he 
could  bear  her  constant  coming  no  longer,  and  said  within  himself-*- 
'  Though  I  should  do  it  as  my  duty,  that  does  not  trouble  me,  for  I  do 
not  pretend  to  fear  God,  and  care  nothing  for  man.  Yet  this  widow 
torments  me.  I  shall  therefore  do  what  is  right  in  her  case  for  my 
own  sake»  for  ptliet wise  she  will  perf ejctly  wearyjna  by  iyercoofttiiiil 
appeals.* ''     •:'-'q^  ii^z  bzi^:  ->;  -ii^v  lUJ?  ti^  jj-quT-  it<3ilj  ojn/r  itca^ 


y-isj^u 


im 


THK  LIFE  Oil'  CHRIST. 


sufficient  earhestness;  how  can  any  6ne  doubt  that  God,  the  Righteous 
One,  .wili  giv^  litJ6d  tb'tho  cty  of  His  Saints  for  all  tliey  have  to  suffer? 
Will  He  not  mncli,  rather,  thotigh  He  let  the  enlihiy  rage  for  what 
iseems  a  Idrig  time,  feely,  at  the  great  day,  avenge  the  wrongs  of  His 
elect,  who  are  so  dear  io  Him.  and  thus  cry  in  prayer  night  and  day? 
\'*;i  tell  you.*  He  will  b6  patlfent  towards  them,  though  they  thus  cry 
to  Hint  contihiially,  for  He  is  not  wearied  with  their  complaints,  as 
tlie  urijiSst  jtidge  wd^  with  thOse  of  the  widow;  and  He  will  deliver 
them  from  their  enemies,  without  and  within,  and  give  them  a  portioii 
in  the  Kingdom  of  the  Messiah^and  that  speedily.  For  when  the  Im*  s- 
siah  comes  it  will  seem  as  if  the  waiting  for  Him  had  only  been  bPle  . 
But  when  He  thus  come.<T,  will  He  find  ariy  who  still  look  for  Him, 
and  believe  that  the  promise  of  His  return- will  l)e  fulfilled?  Will  my 
discipl?^  endyre  to  the  end;  or  can  it  be  that  they  will  fall  «wuy  be- 
fore all  ^heir  trials?"  i' 

To  bh€  of , these  last  d^ys  In  Perea  we  are  indebted  for  the  parable 
of  fhe  Pharisee  and  the  Publican.  Jesus  had  spoken  much  of  prayer, 
but  the  reli^on  of  the  day  was  s6  largely  mechanical,  that  they  were 
in  dangpr  01  mistaking  me  outward  fotm  for  the  substance.  Only 
repeated  lessohs  colild  guard  therA  from  the  lifeless  formality  of  the 
Kabbi§,  wiUi  "'^om  the  most  sacred  duties  had  sunk  to  cold  outward 
rites.'    Seir-righteoua  pride,  moreover,  was  the  characteristic  of  much 


of  the  current  reli^ousnesb,  and  was,  in  fact,  a  natural  refeult  of  the 
exteriialism  pi^6Vaihhg.'    To  ^how  the  true 
to  Q6i,  He  rbMed  tli?  folloSVing  parable: 


i- 


"Two  men,^  said  Hie,  "went 


true  natureof  devotion  pleasing 
up  at  the  saite  tinie,  the  hour  of 


OTaye^,  to'the  Teriiple,  t6  pray.  The  one  was  a  Pharisee,  the  otluir  a 
Publican.  The  Phai^rseie,  who  hafd  neen  the  Publican  enter  the  Temple 
with  him,  stood  apart;  liis  eyes  towaitls  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and  begnn 
to  pray  th^s— 'O  Obd,  I  tliank  Thee  that  I  do  not  belong  to  the  com 
mon  multitiide  Of  mankind,  whom  Thou  hast  rejected— to.  the  covet 
ous,  the  unjust;  the  adulterous.  •  1  thank  Thee  that  I  am  not  what  so 
man^'^  men  are,  what  this  Publican,  here  before.  Thee^  is.  He  knows 
nothing  of  fasting  oi'  Of  tithes,  but  I  fast  every  Monday  and  everv 
Thursday,  and  I  ^v'e  the  Priests  and  Levites  the  tenth,  not  on)y  of  nil 
I  have,  but  6f  all  1  may*  garrt,  which  is  more  than  the  Law  requires.' 
"  The  Ptlfeliciarr,  ni'eanwhile,  feeling  that  he  was  a  sinner,  k(  pped 
far  behind  the  Pharisee,  coming  no  further  into  the  sacred  cour/  tliiin 
its  verf  edge ;  for  he  shramk  from  a  near  approach  to  God.  Nor  couid 
he  dare,  ih'his  lowly  penitence,  to  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  tc 
heaven,  fdr  less  his  head  and  his  hands,  but,  with  bent  head,  smote  ou 
his  breast  in  his  soitow,  ai^d  said-^*God  be  merciful  to  me  the  sinner.' 
'  ^'  The  Pi^arisee  had  offered  only  a  proud,'  cold  thanksgiving  for  his 
•wn  meritsVt^e'I*ul>lrcan  all  humble  cry  for  mercy. 


TJHB  LIFE  OP  qHRIST. 


649 


otion  pleasing 


"Believe  me,  this  Publican,  whom  the  Phajrisec  gave  a  place  among 
the  extortionate,  the  imjust  and  the  impure,  received  lavoiir  from 
God,  and  returned  to  his  hotpe  forgiven  and  accepted;  but  the  Phari- 
see went  away  unjustified.  For,  as  I  have  often  said,  every  one  who 
thinks  highly  of  himself  in  religious  tilings  will  be  humbled  before 
God,  and  ho  who  humbles  himsdf  will  be  honoured  before  Him." 

Among  the  questions  of  the  day  fiercely  debated  ketween  the  gr^at 
rival  schools  of  Ilillcl  and  Schtiramai,  no  one  was  more  so  than  that 
of  divorce.  The  school  of  Hillel  contended  that  a  man  had  a  right  to 
divorce  his  wife  for  any  cause  he  might  assign,  if  it  were  no  more  than) 
his  having  ceased  to  love  her,  or  his  having  seen  one  he  liked  better, 
or  her  having  cooked  a  dinner  badly.  The  school  of  Schammai,  on 
the  contrary,  held  tha^.  divorce  could  be  issued  only  for  the  crime  of 
adultery,  and  offences  against  chastity.  If  it  were  possible  to  get 
Jesus  to  pronounce  in  favour  of  either  school,  the  hostility  of  the 
other  would  be  roused,  and,  hence,  it  seemed  a  favourable  cJuince  for 
compromising  Him,  to  broach  this  subject  for  His  opinion. 

Some  of  the  Pharisees,  th(?refore,  took  an  opportunity  of  raising  the 
question.  "  Is  it  lawful,"  they  asked,  "  to  put  away  one'a  wife,  when 
a  man  thinks  fit,  for  any  cause  he  is  pleased  to  assign?  Or,  do  you 
think  there  are  exceptions  to  this  rule?"  % 

There  could  Iw  no  doubt  that  the  lofty  morality  of  Jesus  wmild 
condemn  a  mere  human  custom  which  was  corrupting  the  whole  civil 
and  domestic  life  of  the  nation,  and  undermining  all  honour,  chastity, 
and  love.  He  had  already  answered  the  question  fully,  in  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount,  in  which  He  had  taught  that  arbitrary  divorce  was  not 
permitted;  but  that  was  long  since,  and  He  was  now  in  a  different 
part  of  the  country.  It  was  quite  in  accordance  with  the  habit  of  the 
dny  to  appeal  to  any  Rtibbi  on  a  disputed  religious  question,  or  scniple, 
on'lighter  or  weightier  points;  it  gratified  the  universal  love  for  contro- 
versy, and  gave  an  opportunity  for  showing  dialectical  wit  and  sharp- 
ness.    But  the  questioners  gained  little  by  trying  their  skill' on  .Tesus. 

"Have  you  never  read,"  answered  He,  '* that  the  Crelator  of  men 
made  man  and  woman  at  the  same  time,  in  the  very  beginning  of  our 
race,  and  gave  them  to  each  other  as  husband  and  wife?  And  do  you 
not  know  that  so  intimate  was  the  relation  thus  instituted,  that,  close 
though  the  connection  be  between  parents  and  children,  God  has  said 
that  that  beiweeu  man  and  wife  is  so  much  closer,  that  a  ^On,  wlio, 
before,  was  under  his  parents,  and  was  bound  moi*e  closely  to  them 
than  to  any  other  pers^ms  in  the  world,  is  to  separate  himself  from  his 
father  and  mother  when  he  marries,  and  to  form  a  still  nearer  rela- 
tionship with  his  wife — such  a  relationship  that  the  two  shall  become, 
as  it  were,  one.  As  soon  as  a  man  and  w^oman  are  married,  therefore, 
the  two  make,  together,  only  one  being.  But  since  it  is  God  who  has 
joined  them  thus,  divorce  is  the  putting  asunder  by  man  of  what  God 
has  made  into  One.  Marriage  is  a  sacred  union,  and  man  is  not  to 
regard  it  as  someihing  ^hich  he  can  undo  at  his  pleasure.'* 


;  I 


■-.■u 


•44 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


f 


Kbthing  couki  Ik*  i^ild  nguin^t  thlH  from  natural  gtDTmdft,  but  tho 
objccfioii  lay  roiidv  tlmt  tlic  Law  of  Moscb  was  not  so  sfHct,  nnd  ji 
prospect  offered  ot  forcing  Jcmiib  cither  to  contradict  HimBclf,  or  to 
pronounce  openly  npiinst  tiio  great  founder  of  tlie  nation.  '•  If  ijiig 
DC  80,"  said  they,  *'  how  comps  it  that  Moses  peiinitted  a  rann  to  dl- 
vorce  his  wife?^or  you  know  that  lie  says  that  wrilingM  of  divorce- 
ment might  ^)e  given  where  a  divorce  was  wished,  and  these  dint- 
BolvccI  the  maiTiage. " 

."Moses,"  replied  our  Lord,  "did,  hidced,  sniff  r  you  to  put  awny 
your  wives,  to  prevent  a  giTater  evil.  He  did  so  as  a  stato'snum  anil 
a  law-giver,  from  the  noressititvs  of  the  age,  which  made  any  ijclttr 
law  impracticable.  Our  fathern  were  too  rude  and  headstrong  to  [hw- 
mit  his  doin^  more.  But,  though  he  did  not  prohihit  divorce,  be- 
cause the  feelipgs  of  the  times  did  not  allow  him  to  do  so,  it  does  not 
lollow  from  this  that  his  action  in  this  matter  was  the  origipiil 
law  of  tho  Creator,  or  that  conscience  and  religion  f^anrtion  hiu.Ij 
separations,  I  say,  therefore,  that  whoever  pots  away  Iiis  wife,  ex- 
ccpt  for  fornication,  which  destroys  the  ver}'  essence  of  nmrrlagc  l)y 
dissolring  the  oneness  it  had  formed,  and  shall  marry  another,  cvtu- 
mits  adultery;  and  whoever  marries  her  Mho  is  put  away  for  any 
other  cause  commits  adultery,  because  the  woman  is  still,*  in  God's 
sight,  wife  of  him  who  has  divorced  her. " 

This  statement  was  of  far  deeper  moment  than  the  mere  silcncinn: 
of  malignant  spies.  It  was  designed  to  set  forth  for  all  ages  tlip  law 
of  His  New  Kmgdom  in  the  supreme  iuctter  of  family  life.  It  swept 
away  for  ever  from  His  8ooiet)^  the  conception  of  woman  as  a  niero 
toy  or  slave  of  man,  and  based  tnie  relations  of  the  sexes  on  the 
eternal  foundation  of  truth,  rij^ht,  honour,  and  love.  To  ennoble  tlio 
House  and  the  Family  by  raising  woman  to  her  true  position  was 
essential  to  the  future  stability  of  His  Kingdom,  as  one  of  purity  untl 
spiritual  worth.  By  making  marriage  indissoluble  He  proclainiftd 
the  equal  rights  of  woman  and  man  within  the  limits  of  the  family, 
and;  in  this,  gave  their  charter  of  nobility  to  the  mothers  of  the  world. 
For  her  nobler  position  in  the  Christian  era,  compared  witli  tiiat 
gianted  her  in  antiquity,  woman  is  indebted  to  Jesus  Christ, 

When  an  opportunity  offered,  the  disciples  a.sked  fuller  instruction 
on  a  matter  so  grave.  "Customs  or  opinions,  supported,  appnrrntly, 
by  a  national  law,  and  that  law  divine;  customs,  the  rightness  of 
which  has  never  before  been  doubted,  are  hard  to  uproot,  however 
good  the  grounds  on  which  they  are  challenged,  licnc^c,  cv(!n  the 
Twelve  felt  the  strictness  of  the  new^  law  introduced  by  their  Master 
respecting  marrijige,  and  frankly  told  Him,  that  if  a  man  were  bound 
to  hisVIfe  as  He  na!d  said,  it  seemed  to  them  better  not  to  marry. 

"  With ' respect  to   marrying  or  not  marrying,"  rcjplied  .Christ,  ' 
"  yxmr^ayin^  tlmt  it  is  good  for  a  man  not  to  do  so .  h  one  whiel) 
cannot  bfr  receiTed  by-all  men,  but  only,  by  those  to:  whonn  tlie  moral 
power  to  act  o.a  it  has  Ixjen  given  by  God,    Some  do  not  marry  from 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


•49 


natural  caui^es,  aud  there  are  sumo  who  voluntarily  keep  in  the  single 
Ktate,  tliat  they  may  give  thcmtielven  witli  an  entire  devotion  to  the  ser- 
vice of  ray  Kingdom.  Let  him  among  you  who  feels  able  to  act  on  the 
lofty  principle  of  denying  himself  the  nobility  and  holiness  of  family 
life,  that  he  mav  with  more  entire  devotion  consecrate  himself  to  my 
service,  do  so.  Self-sacrifice,  in  this,  as  in  all  things,  was  teft  by 
Jcsiis  to  the  conscience  aud  heart.  Even  His  apostles  were  left  free 
to  marry  or  remain  single,  as  they  chose,  nor  can  any  depreciation  of 
Ihc  married  state  be  wrung  from  His  words,  exce^jt  by  a  manifest 
perversion  of  their  spirit. 

It  is  significant  that,  in-  the  South  as  in  Galilee,  tlio  mothers  of 
householas,  tlwrngh  not  expressly  named,  turned  with  peculiar  ten- 
derness and  reverence  to  the  new  Prophet  aud  Rabbi.  They  "wcro 
doubtless  encouraged  to  do  so  by  the  sight  of  the  women  who  now, 
as  always,  accompanied  Him  on  His  journeys;  but  the  goodnesi  thct 
beamed  In  His  looks,  and  breathed  in  His  every  word,  drew  tliera 
ptlll  more.  Indifferent  to  the  hard  and  often  worthless  disputes  and 
questions  which  engaged  the  other  sex,  they  sought  only  a  blessing 
on  the  loved  ones  of  their  liearts  and  homes,  contented  if  Jesus 
would  lay  His  hands  on  their  infants,  and  utter  over  them  a  word  of 
blessing.  , 

A  beautiful  custom  led  parents  to  bring  their  children  at  an  early 
age  to  th('  Synagogue,  that  they  might  have  the  praj^ers  and  bl^essinga 
of  the  elders.  **  After  the  father  of  the  child,"  says  the  Talmud, 
"  had  laid  his  hands  on  his  child's  head,  he  led  him  to  the  ciders,  one 
by  one,  and  they  also  blessed  him,  and  prayed  that  he  might  grow 
up  famous  In  the  Law,  faithful  in  marriage,  and  abundant  in  good 
works."  Chikiren  were  thus  brought,  also,  to  any  Rabbi  of  special 
holiness,  and  hence  they  had  been  presented  already  more  than  once 
before  Jesus.  Now,  on  this,  Ilis  laat  journey,  little  children  were 
iignm  brought  to  Him  that  He  might  put  His  hands  on  them,  and 
pray  for  a  blessing  on  their  future  life.  To  the  disciples,  however,  it 
Beemed  only  troubling  their  Master,  and  they  chid  the  parents  for 
briuglng  them.  But  the  feeling  of  Christ  to  children  was  very  differ- 
ent from  theirs.  To  look  Into  their  Innocent  artless  eyes  must  have 
been  a  relief  iifter  enduring  those  of  spies  aud  malignant  enemies.  H(j 
Himself  had  the  Ideal  cliildlike  spirit,  and  He  delighted  to  see  In  llttl« 
ones  His  own  image.  Purity,  truti»fulness,  simplicity,  sincerity,  do- 
cility, and  loving  dependence  shone  out  ou  Him  from  them,  and  made 
them  at  all  times  His  favourite  types  for  His  followers.  The  Apostles 
needed  tiie  lessons  their  characteristics  impressed,  and  though  He 
had  enforced  tliem  before,  He  gladly  took  every  opportunity  of  re- 
peating them.  *  I  a^v 
^  "Let  the  little  children  come  to  me," said  Jesus,  "and  do  not  fdf- 
bid  them,  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  given  only  to  such  as  have  a 
childlike  spirit  and  nature  like  theirs."  Instead  of  being  too  young 
for  the  bestowal  of  His  blessing,  He  saw  in  their  simplicity  ana  ixuao- 


;  >♦' 


3 


'I       M 


^, 


^^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


lA^  12.8 

^   lis    12.0 


25 
2.2 


H; 
i 

I 


L8. 


^1'-^  r^ 

M 

6"     

► 

Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


23  WiST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  •72-4503 


i^ 


^..., ..... ..  J»<4.      "~       ■"    ■ 

must  Lave  neen  brougat  home  to  the  Apobtres  by  an  o(^d|ijrepce  i^ 
f^eii:  i^ext  4?y '^  fo\anss$.    Starting  south  w»»|via,,  ,94 .  \hA  yf^-io  ^eru- 

greatly  thank  Thee  II  Thou  wilt  ease  mymina,    I^ft^etoqovTed 
oiligeQtlv.tp  dp  goo4  works  ofaH  Ifimls  pr^scnpea  Dyihe^li^w^ 


re.qa](i  J^e,ivj^fl^  W^^Pit\  ob^ail^ijc^^to^^,  holy 

:o^ f ^llj^9^a #|er, i^t6 Ufoej^p^/  ypa in)i9f;|^ej^  tb^ 


Hi^^upnght  and  honest  |]|e  brought  ho  buish  at  tp6  i^nuzn^ration. 
TOh9^t,p?<!fk,.exc^t^^^  M^^ 


'«!» 


"^^    tp  the 


fliat,  hoi^Btj^  ^iiis^^:  Wpete^ 


IJ^sence, 

wjs^ic)  J[eru- 

^,  Hini^,  and, 
H|W,  gs  was 

he,:  "I  ^han 

^ftyeMowTe4, 
tfiie^Ji^w,  but 

ifigi  me  ^e&- 


Umshi%wa,9^^Ws^  saime  itime/inb  iiuy^vulse^^t^ 

ifcs falBlfla^nii:' ;  ^,,  ■' '"^y '   ':'■  ....,,,.,_  •.■■:--.^-_-  -^.. ..,,... ..    .... 

JesQs  /roA^  ^^^  }^^^  iii  a'mo£i^n(,  andwa^  won  l>^'tlie  gt^ele^^* 
ness  of  nlb'fi^iis^^  aiid  q^eB^on,  itQd'  by*  ti^e  eylclenl  wc^r^iof  m9 
cliaracier;    igslie  Ibofis^  at  1^,  60  earnest,  sd  bumble|>6  adi^Mirat 


e  pjyfjiicularly 


■-»•( 


Secona  .TftDlo 


wisb  to  jti^^rfeqi.    fiiB^you  liiiil^iBtood  Uie  cptfioiaiid^  olCj^ 
tiieir  d^pilr  and  >i^  cqmd  do 

aQJt))ing^,ni^bFe  iliai^  yoii  Ii^  c|^^^i  ^^^^  liVrng  power  in  ^on  y^^iwl 
haye  siigtifssjEei^  ocintinuati^  'Vfnen  y^ov'  t»]s;  ine^lo  te|l 

you  '^nafii^t  to  do^  it  ^lioW tl^t  '^oi;i  t^jii)!:  6^1y:  of  ia^/ittiDps^ 
itqiii:#i(i^6ut,  and  (k>.^o^  act  from  a  ptlnciple;  \n  ybur  own  odnit  If 
yotjr  decu'e  ioir  ei^eirnfil  life  t^ejiipfieme,  as  li  ong^nt  fo  be— gd/|i<»ii^» 
8^H  alY'ttiat'  yo^  havf ,  ana  give, wiajt.yoji  get  iorit  to'tfiie  pmr/and 
instead  of  the^.earUdyjnches  thus  ^ve^'  in  charity/ycm  will  hoiv^ 
tr^sui^m  Be^yenl'  T&en,  confte  16  lue.'be  iny  discipte,  imdnbcaiiifdar 
cros^aft0i'ineia8lbeai'p[ii)>e)^      '    f  -       i 

tieular  c^ise.  ^  It  was  a  facial  test  m  a  special  instatice,  tnougfa  tu^def-' 
Death  it, lay  the  uuconditicinai  self-sacrifice,  and  self-surrender  for 

Christ,  iPitgdVrc^in  au  mpicipm .  it>miid  n^hsmim^i^ 

y6ju»^  m^i^  to  a^l^jtcir  sc^-khbwledge,  and  tll^iis,  ipii  whi^'^ew 
concjep^w  bf^jWl^St  ilitie  re^  tl^bn]^  wirjr 


h^v^n :  he 'd^^  i^i^w  jud|»  £6r  nimaeli  if  he  ha(|  not  ^d,.  ;^ , 

».    *""  ^-* V     *    .     ,  HM     ^^  this  |o^ (counsel,  the  rei^eU^ipn.of 


"It  mi|ht|bkye  .. 

that  whicif^^  MaBl  b^  so  often'  jjijiym  ,to  others  beibre,  woUitd  haVe 
roused  Wesb  e^inieist  tb  a  nobl^ 

thoughts  would  j^y^  lost;  their  ppinrer.    1^  Ibve  lie  had  inspired ,  |h 
Je^iis  paiist '  fikvfS  tiiibjwii  ^^^  towards  him  in  eybry  lopk  and  to^e ; 
^ere  muiiit  hifiVfelb^ii  eirery  desire 


,of  all-r. 
of  ^f^%,m 


enuiin^jratioii. 

yi^;;and,wiii» 


1    "i 


'^    .1,1 


r!P?T 


a;  OF  c 


lawcd,  Jesus  abated  no  jot  of  His  awful  claims,  loftier  thnn  huin&n 
mpiiaf^iiittd'C^Viertireaiiied  df 'MnktogV-^iM  all  wlio  lidtljl^t'  (JUizeiishfo 
tefHIrEingdom.-  ■" ' '  '  ' -"••^v  -^f  >  •*;  -  ■  ■• ' '■  ;'-l-"-- "^ '"  •■  ^ 
The  test  exacted  was  fatal,  at  least  fdr  the  time.  It  wiis  preci«^ 
that  which  the  young  ihan  had  least  eixpect^d'^and  wtis  a  thousaml 
times  harder  than  an V-  legal  ehfoTcemcntsVpathfiil  and  protracted 
even  as  those  by  which  tlie  highest  grade  of  eetfemonial  holihfesfi  was 
ftttbined.  Hatd  Jesus  fevited  him  to  ix;  His  disciple  ifrithout  t^quirin? 
the  condition  He  had  so.  often  declared  indispensably,  there  wouiti 
liave  be^n  Ihetant,  deliglited' acceptance.  But  tfiat  couUJ  not  be.  He 
could  not  say  "Be  mjr  disciple/" till  He  had  sectirefd  hfs  supreme 
devotibii; '■^' ■■•'■' ■^''^' ^';'''*  ''■j^/-"'.'"''>*^v  -iHiiii-  •iij^vi'    ';'i*'M,,Ti;f^  f.^^^,  ^--^ 

RieJh,  atid 'ftlfeadj^  «  im«Ri&trate^46r  €!^u*t^  atiad'^Stia'te  With  tlic 
JeVs  were  identica!~tlie  demand  stftg^red  and  over^w^hielmed  the* 
young  man,    A  moment's  thought,  and  bis  broad  slcres,  and  social 
posiUon^  which  h^  must  jjlve  up  for  cvfer,  if  he  would  follow  Jesus, 
raised'  a  whrtle  atmy  of  hindrainces  arid  hesitations'.    The  cotiditiiiftn 
imposed  had  nd  Iimitatibn;biit  neither  hud  his  t»wn  qU^tib^*  to  wliich 
it  was  ft^  ^^ly.    He  had  befert'  tbublied  whei'e  weakest,  bnt'  this  was 
ekabtly'wmit  his tr^oated  request  demanded.    Why  should  Jesos 
have  asked  less  froin  him  than  from  other  disciples?    It  was,  doubt- 
leds;  tiarder  for  a^rich  than  for  a  poor  man  td  leare  all,  biit  there  mtik 
in  nb  dasie,  be  toofai  f6f  dbt  bt  of  the  entire  sincerity  of  those  admitted 
as  disciples,  and  this  coiildlbte  tested  only  by  their  readineiss  to  saciri- 
flee  all  to  btedome  sd.    It  was  less,  bdsidi^s,  to  d^nnd  ttis,  as  thWgs  | 
i^ore,  for 'di8cii>l<Bshi|]l  would  bnly  too 'surely'  mvblve,  Very  soon,  hot 
only  loss  of  all  earthly  goods,  but  life-lbag  itriftli!^.  iind  eVen  death. '  ' 
!  'But' the  wortd  got  the  betteif  Ihitlie  ybCinginan's  heart,'  and  he  W 
tvfhtcy  sorrowful;  at  the  thbUffht  that  he  \^ias  vrtliihtarily  excluding 
hiimself  frbm  the  kingdom,  pf^he  Messiiah.     Yer'  the  bro&d  acres:  tbe  | 
richfjaossessibifsi^how  isoiiia  he'give  tlieta  up?  ^  •  ^  ^  »''^    '  /         i 
'♦'Howha^iy  shatl  thej  that  have  riches  exittei'  mwf  thi^  KihgdelB 
oifOddrMd  Jesus,  as  h(?  went  irmiy,  evidently  ingrt^t  mental  dis- 
tress,  "it  ^s  easier,?'  'continued  He,'  "tb  use  a' proved  ybu  6ft«)ii 
hea*;  t<a  a  ctffnel  to  go  through  the  eye  bf  li'  needle,  than  fbr  a  i!<!li 
ttah  to  enter  intb  the  kingdbm  of  God.'*  ^ ' '  '    '         * 

^'Tli^  words  Ml  with  a  new  and  perplexing  ^urid  bn  tbe'ears  6f  tk 
(Hsciplesi^  Like  nil  Jews,  they  had  betti  accustbined  t8  regfiird  >^orldiy 
pr<*perity  asu  special  liiark  t)f  tlie  favouir  bf  Gbd—f^r  their  andent 
Bcripturea  seemed  always  to  fcdnneet  the  enjoVnient  of  temporal 
blessings  with'  obedii^uce  tsii  the  divine'  law.  Tbet  stilT,  nibrewct, 
Focrett^  cherished  the  hope  of  an  earthly  kingdom  of  t^e  Messiah,  in 
which  Hches  would  play  it  great  ]mrt,  and;  even  apiWf torn  all  this,  If 
it  were  hkrd  to  enter  the  kingdbni  of  heaven,  except  by  sibbping  to] 
absolute  poverty,  it  seemed  as  if  very  few  could  be  salved  at  till.     ; 

f^ClhMren,  how  hard  is  M  t&t  th^  that  trust  in  riches  tbebterj 
iftto  '^e  Idngdbm  of  God«  '^^  repented  iesus,  seeing  theilr  ^wbndcr  iii 


o* 


K'.    i. 


THE  LtFE 


OF  CHR 


640 


^  jsntj^iifK^^W^/^^^,^^^^^^  ga  through  ihe  ay© 

ofa  neeale  thftn  for  a  rich  m(ui/who  clings  to  his  richev,  to  outer  t0to 
tbeJfingapmplGoji**      ,u  .oi.       .        ■:  . 

•♦  W^fe<Ji  then,  c^  he  *avej4?**  asked  wme  of  them. ,     

••With  .ineft;it,i9  iwaposaibiq."  replied  Je«us.  fixing HiseycM cam- 
^lyouthqipi.^'MtnotwithiOocl:  for  with  God  oil  thinga  rir©  pot- 
abl«?,  Ue  .9»i^.  b^ptoi'f  heftveuly  grace  to  wean  the  heart  from  worldly 
riches:  ap?it^owt^»»th<j  world  wili^ 

f  eter,  iei^peciBliy,  ha4  listened  with  deep  attention  to  all  that  had 
p^^d,  ahll  had. E^ii  ii^^ntally  applying  it  to  the  ctise  of  hii)  follow 
disciptes  aha  himself.  Their  minds  were  still  full  of  the  Jewish  idea 
of  piOTit  befpRe.Qpd,  and  of  a  cla?«i.  to  correspoioding  rowacd.  iWhou 
Je^s  ^nmn^oned  th^n^  to  follow  i^im,  they  had  been  emctly  in  tho. 
TQipig  ma^'s  pQi^ltiQn.t^ongh  they  had  not  had  so  much  toi  sutrendec. 
TTiey  had  given  'ip  evcarjr.thing  for  Hnn,  at  His  first  InviMipor— thohr. 
fam^io?,  honscs,  pQcnpa^ion?.  and  prospects.,;  However  litUo  iathem- 
gelyes,  ^hese  liad  heen  the  whole  world  to.  them.  It  t  seemed  only 
imtural,  their^fore^  that  they  should  have  a  proportion  of  tl^t  treaeiu'o 
T^luchJegus  had  pi;omL3ed, the. young man>  if  ho,foraooI&  all  for,Hi9 


,l9,|5qepjingwith,hi^  natural  frank  impnlalycness,  Peter  could  not 
lii^in/his  thongh^^}  and  asked  Jesus  directly  what  he  and  his  fellow 
U^tl(89 wonl^jtts^v^foTtlieir^^l^^^  ,,  , 

jwiowini^tii/e  )ionest^iinplicity  pf  the  Twelve,  their  Master,  instead 
of  reproving,  theii?  hojtdness,  chewed,. them  ivith  words  whioh;  must 
have  soundid  incpnceiyahly  »^nd  to  Galikean  fishermen.  ii , 

"Be  assured  that  at  the  final  triumph  of  my  Kingdom,  wihon. all 
tjuBgs  sht^l  bCt  delivered  from  their  present  ^corruption,  and  restored, 
muf^ugh  n>e ind^uiyi ^9^»  tp  )t^.glpiy  they  had  hefore  sin  entered' 
tne  world:  when  I,  the  now  despised  Son  of  Man,  ghall  come  agaioi, 
Uat§(J;on  thj^  thrpine  of  my  glory,  yon  who  have  fpUowod.  me  in»my 
hiUQillatipn*  wilU  he  exalted  tp^  and  shall  sit,  each  of 

hfmvon  jbis.thrpu4,tp;3ua^e.the  twplve  ttihes  of  Israeli    Yea,  mwe: 
I W;y;  oi^i^  ?wrnP ;g?Y?§  .np  hA*  hrethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  )ot  mother* . 
Ibf children,  or  lahds,  or  houses,  that  he  may  the  more  unreservedly: 
ms^  my  Gcppel^  and  honoipt  wy  name,  will  be  rewarded  a  hundrt^d 
p|4.   Even  In  tl^M  pre^ertib  life  he  will  receive  back  affaln  nchlyaU 
|te lias  left:  houses,  and  bret^en,.aad  sisters,  and  mothers,  and  chil' 

'  ''l\  toj:  he  will  find  aniong  thps^  ^^ho  believe  in  me,  a  compensation 
Ifor  all:  h|$  y^ill  regn^d  and  be  allowed  freely  to  use  their  means  af 
llusown,  and  1^  welcomed  by  them  with  more  than  brptherly  friend* 
lAip,  But,.wi|h.  ajfl.this,  he, will  have  to  bear  persecution.  In  the 
BnitUre  wprl!d,],ni(>r^pyer,  he  win  have  a  still  great^  reward,  for  ther^ 
|he  will  inherit  everlasting  life."  .;  ,       .  i>i.; 

"^^Uti  "^§^ded  |I^».  by  .^ay  of , warnjfng,  **  Up .  net  trust ,  !to t.your 
kg  |eNpn  t^.  ilrst,  tp  |pUpW:J(!ae. ,  J^<*^  the;peWPi^s.cf  the  kingdoai 
lip   en  will  be  like  those  given  by  a  householder  who  had  a 


It 


I; 


m 


q:S^^^FJ^p^,Qn^^ 


viney^.  and^needing.labourero/pt.it,  went  out  .early  in  tUemoQ. 

;i>ifag  to'  lilye  tbem.  .   Hayitt^  f6md  pome,  hi9  agreed  to  0ye  them 

^^«  tIettAriiui »  day,  and  sent  them  into  the  tineyaiv.     woiing  out  again 

about  the  third  liourrr-pjine  o'clpcfe—Jie  saw  Qthem  stft«4»ng  idle  in 

the  marketrplace,  snd  sent  them  al$o  into  the  vit^e^ri^,  makinr;  no 

,  bargiCin  •  Witli  ihen^,  hp^ever,  but  bidding  thigm .  twst .  him  timt  he 

vowld  give  them  what  Was.  just,    Hfe  didthe  *ami  lit  th^  sixth  and  at 

the  niritii  houts .    Finally,  he  went  out  at  th^ .eleventh  hbur,  dnd  found 

stijl  pt^erftstaijiding  about,  and  asked!  wlw  they, had  stayed  theft  all 

, ' tlhi, d^y,  id|e.     'Because . no  one  haig hirGd  us;', implied  twy,    ' Oo  jc 

>;^lpo into  t|ie  yineyAi'd,',said  he,  'and  ,ypu  shali,  r^iye^^  "whatevor  is 

"  Whiffin  the  evening  was  come,  the  16m  of  tK^Vmisyard  bade  hiJ 
overseer  rail  the  labourer^,  and  p^y  thipm  all  the  satntt  «Mtti~the  denaf 


they  received  each,  a  denarius.  But  when  the  flrst  cam4.  they  sup- 
f'posed^  they  should  have  received  more;  but  they, .also  jeceived  eachl 
"lOhly  the' same  jimouht.  And  when  they  received  it,  they  murmured | 
/;  Against  the  hpu^holder,  saying— 7' Those  who  c»wje  in  jttst.did  only 
t>ne  'houir'a  work,  and  tnpu  hast  mad^  them  eqpal  tjo  tis,  y:]x(]  bore  tlie 
BCOrching  wind  from  the  deseirt  at  sunH^,  4nd  th/?;.heiit  of  tlie  day.' 
^But  he  answ^ered  one  of  them,  .^^riend,  I  do  thee'»Ot>rong:  didst 

fot  thpu  a;gree  with  nae  for  a  ^fedairiitet    Tajk^eWJi^ti^  yours,  and  go: 
desire  to  give th^  ^me  to  those  whti  came  itt  )^$it;.£^«hl6  thee.  lal 
i,t  not,  lawttil  for;  me  to,  dp  whw  I  Wiflf  in  my  owtt  i^a^rsl  Is  tljine| 
eye'^eVil:hecaiteel^»m'go6d.r' .:'  ^•..;,.:.;4;/\;-!  .xv;;.j.,i//^/o>''Mj;:  ^      I 
j:    ^'fhc  householder  tihus.ihade  the:  first  W&t.ajiC't^^^^^^ 
-  catise  the  first  had  been  wpi^king  for  hire,  wh  He  tik  pthets  had  simply! 
tarusted  his  promise!    He  who  ^orks  in.,  my  kingdom  lor.  the  sake  of  I 
ja  reVard^^lheretifter,  may  do  his  work  well,,  but  heh<mi6uj*s  melesgl 
X  than  others  w|io  trjist  in  me,:withoiit  tliinking  of  future  gain.    Thel 
i*j]5rit  in  \vhich  you  labour  fbr  me  gives  your  service  Its? 'value.    Hel 
itjio  fe  called  late  in  life,  and  serves  me  Unselfish^,  will  standi 
higher  $t  tjic  great  day  than  he  who  has  served  .ttte  longer,  but  withl 

ft  fessu'pble  motive.    Many  are  called  to  join  m)t  kingdom  imd  wol-k I 
fX  jt,  but  few  ^ho^  them^ves  by  their  spirit  and  i^eaL  e^eciAllyl 
worthy  of  honour.    If  the  first  find  them eeTves  last,  jt  will  depend od I 
themselves,  fprthpugh  ho  one  Can  claim  reward  asJbis'duein  tbeltingl 
dom  pf  God,  yet  I  giye  it,  of  f  avout,  to  thbse  first  who  serve  me  mostl 
pureljf.    He,  I  i^peat;  who  Works  most  devot^ly,  wi*lli6iit  thougWl 
r  of  retvard,  will  be  first,  though/ perhaps,  l^st  to  Ue: called *>  he  mWM 
ofchosen  to  honour,  while  others  less  zeii>l0U8and  lpy|hg,  tJ^oilgU  earHeil 
i:ealled,wM^  ^^uiain.  undistinguished/'  1  .  f 

'  Kbthing  could  have  been  more  fitted  to  check  aUy  tendency  to  self-l 
.2linp6ijtahce:and  pride,  M>  i^atursil  voi  meil  raised  tp  a  poaiti<m^  Incoii'l 


THRLIFB  OFGHRjai!. 


es; 


wlvabjy  *boy0  tji^r  originaV  statipw,  Ifpr  rWas  ^Upre  rpotn^  iejWe- 
f^h,  R>j^  dl>ym«teeQaty  tiJdttghMreven  of  ftiture  re^artf;  fcir  twals- 
(StoTg©  ^f  HhMr  diity. ;  They  cbtdd  tidt  fotget,  that,  thotigh  flm  Iq 
eater  thfe  rln*yttW  of  the  New  Klijgdom;  they  were  yetj  so  fai*.  on  a 
footing'  with  all  ^o  ghoiild  follow  them;  that  the  Bpirlthiil  Worth  of 
their  work,  alohe  deter^iined  their  ultir&s^te  honour.  The  8(M)cia) 
reward  premised  h^theii-Miister  i^as  a  free  j^t  of  (Stod.  i^otthe  i)ay- 
ift^nt  of  a  deb^/«ftd  depended  on  their  6wfi  spfiit  ahd  %eal: 

They  wer^  now  approaching  the  end  of  their  journey,  for  they  wora 
near  JertOhitJ,  at  which  tlie  rokd  struck  directly  we^t  to .  Jeruaal^ih. 
Nisan.  the  ihonth  Of  the  pa^oveir,  had  already  come,  arid  Ohjy  afew 
days  mwre  i^maihed  of  Our  Saviour's  life.  Nature  waa^pilttink'Ohltsi 
spring  bettUtV.and  thi'onkso^  earlv  piljgrlms  were  passlti^  tothe  holy 
citv.  All  around  w?is  joy  and  daaness,  but;  amidst  all,'  a  deeji  globmi 
hung  Ovei;  the  little'coippany  of  Jesurj.  Everyfliintf  on  the  w^yr^iiio 
constant  disputes  with  ttte  Rabbis— the  Wammg  aboitt  Antlj)aa;  tho 
very  solemnity' Of  the  recent  teachings,  combined  to  fill  theff  mindsl 
with  an  undeniied  terror.  They  had  shrunk  fripm  visiting  Bethariy,, 
because  it  was  near  Jerusalem;  for  they  knew  that  the  iEUithoritie^ 
were  on  tl$e  watch  to  arrest  theit  Master,  arid  put  Him  to  death. '  'Hq 
hadhiad'to'tlee  frbhi  that  village,  first  to  Ephraim,  ahd  then,  Ovfefi'  this 
Jordan,  t6  Perea,  and  yet  He  was,  now;  delitierately '  ^ttlklhg  Ihto; tha 


the  spot  Where  JtOhn  had  tilosed  tos  mission.  The  distant  hiOUnt^ius 
of  Mach^etil6';floW  tlitew  thejr  sliado^s  Over  theifi^aute,  arid,  evei^y- 
where,  the  recollections  of  the  great  herald  qf  theiir.Mastei'pife't  thetoi 
Mount  Neboi  Whete  iVtosds  Was  btiiled,  and  the  r^rige  (if  4t^aroth^ 
whfere  John's  miitllftted  corpse  had  been  lain  to  rest,  were  Hdthittsfeftt. 
Everything,  tu  the  associations  Of  the  jOurri^  Wa^  sotetah^;  ^n<^  ttiey 
knew  theit  fiatlOnjvl;  liistory  too  well  ribt  to ;  f ea^  that;  for'  JesUs,' to 
ehter  Jerusalem;  \irouJd  Jbc  to  ^hare  the  sad'  fate  of  the  ^ro^hets  of 
old,  whom  It  had  received  only  to  murder:  It  was 'cleiir  tliat  there 
could  be  but  one  i^3Ue,  and.no  less  so  that  He  was  voluntarily  goibg 
toHlB  dea^h. '  The  calm  resolution  With  wtiich  He  thus"  6arH(^  C)ut 
His  purjjose  awed:  tliem;  fOr,  so  far  from  showing  he^ltjition,  He 
walked*  at  their  head,  while  they  c6uld  only  19110 w  witll  excited 
alarm.  ;'  Ihv?  n.  ■^V0'r'"'"'-^f"-^''^' -''"■-•  ^'^  '■'     -  •  .   '•  "■'•■"■;' ,'' '.   :'■ 

Yet,  tlieiri^fes  were  ititt  cori^useci,  and  the  hope  that  thiri^  might 
result  very  differently,  still  alternated  with  their  fears.  The  old 
dream  of  an  earthly  kingdom  still  clung  to  them,  and  tliey  fancied  that, 
thbugh  (jesur  mijlit  eJtpect  to 'be  killed  in  the  risihg  of  the  nation 
thioh  He  wouldV  peiliaps,  bring  about  at  the  approaching  feast.  He 
might  be  ipore  fortunate,  t\ndr  live  ^  establish  a  greatMessianic  monr 

7(>  digl^^  $iiidh  ah iimslbn;  He  htid'  dready  told  them,  tmcit;4ji^ 


653 


THE  LIFE  6P  CflRIST. 


^  whajk  WW  before  Him ;  but  to  pii^pnre  theiHi  w.  ppwIWe,  for  the 
shook  winch  the  sad  Fealization  of  Hfs  words  wae.sQsoop.tp  brii)^,  H9 
once  ihor^  i^capitulated,  with  greater  miDutenesajJiAn  f^ctr*  wiiat  ^e 
kniew,  with  divine  Certainty,  awaited  His  eojtranCjeJbt^iJ^TUsaW. 

>' Behold,"  said  )E{e,  "we  are  going  up  to.JerusaI(^,  aii,^.the  gpa 
of  Man  will  be  delivered  to  the  chief  priests,  ah4iS(crii>ea*..M^  tlm 
win*  cohdemn  Him  to  death!*— they,  and  no.fl^bfirs;  ifcr,  as  Imj^J^ 
of  the  Old  Kingdom  of  God,  now  corrupt  and  dying,  they  hud  re- 
jeotiBd  Hlm4~'*  aiid  (hey  w.iU  deliver  Him  to  the  Rpmans,  to,  wpck,jmi 
floourgfe,  and  crUcify,  but  the  third  day  He  shall  rise  ^aii?." , , 
f'>Howhard  it  is  to  uproot  strong  prcpossiessions  was  sjio-ivu  ,>^ithiq 
a  fiB¥^  houn^.  In  spite  of  such  repealed  warnings,  ijot  pnly  th^  Twelve, 
but  ihe,  others  Wuo  foIlp^^'M  iJim.  did  not  up^erJSftQPd  w^at  Ji^*] 
meant.  It  is  easy  for  us  to  do  so,  after  tihe  0vent;  i^ut  to  APticipatfj 
the  explanation  tn us  given  must  liave  been  well-nigU  impo^slb}^,  to 
|Bindi9  pireoccupled  with  ideas  so  radicalljr  opposed  to  it. ,,  , 
^ -The  Mention  of  thrones,  as  in  reversion  for  tb^  Twelve  at  "tlji^ 
Corhini^"  df  their  Master  in  His  ^lory,  had  neutralized, the  announce* 
B^ntof  His  death.  His  open  triumpl^Wjas  :exp^^e.d  9s  y^ry  ne^^r  ijt 
bandi  His  death  they  did  ;not  untiersli^nd,.  and  cpuld  not.  Tf<}Qfic[id 
with  His  other  stAtements,  for,  indeed,  they  did  uot  wi^>  jTiodo.^i.  , 
.r  Dreams  at  ambition,  thus,  kiudled,  bad.  risen,  especiaHy  4q  tlie 
minds  of  James  and  John,  who,  with  Pet^r,  werie  tbje  mo$t  honoured 
of  the  Apostles.  They  had.  b^eh  in  a  better  social  Ppsitiou  ,than  mp^t 
of  their  brethren^  and,  with,  Salorae,  t^ir  mother  Jiad.giy^  all  llj^ 
had,  "freely,  tb  the  cause,  of  their  3Vfa$ter.  Ashamed,  ifl(»einBe|y%iq 
tell  Himt their,  thoughts^  they. availed  tjiemselvfts  of  ^alomi?^  whom, 
perhaps,  H^  might  the  more,  readily  hear,  as,  older . tlian  tlif y ;  ^ ^^ 
Woman;  perhaps  as  His, mother's  sister;  and  ^s^onfj.^bOi  had.  sfoi 
heEself,  like  her  sous.  His  true  friend.    .^  >i  :i:iyj..bjih>i^Qiv<i^f,.odn  ^d 

She  now  came,  tlierefore,  with  them,  iu.se!6re^ifti}.a>lral[iji;»4^^  i^fi? 
knees,  as  was  the  custom  where  reverence  was  iutendedi  aiwi  as  ^^ 
especially  due.  to  one  whom  she.  regarded  as  the  fiaturp  great  JlessIaRw? 
Kmg — iold  Him  she  came  to  ask  a  surpassing  favour.,  ''i^li^t  isit?" 
asked  J^eus..  "Say,"  answered  slie,  '.'thajt ,thesei  tf^  two  sons,  my 
sit,  like  the  chief  mihwters. of  other  kings,  pnthffi;^stji^tep,pr  Tfjiy 
throne,  at  Tha;  feet,  ou  Thy  right  hand  and  Thyip(t,,,wi>eq  tiip^  | 
Wettest  up theKingdom.":^,     ;i.,,:  :.j:,;p;;,:.     . ;n;'.!af>i>/i  ur  i;»q..  i^^^: 

.Bo  different,  as  yet,  were  the  twomen  from  ^bfft  tjiey  wotc  after- 
wards to  become,  when  they  h^d., drunk  ;uore  dp<^j[yiO$itIieir,  te^5!f 

c  .*' Yoii  do  not  understand  what  ypur  request  mipU09>"  answered 
•teaud.  "The  highest  place  in  my  Kingdom,  can  o&  be  gained  by 
drinkix^  the  cup  of  sore  trjal,  of  whicb  I,  myself,  slmU  drink 
pt0seittly,  fend' enduriog-tlie  same  flerftQ  l^ti^m  o|  sorrow,  fgisul^ii;- 

n^  e»i«^to  deatfci  In  wlWcb  Ijw  <ro  J^.S^g^fecfi^  jm^^^^M 
fife  able  to  be^r  all  that?'' 


TJ^IE  LIFE  PF  CHRIST. 


In  simplo  tnic-heartedness,  both 
\'' Y6ir'8liiUI>'?iYldeed,"  replied 


!^ 


answered,  at  once,  that  Uiey  wera 
JeMs, . '  *  drink  df  iny  cim^  and '  tie 
Ktptiz^'wfthtlVfe'i^me  ihaptism  as'  I.  but,  in  m^  Kinfldom,  noliottoura 
m  be  given  from  ihcre  favour,  as  in  kingdoms  of  tie  world.  Tho«o 
only  can  oUtaiii  them  Whose  spiritual  gre^tiioM  has  fitted  them  {or 
(hem.  The  >vay  Itior  mtsiire  them  is  only  thnmgh  supreme  sdf  ^sadTifice 
ftf  ihy' fliik^,  artd  tliey  are  given  by  mr  Fatlier  to  those'only  whb  nl'c 
ihtis  prepar^  for  tht)m.    For  such,  indeed,  they*  are  prepaired  by  Him 

^adyr  ■■'    •  '  "  :■      --  -:■  ■■         '■     '     '0 

^  John  attd  Ja^ftM  had  striven  to  hide  their' selfish  and  a!ikibitiou4 
request,  by  oouiing  td  Jteus  When  He  wiis  alone,  but  the  Ten,  as 
w&^  inevitabii^,  ^oon  heard  of  it,  and  were  indignant  in  the  extreme 
at  'such'  an  unWorthy  attempt  to  forestal  them  in  their  Master's  f&f> 
ibkr.  Their  own  EMibition,  at  best  bhiy  suppressed,  broke  out,  afredi^' 
fd'a  fierce' stoi^  of  jearous  passion.  Such  human  weajfoesa  was 
ndly  out  6f '  pl^  fit  any  tinie,  ambng  the  followers  of  the  me«k  and 
lowly  Son  of 'Man',  but  still  more  so,  now.  When  Hp  stood  ahnbst 
ttti&er  the  shAdbW  of  the  cross,  and  it  must  have  caused  ilim  the 
keetiesf  sdrrow.  Calling  the  %holel  Twelve,  offledders  and  offended; 
rpiind  Him,  therefbre.  He  pointed  out  how  utterly  they  had  misap 
Mendi^d  the  nttture  of  Hid  Eingdpm^notwithstaiiqing  all  Hi^  teaclM 
ing  tftrofliigh  the  pa^t  years.  •     j  t 

-'  Tbu  ai^  dieting  about  precedence  in  my  Kingdom,"  said  He, 
"  aS  if  it'  Were  like  the  kingdoms  of  tho  world.  Once  mdre,  let  mtd 
tell  you  tMt  it  \M  trliblly  different.  The  kingg  of  the  heathen  nations 
^^d  u^  Idrd'it  bviermetr  subjectSi  and  thmr magnates^  linder  thi)ni; 
^ertiise'  aut)i6ritV  bfl^h  more  iniperiously  than  their  chiefs.  But  it 
is  Very  different  in  my'  Kihgdom,  and  ii  rery  diffei«nt  Spirit  mn^'  fibd 
pli^e  ai^hg  you,  its  dignitaries.  He  who  wishes  to  be  great  in  Jhafe 
Ktiigdom  '6an  bttly  be  so  bjr  becoming  the  servitint  of  the  others;  and 
he  who  wishes  the  very  highest  rank,  can  oMy  be  so  by  bectUs^ 
|H^lr  slave.  Y6tf<iia|f  1see  thkt  it  mu^t  be  so  fh](m  my  o^wn  case,  y*dur 
a^d  ^  H^ad^'fbr  1^  the  Son  Of  'Man,'  came  liot  to  be  ministered 

even  npiylifBas 


ilbtd,  as'bth<^ktiifg^  a^  1but  to  serve,  and  to  give  up  e^ 


fW;  f>lPl- 


Tlie  upland  ftfifetixres^'of  Peretf'were  iioir  bie'htnd  theffii  ini  ihe 
r6ad  fed  dd^iit<^th^  sunken  dhahnel  of  the  Jordan,  and  the  "diVine 
aWtFict^' 6f  JerichO.  '  This  small  but  rich'  plain  Was  tho  niost  luxU^ 
riant  spot  in  Palestine.  Sloping  gently  up wardfei  frt>Ai  the  leVel  of 
tjieDeadSe^,  1,^0  feet  under  the  Mediterranean,  to  th^e  steito  back- 
gjdimd  of  the  Mils  Of  Quinintana,  It  had  th^cllt»ate  6f  Lower 
Egypt,  and  displayed  the  vegetation  of  the  tropics.  Its  fig-treea 
wle  prc-emfliently  f!amidul3:'  it  was  tiniijtre  iii  its  ^oves  of  palms 
m  vai16iis  kinds:  W  crops  of  diites'  were  'a  proverb:  the  balsam'^ 
plftiit,  ^ffileh  gr(?w  principally  here,  forhi&hed  tl  costly  pekf cmiei  and 
was  In  ygreiit  repute  Ibr  healintg  wotrnds:  mai2Si$  yulded  «  doable 
Mresi!  w^at'^%en^  a  wholb  mo^  ^dler  th(i(B  1ii  CNOU^  $sa4 


dim 


. '  i 


■'K^Ji-'^'li■ 


tS^'illi^E  OIC  CHRlSl*. 


Itiiiumefable  y^s  fpnxi^A  VaMlaeih  1)19  piany  ^roinatJic  ;(}owers  and 
plaiit^,  t^o^  a  Te:^  lirij^nowfi  elsewhere,  Miiioh  w^.  th^  air  yrith 
oa6u|r8,  an4  the  lap^Iscaik  wjtji.  beauty.  .  ,      ,   , 

llis^^g  lil^e  an  aippliit!pe{^fre  from  aiiiidst  tliiis  luxuni^  8<;ei>>>,  Uy 
^^ipliQ/^e  clii^jf  plafce  eoi^t  of  Jerusalem— ftt  8C)yen  or  eight  milq^ 
dist'ij^pe  JlTpm  the  Jordan— 01^  swelUi^g  slopes^^^vpw  hundred  feet 
|t)Gye,tIie  b^d  of  tl^ic  riv^r,  froni  which  its  garden^  ii4d  jgrpHs,  thickly 
iriterepei'^fed  with  marisioiip,  and  covering  seventy  furlongs  from  north 
to  sputb,  aw<^  tAventy  fro^  ea,ift  ,to  west,  ver^  divided, by  a  strip  of 
witdeiriess.  The  town  had  had  an  eventful  hsis^qry.  Once  the  stroijg. 
hf)ld  of  the  Cana^uit(}a,  it.  was  stUl,  in  ika  days  of  Christ^,  surrounded 
by  'towers  and  i^astle^^  Thrax  /pd/TawfjU^,  two  o^  them,  at  the 
entrance  of.  tl>e  C*tY,  |ay  in  ruins  >lric,^  tlie  time  cif  Jfompey,  but  theJ 
6ld  citadel  Dock  mi  stood— dark  with  t^  recollectioh,  that  i^s  heroic  I 
builder  l^imon  3Ta<^Cftb8B^8,  and  Ms  two  son^,  ]l)ad  been  murdered  in 
its  cliamlb^r^.  Ky pros,  the  ja$t  fortress  built  by,  iJei'Qd  the  Great, 
tvfto  had  called  it  afjier:his'mother,r6sew|ute  in  the  sun  iPii  the  south 
p!f  t|;^e  tbtvAf  th%  palace  of  the  Asmp^eau  kJP^s  towefled.  amidst 
gi^dfehs;  l?iii  it  liSKi,  ^icen  deserfjed  b^  royajty  sinpe  tb^,  evil  genius  of 
Bfejf  noiisei  Ale|^ah,dra,  the  ,i^Qthe,y7in|-l^w  of  Herod,  apd  nether  of 
Mariamii^,  had  lived  In  it.  Tne  great  palace  of ,  Herod,  in.  the  far- 
f atoejd j^oves  of  piilms,,  h^^d  beep  pl^y^idered^u^  burned. ^pwn  In.th© 
I^Uiiiiilts  that' followed  )iis  de^]tl^,  but  in  its  pJiCe  a  s^l. grander  Btruc- 
iure,  built;  byArphjEsmus,  had,  risen  amidst  still  fiu^r,  gardens,  and 
ihoi^  ib^ibus  and  di6jj|jpitful  8^^^^^  A  gr^nd  theatre  find  spacipius 

drrcus,  built  by  Herb'd,  scahdalizcid  the  Jews,  not  less  by  their  unholy 
amiiseimejnts  tlian  by  tlie .  reinembrance  t|iat  ,the  el)d)Br8  pf ,  ti^e  nation 
jfvad  been  shut  lijp  in ;t<ife,  laite'i'  by  tlie  dying  tyrant,  to, b^  cut  do^p 
at' l^is  death  in  rciyeiige  for  tiie  hatred.  b6rij\e  hiip.j  ., Aor^  :was  the  miuf- 
dei:  9f  im  you^g  Asmonea^,  A,ristbbulus,  in.  t^e  gre^t  ipools  which 
rawiuade4  the  old.j^sjnonean'pajace,  ^  ^pr  the  lime  when 

Clip<y atia  %'d  wru^g  tlie  ribii  pasis  irpm  fte  ^nds  qf  Hprpd  by  hei 
sp^lFofeirher  Ipver,  Ahto  great  stm^e  ^guipduct  of  eleven 

arcTies  brbiigM  a  copious  supj^lybf  water  to  the  city,  and  jhe  Roman 
mUifanr  ro^d- rauvtlirougl^  jt.  The  hoijises  .themselyes,  however, 
tlibu^  sJiQwy,  wyipre  not  substantia,  ibiitwerp  quilf  flapstly  qf  smv- 
cliied brick,  iike  t^o^e  of  &ypt;,sb  mat  npw,  as  inijthe  similar  ca^ 
6t  BaTjyIpU,  N^n^veJ^j  jbjTj  :Egy]^t,^af^^^f  long  de^olatipn  hardly  a  trace 
of  Oieni remains,,  "''  '..,.,',,'",  '  ,  .'j..' ,;',/.'.  .,'..■■,■. 1  :.,'  '.'  V, 

A  ^eat  multitude .  accompanied  Jesus  as  He  drjcw  near  Jericho- 
pilgrims,'  on  fbbt,  or  on  asses, ^qr  camels;  who  had  come  from  all  the 
side  passes,  ard  cross  roads,  of  Perea^nd  Gftlihee.,:  They  met  at  this 
entral  point  to  ]gp  up  to  the  Pas^pver,  at  Jeiiisaleiii:  upt  a  few  with 


« 


THE.  JA^^  OF  CI..l|i^T. 


6S5 


jtself,  were  much  frequented  at  the  times  of  the  tefM»,  py  be^^gars, 
who  reaped  a  9p^t^\  fiafvest'  frdm  the  cliarity  of  the^pHgrlins.  . 

Blindne^  is  6poc!ally  fi^qtieirt  in  th^  m<it;  Vrhnc  in  Noirtlieni 
Europe  there  is  only  one  bUnd  in  a  thousand,  in  ^^pi  there  is  one 
in  every  Iraiiidtedj  indeed,  very  feW  persons  thdiijTtave  theit  eycg 


Nile;  while  tidglect  ahd  stupid  preiudice,  refusing  or  slightinff  reme» 
dies  in  the  darjief  stages,  lead  to  blindness  lu  many  ci^s  thai  other; 
vise  mij^tit'haTi  been  ensllycuredi  '.'  ,  ' 

Among  the  beggars  who  had  gatliered  OA  the  liidiss  61  thjB  road 
lit  Jericho  "^erd  two  who  liad  thus  lost  theiV  sight :  oneof  Vfliom  only. 
biname  Bar  Ttkseiis^  tdr  some  sp^lal  reason,  is  particularly  noticm 
1^  two  df "the  Gbspels,  fn  the  in'cident  that  fotfowed.  '.',..•> 
'  Tlic^  had  ^tobably  heard  of  tlieciire,,  at  Jerusalem,  of  tlib  man  who 
had  beeh.' born  1)1  hidj  and  16arhlrig  nowfrprii  the  ck)Wd  thai  thie  greiat 
wondef -worker  Wh^  Massing  bjr,  at  or^ce  api)Med  to  Him  As  tihe  S6ii 
6f  David-^the'Messlku— to  na^e  mercy  on  therti.  '  'The  multitude  tried 
in  vaiii  to  sijenbe  them : ;  tlifey  pdly  cried  the  louder.  At  l^t,  Jfesus 
ciiiiie  irear,  krid,  &tahdinj|  stilly  cpmmajided  tbeim  to  be  brought.'  tik 
sriiouient't^^it^^ri^fer  gatmettt,  whldiwoujd  hav^  hlil^erld  t^e% 
wb  ca^tj  a!^idfe.  md,' Ifcapfttgf  up,  they  stopd  befprip'  Hiiii  With  tbetr 
jrtless  tge;  that  tHey  believed  H6  cOuld  op^n  their  eyes,  and  they 
preyed  life %ottt^  (Jo, so.  A  tpu6h  sufficed:  imiiiedlately  their  .eyef 
k^ived  {ii^ht^ii^; ibd they  jpite^d  i^^ tlie  tliWnit^tJff^ljifiljr^^d  i^, 

^Syiv|gVtyviife^:ly:^ 

mahy  prices:,  it9  po^itibii  as  the. centre  of  an.  pxceptiaiiauy^pfoT 
dttptive  district,*  knd  ^Iso  of 'the?  imppi-t  and  expP^^  tV'^de  between  th^ 
ivto  side$  dl^;tttlg'  JOWati,  raiad'e  it,  kl«o;  a!  pity  oiT  pikblieatisi,  It  \M 
IhUch  thcfsailft^  ptfice  lii'Sputttern  Paystihe  as  Capbniii[ui]fi--the  cen- 
tre of  the  tf  dde  between  tlie  sca-coa^t  ^nd'  the  n'qnhetn  Jrii^edor,  as  fat 
lis  DamaSc\is— bfeld  iit  l&alilefe'.-  Tlie  t^fttislt  tp^  ariid  fro  of  so  muc6 
wealth'Woti^h't  with  U  pi"opprtioiiate  work  aiid  toVcK^t  ^<ij^|io  fi^.mer^ 
of  the  reveniiei  'Hettxie,  a  strb'ng  force  of  customs  utjd,  excise  police tbip 
wasstatipri^d  ib  It,  under  a  lot^klhead,  named  'Za'cchieus,'whpm,.iii  pur 
I'day,  w^  mi^it  have  called'a  pommissioner  ojf  custom's."  In  f^  systeiiii 
'  toopiireJsaive'  arid  arbitrary  ^s  the'  Roman  taxation,  tlie  i^b^mtants 
must  liaye  siiflered  Ueavily  at  the  hands  of  siich  a  9omplete  Organ  Izri- 
tion.  To  bte  friendly  With  any  of  their  humbejp  ^a  apt  tlie  way  to 
6e6ur6  thefeVbiir  ofithe  p6or^e  at  large.  ^?:!^'"^;^;  '^V:'^'':  ^''";^:^ 
ilaccUaeus,'  especiatjj^l  was  disltked  arid  dcsplaeq,  %r^  though  a  Je^, 
lie  had  gi-owii  nch  "by  aii  inf  ^mouf?  prpf  essipn,  anq  was,  iti  the  eyes  of 
i  liis  felloMr-toWiism(jm  not  OnlV  an  extPrtibtieif,  but,  by.hij?  Irving  thb 


I  Romans,  a  traitor  tp  his  rade,  k^hVl  tP  'tlieii'  pi  visibly  king,  J^^lioyjah*. 
His  persoiiaV  cl^ar^ictefj  morepy4i*^;9pi^s'fe  hh^i^f^r:^ 


V, 


I' 


m 


TltE  Ll*^'  b^'TCHBlBt! 


owne 


!^  to  Jcsiis-  tbHt  he  liaci,  at  least  |n  some  casei^,  ^fnihg  moBey 
from .^^  fallow-townsmen  l)y, swearing  falsely  agi^nst  tli^in  befo4 
ibo  magistrates.  , 

Jesus  had  seldom  passed  tjbat  winr,  and  henee  His  perean  ^as  liftu 
known,  mongh  rewi^t  bad  spread  His  name  widelt,  'An;iong  others, 
ZaGcb8Q\U9  was  anxious  to  see  Him,  and,  being  filfttl^man;  be  bad  t^n 
before  ih^  caravan  wUb  'Whidi  Jesus  was  entering  Vtli^  town,  and  had 
taken  bis  s^^on,  in  one  pf.ibe  ever-grcfen  flg-trees— a  sycamore—of 
wbicn  sonie  grew  at  the  wayside,  of  great  Size— a  ie"#  e\'eh  fifty  feet 
in  circumference.  They  were  easy  to  climb  ft-citn  tlieb"  short  trunlu 
^d>vipie  b.r^uicbcs,  forking  out*in  all  dircoilons.  * 

He  ,bad  never  seen  Jesus;  but  he  was  nijt  the  lrt6  known  to  Hhn, 
^nd  must  have  been  astounded  when  the  Great  I'^acb^r,  at  He  passed] 
the  spoti  looked  i^i),  and,  addressiiiff  him, by  name,  told  fiiia  to  date 
baste  and  ppime  down,  as  He  intenUed  to  be  bis  c^est  t^at  iiigbt.  A 
divine'  purpose  of  niercv,  as  yet  kho"wn  to  Jestis  oionc,  baid  determined 
UUs  aelf-invit^tiou.  Though  all  others  Bbunned  tiic  chief  of  the.pub- 
^^a^ps  $s  spccioijly  disreputable,  hie  was  dbosen  \n  loyinig  pity  by 
Jesus;  as  tiiB^  host,  TThe  word  was  enough:  in  ah  instant  he  was  on  the 
croundt  aud.Pfessiugiy  welcomed  Christ  to' bis  bospitMity.  Tliathe, 
the  hated  a^d  desp^sea  one,  should  littvc  beeb  thii^  favoured,  ip  a  mo- 


^heXaw,  and  of  public  :l^ee1iog  and  patriotic  dti^jf/tp  lodge  with  the 
chief  publican. *•■  '    ' 

,Tbey  Httle,kqe:w  the  mightv  change  His  having  done  so  had,  in  a 
ipbment.  wrought!  in  a  soul  hitherto  degraded  and  i6»li,  ikii  less  by  an 
i^oble  uie,  th^ti  by  the  social  proSf|ripiion  Wliich  birred  all  hope  of 
^ji?(^-if^cov^ry,  /.dhrjjst  .had  conipil^tely  bVercoihe  hfei,  for  He  had 
t^ated  him  as.  ft.man,  wltj^'rfepect,  i^nd  shown  Win  ':(b^X  the  way  dtill 
Jay  open,  even  to,  him,'^b.ii:  iieyv  and  better  futiiri.  'Th^'  i^o  had 
m^nw^fle,  apparently,  res!cnbd,the  cot^t  of  ZacchsBU^' 'house,  and  flie 
.crowd  pyessea  clbsely  rpund  as'JesuS  was  about  t6  enter  a  d'wellini, 
the  threshold  of  which  no  resppctable  Jew  would  JKhin*k  pf  crossing. 
Hq"^AS  bTftving  a  harsh  pi^blic  opinion,  and  incurring  the  bitterest 
^atred  of  the  JeMsh  ieligious  leadei's,  by  opehly'disregaiiflrng  the 
laws  01  cpemonijil  deilement,  and  by  treating  with  "respect  <Jiie 
whom  tboy,  denounced  as  accurs(6d.  Zaccbajus  -sV as  overpowered 
with  a  sepse  of  the  uns^l^sh  ma^animlty  which  piild  probpt  sueli 
treatment  of  onis  who  liad  no  claim  16  it.  He  would  EHgnaliKe  the 
event  by  au  open  and  public  yo#.  Standing  bef ort;  the  crowd,  tbeiit- 
f^re,  he  addressed  ,phnst-^**  Lord,,  I  feel  deeply  ttie  lionojir  and  Tor- 
•^g  sgrvice  you  do  tn^^  dftdj  hereby  vowtbat  jf  iJiaB  give  one-half  of 
nay'gbods  to  the  poor,'io  mow  hlow  ihUch. I  thanK' T^  And, 
.^tiljLmore^  if,jfts^  l«t9i-eht  to  think  h^sbeen  the'.caye^  I  havi^  ever  taken 
ahy"m6ney  ftom  any'on*  by  ralEie  acctrsati6tf,  I  pdmli^  to  repay 


•»Ift,WrB|X)F,9HBWT- 


Wf 


liA  |oup-fuliU-j^«,l^iglio«t  resti^tion  that  ^ve^  liqQuyi)  li^w  demAiid» 
^^  pi|Q  A^iUy;  ^i^  su^M  an  offtiii^Lc^.         ,  i 

"This  day  issAivatiou  come  to  this  hoUflb.^Rald  ^ed\xs^  a^  Bte  hcan^ 
ipo)l  wordii»  "^A^r^  tl4a,^wi—aii)nc'r  tboMgli,Ji^)  ^c-ris*  ncvorthelcs^,  a 
son  of  Abral)iani,  aad  now  shows  hims^u,  huvatiled  and  penitdnt.  i 
MDieto  aejBk  aqd.  t^isave  that  >y3dcU  was  l()8t,  and  I  rclolco  to  Imvo 
I  'wpp  ha<?k  to  t|i«  jtoi4,pf.,  Qod,  a  child  of  Israel*  who  haq  wandered  m 
(ar  from  Him,"  ^l^efnad.iort^ifeen  the  whole  incident,  by  Hia  diviiie 
power,  and  oalp^y  ignor^cl,  all  recognition  o^  caste  or  class  when  a 
fcap  poul,wai»  to  hjB  wpn.    , 

"Before  you  leav«^/  Hq  C9njl4uued,  ^tll}. addtessing  the  crowd  in 
t)^  coui;(-ynil4'  pr,,oulsi#  K  4'  Ip^  u^e  tell  you  a  parabfe.  |  kpow 
5V^t  is  in  y9nr,  ti^ougUts. .  ixou  see  that  ,1  am  jH;ar  ff^rusalom, 
lit}!;  suppose  I  4M  U^  a4v<u?^S^  9t  tli6  Passov(^r,  when  such  Vast 
throngs  of  Jews  are  in  the  holy  ciiy^  to  proclaim, the  kingaom  of  the 
Messiah  in  the  ^ay  yqu  expect,  •by  Insurrectji)^  and  torco.  Let  mo 
aitJlMjfore ypu, .the f ruth.",.,  ,  ^        ,,  ,  .    .        .        . 

With  (,M  macYcllous  power  of  turniiig  every  incident  td  practical 
account  yirhicUjjnarlied:  tiis.tcach^ne,  lie  nroceeded  to  repeat  a  para- 
ble JMirrowed,  |n  ^iai>y  particulars,  %rqu\  facts  In  their,  recent  pr  p^^, 
iog  nati^jpiid  liistpnr,  Archelaus  had  set  out  for  Romp,  mos^  lucdy 
(^  ^jeiricho  .ititelf,  not  mapy  years  before,  to  obtain  investltute  In 
t^Q.liingdbm  le^  to  iiim  by  tl^e  will  of  his  father  Ileroq,  and  the  JTewa 
1^  sent  a  fruitless  embassy  after  hiu),„  to  preyqut  bis  obtatiiing  it. 
4jl,th^, p^'iuffesof.UiL'  Iipuse pf  Herod  had,  indeed,  been  only  vassals 
of  Rome,  ana  liad  iiad  to  go  to  the  imperial  city,  in  each  case,  to  se^k 
tl^ir  liingdoiin  a^  a^ftfrpra  the  Ropian  senate.:^  ,„; 
.  '/^cfti-ta^n  nian,'jj^id  He,"  pi  noble  birtli,  ivent  ^p  a  dij^tant  coun- 
tiy  to  receive  for  himself  the  dignity  of  king  jbver  his  forinpr  follow- 
I ,#zeps,  ai^d -^len  to  ?^um.  JJ^fqi^p  doiiijg  so,  he  iCalled , ^en  oi*  his 
Bervauts,  from,  .Y^i^m,  m  suc^  j^e  liad  the  r^lit  to  expcjjt ;  tfc  ^Mtmpst 
gjjrQfprh^  itrterest^^  Jiisab8eft<^e.^;.ge jir^ppseA  In  hi^sectetmlnd, 
4a  entrust  14^«W.  W^tlji,  i^  wnall  responsibility,  by  their  aischar^p'of 
wl|iphvhe.cpijhi  jndge,  Tviij^n  hp.returped,.  of  their  fitness  and  WOrihl- 
ips  to  b<3  p^^i  iiito  positions  of  great^  consideration ;  fpr  he  ^isli^d 
I  (l^  cheosq  frofn,  then^  his,  f uiure^  ^^^  !    , 

i,  ;*'J?^;tfe}  meahjimp  ho  gave  them,  each,, only  a  mina,  php  hundhjd, 
^fftC^tniEe,  and  fHiid.io  t^am,  *  Trade  with  this,  on  |hy  account,  till  I 
fi^arn.-  jTithpy  pj;oYe>d  tp«bc  faithful  in  this  small  xn^t%',  he  would 
Ije  able  J^  t^dyance^hem  to  higher  trusts. 

;,;"  It  hwp^d,  however,  that  he  was  so  unpopular,  that  liis  f qlloiY- 
(^ItKns,  In  .tl^eir,  h^red  of  |iim,  sent  an  enib^ssy  a^t^r  him  to  tho 
(Hipreme  powelr,  pomplaining  against  him,  and  contemptuously  declar- 
jngrtjiaf  |Uey  iWould  not,  have  such  a,  man  tp  rule  over  them.    But 

;:^!iS^poi|ft^:tlie^C,king.  „,,;l  ^^,f  v..:u,f::ni  ;L/.--^;i?.r.i.:;i::  ^J.;,7-ifc  I 
■:-::0)f^  hij|j[ot^n),  a|ft^r  h^  had  tlfus  r^ceivjed  the  gPVjMfriment^  ne 


i  m 


n 

m 

m 


k' : 
,1 

f: 


m 


m 


T%3|  liFE  O^  C^lf^dTi 


otdered  tbe  scrvwits  io^hom  W%^:r^veiitli6moiieitt<>i)e  called 
before  lj|im^  tUf  t  h^  might  know  whAV«9c(h- ^ad  ^neS  by  trading. 
Tlie  :^rst  caju^  apd  said.  ' Ii<)rd,  thy  mina  has  gtiined  ten.'  'Well 
done,  good  servant, '  replied  his  master^  '  beic^u^e  ^Ou  ly ast  faithful 
ih,^  Very  little,  be  thou  governor  of  ten  cities.*  Tiife  second  eamci 
sajjlrig,  *  Lord,  thy  miua  has  gained  .five. 'r*^1J»oii  governor  of  five 
citie&Z  filled  his  ipaster.  ■But  another  came  aii^^  aaid,  '  h^tC,  hei*' 
is  «^  E^tnift,  1  have  kept  it  safely  tied  iip  in  a  oai^in:  y^u  tvillfind 
it  i}ii#  asl  got.it.  laid  i^ot  know  what  to  do  wHh  it»  tod  I  was; 
afraid  of  thee;  for  I  Jpa^;  yoii  are  a  har^  q^ni  iuf  motley  mattees^ 
k)dkii^g,'lbr  gredl  |>ron^  where  yaii  have  lajsd  oi^t  ne^t'to  nothing,— 
taking  up,  as  they  say;  what  you  hQ4  n^t  put  dowh,;<uiidvif  needs  be, 
reaphig  whci!«  you  had  j^ot  so wn,-*^riiafcing  good,  yoiir  Joss,  if  tliew 
were,  any,  at  nls  expense  who  ^caused  itvTf'and  so,  to  keep  inyself  safe^f 
I  thotl^ht  it  best  to  run  no  risk  one 'way  or  other.' 

**,'lwiH  Jtidge  youbufr  of  your  own  moMth,. wicked  «6i!Vant,' wi- 
plied  his  niaste^;  'Xousay  vou  knew  I  was  a  hard  inAn. in  money 
mAMei^,  seeking  g$biu  wtoe  I^ad  liiid  nj()thing  ciut  to  secw  it,  and 


rfCTvgjit  ^'ahding  by,  he , cqnt^ued,  'Take  froth  hiin  -the  mina, «iiwl 
give  it  hfi^  £ vdt  has  ten. '  *  H^  l\as  ten  ahready^^  muWiered -  the  ser- 
vants, half  afraM.  But  th0  king  went  on  in  liis  anger,  without  heed- 
ing  them,^ — *  I  tell  you ,  that  to*  every  one  who  shows  his  fitness  to 
serve  me,  by  having  already  increased  what  I  at  first  gave  him,  I 
shall  give  more;  but  I  shall  take  a"^ay«Wl^^t.  I' fiM  gave,  from  him; 
whd,  by  addiiig  nothing  to  it,  has  proved  his  unfitness  to  use  what 
might  be  put  m  his  hands.'      o  a;  :  j  ;  r  unu  ;«ui  i    i. 

''  "AS-tp  my  enemies, ;W^ho  d^d  not  wish  ifniB  16  ieign  OA*er  themy 
bring  th^fti^^luCli^^^ 

1^  lessonsjof  the  parab^QipoUld  liardlybe  misuudei'^^  To  tie 
Jewisli  peopU,  w^ho  would  not  receive  ^im  as  the  Me^si^,  they  spoke 
ih'wprds  of  warning  alarm;  but  the ' Tweilve»  tnemselves,  heard  a 
solenin  caution.  They  liad  e*4ch,  in  being  selectod  as  an  apostle,  re- 
ceived a  sacred  trust,  to  be  used  for  his  Master's  ifi.terests,  till  the 
coming  again  in  glory.  Well  for  him,  who,  when  his  Lord  returned 
to  judgment,  could  give  a  good,  account  of  his  st^wardijhip;  ^woe  to 
hifa  Who  had  neglected  his  trust  I  Though  called  to  the  saeme  honoiif 
at  fiifgt  as  ^lie  others^  as  an  apostle,  he  would  be  stripped  of  his  riauk; 
arid  receiye  no  share  in  the  glory  and  digpitifes'of  tjlie  Messianic 
kingdom'  As  to  the  Jews  who  rejected  Jiim^,  Bis^  eonaihg  would  be 
tiie^ijjnal  for  the  sorest  Judgments.  -  ,t^-  *  "V  //v  ^  _  ,;:^ 
^'Havibg  finished  His  brjef  stay  in  Jericho,  Jesus  sief  put,  once  niore, 
6h  Bif  jouiiiey  of  cahii,  self-sacrificing  Jove,  to  Jejms^iem^,  going  oh 
before  the  multitude,  in  His  grand  ,coi?sciousnies8  of  victory  beyofid 
♦hougliLtlv^^rai^  had  alre^y  gone  up'*©  tlve  Hoiy  .Clt^>  for  nota  few 


Leded  to  be  there  igome  eime'  Itcitm  iW^M,  to  t^it^  tii^l9^li^ 
[tpjalre^  part  in  fit^by  puHflmtlon^  i^ec6i|sary  ' fo^i  yiiric)tl»  caUfice.' 
[lepers,  for  eiample.whdyer^i  cured,  Ibm  ba]a  HQt  be«^n  jbt^npitnce^ 
Itleftn  by  jthe  priests,  and  many  otbeilR,  were  tn  thii  pp$mOQ.    Crreiit 

with  tlie  firat  arrivftis  of  ^$vim  frqittftbroad.    '^''*^   ;  ';  ^^  f    ^ 
I  Keanwhiiie,  all  classes  alike^  In,JerUsAl|ifti,  dii^UjIfled  tl^e/prol 
|of  dhrist^s  epmlng  tM>  tiie  feaiit,    Tbe  eJtr'tenj^t  ahioni^  tbo  ^ 

igg  evidentv  aadmereased  the  ^larm  of  tbe  bletiijobicat  party*  JTpr  H<  . 
jfM  tiiey  lyithstand  Hiin,  if  He  o^be  gained,g^herkl  popular  ^pptif^t' 
Irhe  advice  of  OaiapbaB  JhuI.  tbe^eforo.  betn  acoepted  ii4  tb^poUdy 
|of  the  party  at  large^,  and  orders  bad  been  liiued  Uiot  He  isbdald  ,lbd 
lirwsted  at  once,  vfhbn.  fourid.  It  wfts  even  re^^lred  tbat '  any  oab 
Iwlioknew  wb0?e  He  was,  sbould  report  It,  Witb  A  View  to  Hia  Wpt^- 

■"cnsion.  ■  ^     ;.,^--.      •:  I  ii' '   -i  '    J  ,■    -rc  •■-■:■  i-->' •.! 

In  the  midst  of  ibis  commotion,  Jesus  quletty  ^t^wd  BfetMiJj,  bn 
he  sixth  diay  before  the  Passbv^;^  It  w^.  however,  lm})6^sibfe  for 
lim  to  remain  concealed.^  Th;^  neWs  pasiHfdft'orti  inouth  td ;mbUth»' 
1  the  street  of  the  village  s^n  bepame  throbbed  with  visitors,  -^bo^ 
^e,  not'only  to  see  Him,  b«it  to  see  LazarUi  ^ao,  whom  tjbey  beard 
9e  had  raised  from  tliedead. ,  The  high  prl@st«|  bii;gt|^  tojttlMon 
ikether  they  could  not  manage  to  put  lui^,  a^Jio,  to  deatbi  The  B%Ktr 
b  him  was  winning  iuany  disciples  to  Jesus,    jh^y  w^ttld  try.         | 


\l::  '..'IJ  ,ol  c-..    .  ■•;. 


CH^APTERty. 


■  -J  i  i-j 


,         r     ;      ■     .^.-rfit 

Thi  long  caravan  qt  pilgrims  that  had  i^ccompl^nted ,  »fcsus  up,  tboj 
fUd  gorge  of  tijje  K,edron»  frotb  JeriQho,  had  be^n  Ijuftat  Bethany; 
oine  pressing  on  to  ferusalem^  others  striking  their  tents,  as  fancy 
fleasedthetn,!  in  the  pleasant  dell  below  the  vllfage,  or  6n  th€|  western, 
ilope  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  where  they  could  feast  their  eyes  With  a 
(ight  of  Jerusalem.  It  wastbeeye  Qi  Uie  Sabbftth,  and  that  night  and 
ienext  day  were  sacred.  Tiie  jouraey  from  Jericho  h^d  been  exhausts 
Dg.  A  steep  and  narrow  bridfe-pathi  threadiug  the  precipitous  defile^ 
i  been  the  only  road.  It  was  th§,  seen©  of  the  parable  of  tlie  Good 
ftiiiaritan.  The  khan,  wherje  the  wounded  man  was  s|ieltered,  had 
eon  passed  half  way.  Lonely  ascents,  between  bare  rocks,  with  the 
lorst  footing,  had  on)y  been  l®^*  behincj  wheu,3othany  and,  Beth- 
Vge,  on  the  eastern  spur  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  came  in  sight.  The 
fiurney  was  over  before  three  in  the  afternoon,  for  It  was  the  rule  to 
»ve  three  hours  of  rest  l)ef qre  the  Babbath  bem*  >it  six.  lu.Bet^- 
By  Jesue  was  ajtliomc-.  Xt  was  the  villa^o  .^f  Lazarus,"  abd  ^I^rth^. 
D(i  )|ary.  x^h$  fiftj^eji  miles  from  JettidhO  h&d  been  aconttnuld  cHfnb 
fover  three  fhoilisand  feet,  but  nia  cotild  n6w  fost  with  Hisfrien^d,' 


1 

K^^^^^B> 

i' 

[    I^H^B 

l^ 

:^JH9H 

y 

II 

ntf 


WM^W^^^^^^- 


t]bir(mdi  the  Sabttftlli. ,  Before  the  next  lie  would  be  crucified.    Andl 

ak"^^:^    ■^''■^"'-'  -^'^:>->'V'ff«.- ''^^''-^t-^  ■'■  -Jr^Hv^r,  i.:^,!<ilM^  ^iv  „f^j 

fii^ftil  endV'tP'  first  act  !n  the  "^cat  tragfedy-iiHbi  triumphal  entry 
itito'  Jeru^liiM—flily  \^d  f  hd  Way  tb  Wife  g^Cfet  'c6n«iiniiftiition. 

libi  tl^feeTl^  ii*dbtii#  He  hA(^'tn6ird  fend  trioi?^  tmeflfy  assumed  tL, 
ey^preme  4igi?i^  of  Messiah.  With  Wlfeis  eatitidnl  Hd  had  at  first  kJ 
fl^ea  TOttl'ii  stldd^,&'  ii^li^  His  61fte©.  and  had  carefUllJ 

^U^riiiM  J56pular  exfcilA  by  the^  j>^bKsiatlbtt  elf 'HiSs  mira^lesH 

^IRlSTyt^rds^i^irhicii  ^bre.'th'e  Hnite  BCfed  <ff  IWr khigddmu^niighJ 


He'hiid  iicnei-,  hdWevel',  i^eft^ed  tlifc  title  when  gi\ 
^Ilrh;^r t^te hbnolii^, froifh  tifiib  tb' time  jiaid  Himas  thcf  Christ.    M 
fiM^Veh  Tbveal6a  Htihself  to  to  wbirian  of  Satnariii^'td'the  ApostlwJ 
ifh'! 

m 

n()  fotittlifc  of,  ai  it  M^ere,  officiaf  detiat^flon  of  if  is 'claims*  and  Ti^hti 
jdi  theTO^siah;  ahd  till  thfe  Ws' d'otfe, '  theteigtillAvaiited  a  forma! ma 
himt^Xidti'Wilih  W$Aomh06Tt^  I^d  and  Ihe'worid:  Till  it  h'J 
^eu'dbbiJ,  m'<l)k«b!Tet,  thd  he^S  of  the  m^otibund  theocracy  conld  noi 
beyald  *6  haV^fe'hiad  to  chdiett  o)oeMy  given  th6m/ as  the  repr«^sentft| 
tives  of  the  religious  past,  to  Accei!)t  HiBfiiis'-thc  M«S8iah;or  aeflhltel/ 
lb  reject  Him.  1 

'  He  had,  therefore,  determined,  with  calm  deliberatto:^,  and  cbnl 
aciousne^  of  what  it  involved,  to  enter  Jei'usalem  publicly,  withsuclf 
tircim^stahce  as  would  opienly  tmnonnbe  His  claim  to  be  Uie  Messiahj 
Hfe'WoUld  also  perfo«*m  siJeqMic  Messianic  acts,  in  the  verj^  citadd  oj 
Hie  thedcracy,  Ahd  under  the  eyes  of  the  haughty,  and  yet  alarmedl 
hifeiiiitsl^.  TO  \^dttld  ejlt(^  «s  a  kiftg,  but,  as  thie  Prtfttd  of  Pete* 
|i;^ihg  lid  i'^l  preteh^  f or  any  cha^fe-  of  politteal  deslftnf,  bnt-ctearli 
ai8 teng  only  ih  a  spitittial'  sdiise:  'He  Bad  fa<J  lOtf gei?T«*iy  reasoft  ' 
fccJiideM  f  rotait  to  aiitorities  t^hiaiA  Hief  tcfeHyir«i§,  and 'felt  Hiifts 

^'Thecombiatii^  of  jjil^ittis  frott  the  yi-fdttJi  towtf*  irtid  ^istrictai 
'|*al(;st*ne;  oi"  fr6to  Jewish  settleihdrit*  abroad,  wiei-ef  wbnt  to  m»H 

ftlbjic  feAtiies  into  the  city  before  the  grtjat  feastfe.  Such  an  onti 
e^ils,  would  make;.  Himself  its  ceritriil  15giirc.  It  W<vuld'  be  a  i&ji 
joyand  gladness  to  Hiihself  and  to  6lhei-8,*a8  wli^n  a  king  eaters  oj 
lils'  kiiigabm:  Rd  wduld  no  longer  check  tlie  popular  fueling  in  Hi 
favour.  His  last  entijy  to  the  Holy  City,  at  the  Feasts  of  TabernkW 
had  been  desighedly  sedret ;  but  this  should  be  ih  ex*ct  contrast,  fd 
^e  kneW  that  His  kingly  work  y/m  how  over,  so  far  a»  He,  Hira« 
d6t^|d  complete  it,  and  tbe  enthusiasm  of  willing  coiisecratiou  mi^i 

'  ' "  YicM 


THE  LIFE  OP 


CHRi^ 


m 


crucified.    And! 


luinds,  in  ibe  face  of  fac^.  Israel  snouid  bow  see  Him  come  open.^, 
Lfle,  wbo^.^Qoertf  thi^y  fiftiil}[Iy  accepted  Him, «oiild  saye  tbenji,  oy 
[iBiding  ttiem  90  a  nation,  tq^  tjriie  xepentai^9e,'and  li  Iiiglier  spiritual 
[life.  He  .kn«wrbef€M\liand*!  thftt.  they  wquld  not,^b\it.  Bus  work  could 
m  be  said  to  be  Qompletely  ended  t|il  ^e  had  given  them  and  their 
Ijesdersithis  last  puulio  opportunity,^ 

|,  Hitherto  He  had  entoi:»dthe  Holy  City  on  foot;  this  day  He -w;oul4 

Ijosoas  Patid  and  ^li@  iJud^e^  of.Jsrael  wer^  won^ria|i}g  oi^  tUQ 

lipecially  Jewish  as^ '  Kof.must  we  t^n^  of  Weslern  asso(^iations  in 

lioimecUoii  with  the ,  name.    In  the  East,  the  ass  is  in  l^igh  esteem^ 

IBteteUer,  KveUfer,  swifter  tha»  with  us,  Jt.yl^s  wt%  tUe  Jior^e  ia 

byouTi  Among  the  Jaws  it  was  equally  vaiued  as  a  beast  of  burden; 

work  in  the  field  ^t  at.  ^e^  mill;  and  f^i:  riding.    Ii|  cpnt^a^t  t<> 

!  hoTsc.f  whicsh  had  been :  introducod  by  Soloipoin,  frppi  Egypt^  and 

[ffltused  especially  for  war,  it  was  t^  svijiboi  of  peac^  To  y^^  ^ejwr 

iwas  peQuUarlynationalt  for  had^not  IVlQse^  l^d  hfs  w'iffi,  seated  joii 

A<a^s;.toE^ypt;  had not.thcJud^B ridden qn white afses;a,u^( was 

jdt  the  ass  of  Abraham,  /the, fniej^;pfGbd^  note^  iij.  S(rrii)ti^i:eit 

plrery  Jew,  mcweover,  expected,  from  the  words  of  one  oi  the  prt^h* 

that  the  Messiah,  womd  enter'  Jerusalem,  poor,  bxvX  riding  imau 

No  act  could  bie  more  perifefctly  m  keeping  ?wlth,  the  conp^ption 

k  a^  king"  of  israel^  <  and  no  rworda ,  <$oM  express  more  plainly ,  t|iat 

|th9tiki»gpr9i(iht$iii^  Hin^setftl^^^  .^^.  ;v  ,  A^r*^{  vj^^?' 

I  On  the  early  morning  of  Sunday,  the  tentli  of  I^is^ii-T-t^ib  JewisTi 

IHonday,  therefore^-^Jesus^and  the  Twe},vehlef t*  theirfhp^ta^le  shjBlter 

kBethaiiy,  awi  pa#8(Jdr  out  to  th^  Uttle  valley  beneath,  with  its  clust 

ItliB  of  fig*  alwbna,  ^nd  oJlve  trees,  won  to  burpt  in|o  leaf;,  and  its 

yfeivpreeojinalmf.  :*^om<?Wher!e  pear  lay  tKc  larger  village  of  Beth^ 

'    uHk^vmthcviy^socJoseto  Jerusafe0.asEitojb^  Ibo 

Inioal.  jaw,  aupartrof  it. .  r^e^r^  disciples^  apch  as- the  JSva  hiin^ 

who  aftejCWaidB  gathered  to  puie  ppot  in  Galilee^  and  tl^^  liunjlred 

tid  twenty  who^me^  ajftertti^  iwrr^ction,  in  the  upper  room  in  the 

lefar  ;€ity,  vfere  ,»cattt}t6d  iu  jiiapy ,  pjaces* ,  At  least  oue  such  Hve(| 

|iE  Betliphage.     Jesus,  therefore,  liow  sent  two  disciples  ihfther 5 

Blllag  them  that,  immediately  pn, entering  it,  th^y  would  fl)id -a  islie 

5  tied,  and  her  colt  standibg  by  her.     'rlLoose  and  bring  11ienf,tp 

8,"said,.Hei  "and  jf  any  one  make  a  remark,  sav  that  tlie  Lprd 

«ds  them,  and  he  will  s<jud  tlipm  at  once."    Itis  supernktuiral 

owerhadirid^tly  directed  them,    The  ass  and  its  colt  were  foiinC 

idiUe  rMy  p^rmlsf  ion  of  their  owner — no  doubj^a  disciplef-^waf 

bteined  at^  once,  for  their  being  taken  foj*  His  us3.  ^:,'^'  '' 

Meanwhile^  it.,  had  reached  Jenipal<?m  that  lie  wasahout  to  eh^er 

and  greftt  ijumbers  of  the,  Oalili^n;  pilgrims^  proud  of  Rim  as  a 

oplhet  froia  jtheif  owja  difttrtcl,  fprt^with  set  out  to  meet  and  escort 

cutting  fronds^,  as  th^  came,  frqita  >the  palm-trees  that  then 

the  padi.  tp.  dp  Iftjpa  hpnp»ij?»    top  .(Jisciples  shP^ed  emial 

Btliiisiasni^  and  it  was  forthwith  caught  Dv  the  crowds  arottnd--i61f 


# 


und  imr  ^^s^iyfm  fillc^d  witl)  dIM^s  at  .this 
J,  ,^^_.  JGj^er  ms^\y  tlircw  their' atybftd'  on  tlie^  mck  of  t)je 
,4*%jit  foRlAelr  M#M'an,d  s^t  Him'o^  it^  ttie'  mo't^er  walk- 
_  t;  ilt  aide ;  ^m  WMVit,  iiot  to  be ,  b^l^iHi^,  sMnd  tHfeirs  on  the 
>0^^  or. cut  off  the  ^JotSmg;.  sftroiits.  froM;  th^  ti'ee^,'  and  .^fewed  them 
liefore'  mm.  So,  myrtle  twigs  Und  rotfes  h^  t)efen  i^fetm  by  thdr 
aa9^top  jbf^ore  ]^pra^.  whei^  he  caine  IbrtJ  fro^  the  palace  of 
Ah|i8i^er!(i8,;  arid  ao  JieJ?ersia^  army  had, honotir^'Xfettes^,  when 
»l)out  io,«rps$.  the  'Hellespont,  and  so  it  is  6tiill  sbhietUries  done  in 
fP^tuw;:as  a'mark  of  spfel^honou^  ''       n  .      v  .yv  ,    , 

the^oMdw jb6tv«rjeejpi,t;he  'ifWh,  cres^.of  the  hilV;  tifext,  .o^'^r  the.  sim^mit;  L 
atod .  QXk  J^e  90uth,  jb^t^.een  the  Ktbunt  ,df  Opves  and  the  Hill  of  I 
<^€;HOe— 8t?l|theinosifrec^^^^  aiid  the  best,  Along  this  Jesbsl 
«^yiii<d©d,  preceded  and'ioilowp4'%  Wltiiudes;  T^ltih'loiid  cries  off 
--^-)lcl9g^  as^at  (ke  TM  dfJC^abetriacle^,  wljen  th^'greait  Halle!  was 
'-  J9i^  in  theifr  prOcessiOhs.  With'  the' i*iW]()r6Vi^tOTitil  tUfn  of 
,  JasS;  their  fi^c;6j^mati6ng  ^^^^  TtrMch^long 

^su^  ii^  ^h6  eai:ly  Churp^^  ■     ;  " 

lu^v  W«fl8e4,h!B,^  feinK4oii^;o|  pur  Yaw   X>avi4^noiy^  tp  be  restored  !»  the 
^"li,.    ijiEunpofJenovfinl  '  .      ^ 

"  ^^  Ble6i^  M  Re  tiiiftt  oditaetli-^h;^  King^iof  brael-3a  th^  name  df  Jehdvahl 
0 ' '    Our  peace  and  salvation  (nQw^^cnniiig)  acre  d^nom  QqCk  ab&ve^Y^   .  . 
.-3j^ ^  iPtaised^be  He  iu  the  higl>^  |i©avpn«  M <?r  g)Bnd|ng  them  by  ,1™,  >he  Spn 
^-^•u-  .ofDayld)]'  ,"  .  ^     ,  :        :    '   '■■  '  ^''-'i''  »-)  -^^i 

^  V  It  W^A  txiv^v^Ki^  iiipn-| 

qjf^Qh^,  ,;froi  aipolis  ot  townf,  oy,  yiflige$,  adpriii^d  It,  tip  .trains  of  (^i 
tiy^4e^i^ea  ^^la^e^  pj  6,emi;, (the  6g9,ii  of  ^His  ;feSyor<i  and His| 

be 

,;.c'i 

i^han^eea  aj^ng  the  mulijit^^^  ih  y^ii^;' tried  fo  silence  the  acclal 
maiioii^  ,  Iftj  their  niortil^catioJi  they  even  tiitned  to  J^^s  Hin^k<^lf,| 
to«alL.that  Jle should, rdjuke  those  who  made  them.  **  K6,"  replied] 
He».,!.*^  jtell  you  that,  i|  these  shovid'hold  thdir  p^e.  the  viery  stones 
ifpjjlciyrout."  •     •■  ^'  '  '   '         ■   ''"'  '       '"•'      '     ^ 


A«; th/ey ,§ipproa(Ch^  tKe 'teu^dfer  0^1  We  hitt, ;  V,Wtjg , thi/ i-oad  bendi 
dowuwaid^jto.tlie^porth.  the  sparse  yegctatloh  pt  tfiei;  eastern  slop 
diangedi  ap  in  a  moment;,  to  thp,rich  gredn  of  gardens  and  trees,  m 
Jerusalem  in  its  glory , rose  befq]5'ethejfn.  It  is  hard  foru's  to  imagine, 
now,  the  splendour  of  the  view..   The  ^ity  bf.Crodi  seated  on  heil 

'     the  moiling  sup.    ptraig'bt  beforeJ 


hiUa^jshonei  at  the  mojoieni  in  „, 

Btretched  ,  thei ,  vast  ,  wiute  walll^ ,!  cind.  huildihgg  of  t^6'  Temple 

courts,  j^'^^-"  -  --^"     -'"  -^-^ ---^^?^-  ^--i-^ '—  -^ 

fidee  ojTt 


THE  lilFB  OF  CHRIST. 


jgteen  jp^rkJ^  ntx^  the  iHCture$qu6  pntliqes  of  the  strooli.  Over  nil 
vested  tlKe  fiptill  of  a  history  of  two  thoi^ahd  yean;  of  li  present 
whicQ  ontveq  ^&1;YaUon  in  its  own  perverted  way;  aiid  the  mystlo 
Holy  of.  HoUes  linked  the  seen  to  the  invisible.  .  The.  crusaders,  loiig 
centuries  after,  when. the  only  glory  left  to  the  Hoty  C^fy  was  Us 
wondrous  memories,  burst  out  into  aloud  cry— Jerusalem!  Jerusa- 
lem! when  they  i^rst'saw  it,  and  the  enthusiasin  of  the  Jew  could  not 
live  been  fainter.   :The  shouts  and  rejoicing  rbse  higher  tliaii  eter. 

The  whole  scene  was  oveipowering,  even  to  Jesus  Himself.  ,  He 
was  crossing  the  ground  op  which,  a  generation  later,  tlie  tenth 
Roman  legion  woi}lq  be  encamped,  as  part  p|  the]^iegl|ig  force 
destined  to  lay  all  the  splendour  before  Him  in  ashes.  Knowing  th(3( 
future  as  He  did,  His  heart  was  filled  with  indescribable  sadness,,  for 
He  was  a  patriot,  and  man,  though  also  the  $on  of  God.  lidoiclng 
at  the  spectaqle  before  Him,  and  thinlqng  of  the  contrast  a  few  years 
would  show,  tears  burst  from  His  eyes,  and  His  disciples  heard  Hlin 
Baying— "WotUd  that  thou  hadst  known^  thou,  Jerusalc^m,  in  this, 
thy  day,  when.  1(  come,  who,  alone,  c^n  bring  it— lyhat  would  give 
thee  peace  and  Silfety!  Bojt  now,  thou  seest  not  what  onlv  cotild 
make  them  thine-— the  receiving  me  as  the  Messiah!  Days  will  come 
upon  thee,  when  tliine  enemies  will  raise  a. mount  a|)put  thee^  and 
compass  tdiee  round,  and  invest  thee  on  every  side,  and  l^yel  thee 
with  the  ground,  and  bury  thy  children  under  tliy  ruins,  aud  leave 
not  one  stone  in  thee  upon  another,  because  thou  know^t  not  the 
time  when  God,  through  me,  pfleredst  thee  tialvation  1  j 

Svyeeping, round  to  tlie  north,  the  road  approached  Jerusalem  by 
tlie  bridge  over  the  Kedron ;  to  reach  which  it  had  to  pass  €feth- 
semanef.  '  t^h-s  myriads  of  pilgrims  on  the  slopes  of  Oliyot,  and  the 
CEOwdatthe  eastbrn  Wall  of  the  Temple,  thus  saw  the  procession 
winding  in  ^lovv' advance,  till  itreachea  the  ga|;e,  now  St.  Stephen's, 
through  whidi  Jesu$  passed  into  Betheza^— tb^  new  town— rlalng  up 
the  valley  bbtwee^i  it  and  Mount  Moriah,  through  narrow  streets, 
hung  With  fliigS,ahd  banners  for  the  fteast,  and  crowded,  on  the  raised 
sides,  and  oli  every  roof,  and  at  eveiy  window,  with  eager  faces. 
" Who  is  tliis?"  parsed  from  Up  to  lip.  "It  is  Jesus,  the  Prophet  of 
Nazareth,  in  Galilee,'^  shouted  hack  the  crowd  of  northern  pilgrims 
and  disciples,  glpryipg  in  the  vindication  of  the  honour  of  their 
province  before  the  proud  and  conteniptuous  sons  of  Jerusalem* 

Leaving  His  beast  and  entering  the  Temple,  which — having  ridden 
—He  could  do  without  preparation,  except  that  of  removing  His 
Bandals,  though  the  crowd  with  Him,  if  at  such  times  the  rules  were 
enforced,  had.  to  stop  behind  to  cleanse  their  dusty  feet,  take  off  their 
shoes,  or  sandals,  and  lay*aside  their  walking  staves,  before  entering 
aplace  so  h()ly,— He  took  possession  of  it  in  the  name  and  as  the 
representative  i)f  Jehovah  its  Lord,  and  dosed  the  wondrous  day  by 
a  oahn  and  prolonged  survey  of  all  around.  Baniest,  sad,  indignant 
'burs  thus  passed;  but  even  they  were  filled  with  works  of  pnylng 


I 


:]?W^^ 


XQUttcred  the 


fw^igip'^  ffir  tlio  Wnd  and  th©  lame  had  heard  of ,  His  ^eoitiing!,  and 
Tjiw^rtid^itp^Kiirt.  ifttia  wei«  healed.  The  courts  aiid  halla^  the 
Bf(c#i^  Mbuis^the  Verv  j^fcronghold  of  His  (enemiesi  re^e^hoed— ito 
ihjefir  MYt^nis^  it^ortJBC^t(t>ii,  %ith  the  shouts  that  liad  accompanied  Hin 
^tttry"  to  the  cfty'.W  the 'miracles  He  wrought  heightewca  and  pro- 
lojiged  the  ejithtimasrti  till  tlie  very  children  joined  in. the  cry  of 
:?^|l|^aBina  to  th^'$oli  6f  t)aVidr^  -.  ^i 

;  J^Djj)  yoii  iee  how  jpotrerldss  we  are  against ■  Him?"  xqu 
.^^Marise^^;  *  <  the  Tvhole  pfeople  ha-ve  gone  after  Him. " 
i^f/jE(^  bol4  api)e4rapco  i^  the '  temple  iiseif^  especiaHyf  filled  the 
j)|^^y|  di^^^^  mdignation.  all  the  deeper  be- 

cause tn^^  (lared  not  aiTiest  Him  tor  fear  of  thiei  crowds,  even  when 
iidV^Mw^iryjsryhand  •'jThaH  shoiild  hail  Him  asi  the  * 

Me^an;  also'Vuraged  them.  '  "•*  Scares!  thou  hot  whi|t  t^iese  say?"  | 
a%ed  |i^bm0  6f; themi  But.  instead  of  disavowing  the  sirt)r^e,  honour 
ife|;rfhed  to^iin,  )ae  only  replied  that  He  ^id— "but,"  added  He, 
''  '^jSye'^evw  read. in  your  owi  Scripturesr-'  Out  of  th6  ifeouths  of 
f  .,,^|ikudsuckjK^,  Thou  (Jehovah)  hast  perfected  praise^  tnftt  Thou 
imgfit^atjTOt'toL  shame  Thjne  ehemies,  and  silence  Thy  foes,  and  those 
who  rage;  against  Thee.  *=^'  '  '      - 

/?  JSfe\;er  was  Mis  preaehce  of  mind  and  qUfck  aptness  of  retort  shown 
£iofe*strifeuigiy.^*'C^''-  -     ^•.-  : .  ■' ■^'.■'-' 

^e  day  was  i^ow'f^if  spent  the  end  proposed  had  been  ahnn- 
dai&tty' attabied.  The  crow:ds  bad  begun  to  retire,  after  evening 
prayer^  and , He,  too,  with  the  Twelve,  passed  out  quietly  with  the 
throng;  f^id  betooi^  i^imself  once  inore  to  th6  :v^eU-loyod  cottage  at 
Bc^fmy.  ;^-.'.^^/,.".  '  '  ^-  ,■■""::.-:..  V"'  *    ; 

"It  had  be^^nVpo chance  coincidence  tt».at  fhe  day )n  wljifcn  He  had 
fbui  virtually  Consecrated  Himself  to  dieath|  y?«^^  that;  oh.livhieh  tlip 

pawhHi'iamb 'was selected,  '/.-'r;  '^  .Jlv-'' ■^r^v'ijt  ''^f^i-'niyli^-d  ■''1'^.-' 
;  :  Jt  4^  etifey  to  uhderstf^nd  tl^c  statement  of  tlici  Gt^^ipelsi  that/neithet 
the  TY^elye  nor  tJbe  disciples  at  lai*gB  realized  (it  iirst  tlie  fhll'gignjfl. 
cancfs  of  what  had  happened.  In  later  times,  however,  alter  ;He  had 
risen  and  asceiwiQd  to  heaven,  its  full  grandeut  CTaduaUy  broke  on 
tliem  ajs  they  discourse  and^again  on  the  whole  straiige  histoiy 

tinroliij^  which  they  had  passed.    They  remembered.y  then,  the  wordk 
of  the  prpphet^Zecliatiah,  and  saw  how  thetriun^phal  entry  in  ^hich 
•  they  had  taken  pftrt,  had  been  the  divinely  desighed  futfihneht  of 
ancient  prophecy.  ^ 

The  entry  op  Mm  Sunday,  though,  for  the  moment,  a  bitter  niop 
tfflciitjon  to  the  hierarchical  party,  was  presently  hailed  by  them  as  a 
fancied  ihistake  on  the  part  of  Jesus.  Till  now,  ^11  (hdr  efforts  to 
franie  any  capital  charge  lagaifist  Him,  on  phiusible  grounds,  had  ut« 
terly  ^iled.  He  had  sjighted  the  Rabbinical  laws^  but  the  Romans, 
with  whOTU  lay  the  po.iyet  of  life  anddeath,  would  take  ndc6gnizanc<» 
pf:,fiw6)L offences.  His  pul^lic  cnti^intQ  Jerusalem,  aft  the  Messiali, 
.^iniost  tike  dioiits  of  the  people,  seemed  to^ve  thenpi,  at  last,  Jiif 


tStb  'LIFE  OF  'OffiOBT. 


m 


muttered  iha 


meani '  'of '  fiidlc^iii|(  Him  for  wlmt  they  tMald'  'liiipreiiQBt '  as  all  lea^ 
eonstrutitivb  tte^on^^he  elaimiiig  to  be  kfnsf  instead'  df  (5KMr.  The 
^maos  drf^ednoitliiiig  more  thati  asstimptfon  of  tbe  Measiahi^hipy 
fMT  it  had  bftenii  cost  them  de/^t  to  quell  the  insun^ctiohs  t6  ^icli  it 
Jbd,  and  tii^'ij^i^  stem  tci  the  vttermost  acainst' any  attempt  to  ch^- 
lenge  the  Emperor's  authority.  Bat  the  apsol'utely  jMsatdful  bearing 
of  Jesus,  throughout:  His  studied  care  to  make  no  iHegal  iise  of  the 
popular  ehli^us^al^m;  the  qttict  dis^)ersiOn  of  the  crowds,  imd  the  uttor 
absence  of  any  pdlitical  character  m  His  wholie  life  and  words^  wero 
fatal  to  ju^dAl  action,  based  on  grounds  so  slender.  They  would 
bot,  however,  let  such  a  charge  against  Him  slip,  and  eomld  docusd 
Him  to  Pilate,  if  cither  charges  failed,  of  **pervei1;ing  the^tionj  and 
forbidding  to  give  tilbute,  to  Cicsar,  toying  that  He,  Hiiftseif,:Ui 
Ohrist,  a  king/*  ;  '    r  • 

Morning  saw  Jesus  once  mote  on  His  way  to  the  Temple.'  Ho  hod 
not  as  yet  eat^h,  for  He,  apparently,  looked  forward  to '  doln^  so  at 
tli6  home  of  some  disciple  in  Jerusalem,  and  the  keen  air  of  the  ourly 
hours  made  Him  litiiigry.  '•  The  little  valley  of  Bethany/was'  famous 
for  dates  and  ilgs;  for  the  ^y  name  Bethany  means— ^"  the  placofor 
dates;"  while  I^thphage  is  *'  the  place  for  the  green  or  winter  filg"<*- 
li' Variety  whifch  remams  osn  the  trees  through'  the  winter,  having 
ripened  only  after  the  leaves  had  fallen.  ; 

Itwaisnot  yfet  the  time  of  the  fig  harvest,  but  soine  of  last  year's 
fruit  niight^  no  doubt,  be  found  On  some  of  the  trees  gfowing  about. 
Qhe  tree,  especially,  attracted  thd  notice  of  Jesus.  It  grew  at  the 
road-sidi^,  as  common  property,  and,  even  thus  earty^  when  other  fig* 
trees  had  scarcelybegun  to  show  greenness,  was  conspicuous' by  itn 
yoting  leaved.  When  He  came  to  it,  however,  they  proved  its  only 
DOast:  thiere  was  no  fruit  of  the '  year  bef ofd,  as  might' have  been 


"Picture  of  boastftd  insincerity;"  said  He,  loud  enough  for  thcJ  din. 
eiples  tfl^hear^-**type  of  Israel  and  its  leaders:  pretentiousi  but  beav- 
iag  no  fruit  to  God^let  no  fhiit  grow  on  thee  henceforward,  for 
.ever,"  and  passed  on.  They  were  to  learn  that  professidni  i^lthout 
iierfortnaihcc,  found  Uo  favour  with  their.  Master.  '  I  ^^^'--  ■  '"  y.Mi 
Keacl^iug  the  city.  He  once  more  v;^ent  to  the  Tferaplc,  hs  His 
FatNr*8  hoiise.  T^vo  yeai*3  befoit^  Ho  hud  pitfltie^  its  ouler  court 
frora  the  sordid  abuses  which  love  of  gain  Mil  dexteit)Uf*ly  cloakod 
tinker  ah  affectation  of  piously  serving  tiw  requircanouts  of  wbpslwp. 
Since  then,  they  had  been  restored  in  .'ill  their  hatei'ulneas.  The  16w- 
lag  of  idxen;  the  bleatiiigof  sheep,  tlie  xtiea  of  the  money-changers, 
m.  the  noiis^  inarket  chaffering^  of  buyers  ikti^  sellers  of  dovet;  oi 
.oflier  accessoncs'  to  a  ceremonial'  worship,  filled  the  air  with  jdis^ 
c&rdant  tioundfi  of  iko  butade  world>  Which  liad  no  right  m  these 


J  m 


^^^^^^.- 


Tax  >  LIFE  OF  GHHISO^ 


sacred  preoinctn  .  Thb;  scene  roused  the  sanla  (le^p-  UidJgt^atlon  in 
Jesljs,  as  whefi  He  formerly  rose  iu  His  grand  protect  a^ain^  it. .  Hq 
Lad  n6Wk  in  His  triumplial  entry,  formally  proclaimed  His  EingdoiQ, 
and  would,  forthwith;  vindicate  its  rights,  by  once  more  restoring  the 
Temple  to  ^s  becoming  purity,  for  wjiile  it  stood,  iti  should  be  holy. 
The  samie  fervent  zeal  again  dismayed  and  paralyzed  opposition! 
Filled,  as  all  minds  were,  with  the  awe  of  the  popular  enthusiasm  in 
His  behalf,  His  command  sufficed  to  clear  the  spacious  court  of  its 
motley  crowd:  the  sellers  of  doves,  at  His  ordei^,  hove  ofi^  their  cages: 
the  ei^changers  gathered  up  their  coin,  and  He, made  the  one  remove 
their  benches  and  counters,  and  overturned  the  empty,  booths  of  the 
othe^  Npr  would  He  suffer  the  desecration  of  lajen  porters  and 
others  fieeRing  ta  shorten  their  journeys  ,t>y,  crossing  Cue  Temple 
spaces,  as  if  they  were  public  streets.  They  might  carry  them  round 
by  what  way  they  chose,  but  must  not  malie  a  thoroughfare  of  the 
sacred  courts.  *'  Jehovah  has  written,"  sa^  He,  /'  My  iiouse  is  Hiq 
house  of;  prayer  for  all  nations,  but  ye,  brlngiug  in  all  tUi  ykilcs  and 
cheats  of  unworthy  fi-a&c,  have  made  it  a  den  of  thieves,"^, ,!. ;     . 

We  cannot  suppose  thai  JcsUs,  within  a  few  hours  of  His  death  ot 
the  hands  of  the  Temple  authorities,  and  immediately  after  111$ 
laxhent  over  His  rejectioia  by.  them  and  the  nAtion^  intended,  by  thi^ 
cleansing  of  the  outer  Temple  spaces,  to  present  Hiuiself  as  a 
reformer  of  the  Temple  service.  He  meant,i  ratheri  to- show,  among 
other  things,  to  the  multitudes  round  Him,  by  ah  act  >^hich  they 
could  not  sfiistake;  that  the  Holjr  House  was  already  desecrated  by 
the  sanctioned  intrusion  of  the  spirit  of  common  gain*  and  made  no 
more  than  a  huge  bazaar,  with  all  its  aJ^uses;  doubly  unworthy  in 
such  a  place.  He  wi^d  to  teach  them  by  the  sight  of  such  inseu- 
sibilityto  the  ideal  of  a  Temple  of  God,  that  tlje  fallol  the  theocracy, 
with  Its  scofSng  high  priests,  and  worn-out  ccrcxaonial,  was  a  fact 
already  begun.  The  very  texts  H^  had  quoted  were  from  I^enta- 
tidns  over  the  religious  decay  of  the  nataioh.Vwhich,  the  prophets  pre- 
dicted, would  bring  the  stranger  into  the  House  of  Jehovah,  as  more 
worthy  than  the  Jew ;  a  decay  which  demanded,  instead  of  were  out- 
ward service,  a  reform  of  tlie  heart  and  life.,  But  the  great  lesson, 
also,  was  not  wanting,  that  the  worship  Of  God  xanai,  Ije  pure  aiid 
earnest,  not  merely  formal,  and  that  hypocrisy  was  abhorrent  to  Him. 
This  truth' sank  that  day  into  all  hearts,  and  befoi'e  a  generation  had 
passed,  it  had  been  repeated  from  the  Euphrates  to  lion^e,  .  It  was 
the  knell  of  the  Jewish  economy  at  its  centre,  f or  a  Teinple  tUus  pulj: 
liciy  marked  as  given  oVer: to  greed  aiid  gain,  under  |)retence  of  zeal 
for  relij^on,  was  doomed  to  perish,  iis  all  hypocrisies  iftust,  in  the 

The  si^ificance  of  such  an  act  to  Himself,  was  khowh  to  11OJ10 
better  than  to  Jesus.  He  knew  that  His  hour  had  come,  ^od  that  He 
^ould  perish^  a  maityr  to  the. spirit  of  a  living,  as  opposed  to.  the  let- 
ler  of  a  worn*out^  faith.    He  knew  that  He  had  against:  Hin>  tlie  vait 


THE  WPE  OF  eHRIB^ 


m 


7D  • 

power  of  gfcat  reete^  idtpreetn, -who  passed  off  their  i^clflEih  aims  ^9'^' 
zeal  for  Cburdi' and  State,  and  tlniswon  support  frpnl  ^uhthihKtOfi? 
thousands.  He  knew,  moreover,,  that  the  religious  ireyol,utVn  Ite  liaa*' 
begim  was  spreading  daily,  and  must  be  crushed  by  His  oppoticnts. !, 
by  any  measune^  that  promised,  suqeess,  if  their  oWq  authonhr  w'^i^<i(^ 
to  stand.  But,  in  the  face  of  all  this,  lie  went  foi-w^rd  \jirith  caliili^, 
serenity  towards  death,  as, the  one  purchase  price  pfiSb^r^  And  )^^^' 
for  the  souls  of  men.  >  ' 

The  day,  which  l\ad  hegan  vnXh  the  symltwlic  cleansing  of  thcTcffi-!,-; 
pfe,  was  QQVoted,  in  its  later  hours,  to  His  wonted  work  Of  teac))ihjr^: 
all  who  would  listen,  but  none  of  the  di|9Cour^es  hive ,  t^dn'ptciseiVra:^^; 
The  people,  thronging  the  Court  where  He  sat— for  He  fatyjht  in'tHq:'" 
T^raple-^w^re  greatly  impress^  by  His  words;  so  hew,  so  fearnes^, 
sosfearOhingand  practical,  oonipared  with  the  vapidities  of  the'  Rab- 
bis.   It  was  y^in  for  the  J:e wiish  authorities  to  atteinpt  to  attest  Hiiii,  ^ 
while  He  was  thus  in  favofur,  for  all  the  people  iittlifecjto  hear  Hlin/f^ 
aifd  no  one  .kneW  howfar  thev  might  be  jdispfKsed,  with  the^f  flerj*/,.^ 
Eastern  natures,  to  rise  on  His  pehalf,  if  He  Fere  seized-   ,^   '  /  '  ',■■'" 

Thisdfiiy,  therefore,  passed  as  safely  for  Him  as  the  la^t/an/t  ih  thb 

evetiing  Bethany  once  more  received  Him.    Helbad  'ent|ered  the  jcii ty 

[with  loud  jubilees^  but  the  last  nqortal  struggle,  beg^n'byHvi  toffy 

baring  and  independence,  made  it  wise  to  retire  linpoticed.    !L6av-' 


profound. ,  THie  religious  mstinct. of  the  masses  felt  ihat  it  waswiii^fiy*^'' 
ofa  true  prophet  of  God,  btit  the  Tepiple  b^cials  ri^aUzed  only  tlife'  ^ 
public  censure  it  implied,  on  their  own  estimate  and' disbhargcJ  wl'" 


public  censure  it  implied,  on  their  own  estimate  ap.d'dis<ihargcJ  ^  ^ 
their  duties,  j'or  the  moment  they  were  paral jrzed  and*  helpless  •  r6-: '  ^ 
bukpd  before  all,  and  boldly  condemned  by  the  strahge  iiitruder,  1nf7^ 
exactly  the  point  on  which  they  wer^  most  sensitive,  fpt  it  w^  aSl^ 
wfttchfid  miardiahs  of  the  Terhple  they  claimea  especlatfy^e  re^^cff'// 
oitjienanon.  j  -r      '  ''  -■ 


treiB*'dtr'^ 

--It 


Next  morning  found  Him  once  more  (i^ii  the  way  to  thfe 

''Rabbi,'' erclmtoed  Petef",  in  wonder,  as  Ihey  passed' the . 

which  Jesus  had  sought  figs  the  day  •before--7'*l*he  fig-tree 'wliictf^; 
Thou  cursedst  is  withered  away  ."^  It  had,  indeed,  already  shrlveUed,'^ 
y.    ■■■   ■■  .    -    ■  '      •       „  •■  v^  ■  ^  ^  f""^"  :v.  ■■■;;;*■ 

I  tlie  question  gave  another  oppoilunity  for  impressih^  6^  tJiC^ 
Twelve  a  truth,  which,  aboyo  all  others,  He  had  sought  t6$x  in  ttieifj!;. 
[hearts  during  His  three  years'  intijrcourse,  with  them— that,  as 'His-* ^: 
lapo^tles,  comniissioned  to  establish  and  spread  tils  Kingdom,  thfej^f; 
[would  be  able,  if  theyliad  an  unwftv^ring*  faith  in,  God  an^  in  Hiinj-'^^ 
jtoovercome  an  difiiculties,  however  apparently  insuperable.  :,  '  ' ' 
'See,'*  reined  H,6,  *•  that  you  learn  from  this. tree  to  hjiVte 
Bt  hi  God.  Believe  me,  if  you  have  such  faith,  and  let  no  'i ,  ^ 
tayering  enfeeble  it,  you  will  be  able  to  do  not  only  ^lidh  thin^i. 


i^:i 


\i 


i'OO 

m 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


hcret^ftcr,  ^9  yOu  havb  fiecn  drtne  to  ilils  tree,  but;  t<j  use  tto'oxpi««. 
sidnypu  eo  oiteti  befir  from  the  Hablois,  when  Ihey  Inttnd  to  speak  of 
overcD^iia^  the  ijreatest  difficult ies,  or  rtchiei«iiijBf  the  iftost  unlikely 
en^-T-yo^  will  he  able,  as  it  were,  to  bid  this  mbiintain  rise,  and  caat 
itself  into  thd  sea.  AH  depends,  IwWcrer,  on  your  faith  being  simple 
and  imdo^bUDg,  for.  anything  Jess  dishonours  God.  He  who  has 
iauch  chlld-liKc  triist  in  Hiirt;  may  coiifldent4y  expeict  his  prayers 
tQ.be^  heard.  "Vfhen  you  pray,  believe  that  prayer  is;  in  yevy  deed, 
ans^^^eiand  your  faith  will  be  honerured  by  iJod  granting  what 
yt)U  ^^(^k,  tclr,  as  fiis  ebildren,  and  my  discripies,  you  will  ask  ouly 
wb(^t  is  in 'acdO^dance  witli  His  will.  Only,  j'ou  nmst  ever,  in 
your  praters,  be  in  that  franie  of  loVing  tenderness  , to  your  f el- .j 
Ipw^en,  which  true  faith  in  God,  ad  His  sons,  always  brings  wiii 
it,  )^trife  lind  division  destroy  your  spiritual  life,  and  weaken  that 
faitll^  bj^  which,  alone,  yoU  can  do  great  things.  As  you  stand  at 
your  prayers,  as  yoiir  mUntier  is,  you'mudt  hflre  no  an^r,  1^0  revenge 
Jn  youf  h<iarts;  else  you  will  not  be  heard.  The  s|)irit  of  Ifrank  tm- 
giveness,  which  springs  from  tnie  ldv<0  to  God,  must,  hcEforehand, 
hp^veto^giyen  all  who  have  injured  you.  For  how  can  you  hope  that 
yojur  D'fiiUi^f  in  lie'aven  will  foi^iVe  your  sins  against  Him,  if  yoxt  do 
not  forgive  offences  against  jourselves?"  >  ,     -J.        ,1  ..; 

,,  ij^uttlve  rtioni^nts  were  precious,  for  His  hoursirerenumtiered.  Al- 
ways, trom  the  first,  ihtensely  energetic,  He  was  ndw,  if  possibjp, 
ri^ox^  so  than  fiver,  that  He.  might  utilize  every  instant  tor  11  is  great 
pujrpp^e. ;   With  cahp  tmdfeniayed  resolution,  each  mornhig  saw  Him 
.  in.  tj>e  Jep^ple,  as*  sooii  a^  it  wao  opened.    He  would  sbow  that  He 

SaS;  nO  Jaicobin,  no  revolutionilst.'  Had  Be  been  so;  how  easily  might 
e  haiVie  taken  advantage  of  the  popular  enthusiaPm,  at  His  entry  to 
th^e  city,^6r^t  His  cleansing  of  tlie  Ttonple  Courts.  Instead^  of  doiDgj 
;  sp,  Iji^  would,  proclaim  fhe  tiiie  nature  df  His  Kingdom,  by  the  pq 
niiea-iMf  He  eniplp;S?^^ed  to  establish  it—^the  power  of  persuasion.  Ho 
wotild  deVbte  His  last  hours,  i\s  P^e  had  all  His  pmhlic  life,  to  teach 
ing.  By  His  words  alone  would  He  prevail,  for  they  had  the  irrfsist-i 
ibie  and  deathless  force  of  truthj,  atid,  as  such,  would  found  in  every 
heart  whose  cbr^victions  they  reached,  a  kingdom  that  must  spread' 
ana,co]uld  nsyer  perish. ■' ' 'V '* ''^^  ''}^^ _ i'^^vJjJty^ '^'^ikMd/^cbi'H  iih^ 

MeamVhilevHis  eriemibs,  irreiOltite' V^at  fWtrtefe;  to:t)tH58ue  to  striki 
jHimdown;  determined  to  do  so  but  afraid  of  tho  popular  feeling  the; 
^Flight  invoke  in  His  favour;  watehed  every  oppdrtunity  to  facilitnti 
jijecisive  action.    Their  bearing  had  acquitted  Him  of  all  further  r 
sponsibility  towards  thefn.    He  bad  broiight  the  truth  home  to  thei 
ii:^  their  cetttral  stronghold ;  had  made  it  unmistkkable  what  He  d( 
mandcd  in  the  name  of  His  Father ;'— that  thtey  should  jbegin  the  k 
form  and  salviation  of  the  nation,  by  reforming  themselv^s^its  leadei's 
'^hjait^heiy  should  be  true  shepherds,  and  not  hirelings;  sincere  in  theii 
religion,  and  not  actors.    St^cfi  d<emand«,  in  themselves^  ^proyed  Si 
Messialiship,  for  they  bore  on  their  front  the  evidence  that  they  wi 


from  Ood^  an 
from  Oodlio  ] 
words  thus  es 
tlieir  own  wit 
had  ehowQ  th 
they,  bore  ouli 
God. 

HehadjQot 

bear  Him,  bet 

mined  to  brim 

bad  been  an  i\ 

His  assuming 

schools,  which 

been  adeputat 

priests — heads 

'•elders"— the 

who,  as  a  body 

days  of  Moses. 

asked  Him  by 

doing, 

They,doubtl 
that  they,  thus, 
Hewasnot  toi 
keen  disputantJ 
givin§^  4ny  haJ 
^aestion.  He  ev 
mr  question,'' 
his  great  work, 
be  unauthbrize 
forced  to  give 
eflibarrassing,  b 
inuoli.    Jesus  ( 
never  before  do 
ror  of  Pharisees 
who  had  roused 
TdDnerandHen 
God,  and  evlde 
preaching  of  thi 
His  claim  to  be 
He,  Himself,  i 
bave  to  say  it,  ^ 
ogists.     Yet,  wl 

blind  to  the  tri 

servant  of  God? 

f  on  ttiemselves 

:*bat  he  said  r^^ 

titness,  filoncil] 


TH£  LIFE  OF  CHRIST* 


009 


from  God^  and,  if  accepted,  He  also  must  be,  who  had  thii$  been  sent 
from  QodIX)  proclaim  them.  The  internal  evidence  of  His  s^U  and 
words  thiis  established  His  highest  claims,  for  truth  find  goodhess  are 
tlieir  own  witness,  in  the  universal  conacience.  But  ^e  hicrarbhy 
had  showii  themselves  incapable  of  reform.'  Like  the  barren  fl^-trte, 
tbey.bore  only  leaves,  and  must  be  left  to  the  righteous  iudigQation  6f 
God.    -vJ;!?.;    -ivnj  ,,i..^  .  ^  ,,..,...,,,.    ,  ' ,  * 

He  had  i&bt  been  long  instructing  the  people,  who  flopkoct  to  sc^i^nd 
hear  Him,  before  some  of  the  Temple  authorities  came  to  Hini,  d^tcf 
mined  to  brinjg  Hire  to  iwjci)unt  for  His  ^jL^^  ^l*©  uay,  before,,  whifeh 
bad  been  an  intrusion  on  their  duties  as  Temple-inspectors;  and  for 
His  assuming  to  teach  as  a ,  liabbi,  without  any  .^cence  rrotu  the 
schools,  which  was  contnu*y  to  established  rul^.  They  seern  to  hiiyo 
been  a  deputation  sent  officially,  and, consisted  of  sooiie  of  me  hlgber 
priests— heads  oi:  the  different  courses— souie  Rabbis,  and  som^  bf  the 
'•  elders" — the  ancient  senators  or  representatives  of  the  people— 
who,  to  a  body,  had  existed  through  all  political  changes,  ^on^  the 
days  of  Moses.  Interrupting  Jesus  as  He  taught,  they  now  abrnptty 
asked  Him  by  wl^at  authority  He  acted  as  He  had  i^pne,  and  was 
doing, 

They,  doubtless,  hoped  that  He  would  claim  divine  authority,  $nd 
that  they,  thus,  might  have  ground  for  a  chf^rgo  ^against  tntm.  Btit 
^wasnot  to.be  snared.  He  showed  Himself  the  dreaded, ptoo^pt, 
keen  disputant,  ready  to  turn  defence  into  attacl^    Qareful  to  avoid 


his  great  work,iict  in  obedience  to  Goj,  as  one  sent  by  Hi^,  or  was 
he  unauthorized?"  To  be  themselves  put  to  the  question;  to  l?e 
forced  to  give  a  reply,  instead  of  listenm^  to  one,  was  sufBctcntly 
embarrassing,  but  the  question  itself  was  still  more  so.  It  involveid 
biucli.  Jesus  evidently  associated  HimselJ^  witn  John  jas,  He  had 
never  bcfbi*e  done.  He  implied  that  the  na^an  who  had  been'  the  ter- 
ror of  Pharisees  and  priests,  and  their  victim— the  manof  ithe  people, 
who  had  roused  such  an  unprecedented  excitement^— was  pis  Fore- 
ranner  and  Herald.  He  spoke  of  Jolin's  baptism  as  a  coinniisdiph  from 
God,  and  evidently  claimed  that  Ilis  Qwn  entrj  to  Jerusalem,  Ills 
preaching  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  His  cleansing  the  Temple,  and 
His  claim  to  be  the  Messiah,  were  no  less  by  divine  authority. 

He,  Himself,  might  say  all  this  if  He  pleased,  but,  that  they  shoifld 
have  to  say  it,  was  to  force  them  to  become  His  acTvocates  and  hpbl- 

I  ogists.  \  et,  what  could  they  do,  for  was  it  not  clear  to  all  mcsn  not 
blind  to  the  truth,  that  John  was  no  mere  adventurer,  but  a  noble 
eervant  of  God?    But  to  own  that  he  was  so,  would  only  bring  down 

I  on  themselves4he  crushing  question,  "\yhy  then  did  ye  not  oelieve 

I  what  he  said  respecting  yourselves,  and  what  he  said  of  Me?  for  hid 

p^ess^  ^^e^.^i^^ 


'  if 


/ 


mo 


ttffc  vtrt  or  t^HRMr 


other  liiind,, to  detibudicd  hiiA  ia«  an  Impoitor  WiU*  dAii^rbul  f or  hb 
memoiy  was  cherislied  by  the  people  at  large,  ati  thitt  of  a  National 
hero,  the  last  of  the  mlstnty  line  of  prophetB.  To  avriid  io  disastrous 
a  dilemma,  therefore,  tliey  were  driven  to  the  feeble  evasibn—thot 
they  coald  not  tell  whether  John's  mission  was  f)t>m  Ood  or  not. 

•*If  so,"  replied  Jesus,  "then  clearly  he  did  not  need  ybur  author- 
Ity,  since  you  never  tliougbt  It  worth  while  to  sanction,  or  even  deddo 
respecting  him,  and  ybo  can  have  no  elafm  to  atrthorlzcf  me,  or  to  with- 
hold authority  from  me.  I,  niyself,  decline,  therifoi'e,  to  tell  by  what 
authority  I  act;  if  it  jvas  indiiietont  in  the  ctise  of  Jdhn,  it  is  equally 
BoinmiAe." 

He  had  slletifed  His  opponents,  but  would  not  let  them  leave  with- 
out oik^e  ihbre  trying  to  open  their  eyes  to  their  false  position. 
*  '^*'  Let  me  tell  you  1  parable, "  He  continued.  **  A  certain  man  had 
two  sons.  He  came  to  the  first  and  said,  *  Son;  eo,  work  to-day  in  the 
yiney^td.'  But  he  answered,  'I  will  not;'  yet;  afterwsirds,  he  repented 
$nd  Went.  Ahd  he  cauie  to  the  second  son,  who,  on  receivln^the  same 
^inmand,  At  once  answered,— 'Ted,  Sir. ^  But  he  did  not  go.'  Lot  me 
ask  Vdii,  which  6f  tlie  two  db  you  think,  did  the  will  of  his  father?" 
r  The  perfect  composure  and,  the  consummate  art,  with  which  He 
Addressed  thehi,  v^eie  etliially  perplexing;  for  high  dignitaries  of  the 
Jewish  religious  world  must  ha Ve  beeU  little  aeeustbmed  to  be  put  in 
Auch  ai  posmon  before  the  multitude.  But  an  anbwler  could  not  be 
refu6ed,  and  the  question  was  framed  in  such  a  way,  that  they  could 
give  none  hut  the  ohc  which  Jesus  required  for  His  corapJete  justiti- 
fation,  iind  theiir  own  condemtiatioti.  Hardly  seeing  what  it  implied, 
they  readihr  answered,—*'  flie  lir^. "  They  were  nbw  in  His  hands. 
**  You  day  nghtly,"  replied  He,  "for  when  "John  came  calling  you,  lii 
the  name  of  God,— you  priests  .Scribes,  and  elders, —to  repentance  and 
righteousness,  you  noiibin'ed  nimi  by  ready  professions,  and  smooth 
compliance,  promising  all  good  works  of  a  pioils  and  h<Hy  life,  aid 
^et you  ht^ld  fllodf  hfter  all,  abd  showed,  by  yourieglectto  obeyhim, 
that  fdv  disbelieved  his  message.  You  are  the  second  son,  who  said 
yes,  but  did  not  go  into  the  vineyard."  -^  >'  f' h  f  .;r»-,.»  ii;  > 

" On  the  Other  li«ind,  the  publicans  and  hafrlbtsv^^btn'ytjti  despise, 
the  commdn  people  at  large,  whom  you  reckon  cursed  of  God;  who 
hadrotighiy  and  wickedly  itfused  to  do  riglit,  and  had  even  ^one  to 
the  utmost  in  sin,  repented  at  the'  summons  of  John,  believing  his 
wordSi  and  soUght  earnestly  to  enter  into  tlie  Kingdom  of  God. 
They»  therefore,  condemn  you,  O  ye  leaders  of  the  people,  for,  by 
ybur  own  showing,  iheyhaye  done  tli6  will  of  their  Father  in  Heaven, 
tut  you  have  not?'  *  -      ^  -     '^    ' 

•  "It  has,  indeed,  been  always  the  satfie.'  As,  Id  JohVsJdiy,  ye  would 
^lot .hear  him,  and  in  the  end  persecuted  him  to  the  death',  so  have  you 
i^d-ybUr  fathetti  doiie  in  Ml  generations.  *  You;  Indeed,  are  worse 
Iha4  thiiy  $11,  f<^  ybii  sdektbd'-d' even  worse.  Hear imother  parable." 
"  Ife  h^'^bkait  of  ffie  call'e*  ^dbythcffl 


TWSR  'LIFIt  Of  CHIUdT. 


m 


( '  ? 


Implieatloii «fflrned  that Hia own eiperienca, aa  tbaauocesMrof  the 
Baptiai  in  bia  crest  work,  liad  been  the  aame.  He  now  glanced  at  the 
history  of  the  tnepcracv,  and  at  the  sins  of  their  party,  from  ita  earlieat 
days.  He  recounted  the  long  roll  of  the  flerranta  of  Qod  whom  they 
bad  perseciited  and  mlaiised,  from  the  flrat  to  the  laat,  now  no  longer 
John;  but  a  far  greater—^UImself.  In  doing  so,  He  now  flret  openly, 
before  them,  called  Himti^lf  the  Bon  of  Ood,  and  left  tliem  to  feel  that 
He  now  stood  as  such  in  their  presence,  awaiting  tlie  fate  of  other 
messengers  of  His  Fatlier  at  their  handf. 

"A  certain  man,"  said  He,  adopting  a  parable  of  Isaiah's,  "planted 
i  vineyard,  and  set  a  hedge  about  it,  and  hewed  out  a  wine-cistern  in 
the  hill-side,  into  whicli  to  press  tlie  wine,  and  built  &  lower  for  the 
watchers,  to  guard  the  vineyard,  and  agreed  with  husbtoodmcn  to 
worlc  it  on  Ins  behalf,  and  went  into  a  far  country,  for  a  Ions  time. 
And  when  the  fruit  season  drew  near,  he  sent  his  servants  to  the  hua- 
bandmen,  that  tliey  might  receive  for  him  his  fruits.  But  they  took 
them,  and  bent  one  and  killed  another,  ?.nd  stoned  a  third.  He  tlien 
sent  other  servants,  more  numerous  than  the  tirst;  but  the  husdband- 
men  trettted  them  as  badly,  for  they  beat  one,  cast  stones  at  another, 
aad  wounded  hfm  in  the  head,  and  sent  him  away,  not  only  empty- 
handed,  but  shamefully  treated.  Some  of  the  rest  they  beat,  otners 
they  killed,  and  they  refused  to  pay  the  fruits  they  owed. 

"  Having  yet,  therefore,  a  son,— bia  only  and  well-beloved,-*he  de- 
termined to  send  him  to  them,  thinking  that,  though  they  bad  treated 
his  servants  so  badly,  they  would  be  sure  to  show  his  son  respect. 
But  instead  of  this,  when  thev  saw  the  son,  they  said  among  theoi- 
selves,  '  This  is  the  son,  come  let  us  kill  him,  and  the  vineyard,  which 
he  should  have  inherited,  will  be  ours.'  So  they  took  him,  and  oast 
him  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  slew  him. 

f!i«^Let  me  ask  you  now,  what  will  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  do  to 
llese  husbandmen?" 

The  dignitaries  thus  addressed  could  not,  in  the  presence  of  the 
crowd  listening  to  all  that  had  passed,  refuse  the  only  possible  answei*: 
"He  will  come  and  miserably^  destroy  these  wretched  men,"8aid  their 
spokesman,  '*and  give  the  vineyara  to  others,  who  will  render  him 
his  fruitg  in  their  seasons."  The  meaning  of  the  parable  had  already 
flashed  on  the  minds  of  tsome  of  them^nd  the  answer  waa  followed 
by  a  deep  "God, forbid!"  from  several  voices. 

"Looking  full  and  steadily  at  them,  Jesus  now  kept  tiiem  from 
Tetiring  by  a  further  question. 

•  "Did  ybu  nev^r  read  in  the  Scriptures,"  said  He,  "this  text,  'Tlie 
stone  which  the  builders  rejected  is  made*  the  chief  corner-stone— -the 
ihain  foundation;  Jehovah  hath  done  this;  marvelloua  is  it  in  out 
ejres?*"'  ,.  ■ 

The  noeanin^  Was  clear.  The  comer-stone  of  the  Kingdom  ol  Qc^^ 
df  Whii^h^those  in  Offls  presence  claimed  to  be  the  ohief  men,  wafi^  Iti 
their  own  mode  df  speech;  only  a  figurative  name  for  the  Messia^y  on 


Cxil 


if 


III 


w 


i  (1  :X . 


679 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


whom  its  exiatence  and  completion  depended;  as  a  building  depends 
on  its  foundation  and  support.    The  Psalm  quoted  bad  hteu  suug,  it 
is  believed,  by  Israel,  on  the  first  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  after  the  return 
from  captivity.     Its  historical  reference  was  primarily  to  the  Jewisii 
tiation— r-ejected  by  the  heathen,  but  chosen  again  by  God  as  the  fouu 
dation  of  His  earthly  kingdom;  but,  in  a  higher  spiritual  sense,  th« 
Rabbis  themselves  understood  it  of  the  Messiah,  and  thus  there  couM 
be  no  doubt  in  the  mind  of  any  Jew  that  when  now  applied  by  Christ 
to  Himself,  it  was  a  direct  claim  of  Messianic  dignity. 
\^  VYou  know  this  verse,  do  you  notV"  continued  Jesus:  "Well, 
then — because  the  stone  which  you  have  rejected  has  been  chosen  by 
God  as  the  foundation-stone  of  His  New  Spiritual  Kingdom,  every  one 
who  shall  fall  on  it-^that  is,  every  one  who,  by  rejecting  me,  the  Hes- 
siahi  shall  have  drawn  down  on  liimself  destruction — will  perish ;  but 
be  on  whom  it  will  fall^— he,  I  mean,  on  whom  I,  the  Messiah,  will  Ut 
locpe  my  avenging  judgments,  for  his  rejection  of  me— will  be  crushed 
to  pieces,  small  as  the  dust  or  chaff  that  is  scattered  to  the  Afinds. 
-    "Therefore,  I  say  to  you,  the  Kingdom  of  God  shall  be  ta^ken  from 
Israel,  and  from  you,  it"  present  heads,  and  be  given  t&  a  nation  who 
will  render  to  God  the  fruits  He  has  a  right  to  claim  from  it." 
:*• -The  guilty  consciences  of  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  addressed, 
felt,  instinctively,  that  ip  tliese  parables  He  had  pointed  to  thcni. 
The  vineyard  01  God,  separated  from  the  wilderness  of  heathenism 
was,  clearly,  Israel.    The  Jews  had  been  favoured  by  having,  the 
^noble  vine"  of  divine  institutions  among  them.    The  tower  which 
protected  them,  was  the  Temple  of  God ;  the  husbandmen  were  the 
fiUccesSoi^  of  Moses;  the  Priests,  Rabbis,  and  Pharisees,  the  repre 
«entatives  of  God,  to  whom  of  old  He  had  left  His  vineyard  when 
He  returned  to  heaven  from  Mount  Sinai ;  with  the-charge  to  tend  itj 
and  to  render  Him  duly  its  fruits.    The  servants  sent  were,  clearly] 
the  prophets,  from  their  first  appearance,  in  the  distant  past,  to  Joljin 
the  Baptist.    They  had  been  despised,  beaten,  martyred.    Only  one 
could  follow  them — the  last  and  highest  representative  of  God,  wlw 
should  have  commanded  respect  even  from  murdereis— His  only  and 
well-beloved  Son,  the  Messiah,  who  had  come,  not  as  the  nation 
fancied,  tr  bring  them  political  glory  and  earthly  prosperity,  but  to 
receive  and  bear  to  His  Father  the  fruits  which,  kept  back  for  hun- 
dreds of  years,  could  no  longer  be  left  unrendered.     But  Jesus,  the 
Messiah,  had  long  foreseen  His  fate.     He  had  had  it  before  His  eyes 
every  hour  since  His  public  entry  to  Jerusalem.     He,  the  rightful 
licii-  of  the  vineyard,  had  been  received  by  the  husbandmen  with 
jealous  eyes  and  deadly  piU'poses.    The  revolt  He  had  come  to  pud 
had  grown  rampant.     It  had  risen  from  a  ref ussd  to  render  the  fruits, 
to  a  rejection  of  their  dependence,  and  a  daring  resolution  to  take 
tlie  vineyard  into  their  own  hands:  to  cast  out -God,  in  casting  out 
Him  wh^m  H«  had  sent.    Thetkrce  aogeft  of  God  .could  uotJosf 
delay.    The  rebels,  smitten  by  His  wrath,  fnust  perigh.    The  vine- 


THB  LIFE  OP  CHRWT.  678 

yard  must  pjass  into  other  hands.  But  "  the  others"  rouid  only  be 
the  heathen^  whom  Israel  despined.  Loynl  to  the  Son^  whom  Israel 
bod  rejected  aotdslaia;  Hid  dittulpl@s  and  I'oUowers,  gathered  from 
other  nations,  would  bo  entrusted  with  the  inheritance.  Glmnglng 
the  figure,  tlieae  would  willlagly  aoeept,  m  the  foundation  and  chief 
corner-stone  of  the  New  Kluffdom  of  God,  Him  wliom  the  first, 
builders— of  whom  tliose  now  before  Him  were  the  representativea 
—had  rejected.  Was  tiiere  any  doubt  that  God  would  transfer  that 
iiingdom  to  those  tlius  loyal  to  His  Bon?  He,  who  now  stood  before 
them,  and  who  at  any  moment  might  bo  cast  out  of  the  Temple  with 
ijrflominy,iand  slain,  must  be  the  fouudatlon  of  the  New  Theocracy 
wliicli  was  .to  supplant  the  Old! 

The  first  open  attempt  at.  violeneo  followed  this  parable.  The  hie- 
rarchical party  felt  that  thoy  wove  meant,  and  that  Jesus  had  dared  to 
call  Hinsisclfithe  chief  coraer-stonu  of  tlie  future  Kingdom  of  God« 
which  was  to  rise  in  the  place  of  that  with  which  ail  tlieir  dignities 
aud  interests  were  bound  up.  With  wild  Eastern  frenzy,  they  sought 
to  arrest  Hira  on  the  spot.  But  &»  lookw  aud  words,  passing  among 
them,  betrayed  their  iutentloato  the  crowds  around,  these  would 
not  let  Him  be  taken,  counting  Him,  if  not  the  Mo»:uah,  at  least  a 
prophet.  Some,  bolder  than  the  rest,  ponalbly  laid  hands  on  Him,  but 
they  were,  forced  by  the  surging  multitude  to  let  go.  Thev  had  to 
leave  the  place,  and  suffer  Jesus  to  escape  for  the  moment.  But  they 
had  power,  and  organisation,  and  the  people  would  not  always  to 
round  Him  I 

Left  in  peace,  the  unwearying  Divine  Man  onCe  more  calmly  be- 
iook  Himself  to  His  task  of  toaehlug  nil  who  would  hear*       ,  ■,  ,  i  ^ 

The  die  had  finally,  been  cast,  and  the  open  breach  between  Hira 
and  the  Church  authorities  had  been  proclaimed  by  Himself  in  His 
last  parables.  Pull  of  iofty  Indignation  at  the  hypocrisy  and  wilful, 
blindness  of  His  adversaries,  no  \&m  than  of  compassion  for  tke 
nuiltitude,  He  could  not  ropi-es^  th©  crowding  tho\%lit8  which  the 
last  hours  raised  in  His  soul,  and,  at  usual,  they  found  e^pressioti 
in  additional  parables,.  i;v#jt/JiU»l.  u 4  i\HiUim{vnn^-''wSri/^  .woijbi  i3to)5j 

"  The  Kingdomof  Heaven,  "He  began,  "is  Iteaking  wJiomftdiB 
a  marriage-feast  for  his  son.  And  sent  forth  his  servants,  as  the  custom 
JB,  to  tell  tho^e  who  liad  already  beeu  invited  that  the  tune  had  no\r 
come.  But,  though  thus  once  and  again  summcned,  they  would  not 
come.  Yet,  tlie  king,  unwilling,  lu  hlsgooduoea,  that  they  Should  not 
enjoy  the  feast ;  in  spite  of  thi«,  Hont,  once  more,  other  servants  to 
invite  them  again.  *  Come,' ran  hli4  mesmge,  'for  I  have  prepared 
ti^e  first  meal  of  the  feast;  my  oxen  ftn«l  fatllngs  have  been  killed,  and 
all  things,  are  ready :  come  to  the  marvirtge. '  But  they  made  light  of 
this  fresh  invitation  as  well,  and  went  off,  one  to  his  farm,  another 
to  his  merchandise,  while, still  others  took  his  servants,  and  ill-treated, 
and  even  killed  them.    Then  tht)  kiog  .>va8  angry,  and  sent  jbif 


!674 


THl  Lira  OFiCMBfST. 


;  MeaflSivMle;  he  said  to  his  serranttf,  ^  The  maitiage  least  id  ready,  ]but 
thosevwho  haTc  beien  CaHed  were  not  worthy.  €to,  therefore,  to  the 
hi^ways,^wherie  th^  roads  cross^  Mid  l^ere  are  most  p^^irs-b-y,  and 
invite  to  the  feast  ao  many  as  ye  tind.'  .  . 

•*  So  the  servants  went  forth  from  the  palace  of  the  king  to  the 
roads  and  cross- w^s,  and  gathered  together  all,  hoth  evil  and  good" 
who  wtere  willing  to  accept  their  invitations,  and  tbe  feast<;hamber 
was  filled  with  guestSi 

•^**  The  king  bad  made  all  preparations  for  the  guests  being  nobly 
armyed  in  festal  robes,  so  as  to  be  worthy  to  appear  before  him. 
J(r**  But,  now,  when  he  came  in  to  see  the  guests,  he  saw  among  them 
a>  man  who  had  not  put  on  a  marriage-robe.  And  he  said  to  him, 
Erhenid,  how  is  it  that  you  have  come  in  hither  without  a  marriage 
garment'?  You  must  needs  have  known  that  I  pravided  robes,  tit  for 
my  presence,  for  all  my  guests,  andj  not  less,  how  great  a  slight  and 
disrespect  it  is  to^  refuse  what  is  thus  offered ;  you  know  that  to  do  so 
is  to  raise  the  severest  indignation  in  a  king  thus  offended.' 

.  t^^?ff;*iBut  the  man  was  speechless,  for  he  could  not  excuse  hihiself. 

Jli^'TIien  said  the  king  to  his  attendants,  'Bind  him  hand Wd foot, 

;  mod  cast  him  out  into  the  thick  darkness  outside.  "* 

iff  "  ¥e  know,"  added  Jesus,  ''how  dark  in  the  night  our  streets  are, 

in^^liich  no  windows. open,  and  which  no  lights  illumine.    That 

darkness  is  Ijut  a  type  of  the  awful  night  into  which  ho  will  be  cast 

out,  who  appears  at  the  marriage  feast  of  the  Messiah's  kingdoin, 

*  without,  the  marriage-robe  provided  by  my  Father.  Jn  that  darkness 
there  will,  indeed,  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  for  though 
multitudes  are  invited  to  the  feast  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  many 
neglect  to  secure  the  marriage-robe,  without  which  no  one  can  see 

the  king!"  - 

The  parable  was  an  enforcement  trf -those  just  addressed  to  the 
priests  and  Rabbis,  but  with  various  additional  lessons.  1  he  haughty 
sons  of  Jerusalem  heard  orice  more,  that  when  the  kingdom  of  the 
Me^ah  should  ♦be' s^  up  in  its  glory, ;Qod  would  ctA\  the  heathen  to 
a  share  in  it,  while  the  people  of  Israel,  with  their  religious  leaders— 
because^  as  a  nation,  they  had  rejected  Hi&*  repeated  invitations— 
would  n©^  longer  be  the  one  people  of  God.  Still  more,  they  would 
be  visited  w^^ith  the  avenging  wralh  of  God,  in  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  even  before  the  final  triumphant  establishment  of  the  New 
Divine  IQngdom.  Yet^  among  the  heathen  invited  to  enter  it,  as 
among  the  Jews;  God,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  when  the  kiugdoni 
was  finally  set  up  for  eternity,  would  separate  and  judge  those  who 
had  been  wanting  in  loyalty  tollim,  and  had  come  into  Ilis  presence 
witliout  the  prepairation  demanded.  Such  would  be  cast  into  the 
outer  darkness  of  Gehenna.      . 

Thus,  in  the  very  presence  of  imminent  death,  there  was  the  same 
tranqnillity  and  repose  as  on^he  free  hills  of  GalileG»  or  in  the  safe 
.retreal^tf  £!ffi8Mr«»PhiJi|)ii(iftii0'Q(|ffi^  Eeadttf 


THE  lilPjB  OF  CHRIST. 


m 


the  Ifi^ew,  Kingdom  of  God,  and  King  over  the  souls  of  men,  for  time 
and  eternity.  Within  a  few  hours  of  crucifixion,  and  conscious  of 
the  fact;  in  the  intepvats  of  mortal  contest  with  the  whole  forces  of 
the  past  and  present,  the  wandering  OalilaBan  Teacher,  meelc  and 
lowly  in  spirit,  so  that  the  poorest  and  the  younge&i  instinctively 
sougiit  Him;  full  of  divine  pity,  so  that  the  most  sunken  and  hopeless 
penitent  felt  He  was  their  friend:  indifferent  to  the  supports  of  in- 
fluence, wealth,  or  numbers;  alone  and  poor;  the  very  embodiment 
of  weakness,  as  regarded  all  visible  help,  still  bore  Himself  with  a 
serene  dignity  more  than  human.  In  the  name  of  Ood  He  tranirfers 
the  spiritual  glory  of  Israel  to  His  own  followers;  throws  down  the 
barriers  o|  caste  and  nationality;  extends  the  new  dominion  of  which 
He  is  Head,  to  all  races,  and  through  all  ages,  here  and  hereafter; 
predicts  the  divine  wrath  on  His  enemies  in  this  world,  as  the  enemies 
of  Crod^  and  announces  the  deiBision  of  the  final  judgment  as  tiuning 
OH  the  attitude  of  meii  towards  Himself  and  |iis  message.  The 
grandeiu:  of  soul  which  could  so.utterly  ignore  the  outwardi  and 
apparent,  and  realize  tlie  essential  and  eternal;  the  conscious  majesty 
in  the  midst  of  humiliation  and  danger;  the  absolute  trust  that,  if  the 
present  belonged  to  His  adversaries,  the  everlasting  future,  in  earth 
and  heaven,  was'  all  His  own,  could  spring  in  such  a  heart,  only 
because  it  felt  that  it  was  not  alone,  but  tliat,  unseen  by  man,  a  greater 
than  maa  was- ever  witti  Him.  Only  when  we  realize  Him  as  enjoy- 
ing unclouded  and  absolute  communion  with  eternal  tnith  and  love 
—Man,  but  also  -th^  Incarnate  Divine>-can  we  hope  to  solve  the 
•  mystery,-   "i■,^  ■  --.'r  .    ... 

'luii5pii{   /  ......  .■,.,.;::. 

'■■-''■■'■■  -.  .'•:■•,■    j::<ni-^)]j 

It  Wiisijtflf ^tieiday;  intfJesud  still  remained  in  the  TemrAe  ooti^ 
The  deputation  from  the  Teniple  authorities  bad  come  to  Him  in  the 
early  morning,  only  to  retire  mortified  and  silenced,  but  the  heads  of 
all  parties  were  threatened  by  One  who  demanded  changes  so  funda- 
mental.- All  alike,  therefore,  however  hostile  at  other  times,  made 
common  cause  in  trying  to  get  the  hated  Reformer  into  their  power. 
It  was  the  same  spirit,  as,  in  after  ages,  when  far  less  fiercely  roused, 
burned  Arnold  of  Brescia,  and  John  Huss,  and  strangled  and  burnt 
Savonarola,  and  slew  the  thousands  of  victims  of  the  Inquisition: — 
the  non  possumus  of  a  corrupt  ecclesiastical  corporation,  which  would 
murder  in  the  name  of  God,  because  that  could  be  0£illed  orthodoxy; 
but  would  not  reform,  because  to  do  so  would  touch  their  interests 
and  their  order.  ' 

Plot,  therefore,  thickened  on  plot.    Having  themselves  failed,  the 

Hit»htyrMftft->i^*  a»*pw»^f  tJift  ^BhuyiHafaft  %jOpmpftQy  With.  iUXfifr  Ji«rO- 


CHAPTER  LV|. 

^RtrSAtEM.' 


•h     I 


.»'■;« 


i 


0# 


THU^JiliPE  OF  CHRII^; 


diaiJrf,-bllieTfwi8e^  their  deadly  eitettiiesi  W  trjr  to  cofifh^it  lllm'  by  thtf 
answers  He  ipiglit  give  to  treacherous  questions.  Obscure  men  were 
chosen,  niei^'  unknoWh  to  Jiistis.  They  were  to  pretertd  tli^trtfielves 
nniiotifli,  fls  sincei^  Jews,  tecrtibilldiis  hi  all  diities,  to  get' Hiw  counsel 
on  a  j^blnt  much  deputed.'  The  snare  was  no  longei*  laid  in  tho 
sphere  of  Rabbinical  laW,  but  in  the  more  dangetousone  of  political 
obli^tion,  that  ah  ambiguous  answer  miglit  compromise  Him  ?)cfore 
the  Iloniau  torocurator.  If  they  succeeded,  it  wouM  at  once  tmisfer 
the'odiuiA  or  His  arreist  from  themselves!  enwire  His  not  being  r*;sj 
cued,  and  niake  it  possible  to  get  Him  put  to' death.  fOr  the  jiower  of 
death  Was  In  Pilate's  hands  nlone.^'^'t^  <!iifminTi!^fl»  n  i\i\:nA:iU'h^^i/i^r^(h 

Tlie  Pharisees  ■  and  'Herodianfe,  though  •  froth  diffetent  j^riticipleg. 
i^flsre 'equally  dislby'al  in  heart  to  the  Roman  Emperor,  l^e  extromo 
uectiondf  t!lie  f6i*mer  had  developed  in|o  the  sanguinary  zealots—the 
cxtrci^  left,  or  irreeoncilables,  of  vTewish  polflics:  the  Herodians 
wehj  Jewish  rdyallMts,  who  sightd  for  the  old  days' of  Archelaus  and 
th^Edbmite' dynasty.  With  dextigrous  craft,  the  ultra-orthodOxy  of 
the  Pharisait^  patty  allied  itself  with  the  discontented  loyalist  fiction, 
to  temjpt'jesuis,' if  possible,  to  some  bold  expression  of  opinion' on  the 
hat«d  qu^fetiOh  of  the  payment  of  the  Roman  poll  tax,  which  had 
alre^dj^exlt^ted'flereelhsUri'ections.  If  He  held  tnat  pax^ment  should 
be  teftts(ed,>Je  #Ohld  (Compromise  Himself  with  the  Romans:  if  He 
sanctioned  it',  He  would  embitter  Himself  both  with  the  Herodians 
and  the  tiltra-natiolial  party.  Danger  lay  on  each  hand.  On  the  one, 
th^  fierce^  c^bs  of  tlie  multitude,  oh  the  other,  the  bailiffs^of  Heiod: 
here,  the  cry,  "Publicans,  sinners;"  there,  a  Roman  dungeon.  To 
disarm  suspicions  they  used       -    — 


/^ 


in  in  -1  if  J  i  f "''"  Smooth  dissiuiulation^  taught  to  grace 
f\'^i dvj  *         ^  devU'fj  purpose  with  an  au^eFs  face. " 


aif.J.  doid^'f  i; 


'l'    nr-i  f.    .5JU 


«.r 


'* Teaches. ,••  said  they,  with : soft  accents  and  humble  looks,  "we 
know— indeed,  we  are  fully  convinced — that  thou  teachest  what  God 
reqiifres  bf  nian  ha  his  dMyiri  all  matters,  truly  and  rightly,  and 
trOuMest'nbt  tH^slelf  about  tfhe  opinions  bf'taen;  but  fearteeay  and 
nqWy  s^^afcest  what  truth  demands, 'without  thinking  of  cOnsc^ 
quehces,  and' without  caring  "Who  hears  Thee,  whether  he  be  rich,  or 
poor;  leai^ffed't>r  simple,  powei'ful  or  lowly.  Is  it  lawful  for  us  Jews 
to'tji^y  tribiite  to  Cffesar"6r  not?  We  are  the  people  of  God :  God  is 
otir  Kifag':  is  if  in  nccdi*dance  with  the  allegiance  we  owe  to  Him,  ai 
such,  to  recognize  any  other  Idng,  as  we  must  do  if  we  pay  taxes  to 
Cff'^firf  *  It  was  on  such  reasoning  that  Judas  the  Gaulonite  had 
based  his  fierce  revolt  against  payment  of  the  tax  demanded  after 
the  census  of  Quirltiius,  and  his  name  and  opinions  were  vcn. 
crated  by  the  closely-packed  multitude  around.  Every  Galilsean 
among  them  expectecf  a  f!t(tn-  avowal  of  the  illegality  o*  the  demand. 
For  Judas  had  taught  the  youth  of  the  country  tha*  to  t>ay  taxes  to 
^)K»^^^<;^^a&^^'a»^w46fe^lti^lie£lk^4ho^^ 


THEiLIPE  OF  CHRIST/ 


•^ 


hfld  already  died  for  this  cause;  or  lived  as  fugitive«  in  the  oavti  off 
the  north.  .^ 

The  mode  of  approach  adopted  was  weH.  fitted  tp  tigrow  Jesiu, 
off  His  guard.  Recognition,  even  by  Pharisees,  as  tlie,  brnve,  fmnk, 
fearless  Man  of  God,  and  appeal  to  Him  in  a  matter  whi(4>  rnifflit 
cost  tli9  questioner  his  life,  were,  alike,  ensnaring.  FmnknoM  de- 
nanded  frankness.  The  courage  of  the  question  demanded  as  muc^li^ 
n  the  rft^ly.  Jesus  knew,  besides,  that  such  ideas  w©:^e  always  fer*- 
h  anting  Ui  the  mind  of  the  Pharisee  youth*  and  tliat  th©  Herodi&nM,' 
iosttsci'^  olbeing  friends  of  Rome,  anxiously  desired  a  change.  Why, 
therefore,  thonld  He  distrust  the  new  allies?  The  Romi^n  supremacy 
was,  undoubtedly,  at  l)ottom,  a  usurpation^  The  strict  Jew  recog- 
nized no  rulpr  but  Jehovah,  and,  since  Jesus  had  devoted  Hii|,lifa  to 
founding  a  i* Kingdom  of  Heaven,"  it  seemed  only  natural  that  He 
should  hold  His  followers  free  from  obligations  to  the  king(V>ms  of  tho 
world.  Thty  could  not  comprehend  the  spiritual!^  of  HIs^  oonccpr 
tions,  for  ha|  they  not  had  a  secret  suspicion)  that,  m  vpite  of  appoaV' 
ances,  He  redly  meditated  an  attack  on  the  Rpman  government,  tl^ey 
would  hardlt  have  asked  such  a  question.  Could  they  only  brii^jy; 
Him  to  reveaj  these  secret  thoughts.  His  death  at  the  hands  of  tlio, 
Romans  wasj  certain,  bs  a  crafty  conspirator,  and  the  hierjarchlcal 
party-  would  j^et  their  revenge,  without  the  odium  of  ftxantiifg .  it,, 


design8,<^and  value  your  deceitful  flatteries  at  their  worth.  W|iy  dp 
you  tlius  seek  to  entrap  rae,  under  pretence  of  religious  iSCVupJi^i 
which  jjrou  wish  me  to  solve  for  you?  Bring  me  the  coin  vbu  pay  aa 
the  Rowan  tax."  A  Roman  denarius  was  presently  brought  llim-— a 
coin  which  the  Jew  hated  intensely,  for  it  was  that  in  which  the 

B)ll  tat  was  paid,  and  was,  thus,  the  sign  of  slavey  to  the  lieathei). 
esldelj,  it  bore  the  idolatrous  image  of  the  Ro!maa  Smperor  Tlb^ 
rius,  aiid  the  legend  of  his  authority.  The  Emperors,  to  Vospa^iian, 
to  spar^  Jewish  feeling,  had  a  special  coinage  stmck  for  Judea,  with- 
out a  IMness  on  it,  and  only  the  name  of  the  Emperor  and  the  tru^l)- 
tional  iJewish  emblems.  But  other  coins,  stamped  with  the  image 
of  Aumstus  or  Tiberius,  naturally  found  their  way  tp  JemsaWiXL 
especiitly  at  the  feasts.  Suph  a  coin  was  now  handed  to  JefiUB,  witU 
the  ij6pe,  doubtless,  that  the  double  abomination-othe.  idol^troiis 
iraa^e  on  one  side,  and  the  legend  of  Jewish  subjection  on  the  other 
—Hight  provolie  Him  to  some  treasonable  expresaiou.  But  thtt  i?#ttult 
pro^d  the  reverse,  ,        -.-'vi  ,  ^r      ,  , 

'^hose  image  and  superscription  is  this?"  asked  tie.       , 
"{aesar'.  ■' 

'*:i,ender,  then,  to  Caesar,  the  , things  th^t  are  QmsiX%  .»^ }o  QiQi^ 
the  t  lings  that  are  God's."  »iri  iri-  ?j,,  ,ri,|v*  ^'t^K*-  f^frr^V  *   vf  <:?-!' iij* 
^g  oohW  bfe»aid«|ter  sii«jli  fin4ialwfir,{.  Th6m4,^'|)ii|i; 


r  ■■' 

1 

.  y 

1 

Ml-! 

m 

1 

THE  LIFE  OP  CHBIffTj 


peror  ot*  the  coin,  gnij  the  legend  round  it,  were  overt  proofs  0/  the 
existing  state  of  things,  and  of  the  de  facto  right  of  the  imperial  go\. 
eirnment,  as  such,  to -ifevy  taxes.  Hence  followed^  not  only  the  faw- 
fulness,  but  the  duty,  of  iiayin^  what  was  tlius  due  to  the  Emperor, 
including  the  t»x  in  question,  since  the  very  coin  in  which  it  was  pay- 
able showed,  on  its  face,  that  it  was  the  lawful  claim  of  the  ruling 
power.  *■*  But,"  added  He,  "your  theocratic  duty  is  in  no  w.iy  com- 
promised by  Such  political  duties  as  subjects.  Pay  also,  what  is  de- 
raAttded  by'God  as  your  spiritual  King,  as  a  legal  claim  of  His  govem- 
meht, — the  Temple  tax,  and  all  that  He  demands  from  you  besides  as 
His  spfrtttial  subjects."  The  treacherous  question  was  ansyered  with 
a  Clearness,  precision,  and  wisdom,  which  defined,  for  a^  ages,  the 
rdatiorirt  of  His  kingdom  to  the  civil  power.  The  Christian  was  not 
to  oppose  existing  authority,  but  to  unite  his  duty  to  it,  mih  his  duty 
to  God:  The  political  and  religious  spheres,  were  declared  not  oppo- 
site  but' co-existing,  and  harmonious  though  distinct.- 

To  realize  the  immense  signilicance  of  this  utternnce,fdelivered  as 
it  w^as;  on  the  moment,  without  an  instant's-  hesitation ^  we  imust  re- 
meihberthat  it  introduced  an  entirely  new  conception  rf  the^  relation 
of  Church  and  State.  Till  then,  over  the  world,  they  Ipid  been  iden- 
tical. The  CsBsar  was  chief  priest  as  well  as  empeiror,  aid  tlie  Golleges 
of  pirtests  and  augurs  w^rc  political  institutionis.  IntJUd^a,  the  two 
spheres,  henceforth  to  be  separated,  bad,  hitherto,  been  confused  and 
intermixed;  the  civil  power  was  the  instrument  of  the  priest;  its  in- 
s^tutions  were  religious,  and  the  priesthood  had  striven  after  kingly 
pCfwer  and  r^thk.  Henceforward,  the  new  society  was  to  staad  apart 
.jrdm  political  interests  and  aiuthorities.  The  Ktate  was  no  longer 
itidispehsable  to  its  perfect  completeness  and  eflBciencyi.  The  sphere 
of  religion  was  that  of  the  conscience,  which  is,  by  its  natUK,  free. 
Tlie  State  cannot  leave  the  payment  of  its  impositions  to  gfx»dwill; 
it' must  enforce  them,  if  they  be  refused:  but  force  is  utterly  cpposed 
td  the  idea  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  In  it  voluntary  service  alone 
h<i*  value.  Wimt  is  yidded  to  f  orce^  without  inner  -  truth  aid  love, 
is,  before  God,  as  if  not  given  at  all;  what  is  given  in  byp(critical 
self^terest,  is  an  abomination  to  Him. 
■  No  wonder  such  an  answer  filled  the  messengersof  the  hierffchical 

Sarty  with  astonishment.  It  was  not  only  .,»Bt  ^asonable.but  in- 
irecdy  pressed  on  the  hierarchy  the  conscientious  dSsclmigt  of  its 
duties  to  Rbme.  Fut  they  could  not  grasp  Its  whole  significatce,  for 
they  had  60  conception  ot  a  religious  comnmnity  which  had  net  the 
tight  and  power  to  inflict  civil  penalties.  The  Old  Testament  (eon- 
cony  was,  Itself,  the  State.  Obedience  to  its  requirements  wa  : 
forced  by  the  national  courts,  and  an  attempt  to  change  or  trnngress 
tfaeni  was  severely  punished.  Jesus  Plimself,  indeed,  was  abmt  to 
*t>»ie  with  His  Hfe  for  His  offences  against  ttie  established  and  vadi- 
tiQijjal  religious  usages  and  opinions  01  the  ruling  castc,  The  ilea  of 
JteeAtoa>i^  ^sdttnce  «3|d  iaith^  Wblchi  ytmA  th^v^ty  ^tisiM^kt 


.hJ 


•M    .Ui5 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHKlBTI 


S 


97V 


of  His  teaching  was  a  stnmWing-block,  ftnd  a  ground  of  bittenicAS,  to 
His  a^.  The  conception  of  a  religion,  in  which  there  was  no  ro- 
Bponsibility  except  to  God,  wns  beyond  it.  -»  j  <-  ^ 

All  the  influential  Jewiflh  parties  had  now  united  against  Him,  as  A 
dangerous  innovator,  an  enemy  of  the  Rabbinical  "hedge"  of  human 
prescriptions  and  refincraenta,  which  w»\s  the  essence  of  tlie  religion 
of  the  day.  If  tolerated  longer  He  might  win  over  the  people  to 
favour  His  demand  for  fundamental  reform.  The  Phanaces  and 
Hcrodians  had  hardly  left  Him,  when  some  aristocratic  Sadducees 
renewed  the  attack.  The  clergy  of  all  classes,  from  highest  to  lowest, 
were  against  Him.'  His  support  was  among  the  people.  His  appear- 
Mice  in  th»  Temple,  His  assumption  of  authority  over  it,  and  HU 
lofty  claim  to  be  the  Messiah,  filled  the  offlcial  world  with  alarm,  and 
united  them  to  crush  Him.  But  the  Sadducees  had  none  of  the  ear- 
nestness of  the  PJiarisees.  They  were  the  prototypes  of  the  scoffing 
Mid  infidel  priests  whom  Luther  found,  almost  fifteen  hundred  years 
after,  in  Rome;  who  pawdied  even  the  words  of  the  Holy  Sacrameatt 
they  were  busied  in  consecrating.  The  Pharisees  had  early  taken 
offence  at  Jesus,  for  they  were  Zealots  for  the  Rabbinism  which  He 
attacked;  but. the  Sadducees — ^few,  rich,  dignified;  the  primate  luid 
bishops  of  the*day — affected  at  first  only  to  despise  the  Galilseaiv 
Vjfho,  like  so  many  before  Him,  had  stirred  up  commotion  for  the  time 
apong  His  rude  compatriots.  Even  now,  in  Jerusalem,  they  were 
disposed  to  look  at  Him  and  His  adherents  with  a  lofty  contempt, 
tpd  to  laugh  the  foolish  rabble  who  listened  to  Him  out  or  their  fanat< 
ical  dreams.  His  claims  were,  in  their  opinion,  more  silly  than  dan>- 
gerous,  and  they  would,  therefore,  bring  the  whola  matter  into  ^CjO^^ 
tempt,  by  making  it  ridiculous.  *.;'/';;•' 4" 

For  this  end  they  had  carefully  selected,  from  the  casCvS  invented 
by  Rabbinical  casuistry,  that  of  a  wife,  who  was  supposed,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Mosaic  law,  to  have  married  in  succession  ^  seven 
brothers,  each  of  whom  di^  without  children.  Though  an  imag' 
inary,  it  was  apossible  case,  for  the  Law  enacted,  that,  if  a  husband 
died  without  leaving  a  Gon  to  perpetuate  his  name,  his  brother  must 
marry  tlie  widow,  and  the  first-born  son  of  this  second  marriage  was 
to  be  entered  in  the  public  register  as  the  son  of  the  dead  man.         «,* 

Not  believing  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  themselves,  and 
supposing  that  Jesus,  who,  they  had  heard,  taught  it,  J-^ld  the  same 
notions  as  they  ascribed  to  the  Pharisees,  they  fancied  they  could 
cover  Him  and"  it  with  ridicule,  by  a  skilful  use  of  this  case.  Some 
of  the  Rabbis,  indeed,  had  purer  conceptions  tlian  others,  teaching 
that  in  the  kiagdom  of  the  Messiah,  after  the  resurrection,  or  at  least 
iu  the  f uf  ure  world,  the  just  would  neither  eat,  drink,  nor  maiTy. 
But  they  were  exceptions,,  for  the  popular  belief,  as  expressed  by  the 
Rabbis  genenilly,  was  gross  and  unworthy  in  the  extreme.  sThe 
jre^iMTeotioa  yculdnot  only  restoi<(^  men  to  tlieir  former  bodies,  vbut  to 
Ihi^l^ifi^y  apii&titefl  andpassibxis;  ^cy  would  hot  only  eat, ^drin]£,'aiid 


Wl 

,  ,  1 

'■    -       1 
is 

\  • 

■ 

I 


« 


mi 


rft'l 


^    ''% 


]     % 


6W 


ym  tiiFE  dp  Cittms'T. 


take  wives,  btit  would  risb  in  the  clothes  they  wca^-Ia  liif©j  if  buried 
with  them,  and  eten  with  all  their  bodily  blemishes  ^d  defects, 
**  that  men  might  know  them  to  be  the  same  pei*sons  as  they  knew  iii 
life."  Even  the  case  supposed  by  the  Badducees,  had  been  settled  in 
principle, — "for  the  woman  who  had  married  two  huf^ands  in  thig 
world,"  says  the  Book  Sohar,  *' will  be  given  to  the  first,  in  the  world 
to  come." 

Fancying  there  was  no  sanction,  either  for  the  immortality  of  tlie 
soul  or  the  resurrection,  in  the  Pentateuch,  the  Saddueecs  sneered  at 
both  doctrines.  "  They  deny  the  resurrection  after  death,"  says  the 
Talmud,  "and  maintain  that  it  is  as  vain  to  hope  that  a  cloud  wliich 
has  vanished  will  appear  again,  as  that  the  grave  will  give  back  \U 
dead." 

Coming  to  Jesus,  with  a  well-bred  politeness,  they  put  their  ques- 
tion  softly,  addressing  Him  respectfully,  as  the  Pharisees  and  Hero- 
dians  had  done,  as  Rabbi,  for  which  they  used  the  current  Greek 
equivalent.  ^     ',}.  >^y..fV--'Mv.,  ^       .^  .^•iw,^l'^l.*|,  l  ,; 

"Your  ideas  respiBiJtinlf  these  things  are  wrong,"'  replied  Jesu», 
'•^from  your  not  understanding  coirectly  the  Scriptures  which  refer 
to  then*.  The  children  of  this  world  marry,  and  ai*e  given  iiimar* 
riage,  l^eeause  they  are  mortal,  and  marriage  is  necessary  to  perpetuate 
the  race.  »  But  those  who  shall  be  counted  worthy  to  enter  the  jlcftv- 
lenly  Kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  and  will  be  raised  from  the  dead  to  do 
so,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  neither  can  they  die  any 
more,  for  they  will  be  immortal,  like  angels;  and  hence  there  is  no 
reason  for  their  marrying  and  raising  childi'eni  to  take  their  place,  as 
with  men  in  this  world.  As  sons  of  the  resurrection,  they  are  sons 
of  God,  and,  like  the  angels,  will  live  for  over. 

'*  As  to  the  resurrection  of  tjie  dead,  you  have  referred  to  Mofie8. 
But  let  me  also  refer  to  him.  Even  he  shows,  in  the  passage  in 
which  we  are  told  Of  the  vision  at  the  burning  bush,  that  the  dead 
are  raised.  For  he  calls  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Abraham,  isaaci  and 
Jacob.  Now,  God  cannot  be  the  Grod  of  persons  Who  do  not  exist, 
and,  therefore,  the  patriarchs,  though  their  bodies  were  dead,  must 
themselves  have  been  still  living— living,  I  mean,  in  the  separate  state, 
and  awaiting  the  resurrection.  Thus,  God  regards  all  the  dead  as 
still  living,  and  how  easy,  if  this  be  the  case,  for  Him  to  raise  them 
hereafter!" 
''"  Rabbi,  Thou  hast  spoken  well,"  said  some  Scribes,  as  He  closed. 
They  were,  for  the  moment,  won  to  His  side,  by  His  triumph  over 
their  bitter  Sadducee  enemies.  Meanwhile,  the  i>ecple  were  more 
than  ever  astonished  at  His  teaching,  and  dispojied  to  tliink  Him  a 
prophet.    ■  ■     ■■   '  .  -r'^^iii"  j^uii^>y  .o;]J  ol  J^'d'. 

It  soon  spread  abroad  that  tlie  Saddiicees  had  Iwen  silenced,  but 
the  Pharisees  had  already  prepared  a  new  attempt  to  entrap  Him. 
One  6f  them, '.who  <:had  listoned  to  the  dispute-r-«  Scribe,  eiv  master  of 
t^  2JSi#aBHld;i)^A';wk*t:ted>ta  he  tlMl^sp^k  ^:tt'|}l^V(.4, 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


(jf^i 


WAS  oQly halfhearted  in  his  taisk.  The  Habbis  taught  that  thorc/ 
were  great  and  sinall.  commands  in  the  la\vs — the  one  hard  and 
weighty,  the  other  easy  and  of  Joss  moment.  Their  idea  of  great- 
ness, however,  way  independent  of  the  religious  importpnce  of  a  par- 
ticular precept,  and  had  regard  or'v  to  tJieh*  own  external  precepts, 
founded  on  it.  Thus,  commands  were  especially  palled  great,  to  the 
iransgroaslon  of  which  excommunication  was  attached;  such  as 
obserVance  of  the  Sabbath,  iu  their  sense;  of  circumcision,  of  the 
ininute>*t  rites  of  sacriflce  and  offering,  of  cercinonial  purity,  and  the 
like.  The  precepts  respecting  the  structure  of  tlie  booths  M  th^ 
Feast  of  Xaberuacles,  and  of  tlic  washing  the  hnnds,  were,  on  Ihq 
[contrary,  counted  sinall.  But,  in  spite  or  this  nominal  diiterence, 
obedience  to  all  was  alike  imperative,  and,  in  practice,  both  classes 
were  treated  as  alike  weighty.  To  honour  one's  parents  and  to  jet  a 
motUer-bh'd  fly  when  the  young  are  taken;  not  to  kill;  and  to  wash 
the  liands,  were  put  on  a  level,  and  had  an  equal  reward.  Even  the 
I  injunctions  of  ths  Rabbis  respecting  the  zizith,  or  tassels  of  their 
carves,  were  "great."  "Tho  words  of  the  Rabbis,"  says  the  Tal- 
I  mud,  "are  to  be  prized  above  those  of  the  Law,  for  the  won^s  of  the 
Law  are  both  weighty  and  light,  but  those  of  the  liabbis  are  all 
weighty," ,  If  Jesus  answered  as  the  Pliarisees  hoped,  He  would  once 
more  commit  Himself,  as  an  enemy  of  the  traditions,  and  expose 
I  Himself  tjr)  new  charges.  ,, 

It  may  08,  there  was,  besides,  a  lurking  desire  to  elicit  some  utter- 
|aacc  resp^ctin^  His  claims  to  a  more  than  human  authority.    Stones 

d  Iwen  lif tea  more  than  once,  to  put  Him  to  death  as  a  blasphemer, 
I  who  made  Himself  equal  ■with  God.     How  would  lie  express  Illmseli 
in  the  face  of  the  first  command  of  the  Decalogue?;     ,  i ;      , 

Hi*  roi>iy,  as  always,  goes  to  the  root  of  the  matter,  simplifying  the 
whole  sweep  of  "the  Ten  Words"  into  brief  and  easily  remembcre<^;^ 
prineiples.    Ho  avoided  the  least  approach  to  i^iytbing  that  cou]tV 
HiTe  offence  to  thamost  zealous  supporter  of  tlic  Old  Testament,  and, 
at  the  Bame  lime,  gave  no  handle  for  accusation  of  any  slight  of  th^ 


%bbiiiical  precepts. 
*' Teacher,"  said  the  Jeg^listj  "whi 

mandment  in  the  Law?"  |>  '^>  '%^^!T 


which  is  the  great  and  first  coin- ^ 


:,i: 


liiJ^/[' 


No  one  could  takfc  Jesus  b^  surprise  at  any  time,  but  In  this  spherei 

I  He  was,  if  we  may  so  speak,  especially  at  home,  as  He  had  shown  q,. 

few  days  before,  in  His   conversation  with  the  young  ruler,  near 

Jericho.    With  a  full  sense  of  the  perU  of  His  position,  He  answered 

with  more  fulness  than  usual,  leaving  no  ground  for  Baisappreliension^ 

but  giving  as  little  for  .offence.     He  had  named  only  one  command 

as  great,  to'^the  young  i-uler — the  love  of  our  neighbour — but  to  tlie^ 

jScril)e  He  gave  two,  as  f orrning;  together,  "the  great  and  lirstcom- 

maadmsnt.   .  Neithetr  was  abridged,  or ,  subordinated  to  the  other j 

min  tix^  t^o  He  fanned  the'BrinciplQ  &oci  which  Obedienjg^o^ 


k 
-.r- 


68d 


THj;  Ll^E  OF  iCHRXST. 


Book  of  Mpses,  then  to  tli^  Third,  for  the  two  great  guiding  starg 
which  all  the  host  of  lesser  commands  followed.  '*  Hear,  O  Israel," 
said  He :  "  Jehovah,  our  God,  is  one  God" — the  words  in  which  every 
Israelite,  each  morning,  confessed  his  faith  in  Jehovah — •*  And  thou 
shalt  love  the»Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength.  This  is  the  great 
and  first  commandment.  A  second  is  like  it.  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself.  There  is  none  other  command  greater  than 
these.    On  these  two  hang  the  whole  Law  and  the  prophets." 

He  had  once  more  shown  His  greatness  as  a  teacher,  by  summing 
up 'Our  whole  duty  in  tJie  fundamental  conceptions  of  religion  and 
.  morality:  in  the  love  to  God,  which  is  also  love  to  His  children,  our 
fellow-men.  Nor  were  the  various  commands  of  any  part  of  tli« 
Scriptures  overlooked;  the  religious  and  moral  precep^tsof  the  proph- 
ets, no  loss  than  the  Law,  were  honoured  and  made  binding  for  ever. 

*'  Thou  hast  spoken  well  and  truly,"  broke  in  the  scribe,  "  for  Gofi 
fsOne,  and  there  is  no  other  but  He,  and  to  love  Him  with  all  MiO 
•   heart,  and  with  all  the  understanding,  and  with  nil  the  so^llj.and^^'iflll 
all  tlip  strength,  and  to  love  one's  neighbour  as  one's  self,  is  of  grcatei| 
consequence  than  all  the  whole  burnt  offerings  of  the  Law,  the  mornf 
\bs  and  evening  sacrifice,  and  all  other  sacrifices  besides." 
-fr    '*  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,"  replied  Jesus,  as! 
He  heard  words  which  showed  that  the  speaker  was  no  mere  man  of  I 
his  party,  but  was  accessible  to  higher  impulses.    The  GxilileBan  had 
proved  very  different  from  what  he  had  been  led  to  anticipate.    His] 
answers  had  not  only  silenced  His  enemies,  but  had  iiulf  won  somel 
of  them  to  His  side.    Henceforth,  all,  alike,  kept  aloof  from  one  from] 
,  rwhom  chief  priests  and  Rabbis  equally  went  away  humbled.  I 

'^  As  on  the  day  before,  the  defeat  of  all  the  attacks  on.  Him  was! 
followed  by  His  taking  the  offensive,  but  only  in  a  mild,  instructive! 
convict  wi|th  prejudice  and  misapprehension.  He  had  openly  assumedl 
the  Messiahship,  but  in  a  sense  entirely  in  contrast,  with  the  popular] 
conception.  That  He  fulfilled  none  oi  the  conditions,  expected  alikel 
by  the  authorities  and  the  people,  in  the  Messiah,  bad  given  the  fori 
njter  the  pretext  for  spreading  it  abroad ;  that  He  was  an  impostor;  al 
cry  Ciauglit  up,  in  the  end,  only  too  widely,  by  the  Jerusalem  popul 
lape.  He  would  now  show  the  Pharisees,  if  they  chose  to  listen,  that 
theii"  preconceptions  w  ere  wrong,  when  tested  by  Scripture,  and  thun 
expose  the  wortlilessness  of  the  arguments  on  which  they  based  theirl 
light  denial  qi  His  Messiahship.  I 

Turning  unexpectedly  to  a  knot  of  Pharisees  who  hung  near,  toj 
watch  as  He  was  teaching,  He  asked  them —        ;>  m^-*' 

* '  What  is  your  opinion  about  the  Messiah ;  I  ^ean,  as  to  His  Ime- 
,  age  and  extraction — whose  son  is  HeV" 
;  /  ' '  The  son  of  David, "  answered  they,  at  once.       . 
:,.;'*  jtow  is  it,  then,"  replied  Jesus*  "that  David,  ia  tib©  hundred  and! 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


«88 


(n^piration  of  God,  *Tho  Lord  said  unto  ftiy  Lord,  the  Messiah, 
Bit  thon  on  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thine  ennfnles  thy  footstool. 
Tiiy  mighty  sceptre  will  the  Eternal  stretch  forth  out  of  Zion;  rule 
thou  In  "the  midst  of  thy  foes.'  If  He  he  David's  Lord,  how  can  He 
be  bis  Son?" 

Tlie  true  answer  they  must  have  given,  had  they  glveii  any,  was 
one  which  had  not  entered  their  thoughts.  It  would  nave  Iwen— rlio 
(s  David's  Son  by  His  human  descent,  but,  as  the  Bon  of  God,  pro- 
ceeding from  tlie  Father,  He  is  exalted  far  alrove  David  and.  all  man* 
kind,  and  therefore  was, rightly  called,  by  David,  his  Lord.  But  this 
twofold  relation  of  the  Messiah  to  tlnir  great  king,  and,  with  it,  the 
true  estimutc  of  the  dignity  and  ofHce  of  the  M(38siah,  were  not  in 
their  theology.  The  exposition  ©f  Jesus  might  displease  the  Rabbis, 
but  It  was  heard  with  eager  ears  by  the  multitude  around. 

Ancwscenenowopene^l.  Day  after  day;  the  hostility  of  His  enemies 
had  shown  itsrilf  more  fierce,  as  they  found  it  incrofisingly  hopeless 
to  overcome  Him  by  legitimate  weapons  or  argument.  The  people, 
however,  were  more  friendly,  and  regarded  Him  as,  iit  least,  a  prophet, 
if  not  the  Messiah.  He  had  hitherto  maintained  only  a  defensive 
attitude,  but  the  clear  purpose  shown  to  put  Hira  out  of  the  way, 
made  all  further  reserve  or  caution  useless.  With  tlie  calmness  of  a 
profound  conviction,  and  the  clearest  statement  of  His  grounds,  He 
proceeded  to  open  a  vigorous  attack,  that  the  contrast  between  Him- 
self  and  His  opponents  might  be  beyond  question.  Every  one  must 
be  enabled  to  Judge  intelligently  on  which  side  he  would  take  hia 
place.    He  desired,  henceforth,  only  a  speedy  decision  of  the  struq^gle. 

He  now,  therefore,  broke  out,  before  the  multitude,  in  a  last  terri- 
ble denunciation  of  the  moral  and  religious  shortcomings  of  His  ad- 
versaries. These  He  summed  up  under  the  two  great,  heads  of  hypoc- 
risy and  selfishness;  they  made  a  pretence  an^  a  ^ain  of  religion. 
Yet  their  doctrines  and  decisions  were  substantially  right;  it  was  ttteir 
practice  He  condemned. 

''The  Scribes  and  Pharisees,"  said  He,  "have  taken  possession^ of 
flie  seat  of  Moses,  to  continue  his  office  as  law-givor,  by  evplaining 
and  teaching  the  Law.  They  are  his  official  Successors;  therefore, 
obey  their  decisions.  But  do  not  imitate  their  lives,  f of  they  teach 
what  they  do  not  practise.  They  heap  togetlun*  their  rules  and  de 
mands,  into  heavy  burdens,  and  lay  them  on  men's  shonlddrs,  but  they 
will  not  help  those  whom  they  thus  load  by  so  much  as  the  touch  of  a 
little  finger.  Tliey  shirk  many  rites  and  forms  wliicih  they  demand 
from  others  as  sacred  duties.  Their  requirements  are  a  load  on  the 
conscience,  .which  deadens  and  destroys  it.  To  exalt  their  order, 
they  make  slaves  of  the  people,  paralyzing  by  their  countless  laws 
all  true  virtue,  freedom,  and  love.  They  act  only  wltli  an  e^e  to 
effect;  to  be  thought  more  religious  tlian  others;  and  reap  considera- 
tion and  profit  from  this  reputation.    They  come  out  to  pray  in  theit 


;     rf 


^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


of  extra  size  on  their  forohcnd  nnd  arm  that  thry  may  be  noticed;  and 
the  very  tn^Hcls  hung,  in  lioncur  of  the  Law,  at  the  coiioer^B  of  their 
abhoa,  are  hirgcr  tiian  those  of  othern.  To  get  honour,  they  strive 
for  tliQ  highest  places  at  feasts,  and  the  chief  seats  in  tlic  •^yiiflgogucs, 
and  court  Falutations  in  the  crowded  niarket-plaoe,  and  tlie  souudiug 
title,  Ilabbi.  Have  nothing  to  do  with  such  proud  names,  for  I,  ouly, 
am  your  Rabbi  or  teacher,  and  all  ye  are  bretliren.  They  like  to  be 
called  'Father,'  but  call  no  teacher  on  earth  your  father,  lor  one  only 
Js  your  Father;  God  in  Ileaven.  And  do  not,  like  them,  be  calltd 
Leaders,  for  you  have  only  one  JLeader,  Hkfe,  the  Messiah.  The  highest 
p)aco  among  my  disciples  is  quite  otherwise  obtained  than  among 
iliem,  for  he  who  seeks  to  be  gieat  among  you  can  become  so,  as  I 
havq  said  before,  only  by  being  the  servant  of  the  rest.  This  lowll- 
ness  is  itself  his  greatness.  For  her>vho  exalts  himself  shall  be  hum- ' 
bled  at  my  coming,  and  he  who  humbles  himself  will  be  exalted." 

Rising,  as  Ho  proceeded,  He  now  broke  out  into  a  lofty  utterance  of 
i^^^igoation  at  such  pinciples  and  conduct. 

\  n  f*;'  Woe  to  you,  Scribes  and  Fharisees,  actors!  Ye  plunder  the  houses 
of  desolate  widows,  left  witliout  protestors,  and,  to  hide  your  doings, 
make  long  prayers  while  at  sucli  work!  , For  you  say  in  your  hypoe- 
risy,  '  Lon^  prayers  make  a  lon^  life,'  and  some  of  you  boast  that 
you  pray  nine  hours  a  day!  Behove  me,  you  will  repeive  for  all  this 
the  gi-eater  damnation  liercaftor. 

**  Woe  to  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  actors!  Ye  sta^d  in  the  gate- 
^'ay  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  that  Kingdom  I  have  come  to  set 
up,  and  not  only  do  not  yourselves  enter,  but  even  close  the  doors  I 
have  opened,  that  you  may  keep  tliose  from  entering,  wlio  wish  to 
do  so^ 

"Woe  to  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  actors!  Instead  of  helping 
m^jntojtbc  Kingfiom  of  the  Messiah,  ye  compatjs^.  sea  and  land  to 
m^^e  one  proselyte,  that  your  parley  may  profit  by  him,  and»  when  be 
is  gained,  what  (io  you  make  of  bmi?  A  sou,  of.  bt^l,  p)'  ,jj[OVif  ^^a^y 
pJe,,  two-fold  more  even,  than  yo.u  are  yourselves.         , ,   *  i  ' 

,"Woo  to  you,  blind  guides,  who  say,  'If  any  one  swear  by  the 


gold,  or  the  Temple  that  sanctifies  the  gold?  You  say,  m  the  same 
spj lU,  '  If  any  one  swear  by  the  altar,  his  oath  is  not  binding  on  liim; 
biit  if  he  swear  by  the  gift  that  h«!  has  laid  on  the  altai",  he  must 
keep  his  oath.'  Fools  and  blind!  for  which  is  the  greater,  the  gilt, 
or  ihe  altai-  that  sanctifies  the  gift?  He  who  swears  by  the  altui" 
swears  by  it,  and  by  all  the  things  on  it,  and  he  \vho  swears  by  (lie 
(Temple,  sweais  by  it,  and  by  Him  tliat  dwells  in  it..  And  he  wbo 
ftwi(^|ars  hy  heaven,  swears  by, the  throne  of  God,  >i^d'bj|.Hi]ai  who  siti 


Tis^  LIFE  OF  qmusT. 

Hrfct  i<i  observing  the  XaW  that  y6n  pay  a  Wlh  to  the  Temple  nf 
even  the  sprigs  of  mint  and  anise  and  cummin  in  your  garden  borders, 
and  yet  at  the  same  time  you  neglect  the  great  coitimnnds  of  tlie  Law; 
to  do  justly,  to  iove  mercv,  and  to  wallc  huralily  "with  your  God.  You 
ought  certainly  to  attend  to  the  liglitcr  demands  of  the  Law,  Imt 
surely  not  to  leave  tlie  far  greater  neglected.  Blind  guides,  who  strain 
out  the  gnat  from  the  wine  and  swallow^ the  camel!  Sticklers  for 
worthless  trifles,  regardless  of  matters  of  mtmient. 

"Woe  to  you,  8crll)es  and  Pharisees,  actors!  Ye  make  clean  thfe 
outside  of  the  cup  and  tlio  dish,  but,  within,  they  are  full  of  robbery 
sad  incontinence.  Blind  Phnrisco,  clean  first  the  inside  of  the  cup 
and  dish,  that  the  wino  taste  no,  more  of  plunder  and  lust,  and  that 
the  outside  may  not  only  seem  clean  by  your  washing  it,  but  be  clean, 
by  the  taking  away  of  that  delilement  wllich  your  life  gives  it,  in  spite 
of  your  cleansings.  ' 

"Woe  to  yoii,  Scribes  and  Phatisees,  actors!  You  are  like  the 
whitewashed  tombs  all  over  the  land— fair  outside,  but  full  within  of 
the  deadliest  uncleanncss — the  bones  of  men,  and  all  corruption'. 
You  pass  yourselves  off  as  religious,  but  in  your  hearts  you  arc  luU  of 
hypocrisy* and  iniquity." 

Over. against  the  eastern  hall  in  which  Jesus  now  stood,  and  from 
which  He  looked  down  Into  the  Valley  of  the  Kedron,  lav,  on  the 
slope  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  the  tombs  of  the  Prophets  tfie  south- 
most  of  which  is  yet  known  as  the  tomb  of  Zechariah.  In  sight  of 
these  monuments,  rftiiging  iiiai  eyes  from  grave  to  grave,  lie  burst  out 

"  Woe  to  you,  ScTil)es  and  Pharisees,  actors!  Ye  build  fine  tombU 
over  the  'old  prophets,  and  beautify  thosa  of  the  saints,  and  say,  '  If 
we  had  lived  in  the  days  of  our  lathers,  we  would  not  have  taken 
part  with  them  in  their  martyrdom  of  these  holy  men.'  But  vhen 
you  call  them  'yoUr  fathers,'  you  bear  witness  that  you  nn  their 
sous — and  you  arc,  not  only  in  'natund  descent,  but  iu  your  spiriti 
You  are  of  kin  in  heart  to  the  prophet- murderersi!  Pill  up,  thenitorc^ 
the  nleasure  of  iniquity  your  fatlien}  before  you  filled  in  their  day, 
—by  slaying  me  and  those  I  shall  send  to  you!  Serpents!  brood  of 
vipers,  for  vipers  your  fathers  we^  and  vipers  are  ye,  how  can  yfe 
escape  the  Jud^^raerit  of  hell!  Th;  may  not  do  so,  behold,  I  send 
to  you  prophet-like  Apostles,  and  Rabiris,  and  Scribes.  Some  of  them 
ye  shall  kill  and  crucify ;  some  ye  shall  scourge  in  your  synagogues, 
and  persecute  from  city  to  city — that  on  you,  the  leaders  of  the  peo- 
ple, may  come  the  punishment  of  all  the  innocent,  righteous  blood  shed 
on  the  earth;  from  the  blood  of  righteous  Abel  to  that  of  Zechariahi 
the  son  of  Berechiah,  who  was  stoned  by  coimpand  of  King  Joash  in 
the  court  of  the  Temple,  between  the  stoine  and  the  altar.  Believe 
me,  all  tlxese  things  will  come  in  this  generation."  Zecharia)i«  of 
dd;  bid^demwittceci-itherSlnS^  -Ifiraelt^  ar  IfcsfcKJ^ad^tbdt  bf'thife^^  pfciests 
and  Rabbis.     "  Why  transgress  ye,'-  he  had  asked,  ''the  commands 


i' 


I 


t»6 


THE  TJFE  OF  JCHRIST. 


ments  of  the  LorcU  Ye  cannot  prosperl  Becai^se  ye  htfre  forsaken 
Jehovah,  He  hath  forsaken  you."  '    n    -r  o  j?? 'sr ,;  ; 

rij  ;'•  O  Jerusalem!  Jerusalem,"  He  continued,  "  that  killeit  the  proph- 
ets, and  stonest  Ihosc  sent  in  love  to  thee;  how  often  have  I  desired 
to  gather  thy  children,  as  a  henvgathers  her  chickens  under  her  wine, 
and  ye  refused  to  come  under  ray  loving  protection,  by  accepting  me 
as  the:  Messiah.  Behold,  your  liouse  is  left  to  you!  I  go  from  it. 
The  time  of  the  divine  help  and  guard,  over  you  and  your  city,  which 
J  was  sent  to  offer,  is  past.  u 

^^  *M  tell  you  ye  shall  not  see  me  henceforth,  after  my  death,  which  is 
near  at  hand,  till  1  appear  again  in  my  glory.  Then,  you  shall  be  onty 
too  eagerly  willing  to  hail  me  as  the  Messiah,  though  now  ye  refuse* 
even  to  let  others  thus  hail  me.  Then,  when  too  late,  you  will  cry, 
as  the  crowds  did  as  I  entered  your  city,  *  Blessed  bs  He  that  cometh 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord.' " 

Thus,  the  breach  between  the  Future  and  the  Past  was  finally  made 
complete.  The  whole  hierarchy,  from  the  high  priest  its  primate, 
to  the  Levite  its  curate,  and  the  Rabbi  its  university  professor  or 
tutor;  had  been  denounced  before  the  people,  tn  language  which  they 
must  resent  if  tliey  were  to  retain  any  authority  at  all .  Either  Jesus, 
or  the  -Church  as  it  was,  with  aU  its  innumerable  personal  interests,  • 
must  perish.  It  liadtjome  to  this,  indeed,  before  this  last  tremendous 
indictment  of  the  system,  and  the  certainty  tliat  notJbing  could  avert 
His  being  sacrificed  to  the  fanaticism  and  vested  interests  arrayed 
against  Him,  had  alone  caused  such  a  protest.  He  had  no  reasons  for 
further  reserve.  It  was  fixed  that  Ho  must  die  at  their  hands,  and 
the  irreconcilable  opposition  between  the  system  for  the  sake  of  which 
He  was  to  be  martyred,  and  His  ow^n  character  and  work,  must,  cnce 
more,  for  thelast  time,  be  brought  out  in  full  contrast,  that  every  one 
might  choose  for  himself  for  which  he  would  decide.      ' ' 

The  infinite  moral  grandeur  and  purity  of  Jesnsi  His  absolute 
truth,  His  all-embi-acing  love;  His  lowly  humility.  His  sublime  con- 
secration to  the  will  of  His  Father,  His  intense  moral  earnestness, 
Hid  spirit  of  joyful  self-sacrifice  ior  the  moral  and  spiritual  good  of 
mankind,  shine  out  nowhere  more  transcendentl}^  than  when  con- 
trasted, in  this  parting  lament,  with  the  wretched  Fophistries  and 
reverence  for  the  infinitely  little,  which  marked  the  Rabbini&m  He 
opposed.  The  spirit  of  the  market  or  the  booth,  in  religion,  found 
no  sanction  at  His  hands;  He  would  have  no  huckstering  fcr  heaven 
by  a  life  of  petty  formalities;  He  abhorred  all  cant  and  insincerity, 
and  all  trading  witii  religion ;  all  striving  after  mere  outward  success, 
foi  idterior  and  unworthy  ends.  He  would  have  no  divorce  of  relig- 
ion from  morality;  it^as  with  Him  a  living  principle  in  the  heart, 
not  a  rubric  of  external  actS;  its  outward  expression  was  a  holy  lif^, 
but! thee  holiness  without  wa^  only  the  blossoming  of  a  similar  holiness 
within.  In  Babbinism,  on  the  opposite,  there  was  foimal  piety,  ^^ith 
wo  JfmnA.  eaiia^tnem:  aai  absorbing  xcal  for  a2tifici&l^duties,witb 


laTe  f  orsakciii 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


087 


which  the  consciencd  had  nothing  to  do ;  and  An  clabDvat^  multiplica> 
tion  of  rules  and  rites,  for  the  oxprcsi  n.im  of  obtaining  the  absolute 
spiritual  dependence  of  all,  on  the  teaching  caste.  The  whole  system 
had  been  originated  and  developed  to  itn  f ulness<  to  bo  a  "hedge" 
round  the  Law,  and  thus  secure  tidelity  to  the  politico-religious  con- 
stitution of  the  nation,  and  its  mlhuteHt  details  were  strenuously 
enforced  to  secure  tlrU  end.  Unquefttlonh^  acceptance  of  tradition, 
and  the  deepening  and  extending  of  the  ghostly  influence  of  the 
authorities,  were  the  t,wo  great  points  kept  In  view.  There  were  true 
I^raelitesy  like  Nathanael,  or  Zeeharlab,  or  Simeon^  or  Joseph,  in  spite 
of  a  system  thus  lifeless  a/ad  con'upting;  but  it  was  vain  to  hope  for 
anything  but  €vil,  in  the  community  at  largo,  under  its  reign.  Insin- 
cerity and  immorality  in  the  teaohors  of  a  religion  can*  only. multiply 
and  perpetuate  themselves  in  their  disciples.  m  vvj  , 

The  theology  and  hierarchy  of  Judaism  had  become,  in  fact,  what 
Jesus  openly  declared  thorn— whitewashed  iepulchres-^pure  to  the 
eye,  but  with  only  death  and  corruption  witliin.  They  had  proved 
that  they  Were  so,  by  releotlng  Him,  oecauie  He  demanded  moral  and 
religious  reform.  Wedded  to  th«  false  and  Immoral,  they  rather  killed 
Him  than  let  Him  lead  tliem  back  to  God. 

Over  such  a  state  of  things  He  oo<uld  only  raise  His  sad  lamentatioiU, 
Judaism  had  ehodem  its  owu  way^  and  left  Him*to  His.  ^<3i>ia. 


CHAPTDR  LVII. 


THE  IKTERVAI^, 


■i:\jivn 


..  ."■.  ..  _  . —  ."n* 


After  His-terribie  parting  donunciatlon  of  the  religious  leaders  of 
the  nation,  Jesus  passed  into  the  great  forecourt  of  the  women,  fifteen 
steps  b^low  that  of  the  men.  It  was  a  i  wide  space  of  a  hundred 
and  thirty-five  cubits  in  length  and  breadth,  and  was  open  to  the 
people  at  large.  Popular  assemblies^  indeed,  .were  at  times  held  in  it, 
and  it  was  the  scene  of  the  torch-danco  fl,t  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles. 
It  was  especially  frequented,  however,  by  both  sexes,  becai^se  the 
Kuilding  was  there  in  which  the  plona  presented  their  oJSerings. 

Jesus  had  sat  down  to  rest,  utter  the  multiplied  excitements  of  tho 
past  hours,  over  against  the  treasury,  where  tlie  continuous  sti-eam  of 
persons  casting  in  their  money  necessarily  attracted  His  notice.  As 
each  came,  He  could  judge  by  his  uppoavnuoe  how  much  he  threw  inj 
Tlie  poor  could  only  give  paltry  copper  coins,  but  the  rich  cast  in  gold 
and  silver;  some,  doubtless,  from  an  honest  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God; 
otliers,  because  alms,  in  tjie  sordid  theology  of  the  day,  had  their  com- 
mercial value  in  the  future  world. 

Among  others,  cftme  a  poor  widow,  with  her  twolepta — one-twelfth 
of  our  penny  each— the  smallest  of  copper  coins.  She  could  not  bavcf. 
mi  in  less;  for  one  iepton  was  not  ro«ei vtd  as  an  offering.    Tlie  sighl 


I 


if  .  ■  :(| 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


toticlied  the  heart  of  Jesus.  "Believe  me,"  said  He,  to  those  around, 
*^this  poor  woman  has  cast  in  more  tliaij!  any  one,  for  they  have  only 
given  of  their  superfluity,  but  she.  in  her  need — fori  fhe  has  less  tlian 
enough — has  thrown  in  all  ahe  had  for  her  day's  living; '■ 

^mong  the  multitude  of  pilgi-ims  to  the  feast,  then  in  tferusalem, 
were  many  foreign  proselytes.  That  they  should  have  cpme  up, 
though  heathens  by  birth,  ^owed  an  earnest  sincerity,  for  it  exposed 
tliem  to  ridicule  arid  even  worse,  from  their-  own  couutrymen.  Siany, 
of  them,  doubtless,  men  like  the  centurion  at  Ca|.emaum,  or  like  the 
Etliiopian^  eunuch,  were  men  won  over  to  faith  m  Jehovah,  and  to  a 
loyal  respect  for  the  great'  doctrines  of  the  Old  Testament;  proselytes 
of  the  gate,  in  distinction  from  tho  proselytes  of  righteousness,  T^ho, . 
by  circumcision,  had  become,  in  all  religious .  and  gecial  respects, 
Jews.  The  spread  of  a  Jewish  population  in  all  cojuntries,  and  the 
immunities  they  enjoyed,  had  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  great 
numbers  of  Oentiles,  who  were  willing  to  pledge  Ihtjmselvesto  what 
were  called  the  seven  commands  of  Noah— the  avoidance  of  murder, 
bloodshed,  or  robbery:  obedience  to^tlie  Jewish  courts  in  matters  of 
religion:  the  rejection  of  idolatry,  wid  the  worship  of  JehQvah:  and 
to  eat  no  freshly-killed  and  still  bleeding  £esh.  They  were  received 
as  'Uho  strangers  within  the i  gate"  of  Israel,  and  could  attend  the  syn 
agogues,  but  could  met  pass  beyond  the  Court  of  the^Seatheii^inthe 
Temple. 

Of  this  class,  some  Greeks,  then  at  Jerusalem  for  the  feast,  which 
thev  were  in  the  habit  of  attending,  had  heard  much  of  Jesus:  perhaps 
had  seen  Him  and  listened  id  His  discourses,  and  were  anxious  to 
know  Him  iDcrsonally,  that  they  might  have  His  personal  counsels. 
Too  modest  to  come  direct,  they  applied  to  Philip,  the  only  Apostle 
bearing  a  Greek  name,  though  Andrew  is  of  Greek  origin.  To  him 
Pliilip  forthwith  mentioned  tlu9  circumstance,  jtijd  the  two  com- 
municated  it  to  Jesus.  I  tfiued  His  heart  with  muqh-peeded  joy,  to 
welcome  men  who  must  have  seemed  to  Him  an  carn/est  of  His  future 
triumphs,  among  the  great  heathen  nations,  As  Bengu^  says,  "it  waa 
the  prelude  of  the  transitiop  of  the  kingdom  of  God  from  the  Jew  to 
the  Gentile." 

He  went  out  to  tliem,  therefore,  to  the  Court  of  the  Heathen,  and 
they,  doubtless,  heard  from  His  lips  the  counsels  desired.  The  inci- 
dent brought  to  His  mind,  with  fresh  vividness  and  force,  the  nearness 
of  His  death,  through  which  His  salvation  was  to  be  Vrou^ht  to  the 
heathen  world  at  larga^  and  His  emotion  bioko  forth  iUvWpuis^Mlof 
fUblimity.  5  iJjEitj  ;c!a  ^«m?Ti«cift  ,'Mk''i)  riK-^^  iHiv/ -'^i.  twi/ 

i  "The  hour  has  come," said  He,  lifting  His  face,  as  we  may  believe, 
to  heaven,  as  He  spoke— '*  the  hour  appoiijj,ed  in  the  counsels  of  my 
Father,  from  eternity,  when  the  Sou  of"  man  shall  enter  into  Ilis 
gtory  by  death.  For  it  must  be  that  1  die,  that  my  work  may  hear 
its  due  fruits— ad  the  grain  must  fall  into  the;  ground  and  pe^^, 
Iljtat4t  may  bring  forth  the  harvest,^  ...iYierily,  yerily,  Jtsay  to  you, 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


r-* 


5=V- 


089 


".v^  -■ 


it  must  b6  tmlj"  My  life  remains  limited  and  botind  uplii  myself, 
as  the  life  is  in  the  seed,  till  I  die.  It  cannot,  till  then,  jjass  be- 
yond me  to  others,  and  multiply.  But  when  I  die,  I  shall  be  like 
the  corn,  whi^hi  in  its  death,  imparts  its  life  to  what  springs  fromit. 
"As  it  is  needful  for  me  thus  to  die,  to  make  my  work  triumpli, 
so,  also,  is  it  for  you,  my  followers,  in  ypur  own  case.  He  who 
so  loves  his  life  as  not  to  be  willing  to  yield  it  for  my  kingdom, 
will  lose  eternal  life  hereafter;  l>ut  he  who,  in  this  world,  cheer- 
fully gives  up  even  his  life  for  me,  as  if  he  hated  it  in  comparison 
with  loyalty  to  me,  will  gain  life  everlasting.  If  any  mj^u  wish 
really  to  serve  me,  let  hini  imitate  me  in  my  joyful  readiness  even 
to  die;  and  he  will  receive,  as  his  reward,  that  where  I  go,  fo  the 
right  hand  of  my  Father  In  heaven,  there,  also,  will  he  follow,  and 
dwell  with  me;  for  if  any  One  thus  truly  and  self-sacriflcinely  servo 
me,  my  Father  will  honour  him  by  giving  liim  the  glory  of  the  life 
hereafter." 

The  awful  vision  of  the  immediate  future,  meanwhile,  for  a 
moment,  mised  a  shrinking  of  human  weakness.  It  was  the  fore- 
shadowing of  Get&semane.  : 
"No^%  is  my  soul  troubled,"  cried  He,  with  a  voice  of  infinite 
sadness.  In  His  a^ony  of  soul,  He  hesitated  for  a  moment,  before 
all  through  which  He  had  so  soon  to  pass,  and  it  seemed  as  if  He 
were  even  now  enduring  it.  "What  shall  I  say?"  He  added,  ias 
if  cohimuning -^Ith  Hintiself;  "Shall  I  pray — Father,  save  me  from 
the  hour  of  darkness;  take  this  Cup  from  me?  No,  let  it  not  be: 
all  thfe  past  has  been  only  a  progress  towards  it,  that  by  it  I  might 
glorify  Thy  name!"  The  momentary  human  shrinking  from  the 
Gross  had  passed  away  as  soon  as  it  had  risen.  The  cloud  that 
dimmed  thd  clear  heaven  of  His  soul  had  disappeared.  His  trouble 
of  soul  gave  place,  on  the  instant,  to  the  victorious  consciousness 
of  the  great  future  to  flow  from  His  accomplishment  of  the  pur- 
pose .of  God  for  the  salvation  of  the  world.  Then,  as  if  He  were 
repeating  aloud  His  inw^ard  thought,  He  burst  forth  into  the  words 
—•'Father, -glorify  Thy  name,  as  Thou  hast  purposed,  through  my 
death  for  man.  I  come  to  ^o  Thy  will,  O  God,  and  I  give  myself 
up  to  Thee!" 

Forthwith  came  a  wondrous  attestation,  sealing  the  divine  author- 
ity of  our  Saviour's  mission  with  the  stamj)  of  august  and  tran- 
scendent glory.  Suddenly  there  sounded  a  voice  from  the  cloudles3 
April  sky,  with  a  volume  that  filled  the  heavens,  so  that  some,  overr 
powered'  by  its  grandeur,  could  not  think  of  it  as  an  utterance  of 
articulate  words,  but  fancied  that  it  thundered — **  1 7wz?6  glorified  My 
name,  already,  in  having  sent  Theb,  and  in  all  Thy  sinless  and 
gracious  life,  till  now;  and  I  fhttU  glorify  it  again,  by  lliine  entrance 
(fe  Thy  heavenly  glory  through  the  gates  of  djeath!" 
'*'It  thunders,"  muttered  some,  whose  souls  were  least  quick  to 
realize  what  had  happened.     "  No,"  said  others,  with  truer  religious 


m 


THE  y?E  OF  <:J«ItI8^r 


sensibility—"  It  was  an  angel' speaking  to  Him.  He  is  a  prophet,  at 
least;  if  not  the  Messiah  Himself,  and  God  speaks,  thus,  to  Him,  by 
a  heavenly  messenger."  But  the  disciples  around,  and  Jesus  Him- 
self, knew  whence  It  came,  and  what  were  the  precise  words  from 
th«  ejfcellent^lory. 

"You  may  not  understand,"  said  Jesus  to  the  disciples  and  the 
crowd,  "whence  thiis  voice  comes,  and  why  it  is  sent.  It  is  the  voice 
of  niv  Father  in  heaven,  and  comes,  not  lor  my  ^ake,  but  for  yc  urs, 
to  take  away  your  unbelief,  and  to  strengthen  your  faith.  The  n'me 
presses  for  your  decision  regarding  me.  Even  now,  the  judgmer t  of 
my  Father  is  being,  given  forth,  against  thote  who  Jiavei ejected  me 
as  the  Messiah.  Tlirough  the  victoi-y  of  my  kingdom,  which  my* 
death  will  securp,  and  the  ppread  of  niy  name  over  the  earth  procli-im, 
the  imp^ytehc^  of  my  enemies  will  be  shown,  and  their  guilt  Icloie 
God  be  made  clear.  He,  especially,  whom  even  you  call  the  rukr  of 
thi&  t\^orld,  and  the  great  enemy  of  the  kingdom  of  Gcd— ^'e  prince 
of  evil— -will  feel  the  greatness  of  my  triumph,  for  his  kingdom  r.iist 
yield  to  mine.  My  death,  as  the  atonement  between  God  and  mm\, 
wi!l  deliver  from  his  power  and  place  under  my  protect  ion,  as*  the 
glorified  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  all  who  believe  in  my  name,  ^cr 
wilt  that  triumph  cease  as  time  rolls  on:  age  after  age,  till  the  last 
dajr;  in  ever  wider  sweep,  it  will  subdue  all  things  under  me^,  and 
dnve  the  kingdom  of  darkness  from  the  world.     ;^J   f  -^  /'-^ 

"So  it  shaU  be;  for  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  frcm  the  earth  by  the  deiitli 
of  the  cross,  as  I  know  I  shall  be,  and  thus  pa&s  away  fiTjmthe  wtrld 
and  return  to  my  Father,  shall  draw  all  men  to  me;  for  ihe  power  of 
my  cross  will  be.unhersally  felt,. and  the  Holy  Spirit  whom  I  si  all 
send  from  the  Father,  will  tuirn  nien's  hearts  to  love  and  serve  mo. 
The  prince  of  this  world  has,  in  Me,  his  conqueror;  for  I  must  reign 
till  all  tilings  are  put  under  my  feet,  and  the  world  be  won  back  io 

God."  ■..--/:        '  .    ■      -'^  :  :      J^Zr."  "      ■.;■;"      ^ ' '  ■.   '^  ' 

The  peopl6  i*ound,  accustomed  to  speaR  rretly  with  the t?abbis  en 
the  subject  of  their  addresses,  had  listened  to  Him  respectfully, )  ut 
were  at  a  loss  to  reconcile  His  words  with  their  preconceived  ideas  of. 
the  Messiali.  In  the  Synagogue,  they  had  heajd  passages  rejui  from 
the  Scriptm-es,  elbscrn)ing  Htm  as  a  piieSt  for  ever,  aiidBis  dominion 
as  one  which  should  never  pass  away  or  be  destroyed,  but  stand  fcr 
ever  and  ever,  arid  had  come  to  expect,  in  consequence,  an  evei  lasting 
reign  of  the  Messiah  upon  earth.  They  were  at  a  loss,  theieioie,  to 
reconcile  Christ's  use  of  the  name,  Son  of  Man,  which  they  applied  to 
the  Messiah,  with  the  statement  that,  instead  of  dwiiiiing on  earihfor 
ever,  as  a  king  over  all  nations,  He  should  suffer  t])e  shameful  death 
of  crucifixion.  The  cross  was  already  the  stumbling-block  to  them 
it  afterwards  became  so  widely  to  their 'nation. 

"  We  hav6  heard  out  of  the  Law,"  said  they,  "  that  the  Christ  is 
to  live  for  ever,  on  earth.  What  dost  Thou  mean,  then,  by  saying 
that  the  Bod  of  Man — a  name  by  which  we  understand,  the  Christ— 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


n  propliet,  d\ 
I,  to  Him,  by 
.  Jesus  Him- 
,  -words  from 

iples  and  the 
[t  is  the  voice 
iut  for  y(  Ills, 
h.    The  lime 
?  judgmer  t  of 
ei ejected  me, 
m,  which  my* 
arth  procli;im, 
r  guilt  lici'oie 
ill  the  rul(  r  of 
d— ij-e  prince 
kingdcm  must 
3od  and  n\m\, 
)ltclior,  us  the 
ly  narae.    >rr 
re,  till  the  hist 
under  me,  and 

h  by  the  death 
from  the  wcrld 
ir  the  power  of 
wbcm  I  ^1  all 
and  serve  m.o. 
)r  I  must  n  ign 
e  won  luck  to 

the  Rabbis  on 

spectfuUy,  lut 

Ltiytd  ideas  of. 

ages  rend  from 

fiis  dcuiinion 

but  sturd  fcr 

an  everlas  ting 

,  there!  01  e,  to 

Jiey  applied  to 

pg  on  earihfor 

[iiameful  death 

lock  to  them 

the  Christ  is 
leii/by  saying 
■   the  Christ— 


ifety.    Standing  at  the  very  close  of  His  public  ministrntions,  llo 
^revv  into  these  last  words  of  warning  the  whole  intensity  aud  enr- 


nust  be  cruciflcd?  •■  Who  is  this  Son  of  Man  to  whom  Thoit  rofciTcst? 
W^hat  dost  Thou  mean  by  using  this  name,  when  Tliou  spenlc(!Ft  ho 
contrarjr  to  Scripture?" 

His  time  was  too  short  to  give  a  formal  explarmtion.    Nor  would 
I  it  have  been  of  any  effect  in  minds  so  prejudiced,  for  tlu;  fullest  ex- 
planations of  after  days  made  no  impression.    He  chose  rather  to 
urge  on  them,  once  more,  the  one  course  in  which  lay  their  ctornnl 

saf 

threw 
1  nestnesa  of  His  soul. 

"If  you  wish  to  comprehend  what  I  have  said  about  my  being 
lifted  up,  let  me  tell  you  how  all  your  questions  and  di^lcuUics  about 
lit  may  be, resolved.  I  ishall  be  with  you  only  a  very  little  longer; 
make  right  use  of  that  time  to  believe  iii  me,  the  Light  of  tho  World, 
as  the  traveller  makes  use  of  the  last  moments  of  daj',  to  reach  sufetj*, 
before  darkness  overtake  him.  With  me,  the  light  of  truth,  which 
now  lights  you,  will  be  gone,  and  you  know  that  he  who  walks  in 
darkness  knows  not  what  waijr  to  go.  While  ye  still  have  me.  tho 
Light  of  Men,  believe  in  the  light,  that  ye  may  receive  illumination 
Ifromit."  ;,,^r,;  >w^ '  lori/Mr^iiru'; 

It  was  still  early  in  the  afternoon,  and  He  might  have  steiyed  inlthb 
[Temple  till  it  shut  at  sunset,  then  a  few  minutes  after  six  in  tho 
evening.  But  these  were  almost  the  last  words  He  was  to  speak  as 
h  public  teacher.  His  mission  to  His  nation  was  ended.  There  re- 
Imaioed  only  a  brief  interval  of  communion  with  the  loved  ones 
|round  Him,  and,  then,  would  come  the  consummation  of  Calvary, 
work  was  over,  except  the  final  and  greatest  act  of  all.  Casting 
blast  sad  look  of  quenchless  pity  on  all,  He  turned  away  to  Bethany, 
|to  seek  seclusion,  till  the  time  came  for  His  eelf-sacHtlco. 

it  must  have  been  a  solemn  and  well-nigh  overpowering  moment, 
llus  to  bid  farewell,  for  ever,  to  the  Temple  of  His  nation, — tho 
[centre  of  the  old  kingdom  of  God ; — for  the  retrospect  of  His  public 
life,  and  the  vision  of  the  future,  must  have  risen,  like  a  dream, 
lliefore  Him.  So  far  as  apparent  results  went,  He  had  had  little  sue* 
|ces8,  for,  though  even  His  bitterest  enemies  were  forced  to  own  His 
Iwperiiatural  power,  and  the  greatness  and  number  of  the  instances 
lin which  it  had  been  shown:  though  they  had  seen  His  grand  self* 
Irestraint  which  always  exerted  it  for  others,  and  habitually  ignored 
[liny  personal  end,  either  of  ambition,  defence,  or  retaliation,- till  they 
Ihadcome  to  treat  Ham,  not  only  witli  disrespect,  but  even  witli  open 
Iviolencc;  secure,  in  His  inianite  patience  and  humility;  their  pvoj* 
Indices  had  utterly  blinded  them,  and  they  steadfastly* refused,  as  a 
?,  to  accept,  in  His  person^  a  Messiah  so  contrary  to  their  gross 
|ind  ambitious  expectations.    There  were,  indeed^  oven  among  tho 

hief  rulera  and  priests,  many  who  believed  in  Him,  b\it  it  was  only 

isecret  conviction  which  they  had  not  the  coumge  to  own. 

The  threat  of  excommunication  had  been  too  terrible  ta  bravo,  and 


'  )  ';  '1 


:\-'i'y 


mm 


il-ilf 


003 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


they  preferred  to  cling  to  their  social  and  civil  interests,  at  the  cost  of  j 
repressing  their  hotter  thoughts. 

Once  more,  only, was  the  pleading  voice  raised.    A  number  of; 
those  near  apparently  followed  Him  as  He  retired,  and  He  could  not 
tear  Hirasqjf  from  them,  without  a  final  outburst  of  vcaming  desire 
for  their  salvation.     Turning  round,  and  raisipg  Ills  voice  tit|  the 
sound  rang  far  and  wide,  He  cried —  '     l'-r/'''v  ;/;•.'      | 

:;. ''  *  Think  not  that  the  faith  I  demand  in  myself  in  dhv  way  lessens 
irtr  takes  from  the  faith  that  is  due  to  God.  To  believe  in  me,  nnd  to 
believe  in  God,  are  the  same  thing.  He  who  has  thnt' faith  in  mc, 
>vhich  the  proofs  I  have  given  of  niy  being  sent  from  God  demand^ 
believes  riot  so  much  in  mo  as  in  Him  who  sent  me.  And  thus,  als(j| 
Jie  who  looks  on  me  as  that  which  1  have  showii  myself  to  be,  looks 
not  so  much  on  me  as  on  Him  who  sent  me— on  the*  Godhead  of  mv 
Father  revealed  in  me.  In  Me  ye  have  a  Light.  I  came  into  t^e 
world  to  enlighten  men,  that  every  one  who  yields  hifiisclf  to  my 
guidance,  maybe  as  when  one  walks  after  a  light,  and  may  no  Iccger 
5;emain  in  the  darkness  of  ignorance,  superstition,  and  sin. 
"ti^'^  Yet  if  my  one  who  hears  my  words,  refuses  to  believe  in  Mc—i 
let  him  not  think  that  /shall  inflict  iudgmcnt  on  him  for  his  refusal. 
The  end  of  my  coming  is  not  to  judge  the  world,  but,  rather,  to  save 
it  from  eternal  ruin.  He  who  rejects  Me,  My  w6rds,  and  My  deeds, 
lias  iu  his  own  breast  a  judge  that  will  condemn  him  hereafter.  Tliel 
truth  I  have  spoken,  in  the  name  of  God,  which  he  has  refused  t 
receive,  will  condemn  him  in  his. own  conscience  at  the  last  day,  au 
"vvill  icondcmn  him  also  ^rom  the  lips  of  the  Great  Judge.  Forth 
>ord8  I  have  spoken  have  been  no  mere  utterances  of  my  own; 
iiaYc  taught  only  that  which  I  was  commissioned  by  my  Fatlrerti 
speak,  and  I  laiow  that  my  teaching,  if  obeyed  and  followed,  secure 
everlasting  life  to  men.  All  that  1  stiy  is  only  what  my  Father  lia 
told  me  to  si:>eak  in  His  name.  Therefore,  let  no  man  think  that 
gpeak  anything  but  that  which  my  Ffither  has  given  me  to  proclaim 
I  am  He  whom  God  hath  sent,  and  my  words  are  the  words  of  God.' 
;'  Nothing  in  these  last  discourses  of  Jesus  hiid  seemed  more  stran 
and  inexplicable  to  the  Apostles,  than  His  prediction  of  the  early  de 
struction  of  Jerusalem,  and  of  the  Temple  itself.  As  they  now  passe 
Hv'ith  Him,  through  the  forecourts,  to  the  outer  gate,  and  down  tin 
eastern  steps,  to  the  Kedron  Valley:  overpowered  by  the  vast  mag 
nificence,  which  seemed  grand  enough  even  for  the  times  of  the  Mes 
siah,  they  could  not  refrain  from  speaking  to  Him  respecting  Hi 
etrange  and  mysterious  words. 

^V"  Piaster,  "said  they,   "6ee  what  a  wondrous  structure  this  Is 
"What  stones!  what  buildings!  what  splendour!   what  wealth!  Ho 
the  whole  Temple  rises,  terrace  above  terrace,  from  the  great  wfiiti 
walls,  to  the  Holy  Place,  shining  with  gold!  and  it  ia  not  finisbe 
.even  yet!"     .  /';,;^f  !j^.^  ■.; 

The  Temple,  says  Josephus,  was  btiilt  of  Tp^hiitc  stories  of  great 


THE,  UFK  OF  CHRIST. 

i-the .  length  of  each  about  thirty -seven  and  a  half  feet,  some  eveh 
forty-five  feet,— the  thickness  twelve  feet,  and  the  breadth  eighteen. 

But  Jesus  looked  at  all  this  strength,  wealth,  and,  magnincence. 
with  very  different  ev^a.  To  Him  the  Jewish  theocnicy  had  outlived 
its  day,  and  had  sunk  into  moral  decrepitude  and  approaching  deatli, 
which  the  mere  outward  ai.icndour  of  its  Tci.iple  could  not  hide. 
Israel,  in  rejecting  Him,  the  Voice  of  God,  calling  it  to  rise  to  new 
spiritual  life,  had  shown  itself  ripe  for  divine  judgment.  His  own 
death,  already  determined  by  the  ecclesiastical  authorities,  and  now 
close  at  liand,  would  seal  the  fate  of  the  nation  and  its  religion.  It 
would  be  the  proclamation  of  the  passing  away  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God  on  earth  from  Judaism,  now  dead  in  forms  and  rites,  to  tha 
heathen  nations  willing  to  receive  its  spirit  and  liberty. 
I  He  knew  that  the  Theocrary  would  cling  to  their  dream  of  nattonal 
jndepehdeiiice,  and  the  erection  of  a  mighty  political  empire  of  thd 
Messiah,  and  that  this  involved  a  struggle  between  them  and  Rome, 
ia  which  their  petty  wieakness  must  inevitably  be  crushed.  Strange 
fate!  the  moment  when  they  fancied  they  had  secured  themselves 
even  from  reform,  by  the  resolution  to  put  Jesus  to  death,  w^as  that 
in  which  He  whose  death  was  to  ensure  permanence  and  proiperity, 
predicted  their  utter  destruction! 

"Yes,"  said  Jesus  in  utter  sadness,  "1  see  all :  they  are  very  great 
bmldings,  biit  I  tell  you  solemnly,  the  day  will  come  when  there  will 
not  be  one  stone  of  them  all  left  on  another,  not  thrown  down." 

He  said  nothing  more,  Imt  went  out  of  the  city  by  the  blossoming 
JKedron  Valley,  with  its  gardens  and  stately  mansions,  a  picture  of 
[peace  and  prosperity,  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Sitting  down,  on  a 
itioU,  to  enjoy  the  magnificent  view,  so  full  of  unutterable  thoughts 
to  the  Rejected  One,  the  Apostles  had  Moriali  once  more  before  them 
liii  its  whole  §lory,  crowned  by  the  marble  Temple,  like  a  mountain 
Iwithsnow.  ■^.:,  ,.j^^..  . :,  _'.   -...,■      ';.,._ 

r  lu  the,groilp  afbt^tid,  reter  and  James,  and  John  and  Andrew,  sat 
nearest  their  M^stt^r,  and,  as  they  looked  at  all  the  splendour  before 
I llieto— splendour  so  great  that  it  was  often  said  that  he  who  had  not 
iKenit  had  missed  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world— their  thoughts 
[Still  ran  on  the  words  in  which  He  had  doomed  it  to  destruction. 
I'Tliey  had  heard  Him  say  that  the  nation  would  not  see  Him  again, 
m  they  showed  themselves  ready  to  receive  Him  as  the  Messiah, 

end  that,  in  the  meantime,  the  city  and  Temple  should  be  utterly  de* 
Istroyed.  Their  onlv  idea  of  the  Messiah,  even  yet,  however,  was  that 
bt  a  deliverer  of  the  nation,  who,  besides  any  spiritual  bene flts  Ho 
[might  confer,  would  raiso  Israel  to  world- widie  supremacy.  They 
kould  not  imagine  that  the  holy  city,  and  its  Temple,  would  perisu 
llefore  the  end  of  the  world,  and  He  must  surely  come  sooner  than 
pat,,  to  free  Israel  from  subjection  and  inaugurate  its  glory.  The  de- 
lation of  the  city,  therefore,  could  not,  they  fanclea,  be  before  tho 
ruction  of  a!l  things.    They  would  fain  know  what  sign,  a£^ 


•A 


f      !' 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


this  catastrophe,  would  precede  His  glorious  coining  and  the  final 
Qonsummation,  if  it  were  to  be  so;  tuat  they  mijght  recognize  His 
advent  when  it  took  place.  Their  ideas,  in  truth,  were  in  a  hopeless 
confufeion.  *  ' 

"  Tell  us,  Master,'*  said  one  of  the  four  favoured  ones,  'when  shall 
these  things,  of  which  Thou  hast  spoken,  take  placed  And  what 
sign  will  there  be  of  Thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  '^  orld?" 

It  w^  impossible  to  explain  fully,  to  minds  so  filled  with  precon- 
ceired  idqas.  Much  must  hajbpen — His  deatli,  resurrection,  and  de- 
parture from  the  earth,  before  they  cotild  acquire  just  conceptions  of 
liia, kingdom.  Till  then,  it  was  hopeless  to,remove  theii"  prejudices. 
His,  thetefore,  confined  Himself,  as  usual,  to  the  practical,  that  H« 
might  rouse  them  to  watchfulness  over  tliemselves,  and  remove  the 
illusion  that  the  holiness  of  Jciiisalem  would  presefve  it,  and  that  the 
Messiah  niust  appear  first,  to  deliver  the  nation  froiu  the  band  of  the 
Komans.  \ 

He  fltl;^  began  by  warning  them  against  false  Messialis.  "Take 
heed,"  said  Ilev"tnat  no  impostor  deceive  you,  by  persuading  you 
that  he  is  the  Messiah,  come,  as  you  expect,  to  free  the  nation,  and 
subdue  the  world,  and  to  spread  the  Jewish  religion  over  the  earth. 
Many  deceivers  will  rise,  calling;  themselves  the  Messiali — sent  from 
Ood  to  deliver  Israel — and  say mg  that  the  time  of  this  deliverance 
has  come.  Tliey  will  mislead  mtiny.  Take  care  that  you  go  not  out  | 
after  them. 

l  "i3ut,  to  turn  to  3'^our  question — before  the  Temple  is  destroyed, 
fovL  will  hear  Jie  terrors  of  wars  near  at  hand,  and  the  distant  tumult  I 
of  cjthers,  iind  you  may  think  tliat  they  will  bring  the  end.  But  be 
pot,  aiarnied.  jThey  arc  divinely  appointed,  and  this  naay  serve  to 
calm  your  minda;  but  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  Temple  will  not 
take  place  so  soon.  .  Kor  must  yoti  think,  that  these  w'ars  will  herald 
national  deliverance :  instead  of  proclaimip^  an  interference  of  God 
for  the  rei^toration  of  Israel,  thej^mark  the  beginniiii^  of  His  judg- 
ments. For  nation  tvill  rise  against  natibn,  and  kingdom  against 
kingdom,  and  there  will  be  famines,  and  pestilences,  and  earthquakes, 
and  fearful  sights  in  the  heavens,  berq  and  there,  over  the  earth.  Yet, 
do  not  think,  from. these,  that  God  is  about  to  appear  for  the  Jews, 
and  to  send  thern  an  eiarthly.MessialS  No;  fill  these  are  only  the  first 
pangs  of  the  coming  soitow.  Youf  Rabbis  have  told  you  that  such 
tilings  are  signs,  6f  the  speeidy  advent  of  the  Messiah^  hut  benotde- 

tLiycu.  .  .  .,(  -i, ■;•,,(  .  >,.^v^  ..^..,',f;.  \'^\/  ,.■,.-■ -:rf  .. '■'  ^  <■ 
"  "  instead  of  peace,  these  things  will  bring  you'  evil.  Once  more,! 
be  cin  your  guard.  I  shall  soon  leave  you,  juid  would  again  warnj 
you  of  the  dangers  to  you  which  shall  precede  the  last,  catastrophe. 
i  have  tql^  you  often,  what  perils  and  heiivy  trials  await  you,  in  youil 
founding  and  spreading  my  Kingdom,  so  dineront  in  its  spiritual  audj 
moral  tmwbrldlihcss,  from  all  others.  Before  the  end  comes,  menl 
TS^prDcped.tp-  yiolen9o,affa|Dat j^ou^^for/.m^^^  Ym\ 


THE  I4FE  OP  CHRIST. 


099 


and  brip5  you.  before 

he  fiynd^os;uc&  and 

>^        .  s't'  kiiig^  ana  Roman 

''fiutTetrnccWftiH' 
tliat  I  wll^  ioj  ^QTsj^fee; 

shall,;  my^eff^  W  th6  H6H  SpJrU  whom  I  ghall  send  to  yoiir  Md,  jfiv^ 
ypu  WoM's  ikna  ^yisaom  for  vOitr  defence,  xv^tien  yptt^-.Are  bef6^inbu 
nals.  Be  nipt  the^eioVe  ahxioiia,  when  sWh  jjersectitioris  rise;  fo^ 
id  the  hoiir  rtf  yo^  triai;-fl  vv^,n^t  be,ya^  ^J«|,M^^  f^^^  tl^^-S^Jy 


ever; 
riot 

Messiali 
can 


siali"  Mt  by  all  ihe  heathen  nations  as  wdlK  ,  lb  thiii  wbrid  you 

look dniy foAritmMbV,  '^ '  ;'  ]':' '^ '";    "  ,  "r;  •"  ^'  "■: '. 

But  a  ^eatei-  tylal  awhlts  Voli  thati  Inc^i^fe'  p6rsedtrtf6tt  WtA  ttf^tli- 
out.    Tlie  strife  '  of  creeds  ivill  ei^tef  fcv^n  the  '  ^acre^d  cti^cle  'of  thfe 


famlly  j  ^ihe  fatli^r  Will  gfte  eyide^c'e ; "btefpre,  the  OpUrts  a^ajnst  his 
own  cUjia,  the  brother  aga^iisttne  biptliei^,  tl^e  cmla  kff^nst  it^  parent. 


the  friend  against  the  friend.  The  fury  6f  Ma^^eh  liiid  Jiewlsh 
fanaticisrri  Mn  feet  iiP  )^ty;  the  ii^ktesV  blood  Will  rkffe  a^inst  its 
own,  anc^  w)ill  deliver  them  Up  t^p  the  exec^tipn^r.  _  Ana  eV^n  In  jroiir 
owiji  nurnbelif,  matiy  will  rebo  tejtjfialth^  Under  tlippressiure  of 
peteutlPn  arid  tt-ial,  and.  wllf  i^V^n  betray  khd  deliver  iip  their  if ellow- 
Christlau^  tp  the  nlag|strdtei  Uiid  \yill  hdt(^  those  frptti  wiiPm  they  have 
thus  apostatized,'  My  name'  will  indeed  beeome  a'  syriibol  of  hatred 
and  seprn,  aga|nst  every  one  wjip  confesses  it.  SfilJ,  wors^  mafty 
fals^  Christian  t^abliers  wUl  rise  in  ybi^rowh  bPsoin,  arid  will  misleaa 
numbers,  „  ^ii^j^jr  tl^fs  spiHtii^l  corruption  will  san  tlie  biiPtheriy  lote 
arid rell^ouszeal  pf  great' nunib^r^^ pf  niy followers,  rpr triie Christian 
life canridt  thrtVe  where'th^rej is' rtioral  decay.        "    '        '' 

*'But  he  Who'helther  renounces  riiy  name,  ripr  Jeti,  hMself  be  led 
astray  by  false^  teachers,  but  remains  true  iand  loyal  to  me,  till  the 
evi^  days  are  bv6f,  will  receive  everlasting  hdnpur  at  myflri^l  coming. 
Sudh  ffoo'd  and  faitlifvil  servants  heed  ha^e  no  fear  of  losing  their 
reward,  for  riothii^g  can  hefall  thenj,  to  hurt  or  lessen^in  the  least, 
theii*  share  iii  the  Salvation  iliy  eterrial  Kingdom  wM' bring!.  As  re- 
gards that,  they  arc  pcrfcptjly  safe.  Not  a  hair  of  their  head,  If  I 
may  so  sbcak'  Will  perish^  So  far  as  their  heavenly  hopes  are  con- 
cerned. Their  faithfulness  \yilt  gain  fpr  tliem  the  eterrial  life  of  their 
Isoals.eve'i  should  they  die  as  ihartyrS  here.  '    '   mij  jfc  .^  *.  v 

;:Mej^ri  while;  Jilie  G^spd  of  the  rieW  Kingdorii  of  Gpd  willhe 
||«ached  throughout  the  'whole  world,  that; a  testluioriy  respedting 
leinay  pe  given,  tp, all  riatiphs,  hoWyer  th^y  inay  hate  you.'  Tlieh, 
itbot  tilt  theri;  Sliall  Com^  the  end  <if  this  present  state  of  thifags-^ 


i                 1 

H 

H 

i| 

i 

r/ 

1 

^    ', 


mm 


i)Q6 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


ihf^  0I4  will  then  ^a^s  away,  and  tho  new  begin.  Tlie  reign  of  the 
liingclpm  of  God  will  begin  when  Judaism  has  fallen,  and  beathcnimn 
lip^ lieai'd  its  .doom.  "  . 

''The  full  spread  of  my  Kinsdom  cannot  come'  so  long  as  that 
which  it  is  to  displace. still  stands  in  Jerusalem.    The  Gospel  needs 
)ccyf  sojl,  new  nicans,  new  powers.    The  bid  religions  are  so  identi- 
fied yfiih  the.ojid  civfl  and  political  life  of  men,  with  their  customs 
uj^d.mpidesof  i)^oi|ght,  that  niy  Kingdom  can  hope  to  found  its  peace- 
ful rqgo  oi^ly  after  great  and  terrible  revolutions  and  disturbances. 
,Th;Ei  way  will  b^  <?ij?ened  fpr  it  by  war,  with. all  its  horrors,  and  by  the 
widespread  judgments  of  God  on  the  world  at  large. 
,,    "^Vylien,  therefore*  ye  see  Jerusalem  compassed, with  armies,  it  will 
jin^rk  the  beginnjing  of  the  end.    When  you  see  the  holy  place  in  I 
xyimB,  ana  4^solatipn  reigning  there  in  it9  hatefulness,  as  is  spoken  of 
Jp.Pf^i^X,  mhm  who  ^  in  Judea  flee  to  tlie  hills  of  G|iead,  where 
he  will  be  safe;  let  him  who  is  on  the  bou$e-top  not  coWe  down  to 
^)aff&  aw^  ]na  things  fron^  the  hpuse,  but  let  h|m  ilee  along  the  flat 
,roo^  jto  we  towijL  wall,  ,and  tb^s  escape;  and  let  him  who  is  working 
,m  thefi.eljd,  i/^h<pre^j|ie  Jbias,  noi  quteij  j^annent,  not  come  back  tchis 
hpu^  to  get  it,^but  let  hipi  flee  for  liis  Ufe.    But  woe  to  those  whol 
jitt'e  with  child  ip  tb^se  qays,  and  ^canupt  flee,  and  to  those. who  havel 
^€lu.ldren  at,  the  breast,  aijid  are  Kept  from, escaping  by  vainly  trying  tol 
j^ve  tl^^m  f^lso.    Prav  t;hat;  your  flight  1^  not^  in  thfe  winter,  with  itsl 
;,raifjfi^d  storms  ai?fi  swpUen  torrents,  npr  on  the  Sabbath  day,  whenl 
lie  wbo  fttiiU  c)|ngs  to  Jp^ldjL  la^  will  thin^  it  unla"wful  to  travel  morel 
^ij^apitw9  ,^pusaflid;  cubit^.    .whatever  hinders  your  stvift  flight  wijlj 
;in3e^.))e  jpf^ise  9^  i;e^«ti[for  <^,  troubles  of  those  days  will  be  great! 
i^t^ypnd  ep^a^np^^ 

.js,  ,;/Jpiere  wiU;bp^great;dist(re$^  jn  tbe  land,  and  the  fierce  wrath  will 
,K  let  499159,  on  tlii^naiipi^.  Its  sops  wyi  fall  by  the  &word,  and  M 
Jedpff,  tQipc  so^  as,s^ye#,,oYer  tbp  wbole  earth,  a»d  Jerusalem  will 
be  trodden  imddrfoot  of,  tl^e  heathen,  a^  a  captive  is  by  his  conquerorJ 
/.jjl^th^i.^iipp^ea  a^lpwed  by  God  to  the  Gentiles,  tpcaity  out  thus  Hia 

i^y^hgipff  wiith,  be  fulfllied.  t;     .     t  ,       ;' 

,'.,.  "And,  indeed,  if  the  number  of  these  evil  daj's  had  hot  been  short] 
,'^ijed,  iji,Go4*s  pitying, naeifcy,  no  flesh  would  be  sa^ied.    But  for  m 
sate  o|.  tiifce  pbosen  qnea  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  whom  Gc 
jjifls  deterr^ine^  to  save  JTrom  the  calamities  of  these  13ays  and  pr 
servealivQ,  they  ha vq. beep  shortened., 

"  But  when  the  Temple  has  been  laid  waste,  and  you  have  fled  foj 
ijyour  liyes,, false  Mepsiah^k  and  mt^n  pretending  to  be  prophets,  andtif 
speat  in  the  name  of  God  to.  the  nation  in  its  afliiction,  will  ris 
Ipnce  more/  taking  ^van^ge  pf  the  commotion  and  anxiety  of  tho 
days,  and  ijifill  be  so  much  the  more  dangerous.    When  men  say  t^ 
ypiV  of  any  of. thepe,  '  -the  Mes^iab  ha&  appeared  here,'  or  'He  hi 
appeared  there/  do  not  believe  it.    Tl^ey  will  pretend  to  perform  suH 
great  signs  and  wonders,  that  even  the  chosen  ones  of  my  Kingdo 


THE  LIFE  OP  GHRIBT.  . 


067 


—my  disciples — would  be  deceived,  if  it  were  possible.  I  have 
warned  you  of  this  already,  but  press  oti  you  once  more  to  ti^ke  heed 
to  it.  If,  therefore,  any  one  say  to  you,  *  Behold,  the  Messiah  is  in 
the  wilderness,'  do  not  go  out  with  him,  for  they  draw  their  diipe-s 
to  the  wilderness  as  a  safe  place  for  mustering  them.  If  any  say, 
'Behold,  he  is  in  such  and  such  a  house,  shut  ilp  in  his  secret  cha'u- 
bers,'  do  riot  believe  it.  My  visible  and  tirial  coming,  respecting 
which  you  ask  me,  will  not  be  such  that  men  need  point  to  this  place, 
or  to  that,  to  see  me;  it  will  be  like  the  lightning,  wh^ch  shines  with 
instant  splendour  through  all  the  sky,  and  announces  itsell  lieycmd 
mistake.  For,  from  east  to  west,  the  earth  will,  in  that  diiy,  be  ripe 
fertile  judgments  of  the  Messiah,  and,  as  the  eagles  ^ther  wherever 
the  carcase  is,  so  the  Son  of  Man,  then  th^  minist<ir  of  divine  wrath, 
will  reveal  Himself  to  all  who  have  fallen  uiider  His  condemnaliori. 

'*  Then,  in  a  future  age—when  the  time  of  the  Gentiles,  of  wMd!i  I 
have  spoken,  is  fulfilled — when  he  who  has  prayed  long  and  unfaiiitin^- 
ly,  like  the  importunate  widow,  shall  I)egin  to  wonder  If  ever  lie  Nyijl  be 
heard — I  do  not  say  whether  in  the  second  watch,  or'  in  tlifi  thii-d,  or 
even  in  the  morning:  when  the  bridegroomi  has  tarried  whll<>  Iiis 
attendants  wait  longingly  for  him— wlien  the  unfaithful  fiferVant  liJm 
encouraged  himself  by  the  thought  that  his  lord  delays  his  couiihj^— 
when  tlic  Gospel  has  been  preached  to  all  the  Qentiles— dlid  wi|c:i 
the  king  may  be  expected,  at  last,  from  the  far  country  to  which 
he  has  gorie— then,  suddenly,  like  the  flood  in  the  days  of  Npah;' Or 
the  destruction  of  Sodom,  shall  the  x^brds  of  the  propliets  bfe  verified, 
and  earth  and  heaven  be  veiled,  and  darkened,  and  trehible,  liefote 
the  great  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man,  to  judgment.    And  theti  sh^ll 
they  see  the  sign  of  His  coming,  respecting  wliich  you  have  asked 
-the  far-shining  splendour  around  Him,  like  th^  sun  iti  its  stl-ength 
-when  He  descends  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  With  jiower  and  wi^h 
great  glory.    And  He  shall  sendfofth  Hi^  ailgels,  from  the  midst  of 
the  unutterable  light;  and  the  great  trumpet  of  God,  which  will  wake 
flie  dead,  shall  sound,  and  the  angels  Will  gather  together  aroutid  Him 
all  who  are  His — chosen  of  God  to  be  heirs  of  tlie  heavenly  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah— from  north,  and  sotith,  and  east,  ^nd  weist— over 
the  whole  round  of  the  world.    And  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  wlio 
I  have  rejected  me  shall  mourn,  wl^n  they  see  me  thus  com^  in  divine 
majesty.    And  when  these  wondrous  signs  begin,  then  lift  up  your 
l(euds,  for  your  eternal  redemption  from  all  the  afiSictions  of  tlnk-,  li 
[lit  hand.  . 

"WJien,  therefore!,  soon  after  my  departure  from  you,  yo  8<*»c  all 
I  these  wars,  and  liear  all  these  rumours  of  Wars  of  which  I  have  told 
[you,  know  that  I,  the  Messiah,  am  near  irt  my  first  coming,  rtsVe 
[inow  that  the  diimmer  is  close,  when  ye  see  tflie  braiidifes  of  the  ife- 
ittee,  and  all  other  trees,  swell,  and  put  forth  their  bud"^  and  te^ider 
mv&s.  For  it  is  I  who  Come,  unseen,  to  judge  Jernsiikniiahd  the ; 
temple,  as^  I  shall,  in  the  end,  come  visibly  to  jridge  all  mankind. 


^11 

'1 

1 

i9 

Mr 

1 

^^:. 

i            i 

i 

•  'm 


I 


Timiiti  6f  christK 


099 

passed  away,  before  the  l>eginuing  of  the  age  of  the  Messiah,  to  be 
ushered  in  by  the  fall  of  Israel,  and  to  be  closed. by  all  these  signs, 
has  come;  when  the  old  world  shall  haye  drawn  to  an  end,  and  my 
Kingdom— the  new  age  of  the  world— shall  take  it4  place  till  the  coi 
snmmation  of  all  things.  Heaven  an4  earth  shall  bne  day  piss  away 
but  my  words  shall' not,  for  all  1  luive  told  you  must  happen.  Ali 
the  signs  I  have  predi9t^d,  ^s  heratas  of  my'  coming  to  judge  Jerusa- 
lem and  Israel,  will  fissuredly  be  seien  by  some  pf  ypu  pow  rounfl 
me.  And  my  coming  tlien,  will  be  the  revelation  of  niy  Kingdom 
before  tlie  world,  and  6f  its  triumph  6v6r  Its  Jewish  '^nemi^s,  for  my 
Kmgdom  can  only^  then)  truly  rise,  wl^en  the  Temple  liai  beeride- 
stroyed.  When  it  s^ail  lie  strewn  in  pins,  and  desecrated  for  ever 
byhcat^n  sold jery,,  thp  world  th^t  is  wilt  be  seei^  to  have  parsed 
away.  There  will  b^  an  end  of  the  old  pri^^thood  and  sacilijce,  uud 
thq  earth  will  be  opened  to  the  victory  or  luy  spiritual  reign.  ' 

''But,, the  ejfact  tinie  of  the  lakt  period  of  all,  of  which  I  have 
spojkenr-thc  destruction  of  atl  things  yisiule— the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  my  return  in  glory,  to  judg^io  the  hatiops",  .1  catinot  tell  yoii, 
Even  the  angpls  do  not  k&pw  it,  nor  pvoii  does  the  Bon:  iV^s ^nowu 
to  my  Father  alone.,  Th0  uncertainty  of  the  time  '  pf  'rijy  coining 
will  make.inen  secure  a^d  careless^' a?  they  ;iv*ere  in  the  days  of 
Noah^  For  they  lyent  o^,  dreading  ho  catasiropha,  eating  aud 
drinking,  raarmnff  and  giting  in  rnjirriage;  and 'neithet  beUeved.  nor 
drpamed  that  t^e  flood,  would  ,reaily  happen,  .tilj,  it  cumc,,  and  sWept 
them  ajl  away..  Like  it,  n^y  coihing  will  be  so  sudden,  that,  of  two 
men  in  the  fi<?ld„onq  ahal(  bp  takeh,  by,  the  angels  seiit  forth  togatliei* 
the  s&iats,  and  th^  pthjEjr  left— for  they  "^i'ill  have  no  tihie  to  flee— aud, 
of  two  slave-girls  at  the  household  inill,  while  they  are  still  grindiiig, 


gences,  orbc-^j^liro^^edih  tj>p  apxiet((,'s  of  life,  so^s  t6  lid  careless, 
and  unprepared  for  hiy  retu^'h,  and  that  dj^y  poiny.on^  jjP^.  as  the  flood 
did  on  tlieiu,  unawares,    l^ov  it  willj  burst  On  i^ll  that!  dwell  on  the 


may  sjLrikt?.    It  will  beUkp  tli,e, coming,  of  a,  man  who  has  taken  his 
journey  into  a  far  cpuutry,  and  h^s'leit  his  house  in  the  hands  Of  his 
servant^,  a^icjl  given  ^uthov^ty  pyf?r  it  to  tliem^  vp  each  his  own  special 
wojk-Trand  has  comuiauded  the  keeper  pf  tlic  gate  td  watch  for  his  ^ 
retm*n.     Watcl^,  therefore,  IJlie  uuthfui,  diligejit  s^^  for  ye' 

knqw  j^ot  the  hour  when  I,  the  Mastbi'  of  tjie  ppiise,  ^hall  dome, 
whetlier  it  will  he  in  the  evening,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  (iock-croWing, 
or  in  the  morning;  lest,  if  I  come  suddenly,  lllnd  you  asleep.    Antll 


THE  LIFE  OF  (JUniST,, 


09a 


.1>; 


.v. 


what  1  finy  to  you,  my  npostlos.  I  «ay  to  all,  Bo  awake  and  watchful 
jituU  timee,  that  ye  ihay  Im)  able  to  ew^apa  all  the  terrors  of  niy  cpm- 
in<?,  by  being  found  faithful,  and  thu8  may  l)c  set  before  me  by  the 
holy  angels,  to  enter  into  mv  ^lory,  and  stand  before  nie,  us  ray  ser- 
vants, in  my  heavetily  kingdom. 

"  You  know  how  a  houseliolder  would  have  acted  had  he  known 
beforehand  at  what  watch  of  the  night  the  thief  would  come,  to  pUin- 
dfif  his  goods.  He  would  have  watched,  and  not  have  suffered  his 
house  to  be  broken  into.  Therefore,  be  ready  at  all  times,  for  the 
I  Son  of  Man  will  come,  when,  perhaps,  ye  least  pxpect  Hihi. 

"Who  among  you  will  prove  himself  a  good  and  faithful  servant? 
I  He  will  be  like  a  servant  of  him  of  whom  I  haVe  spoken,  who  took 
his  journey  to  a  far  country — a  servant  set  pver  the  household  to 
|pve  them  their  food  in  due  season,  duripg  his  absenc^;  wlio  faith- 
did  it.    Blessdd  will  bo  that  servant,  whom  his  lord.  Tyheri  he*'^ 
IretuniB,  shall  find  so  doing!    Verily  I  say  tp  you,  he  will  adyan'T)'* 
him  to  a  far  higher  post,  for  he  wilV-aet  him  not  only  oVer  the  foott  "^■ 
of  his  household,  but  overall  his  substance.      And  blessed,  in  like 
manner,  will  he  be  whom  I,  on  my  return,  will  And  faithful,  to  the 
[charge  committed  to  him  in  my  kingdom! 

"But,  if,  instead  of  being  faithful,  you  fail  in  your  duty,  jou  v^ ill  ^ 
Ibe  like  a  servant  of  the  same  master  who  should  say  in  his  heart, ''^ 
Mv  lord  delays  his  coming,'  and  begin  to  beat  his  fellow-servants, 
hnd  to  eat  and  dWnk  with  the  drunlcen,  at  his  master's  cost.    The ,. 
[lord  of  that  servant  will  come  in  a  day  when  he  dqes  not  look  ioT^^ 
lliinr,  and  in  an  hour  when  he  does  not  expect  him,  and  will  punish  ^i' 
llini  to  the  uttefmost,  and  make  him  bear  the  just  fateof  aiiyp6-|i* 
Ifrite,    Even  so,  the  hypocrite,  in  my  kingdqn^,  shall  be  cast  out  intoi^i 
louter  darliness.    And,  oil !  wliat,  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  will ''  ^ 
|l)e  there ''i*^  /v'  '''^'X  ■y\''*''''^''\''-''^''>'t''''-'^^'-     "'■''■  ^H'"^''  ^■'  'f^'^'^-'i'^^'^^  ov/-j  lo 
"In  thai  daj^of^tti^iiSattJiSEhirtiflt'^li^^  ft^  vH^;  ^yfeferiS^^ii 
Ithe  maidens  iavitod  to  play, and  sing  in  the  marriage  procession,  pre''^-'^ 
Iparetd  go  out  to  meet  the  bridegroom,  to  lead  him  to  the  house  of 
Ithe  Mde,  where  the  marriage  is  to  be  celebrated.    Ldt  me  suppbe^^^ 
Ithere  were  ten  such  n^aidens, — ^five  wise,  five  foelish.    I^he  hve  fool-) 'A 
tones  took  their  lamps  with  them,  to  help  the  display,  and  lighfeni;;'' 
3  path  of  tlie  bridegroom,  but  they  forgot  to  take  oil  with 'thiem,!^/ 
Ibifles,  to  refill  ihe  lamps,  when  tliw^y  liad  burned  out.    But  tlie  wisd^'- 
liiot  only  took  their  lamps,  but  oil  in  i  heir  oil  flasks  as, well.    All  the'  ■ 
jteMhus  differently  .pr(i|3ared,  went  forth  froni  tlie  hpme  of  the  bride, 
|ind  waited  in  a  house,  on.  the  way  by  which  the  bridegroom  musV^i 
le,  to  be  ready  to  go  out  and  escort  him,  Avhen  he  passed  by.,     i^^j^i 
"But  he  delayed  so  long  tluit  they  all  grew  heavy,  and  fell  asleepr^ 
At  last,  at  midnight,  they  were  suddenly  roused;  for  the  people  in 
I  streets  had  heard  the  loud  music  and  shouts,  aniplliad  seen  the  •! 
ightof  the  lamps  and  torches  of  the  procession,  afar,  and  raised  tM- 
F  at  the  doors—*  The  bridegroom  is  coming,  go  ye  out  to  meet''' 


♦  •■ 


I 


Slf  '  TheA  thfe/all  artife, '  and  trtftimeyi  ^libb  W<*iDii^tt  feulKi^to  have 
^tTje^j;  Tiii^'  fb^yflah  (^iies  ntiW  foiind  tbat  l^ir iUnl^  were  goirtff 
„put,  BeCaiise  tb^  oil  wfes  afl  bii^tited,  iatid  tiskM'  iM  wide  ^^lifes  to  give 
^jtb^eiiii  6)P  tbeir^.  But  ihey'itosw^red/ '  We  cattW'pttegibly  do  s^^  for 
..bur  qU  would  assuredly  not  sufHcie  both  for  6titt3<}Ive)9  asfct  y£)u;  go 
ritlie¥,  tothesetler^^andbiuyforyouiklV^s'/^^         s  *       ?^ 

rv^^'iV^**^'^^^^^*^'  ^W^^^^**^  ft;  hot^feVe^Vtfie  bridegrdom  came, 

;>a|]f(^  the  flVjB,  1^^^^  Joined  the  pi^ees(i^ibti,'and  Weint  in  with 

jme  briclegroojii  to  thti  naiwhlage  and  the  ihrirria^-fekst.',  ^iid  the  door 


dpmg  ty  <^^ty  I  hav^  assi^ied  fli^ni}  till  I '^toe,  tbod^hHBey  know 
neither  Jiiie'duy  nor  t|ie  hour  when  I  gb'all  do  ^o;^  will  Save  a  pftrtin 
thp;Jo3^8  bf  my  lie^Venly  kingdom.  Alt  my  f ollowet^  will  then  be, 
-PS  It  w6re,  my  bride,  aha  I  their  bridtegr<!)om ;  but  those  who  arre  not 
riiithful  aixd  J^'oe  to  tlie  eM,  ivill  be  <^ut  out^  fi^in'the  mante- 

J*  Tiji^  Aposries  aind  the  others  Who  foBow^ed'Jesos  'hid  been  lU-j 
iih^lorigiri  the  cool  of  th6  evening*  on  tlie  plea^dnt  slo^pe  of  Olivet,  i 
li^t^ning  to  this  wondrous  discourse,  but  theii^  Master's  stay  with 

fl^pi  was  now  nearly  over.  Arid  He  Was  as  loath  to  'Cndv  aS  they  tbat 
e  should.    He  still  went  on,  tbCTefore,hnd;n^xt;1t?peated  totlieral 
thQ  parable  He  had  befoi-e  delivered  near  Jerfchbi^of  t^he  talents  lent  I 
^ ihy  the  Jbri  to  hjs  ^rvants.     Its  awful  dosci'howt^ver,  which  roprel 
( J  sents  the  uhproftttible  servant  ns  tftist  into  the  oWtei*  dat^ness,  with  I 
^jte  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  brought  before  Him  all  the  lerrarsl 

3f  die  mst  jud.^cht,  and  ltd  Him  to  ctese  by  a  t)i!cftirfe  of  that  awfiill 
ay  unequalled  /or  Sublimity  by  any  btheri  ijven  bf  His  own  utterf 


ances. 


,„  j*j*The  parable  of  the  talents,  my  beloredj'^  said" He,  "shows  that 

ey^iy  one  of  you  thust  needs  maKe  the  utmost  possible  use,  for  tbe 

interests  of  my  •'kingdom  in  your  own  hearts  and  among  men,  of  all 

the  different  gffts  entnisted  to  you  by  me,  for  my  service,  accdrding^ 

,(io  ybliV  respective  abilities.    For,  at  my  coming,  I ^Imll  reckon  Witli 

r  you  m,  and  those  who  have  been  faithful  to  me  slmll  deceive  hlgii 

i^wfirds  in  lieavep,  btit  tho^  who  liave  left  their  gifts,  however  smallj 

.  unused,)  will  h^ve  those  gifts  taken  from  tiiem,  and  they  themselvej 

;.win.be  thrust  but  of  my  kingdom."  '  '  •         ■  ,1?  wi'>  '^  i;/''  d  /,i  r    [ 

J  ,  He  then  proceeded— in  words  siifch  a*  nb  tttet^ '  tt/An'  cbnld  leVeJ 

,4ream  of  ufittng—wordd  which  we  seem  to  hear  spbken  teith  theHgh 

as  of  other  Svorlds  shining  from  th^ ' shaker's  ^yes,  and  a  transfigor 

t^on  of  His  whole  appearance  to  mbre  than  human  majesty- 

*'  I  have  told  yoii  how  J  shall  return  invisibly,  to  earth,  before 


fit 


Vjieujheypit 
before  me,  bj 
fromanot^r 

<jrmy,Fattie 
Iftnodatjtt^i^of.j 

fW»C6,^,4|^  , 

*»  nay  flame,  ,t 
can  yi^ld^,,  j^ 

iftna  ye.^gavj^jm 
naked,  and  ye 

ljWlS0»,4md:ye, 

.     "Thenshiii 


TBI  UFU  Of  CHBWT 


mt 


geoeijitiii^ #110^ Ji&yerfMMStd  iif|w„to  ju4fl^  Jerueffem^nd  Israel, 
wlkeH'tklM^  «ijq;>  >f  tj^hr  tiniquUy  maM  m  |ulh  nod  hDW»alaQ«1 8h<ai 
eomt  «gi<M3,;i«  sp^^tutijl  unMOQ  ipree^QOt,  to  m  with  .nity  ^^rvan^  in 
tlieii^  wvf^n&^witU'  u;m)  povarH  i4  dftrkne^i^.tU)  my  ^iogilop^  p«899s 
ffoiaiviplo^  tOi0^ctpryr< through  si^atigdi^g  <igc»/iind  the  prince  of 
this  world  be  finally  OMlt  dgwa  iram.M»),Ui»urtMMil  thrpne,  aqd  the 
weirld  hecopfte  |he  I^iugd()m  ^  Qod  mi]  of!  tno,  H^s  H^aiah.  , 
i  "Then,  »h;»Uc(i>fn0i  that. day  whicji  I  have  warned  and  urged  you 
30  eftmently  to  k^eii  qwm  in  mind^the  d^y  wh^Q,  Uke,  tiis  lf<i*d  who 
retiwned  from  the  ffl,r  country  jto  ,n^kp^  ^lth«  l>i^,se;:vant»^I,  tjje 
§on  -..Qi;  Mm,  nqw  poor,  ^tMij^imd,  with  i^ano  bund.  I"^  ]^u]t  vou ;  re- 
jected hy,niyrhrethr«ii|iol  liMiaeli  ftod.ina  low  honirs  to  be  naileio^  a 
(^osje^.)ikerth^^»eane»t8|lAyi^;,wUl  OQQif  l^gajn  as  H.ead,0f  the  amt 
kingdom  of  the  Messiah^  wldch  wiU  tjiftt  iMhihrace,  sl^  hatloi^^, ,  ; ;  - ' 

♦'  The  Father  has  coiftrnlHed  atl ,  ^udgc^Wt  h  this  Jjjngdonjr  to' me, 
iH»3i ^» «pd>Jl^<k:s  giyeii;i]ie  aU  p^M^rlft U» U^  h^avei^ and  M earth. 
And  Sit  that  day  I  shall  wroe  in, my  glory,,  «^.it$  Ih-ln^a^d  %iid, 
amidst  the  splendonrs  of  heaven,  (^nd  ^^^^^  l^U  the  angels  of  God.  , 
i  "Then  vail  X sit  on  the  throne  of  my  glory;  as  ^ings  of  the  earth 
when  Ihey^it  to  judge;  4JDdj^l](i9fiti9M^  l»hnll  be  gathered  together 
before  rae,  by  my  ministering  angels,  and  I  will  separate  them,  one 
|rom'iiliQth<sr,aajouhAVe  seen  a,  shepherd  separate  the  white  sheep 
^ai)the  h^kisi^^iattdfl  will  M^fko^  sheep  on  |ny ^ight  hand,  but 
ittwgcj^^ohmyilefi.    li  ,  .  ^^ 

ii^.Then^a^  Kiogi.^mlng  h»  this  mm$^  pi  my  assembled  Ki^g- 
.dona*  shall  X:«ay;M  tlma  9»'  my  rltfut.  hAn^rn-'Ctome.fJ^^  blessed 
M  my :  Fatfjet .  inhfli;^  thf^  Wligaom  Prepared,  jfor  sp^i  from  tl?e 
|Qimaath^»  of  the,^^thr7Titba(  klogdoi^  wldc)i  I  promised  ^s  t|Lc  inhcri- 
iitence^^l.ithe  mieefc.  .Kor.y^  hare  p^'oy^d.iliat  y^  h^ye  truly  Mleved 
inmyMname,  byrUi^.ipye  iti9Waricte  me.cmd  ndne,  which  only  true  faith 


(^n,  yi«ld.)v  ]R^  J.w^hunpry,  and  ye  gave  me  to  eat:  I  was  thh*$ty, 
iftod  ye.gavi^ipe  ios4ciiik:Jrwa|i  ^  straipg^r.iand  ye  gave  me  welcome: 
naked,  and  ye  clothed  me:  I  was  sick, 'and  ye  visited  me:  I  was  in 


ipson,*ndye;aa9>^untom©i.',,j  ,„    Mi^hi,  t  ^:  r    , 

ji  ^sThen  shall  ihe  ? igh$eoiw^i  feeling  omy  tjielr  shortcomings,  and  for- 
lilgetting  their  ^ood  deedis,  thtnk  it  cannot  be  a«  I  have  said.    '  When, 
|sI?ord,'  they  shall  as^me,*  ww,  weTheq  hungry,  ftnd  gave  Thee  main- 
[ilieaanQe;  or  thirsty ,^n4.gav^  Theu  to  drink?    Wheti  saw  we  Tliee  a 
[liftianger,  and.mve  Tbee  welcome;  or  nak^d,  and  clothed  Thee?    Or 
:ffl»en  saw / we  Thee  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  came  unto  Thee? ' 
;;5And  I,  tl»q  KinjE,  will  ftuuweil  tliemr-' Verily  I  say  to  you,  In- 
asmuch as  ye  did  it,  lor  my  sake,  to  one  pf  these  my  bretliren,  even 
iilhe  least ottl^em;  ,the  ppor,  tlu^  lowly,  the otitcast,  the  jiersecuted,  the 
(iwietohedi,!  who  behoved  in  me,  an4  are  now  .i-otrnd  my  throne— or  to 
mf)f  tiie  least  ol>ll:my  brethren  of  mankind;  ^or  the  loye  ye  bore 
Me,  who  died  for  themr-ye  did  it  mito  me,!  ji-.  li  • . 

"Then  phalli  also  aa^Mto  tlu)se  on  my  left  hand—'  Depart  from  me. 


Nj 


:■:'». 


W) 


iu^ttijsedriQt6^tfti0  6Terliy!^ing«fir6^;  prcpaf«&  for4^  devil  aft4!^^bis.an- 
^ei^,  wit  fioW  t(i  b«f  sbaHed  by  lymit  lil8>servfinis;i  S^  iiwaa^iiuiigiy, 
«liiQd'ye-(lifl  ttot  give  m^  to  eat:  X  wa»  tliiP0ty^«rid^«  didiiwl^^givc  me 
to  di'iiitt  r  I^tme  a  etras^,  aod  if e^  would  n<»t  f tiscefv^*  ine);>  oaked^^  aaU 
ye  did  hot  ^IbUi^'nie::  siokv and'in  prigon,' andyedid ao$  visitnBe.'i 
'ii^^T?hen  tU^iy  .i^iH' /ti*y*ry«iily<.  t^^  justify sthesniBelves,'  liy  pkaeEng 
inuGcencft  '  1[iefid,i1  they;  Will  sayy  ^  wheu  did  we  «e^*^iee"htingi'y, 
or  tliiftsjty,  or  a  stmnger,  or  daked^  or  sick,  or  in  prison;  land  did  not 
mittii^if  to  -Thee  ?.  • '  Lord,- we  never  i  turn  fTli^K^iiiii  aiidjc  tije^efpre, 
tofve  never fefiiaed-Tliee  0ur .service, V'.'f^ri-PijjHiir  ■N^•V^^W■•'^^|•H^H^H■ff1^ 

M  But  I'  'will  answer  thteni-4*'  Veriiy  J  i^j-to  ♦yoti/.>fca«Mici|}  a8>  yi-^ 
'did'it  riot  to  one  of •  'the'>least  of  tlieeei' w  brethrotir 'Wtieym/yo^a  baji^ 
'Witii  yoiu'and  ttiigbt  ikave  helpcdj  ye;  did 'it  notjto  nie.  j^  "llad  ye 
truly,  and  not'  mvnatiaQ  only,  betieved'inftney  ye"  would  havej^o^wu 
^uitSJof  your  faith*  ilk  d^eeds  of  Jove  for  mysake.'  "!     >    i  ^^    it 

''^A«d  t&ede  shall  go  .6rwa^  Itttpi  ev^rtM^tuig  puoi9^lB#^%#it<lie 


• '  It  *#ai^  the  tWelftlt'day  oi  the  nf&wImooh/iMFwrl%iiuidiB^^to^ro^ 
when  thp  las*  worda  had  been  spoken  in  the  Tem|>le,  flnsd^fArewell 
tak^  bf^it'lc   evQti    Jesus  Uad'luthei4o  lingered  inaisooi^tS' till  the 
gatieei' cloaedi  at  sunset,' after  the  evening  sacritiee,  hut  llisf. ecu!  this 
^yvms  filled  with  ii»!iiiea$u»abie  sadness.  >  Israel  would/  not-h^ar 
the  Vporde  which  aloCe  could  save  it,  «nd)  by>ite  rep|fe9entativ««,ili8il 
not'  only  Rejected  end  b^phemed  HJn>  but  was,  ^vfn  now^  plotting 
His  death!    He  had  left  the  Temple  courts*  theit^fore,  ifi  the.ieaily 
-aftenioon,  to  sit>end  some  hours  .with  the  little  ban^  of  followers  H<' 
j1?as  so  soon  to  leavel  ■  They  had  8at^  <yi  tl»€  «lope\  of  ■•  the  Moipit  of 
"Olives,  facittg  tlie  Temple  p  id  the  city. «  He  had  passed  ijuietly  ami 
unheeded  through  the  stream  of  pilgrims' and  cuiiicus;  and  had  been 
resting,  during  Mis  loiig  discbursei  in  <be  privacy  ot  tiifr  own-  circle, 
ibeucitth  phe  of  the  fig-treeai  of  Olivet,  gazing,  with  full-  soul,  at  a)l 
He  had  left  forieVer,     Had  they  known  it,  the  high  priests  and  rulers  i 
would  hav?!  sden,in  His  final  abandonment  otf"  His  faJtber's  House," 
■h  portent  more  awful  than  any  their  superstitious  fears  were  even 
then  noting.    For,*  forty  years  before  the  destruction  of  the  Temple, 
and,  therefor^,  in  tl»e  ye^v  days  of  our  Lord's  public  life,  it  iMullieeu 
eefen^Avith  unspeakable   .lavm,-7-if  we  may  trust  the  Talinud»-timt 
the  hindmost,  lanip  of  tiie  sacred  seven-branched  oandlestiok,  in  the  I 
^'Holy  Place,  one  night  went  out^ond,  that  the  criinson  wool  tied  tn| 
4he  Imrns  of  the  seape-goat;  which  pught<tQ  have  turned  wlnte'yi^ 
the  atonement  was  ma<^e,  bad  remained  i^d;  and  "ihe  lot  iof  I 
Lord,"  for  the  goat  to  be  offered  on  the  Da^  of  Expiation,  hadcbmel 


TM  lilFE  OF  CHRIST; 

dtit  oW  the  left  hand;  attd  the  gates  of  the  Temple,  duly  sh\it  Ovf?r- 

ti^ai'to'bdtcfld,  wh  |)^ler%si  among  the  heatlien^  tliat  when  the  Teme 
;pfe'tira^  i!iiiibr*itid  fall;  fi^inOm  than  hutnnnvotcs' had  been^  heard' fcomi 
iWBoifi^f  Hdllfei^,  ttyin^-  '"The  gods  liave  departed,''  and  tlmb  pres- 
entlj^,  ft  grerit  sottiia.JMM  their  issuing  fortti,  had  l^ 

Burtlie'true  hilJWipfof  Jehoi^ah's  'leavinBT'  it,  and  Hiat  ior  ever,  waa 
when  His  Soi^  passed  tliat  afternoon  thivugii  its>  gates,  tore'^ntep 

I^siiiraft^i*  M  Ittt^^ehfted  Hi^  yiseotstW^  ith^tiidfir  aiid^  distant 
futur^,  lie,  wfet),  a  breath  before;  had  anticipated  theihour  when  H^ 
sBotfld  cofffife  *ti4i([fet  iilie  ^cldiids  of  Heaven,  to  judge  all  dations  ; 
Aftisndfefd  by  all  the  abgete,  'and-robed  in  the  epleddoui^s  of  the  God- 
tead;' Vas%nce  mote  Hie  V^altti.  l6wly  Teaciier  and  Friendy  cambing 
^lie^^bp^i^  iH'M  hstodftsr  df  fojttwNrers,  on  the  way  to  the  iweU-lDVed 
cottagfe  at  Bethany;  -i^Hfia'^CinifJiijiotftat'ifc-^ii/aU^fi^'yF;  vim^A'^-^nr  m: 
"  AS  they-Werit,^if^  dtftfe  MWe  bi-rike  to  those  around  Him;  Hl^  ap- 
proaching f  Ate.  "You  kftow,' said  He,  "that  after  two -djiys.iaithe 
Passover,  atid  that  the  Son  of  Man  is  appointed,  by  tlie  eternal 
coutiSels  oi  God,  to  be  delivered  over  to  His  enemies,  to  bo  cni^fied." 
It  was  the  second  time  He  had  expressly  used  that  word  of  unspeakr 
able  degradation  and  infamy,  to  men  of  His  day — ^Thb  Cross.  But 
though  they  heard  it  again,  they  coUld  not  even  yet  realize  so  disas- 
t^sJ^^cfipie  ^<!»f' thMt^cherished  dream*-  tif;^mmmhmi4\mv^}th4i 
'Mettii^hlle,  ijis  enemies  wete^nftt  idle.  Itw^asiioT*'  Tuesd&y  ewfeM- 
i^^*^and  tipthfnj^aiatihfng^had  fallowed  the  popular  demonstoation 
brthe  pri^Mihe  Stihda^:  ^Ww  multitude,  indeed,  disappointed  by 
g^in^'ho  ai^h^  6f  the*  national  movement  they  had  expected  that  id^y 
t6^*iii^gU^*t6;  hAd  Ibst  their  ^fhusiasm,  and;'iiii  many  cases^  ^xw^n 
fevl^rt  ll6st!le.  'Ther^-#a9  less  toftearthaft' the  huthoritlefe  hiid  appre- 
liMedl  Yet;«thb»er6\^d'Wkis  <i«k!e;  and  thousandji  of  Galilrtaus,  the 
(kiuhtrynfllert'of  Jesu»;  #erfe  at  the  feast,  which  wassaiways  so  ireftfless 
fl^e  that  the  ^oiitoln  Pi'oourator  kept  a  double  garrison '  in  Aaitonia 
t<*Kilfe'it  lasrtedv' and" hitnself  exchanged  the  feongenial  society  Of 
<^sat^^'rc)fJ^riisalehi; 'With  Its  hated' bigotry' and  muffled  tareason. 
Evdh'  the  goVernor-gehiEfral  of  the  Province  sometimes  indeed  thought 
ltWorthhisA»«^hile  tobepriesent.  "Tlie  fiery  Gal ilseans  might  rise  If 
J^sus  Were  appr^hfelided  dunhiif  thte  feast- week ,  and  any  tumult  would 
bejcertain  to  bring  severe  measures,  at  the  hand  of  t ha  Romans,  ou 
tKfi'tonimUrfity  at'large.''  -^'^^^^^'^^i-^  ^*''  ^''i'**-   >H.^^n^tii^Jiii.>:'i^uh  -^  . 

i:ii(i  hendR  of  the  pi'i€^th66d'ftAd'i)f  ther  Rabhifl,  were  hence  ini  a 
ifllfcinty,  'and  met  t6'cohslUlt  on  the  wisest  course.    The  acting  high 


ilnbn  teishf  *  hadfiwt  gftendeflulte  e3tprt«sion  and  formal  MWie- 
tton,  Wi\\6  idea  bf  putting  Him  to  death.    Throwing  all  his  -  official 


If     I 


704 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHUIST: 


dignity  iiito  the  plot,  fie  put  tlie  upper  cQur$  qf,,£i^s  palace^  la  the 
upper  city,  at  the  disposal  of  tliose  engaged  in  ijb,  ^pd  (ii^f e  tiury  and 
he  met,  to  consult  liow  they  mig^t  get  the  J^^tecl/X^n&Jnto  their 
power  without  tlie  knowledge  of  the  .|)cople,;m.:  pi9(^pr<,^chh^d  Hij^ 
over  to  the  Romans  forcruciDxion,  withoutiearoff  a  tc^ujb.  Tlio 
meeting  could  not,  how;every  qome,  toany  fixed;  pJao»  for  fear  of  a 
popular  rising.  No  more  could  he  doa^i  tban.fwiljtph^  lO^d  take  ad- 
vantag^  of  tjie  course  of  .events.,  ivi  if4ifivr,ii,  iUTlnHH/Mi    >    < 

While  murder  was  thus  being  discussed  in  tlie  nalfs  oi,the.pnmate, 
^acei  and  sacred  friendship  reigned  in  the  pleasant  homo  at  B^^hany. 
The  house  of  Simon,  once  a  leper»  but,  cM^e^ihy  iJ,f8U8;,now  tUe 
abode  of  Martha,  perhaps  his  widow,  pechlips^  his  idiughter,;  of  Mary, . 
her  sister,  and  of  Xazarus,  so  strangely  brought  back. |rom  the  un- 
seen World-^the  one  man  raised  from  t^e  dead,  of:  whose  second 
earthly  life  we  know  any  incident— was  a  s^cjpe  pf  tendc^r  rf  spect  and 
loving  honiage.  To  do  Jesus  honour,  tlie  family  had  W^m  a  supper 
for  Him,  with  invited,  guiqsts,  and  Lazarus^  r^linediWit^  H)m  on  tliie 
tatdie*couoh.  The  company  consisted,  doub(lcss,,as  in  the  case  of  the 
little  household  Itself,  ^f  such  as  owed  theur  health,  perhaps  their 
life,  or  that  of  some  friend,  to  the  Great  Healer,  and  of  His  imn^e- 
diate  followers.        ^  :    ;fi     :       ,     v    , 

It  was,  in  itself,  atendev  proof  ipfr^ven^pt  ]ove,i  th^^ti  atsiich  a 
time,  when  the  life  of  their  guest  was  sought |b^  the,, Authorities ojf 
the  Temple  and  Schools,  and  every  one  was  rf^^irc4»oi^.P9iuof  high 
displeasure^  to  help  them  to  arrest  Bim,  Ho  ^6ul4!  baye  been  thus 
honoured ;  for  Bethany  Acas  close  to  Jerusalen^  and,  the  act  might 
hiive  brought  disaster  on  a  household^ ,known>jlik(^thfit< of  Martha^ 
Mary,  to  the  dominant  class.  But*  a  still  ihigb^r  tribute  ,wns  paid 
Him;,  touching  and  delicate,  beyond  expressipq,  unider  the  clrcum- 
st^Q<^es.  The  sisters  had  often. pondered' hPWJ^W  cpulds^^Piw  thjeijt 
g^titude  for  all  He  had  been,  ajadalL  that,  ill^^ha^'dq^er  for  th^m. 
He  had  healed  Simon,  and  had.  given  ,not,onlj^i^l^> 'hut  ihe  sisters 
and  their  brother, :  the  hope  of  Heaven,  by  w^ing  .th^r  souls  to 
Himself,  and/ but  no^^  He  had  shown.  ,hpw  tfiulv'pe  was  tb« 
MessuUi,  by  bringing  hack  lifizarus  f rom  th^  grayftno  They  knew. that 
the  shadows  of  death  were  gaUieriug  ov^r  their  M|ghty  Benefactor 
Himself,  f^r  the  disciples^  doubtless,  repeated, to  them  the  depregsinr 
intimations  He  had  given  them,  Ittary  f«fa^  kf ^  to  giY%  4^if  love  and 
gratitude  expression.-  ■.      rf|  >  •' ^.  .  ..,,s(i i  pi . ,  ;..H-v,t'.ii!,iJ  wif  in  p.vjib  -vhr  ■ 

It  was  common  to  anoint  the  heads  of  the  Itahbis  who  attended 
marriage  feasts,  with  fragrant  oil^  and  special  quests  were  sometimes 
similarly  honoured.  Jesus  Himself ,  at  an  earlier  'date,  had  had  even 
His  feet  anointed  by  a  fateful  penitent,  who  had,  besides,  washed 
them/with  her  tears,  ana  wiped  theni  with  her  hair,>.flowiug  loose,  in 
self-forgetfulnesa.  But  now,  Mary  outdid  t^U  former  honour  ^aid 
Hiin.  '  Tlie .  costliest .  anointing  pil  of  antigvH^  yrfis  the  pure  spl^- 
ai^rd,  drawn  from  an  Indian  plaht,  and  exposed  in  fiasks  of  alaheist^f 


for  sah 

put  it  h 

Of  tl 

weightv 

the  seal 

on  the 

head,  HI 

she  cou 

symbol  < 

and,  rts( 

raised  di 

the  f  i^gr 

such  lav 

inent,*»st 

and  givei 

thisr  ^It 

With  tl 

io  sqeh  ei 

hurt  the  # 

iieart  thai, 

guest.      iJ 

"Why  ( 

especially' 

done  inihj 

can  never* 

wish.    Bu 

Iwas&ooBf 

1m>w  muei) 

Messiahs  ai 

lad  to  do 

^Wliatreh^a 

'fe  gospel -s 

will  also  ^ 

Judas,  th 

JI'TOUghtUp, 

listened  to 
feelings.     K 

oHhe  Apo 
|<H8ciple.     T 

my  days 
[m,  small  „ 
erelong,  anc 

IJthe  prosj 
|(f  them  wej 
«Jhy,  he  ha 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST, 


705 


e  \my  Wia 
^  Into  their. 

j^u^B.  TUo 
y%  fear  of  a 
i^d  take  ad- 

ihej3Tiraat^^ 
,a,t»^^hany. 
Vis;  now  tlje 
^rjofHary,. 
'rom  the  UD', 
rliose,  second 
sr  rf  q?ect  and 

ii^  B|naon,tlie 
lie  case  of  the 
pcirbaps  tjieii 
of  His  imtue-  , 

ti^t^at  swcha 
Aut^ipnties  01 
^painofbigli 
liaye  bpen  thus 
khe  act  miglit 
of^rthaand 
^ute  .was  paid 
'X  the  circufi),- 
ild  #AW  tbjeii 
inner  foi?  tli«H^- 
ini  the  sisters 
^ttt  souls  to 
pe  was  tlie 
.^yknew.tfliat 

Sity  Benefactor 

the  depressing 
their  love  a»d 

5  who  attended 

were  sometimes 

r  had  had  even 

esides.  washed 

jwingloQS^.!'!] 
UT  honouT  m\ 

the  PF*'  fl^i 


for  sale  throughout  the  Roman  Empir^^  where  it  fetched  a  price  that 
fiut  it  beyond  iany  but  the'weaUhy.  -'  "     ' 

Of  this  Mar^  httd  bought' a  flask,  containing  about  t we) Ve  pun^a 
weight,  and  nbW;  cbihing  behind  the  guests  as  they  recllued,  opened 
the  seal,  and  pdUred  some  of  the  perfume,  first  on  the  head  ana  then 
on  tlie  feet  6f  JeSuSi  drying  them,  presently,  with  tlio  hair  of  htr 
head,  like  her  predecessor.  She  liad  rendered  a  tribute  tlian  ^'hicli 
she  could  Kftve  given  no  liigher  to  a  King;  but  it  was  a  wortliys 
syml)ol  of  the^  rightful  devotion  of  all  we  hfeve  add  are,  to  Ohrtit, 
and.  Its  such,  was  lotih^ly  accepted  by  Him,  Thp  act,  however, 
raised  different  thoughts  m  some  of  the  narrow  minds  around.  AA 
the  fragrant  odours  filled  the  room,  voices  were  heard  muttering  that 
such  lavish  expense  for  such  an  object  was  wrpng.  "This  oint- 
ment,** said  one;  "should  have  been  soM  for  three  hundred  behce,' 
and  given  to  the  poor.  That  would  have  been  a  worthy  ikst;  btir 
this!-    It  was  Judas  laciriot.  , 

With  that  perfect  gentleness  and  repose  which  He  always  showed 
itt  such  circumstances,  the  answer  of  Jesus  showed  no  resentment,  ^o 
hurt  the  feelings  of  any,  btit  yet' must  hav^ carried  joy  to  the  tender' 
heart  1ihat|hi^d  tett  Iier  higjiest  o^ering  too  little  to  bestow  on  iuch  a 

••  Why  do  you  blame  and  trouble  her?"  said  He  to  the  compantr/ 
especially ' to  Jiidas.     "Let  her  alone.    It  Is  a  goo<l  deed  she  has 
tone  in  my  honour.    You  have  the  poor  with  you  always,  and  yOu 
can  never  want  an  opportunity  olf  showing  kindness  to  them;  if  you 
wish.    But  you  have'  not  me  always  with  you.    Mary,  as  if  sbe  knew 
I  was  tooBf  to  die,  has  chosen  the  strongest  way  fehe  could  of  ^owittg 
how  much  she  loved  to^.    She  hiis^aone  for  me,  as  her  Teacher. 
Messiah,  and  Friend,  WhiWl  still  live,  what  she  would  6oon  have 
ted  to  do  to  my  dead  body-— «lie  has  embalmed  me  foi*  the  grave," 
j  What  remains  will  do  for  the  day  of  riiy  burial.    1  tell  you»  wherever 
tlie  gospel  shall  b^  ptea6hed  in  the  v^dle  world,  Wtiat  ihe  hm  dphe , 
1  will  also  1^  told  for  a  memorial  of  her."^^^  ^ '"  ,H'uiti>    uMiiu  i  widTj 
Judas,  tlie,  on^  sbUthern  Jfew;  aniong  the  Twelve-^thb  o^lv  mi4to ; 
llrought  up,  as.it  were,  under  tiie  shadow  of  the  Templo^muSt  hrtve 
listened  to  such  praise  of  an  act  so  hateful  to  him  with  the  bitterest 
feelings.    He  had  been  with  Jesus  at  least  from  the  first  apj^olhtment 
of  the  Apostlesi  and  must,  even  then,  have  been  conspicuous  as  « 
tiseiple.    The^od  seedof  Christ's  word^bad  spirung  up  in  those 
e^ly  days  in  his  heart,  as  in  tliose  of  the  othets;  but  the  evil, 
ilso,  small  and  uhnoHced,  perhaps,  at  first,  h^  been  let  spring  up 
erelong,  and  ft  had  grown  to  rank  strength  that  slowly  choked  all 
else.    Like  all  his  brethren,  he  had  cherislied  gross  and  selfish  vieWs 
tfthe  prospects  to  be  Opened  for  them  by  their  Master.    If  some, 
[Ofthem  were  to  be  the  high  officials  in  the  expected  World-Mon-' 
luchy,  he  had  trusted  to  get,  at  least,  some  post;  profitable*  if  less 
i^did.    Indeed*  thti  lowest  dignity  promised  inoouceivabld  hono(#, 


^■J! 


Jil|l 


m 


kM 


706 


ITHE  LtFE  OF  OHBIST. 


for  jw«Te  mttHl  the  Twelve  to  rf<  on  /thniilei:  to  judg*'  ttke  T^relve 
Triljes  of  Israel  ?    In  tlie  minds  of  the  othei"fe,  the  drthrtt  Was  loyally 
Buhordiriated  to  love  and. duty  to  thfe  Matiter:  in- his,  »ett  fielzed  and 
'  h^d,  .Abidiil,^ly ,  .the  first  place.  '  The  mildew  of  hl«  godl '  had  spread 
^fme-, ;  ;T4)Ust€d  w^thrthe  commoa  purse  of  the' briotherhood,  into 
Vrhjchpasged.thegifta  of  friends,  to  meet  th^hiimble  expen^ei^  of 
^^1^^,  th«  honour,  Bought  at  firstj  perhaps  in'tiU  Uprightness,  be- 
.     oame  a>fatal  snarc;    Bis  religion  withered  apilce.    (Mce  a  disciple 
v/;  frQia=hone8|^j)nxiety,  hecontitiued  one,|n  outwftrd'fonri,  ao'ah'adveii- 
i.tsir^ojlGiiAn  became  a  passion  with  hiiii,  till,  under  tH^  verj"  eyes  of 
■r;.ls  hjfl  M»B^,  hQ^emheEzled,  as  treasurer,  the  petty  ftinds  in  his  habds.  j 
x:>C!''^  iTh^Cfttry  to.^temsalem  had  kindled  hife  ho^s,  after  tea^^ 
in  2»nd  ;(lisapppi?^tii>ents,  for  the  popular  exciten^ent  pr^rrtniised  to  force 
on  Jesus  the  part  of  a  National  Messiah,     ^itt,  blind,  as  he  must 
;  jUiiye  thought  Hina,  to  Hi^  Awa  interest,  He  had  made  itjo  nse  of  the 
splendid  opportunity.  Instead  of  allying  Hims^elf  wilJhr  the  diOTitarles 
'''S(l.Qi&  Jf^daisjEn*  and  inaugurating  a  mighty  J^ish  ufirisirigt,  WTth^higli 
priests  ^^adrc}ucfBabbi»  as  His*  supporters,  He  had  a^aiiled  bothl 
'♦  T-eiwIe  aiid  %hoo[,  andrproeeed     to  open  ruptufti  With  theih.' '  In-I 
Lf)^i4  ckE  ra  crown,.  He  had  spol^         i^  citoasVln'steart  of  liffinour?  fori 
His  followers,  He  had  foretold  persecutions  and  martyrdom.    Td  tbel 
B  in0$in,<i!i^  sordid  heart  of  Judas,  tlie  b6\inty  of  Mary  had  gufiic6d  to 
ijtfndle  ^mouldering  i^eseritment  and  disloyalty  to'  a  flame.    If  rulij 
wpre-i?ertflins  he,  would  profit,  if  he  coUld, "before  all  Tvjis  ovetC   If 
;r;,J[^suft  must  fall  iniotlie  hands  of  His  enemies,' he  might  as 'well  gej 
o'  ti?io|ieyrbyiWhat  was  unavofdable.     Had  not  He,  atgued'the  diseaseu 
/ri-L%*3tr^i^PPointcd  him,:  led  him  about,  for  year?!,  in  hoped  of  gafm  iij 
[    t-the^ndriaim'hadHe.not,  no'wj.told  hitu  that  the  only*  inlieritaii^fceh^ 
,^^l4i:,«xpe(^  was  poverty  and  Sufferiri^^ 
prle8ts,'and  see  what  could  be  done.  '  ' V 

^^  :r.&1m\mgre^UJ>hGTeiox^,  with  guij^ty  thought^  frbmtte^  quiet  coti 
jb  tage,;perh»ps..wheq.lhey  and  Bcthimy' had  sunk?  in  sle^tyi-^unmoveJ 
VI  by  the  divine  love  and  purily  of  his  Mastdr)  fprgfetful/ irf  the'blindr 
'  i^^^  ot  his  etvil  excitement,  of  all  he  had  seen  and  h<frtrd,  through  th 
-last  thicee  evei^tlutyearsi  he  made  his  way,  in  the  darkness  of  night 
1  f  tlQi  |ho  Tem|^.  ,  The  watch  was  at  its  pdst  ai  the  ^t6s,  aiid  on  it] 
]ia|iQ4s.rbut  Judas  found  means  to  reveal  his  object  tb  itie  captain! 
char^t^nd was  admitted. !  The  oificers  hastily  gathered' rotthd  t 
IcQ^  why-  t^e  stranger  thus  disturbed  the  litght.    ^ *  I  come  to  b'etra 
Jesusrof  Nazareth,'' muttered  Judas.     "He  had  better  be  taken  to  th) 
ichief  priests, "  replied  those  round.    Some  of  the  council  were  hastil 
Opmmoued  forthwith^  and   received  his  overtures  With  a  joy  tli 
^b^i^teQed  their  faces,  eyeii  by  the  dull  light  of  the  hight-lamps, 
-viorat  wasclear  tlmt  a  cause  so  rightfeOus  as  thatof  the  GaWltfian,  cou!i 
^yer  give  them  open  and  honest  grounds  fot  His  tirres*.    Ti^easi 
.;jftUat  C/jamo  to  their  aid*  from  within.    Bo  thc^  bargained  with:  bi 
nkeaoiy  enough^  indeed ;  for  Ihey  bfltered  f or  li»'  villaiiy,'  if  sUee*sfi 


cWfflWE-jO^^GfBIST. 


707 


only  thlfty^^ekiels  ^Uie  Sanctuary,— the  price  of  a  slave.    But  the 

The  next  oay,  oiir  Tlitirsday,  Vas  thie  foiirfeen^  6f  Ni^h— the  day 

on ;T^!^ipJi  ftU.  lif^bQur  cpased.    Atl  le'ri veh  had  been  ^^oved  fWm 'every 

house, jhef pre  noon,  lb  prepatation  foi*  the.  Pas&bve^'  in  the  c^vetiing. 

Towards  Sji^hsei^. the  rassover  laiiib  was  kifled  iri  the  foi^ourtBof  tli& 

TBiimle,  bY.any.one'ch6son  to'do'so,  and  the  blood 'attd'  fat  bntned  on 

the.altar,a8'ino^ejh''ngto.&od.  '  The  test  feuptilied  thi^  iiiAterial^  for 

the  l^jaat,  an  Wur*  or  two  Iktenaftei*  the  b^iiriiiig'  6f'the  mtetoth 

day,.at  pmiset.  .  I^h^  fotirtefehth  waif  th^refbr^,  vei-y  bit^for*  the 

whole'  qf  ie^cu^o^ ;  for  bbth  it '  (he  villages  "round  it;  tini  the  opeh 

country,  were.fflled  with  oountiess  thousands,'aU"&tehtbtt  the  flame 
ohsSvijcel"  n^  n..o,^^.-^::.r  .-.,  j,..*.r..m....».  „,.^  ■ 

, ,  yhe^5l"^aover  h'l^d  fe^en ;  f o^Med  t6  6(mittiemo*ate  the  dejM^turo 


,  ,We  ^e  not  t<)l(J,  Jio^ir  Jf^siiji  spent'  W6dnesdaV,  fOr  the  sUp^rlh  the 
iionie  at  JBeihaiiy  was  bn;Tii6sd'ay'iiyeniilg.  He'  appittently  'Stated  in 
privacy,  awaiting  the  oommg  day.  '  »     -i  i 

On  Thursday  morning  tlie  disciples,  takingit  for  granted  that  He 
lYould.p^el^ratfi,  tti6  MSt  ^itli.thefai,'<i4tae' to  lliii'etti'Fy  to  receive  in- 


(str^ctioi\l^.^f  liquid  He  kideuti,  as  He  legally  might,  fe  Bethany,  for 

the  viua|;e  waf .  coUntM  by  m^  Kablnis  partxifJerusatem.fOr  Religious 

iusage§;  anjd  ji^e  hx^h,  mMii  be  eateii  m  Bethahy,  i^oui^h  itihuiit  be 

kill^atjtlieTetoiite. ;  W 

acc©r4ing  t6  the  rale  ofth^  jLiiivr;  fi^rthou^  the  atrtct  ^f orttem^t  of 

this  cohamahd  was  hot  niaibtkindd^Jesite'Wk^^ 

innweM  duties pr^^yribed.  '*'V  ri^oua^fiiiif^^u^j  wri&^fia?^iwj  t.| 

i^j^o.  clo|*bitI^  aj[^Ci0e$  expecteld^tKat 'Bfithaiilf  Votild  bfe  ■  chbseh,  for 
He.liadsoiieinj^y  tui^^^  Jeru'sifem,  tv^o'daj^s  before,  and 

tor-go  th)^](iej  again  Tsrould  be  to  put  Hiih^lt  in  the  bo^er  of  His 
^^neini^s,    Bixtm  had  rbsOli'ed  t6  visit 'th^  dty  so  deftr  to  Hiftf^onco 
jnore.   JftjWas  ilie  pjade  appointeid  by  the  t,hw  foi' the  fekst,  ttud  He 
wouid  tliere  be  in  thiei  mid^t  of  the  rejoicing' ihultitudes,' as*  Himself  a 
,,gpn(Of  Isf^el.     He  wished,  also,  to  throw  a  gi^ater  sacredriess  over 
tliie  institution  He  designed  tO  inaugurate  thkt'ni^ht,  dfe  the  e<^iValent 
ii^,tl^e;Ne.w  Kingdom  of  God,  of  tlie  Passovfelrin^the  Old.    It%afe  well 
to  UnS^  it,,in  t^he  mind^  of  the  A'postles  with  the  satireidneas  of  the 
Temple,  u^dcrwho^  sliadow;  the  City  of  the  Crreat  Eing.  in  whose 
Ijpundf ;  jiu^  the  gdjthering  of  Israel,  in  whds6  midst,  it  was  founded, 

Tui;¥||ii^, . therefore,  to  Pete'^  arid  JOhh,  His  usrtul  ihessenglftt's,  He 

told  tljiem,  to  go  and  fytejiare  the  p&ssOVier,  that  He  and  the  Twelve 

Mghi',^%  tt'iofiretjjpr.    **0n  entfering'the  dty,"  said'He,  "viWi  will 

j^tt  ^;  iag0  fiC^i^  6i^  ^vtU^^  ^*^r  ot  jWater;  fQllow^^h^  the 


'> ; 


^il;::' 

■  IV. 

1.* 

1 

';  "3^    ;!'  •V-''1ffi 

iillH 

■ 

i 

1 

^06 


-n; 


mw^f^im^: 


ho\m  he  eotera,  Asif;  |oF;thein9&ter»im4B«Y,'  The  TiiUc^A  told  us 
io  0m  you  ■"  Where  is  the  foom,  intended  for.  me^  ^i;i  whm^  w  eat  the 
PusBover  witli  my- disciplef ^M  4nd  beiyJU  himej^lt  fhoW  you  his 
guc9t'«)hapnber»  ou  the  upper  iflpor,  provided  iiwitlijcb^pep^ieady  iar 
us. !  -  Get  the  supper  prepare^  for.  u#  there.  '*       ',   .,  '      , 

The  two  started  :4t  o^ce^.^nd  found  everything  as  |J^csns  had  said, 
and, Ibpr  evening  aU  was  In  readineiss  to  recciive  HiDa  an^  the  Ten. 
\VhQitwas<that  thus  entertained  liitn  is  npt  told  us.  It  may  have 
l)een  John  M»fK  qi,  jDe^h^ps,  Joseph  of  Ariiuatlipa^;tih6^any  i^cholar, 
and'thjB  ijiHm  ajf^r  deaUi.  ,  ;The  Qospels  dp  not  ^%  aiid  ey^n  tradi- 
tion is  silent.  Universal.  hpspitaUty^preyail^  4^  tliid  Tuatter,  and  the 
only  ,r«p9/im)€n^,tl>^t.Qould^.W  ^ ^i^  of  the  paschal 

laD^t  anq  ^^^larthpn  jdlsines  uaeaat  the  meat  iffpt  fewi^r  than  ten, 
but  often  as  many  as  twenty— enough,  in  any  cas^/  to  consume  the 
entM!e,knil>t^p^il4>  "4*  idv^n  together,  hut  Jesus  y^ished.  to  iiEve  notie 
hut,  JJwt  cioB^s^  cirde  :witl^  Hira,  t^t  He  flight;  hJdth^te  a  final, 
tender  ;;fajpew{fjll.  ,■  Women  ^vere  .^ot'^ommohl^fresen^^ 
were  excju^ed  J>y  mauy;  hu|,t  apaft,  trov^  this,  tW  ^venSne  was 
desj^n^  a^  a  )Ume  of,  deepest  coiiim^nio^  wit]bi  the  trusted  Twelve 
alonciaind,  h^npe,  neiuier  the.outei'  ^ircle  of  d^^ojples,  h^r  the  minis- 
terfnlg  women  who  had  Idvihgly  ibnowed  Hun  from  Galilee,  wiere  ia- 

?pter  and  Johiji  Tiad  ||«i.4'mu^^^  hcforetisliiiid.    iv^ky  he,  the 

]amh.\ya8  yet,  to  he  hpu^t,  tjhat  mprnine,  for  its  jjljrcliase  6bi  the  tenth 
hadjailen  mtner  ^OUt  ofiise.  „  They  hafi  to  chpp^y  ito'm.thte  tpuntless 
pens  in  ry^Ji|ch/|;he  yiptjras,  wer^  onered^^/orjBale,  f^  lioiale  latatb,  of  a 
year.VidxwH^  GaKl6^,  no  secular  work 

wa^dpne  oM.Q^y,U^  ai^  jemsalemr  it  jpe^fcdjOnly  at  booh.  About  two, 
th(i|)2ast,oft  hpr|^f»  aijnbunce4  th^t  thje  priests  ahA  Leyitela  in  the  Terii- 
pie  were  ready,  and  the  e^tes  of  the  inner  cpurtsWe^reojjeijeid,  that  all 
might.hri|ng.^heir,]an^iOT,exam|natio^,  {^  ^^^?  the  priests 

as  tp,;th%  n^inl&er vintendWg  tp  cpnsuinj^  each.    Fpijliwuh,  thelong 
lines  of  household  rathers,  se^4ht^»  ^^^fi^^^  *^^  t^%  S,^^-^^^^ 
amofig  th^restvtlie  two  deputed  by  Jesus,  p^es^^to^  of 

thq.men,  V^idii.wa^  gaily  tapestried  and  aidbrip^,t6t  the  gate  of  the 
priesU'  rpurt;  the  hvmb  on  their  shoulden^  witih  a:Mif^  stuck  in  the 
wopi>qr  t^ibd  ,tp  the  horn, '  -.fo^r^^^a^  ^i^) <  'v*-- '; 7  Ji  t  '•— n*'l,;' ./-  ■..      ; \'" '. 

Al)V^^t.haJf-pa8t  t^f^o,.  the  eviehing  bffetth^^ 
hour  «fter,  It  wns  laiu  on  the  great  altar.  ForthwUh,  three  blafts  of 
the  trumpet^  of  tlie  priests,  and  the  chpral  singing  of  the  g|reat  Hallel 
by  tlijC  L^yites,  g^ye  the  sign^  for  the  slaughter  6f  the  Passov^ 
]am!f¥}<  F^icli  had  to  he,  finislie^  between  the  hours  of  three  aiid  five. 
As  iiM)nyv;eA^rers  were  adniitted  as  the  courts  wo^Td  hold,  and  then 
th^gnte^were  sl^ut.  vpeadsof  families,  or  servants  deputed  Ityth^ 
killed  tiie  lambs,  and  the  priests,' in. two  loiig  rows,, v^ith  ^eat  silver 
and  gold  vessels  of  curious  shape,  caught  the  blood,  and  piCssed  it  to 
others  behind,  tiir  it  reached  the  altar,  at  the  foot  df  which  it  was 


i/fWc^rs^.iu;!: 


poured  out«    The  victims,  hung  on  the  iron  hooks  of  the  walls  and 
pilfats  0f  the'tbih^^,  oi*  bh  a  Mtek  hiet#e«n'fh«  lihbiildeM  dttwo  vleli. 
were  th^n  'i^k^tn^,  iind  tni  open;  thf  m\,^iiftLt>iiM  kidneys,  alid<' 
liver,  set  apaitfdr  the  altarV  the  rest  wrapped  ib  the  skin,  and  currted  ' 
home  fr^m'teTiiitaiite; towards  eVenlttjf.  "^A^  the  Hew  day  opetied^t 
at  sunset,  tlie  carcass  was  trussed 'for  rOiusting,  With 'two  *sk8We»#bf 
pomegranate  Wood,  i^  that'tliey  fdrMied  a  cross  In  thelatnb.    It  vfm* 
then  piit  til  an '^rHiieii  oi^^ii  of  a  [Special  kind,  lasting,  WithotU  bbt-i  ^ 
toiii,  oh  the  ground,'  ahd,  Was/  noasted  hi  the  earth,    'fhe  feast  cdtild 


I) 


Judas  had  stolen  liacktol  B»^thany  befdre  daylight,  tfaal/1iis^«b4<»hc6-^ 
miglit  not  be  missed,  iind,  aftiV  istfother  c^'s  hitter  hVpocHisy,  lEttider  > 
the  bumiii^  ^yes  6t  his  m^t  foMbWed  fiimf,  With  ttteibtWer  Ajibs^' 
ties,  to  Jerusalem.in  the  evening.  They  must  haVe  bi^M^ed  'h*ftyJI^^ ' 
in  the  troubled  air, 'for  ^res^nWifaeiitts  of  mrkhb'wn  a^hg^i^  fflled  €v^y 
heart:  They  Mtr  duhg  tt)  their  did  dreatti  of  ^  visibTe  ^rthW  kl>^|u 
dom  of  Ooci,  ^hd^  thiir  Bfeister,  limt^  theii^  spirits  ii4u5*  hhit^  suim 
within  theih  as  they  passed  through, t^o  vast  multitudes,  whpUr  ab- 
sorbed in  the  a^proadungleast,  withnofi^^^  preparation  for  a 
national  Messianic  movement;  and  along  the  illuminated  streets,  in 
which  no  one  took  Aptice  of  them.  That  th4  hierarchy  had  de- 
nounced Jesus,  was,  figelf,  enough  to  flll  their  Isimple  minds  with 
dismay,  for  its  splendjjiur  and  power  seemed  refitted  in  the  millions 


•ijJ  ■ 


■\j 


W' 


of  this  crv 


governmg 
A4  they  passed  under 


i  exclusively  of  this  crwl  and^inhuman  pflortV^T 

;  thcj  shtidwpi  W  Tb/^^ 
tionjs,  a^d  it^  iinimemcfiai  traditions,  they  miisi  hi 

1  Jesus  chose  at  la$t j^o-  do  What^JB*.  had  lievtfr  J^it  doi^e,  even  for  ji 
m6ipent---^iMile8s  He  u»d  His^iiper^^^         powei^ifi  self-defence,  anil  ^ 
forjselfTaggi^disement^  thei^were  hopele*ly  lo^^^  y 

to  Jesus  Himself  |the  moment  was  uAspealialily  solemn.     HbI 
scarcely  founded  £^lngdbm[  was  abbvft  to  j^ass  mrough  the  severejt^r 

I  trial.    The  temporary  and^arthly  in  itw^re't6t)e  violently  scpf '' 
rat^d,  for  ever,  f  rom  ti^e  lieaTenly  and  eternal.    All  hopes  of  ft  Worldi 
idDgdom;:|K>. deeply  i'opted  in\he  minds  lif  Hi^  loUowiirs^  wj^te  to 
desfroy^d,  and  He,  the  visible  hefld  of  the  Kingdom,  to  be  «p|me4^^  ^ 
bended,  dishonoured,  and  crucified.    The  thoughts  of  His  dfeciple^^" 
were  tahc»  rai^  from  the  idea  of  a  presept,  im^natQ  l^esBiah^  ^  a  i 
Messiah  ia  hf^^ven;  to  appear,  henceforth,  no  more,  but  by  ilis  retur&'> 
from  the  inyisihie  world.    To  be  true  to  Hiip,  n^eant.  ixain  thistiquetv A 

\H  realization  pf  a  spiritual  cdnceptiou'asyet  u^attauied  by^ev^lhiy  - 
moaj  «i(^ighteiied  of  the  iS^^lve,  r     ,      '  :       -    ■      .Iv^^fi 

\'^-'i-  ■   '       ■  '■  •   '    -  ■  ■•    .^m^.m':- 


4 


!«»: 


'-W 


n 


i>iir. 


■  u ' 


JPiil  ClifMk  WM  Ji9  no  degree  tmiiea  ^idp,  or  parj^ljr^  h^  His  fp«. 
omtioD^  by  midt '  dangfors.  W1m|9  «i|  ao  q<?d6^  « ^UrUiMf; t  de^tji,  and 
674)111  mifimid,  i|  it  pleft9e(^  His  Futhciv  to  escape  its  mttepannt  hojxor^, 
H^  moy&d,  .Awards  .the  oppoinfted  and-fopefieisL-flnd',  iviUh,  siublime 
eeU-poasee^ioow  ftod  lioly  peac?  of  spul,  recogniaingM^U  tj^ot  yet  re- 
modned  for  Him  tOj  do,  Hod  doing  it  witlina^  divine  ^s^ronity.,  His 
beotliigr  to  tUe  grea$^^  WQrld,  ^  tUe  last;.  His  aotion  apdHis  self-re- 
stiTfdQ^  Bxe,\  Bli^,  wonderfi^t;;  ]mii%  noust  strike  ue^  atU)  more,  )ui  ^e 
observe Jt  dQpelir^  |i/9il|ir  He  J^^  il|!tlio,olrcJq,Qf  Hi^  clipsen 

QQeM^ttt^elcQtfM^Oplie^pr^ssed  niiarer  fui4,  nearOT^^  v 

Wlieti  tlie  Twelve,  i;rUh  Iheir  Master,  had.  oAtt^d  the  ,ipom„to 
tal^tl^^r  places  i  m  the  cust^Spos,  ioi^  tb^i^i|l/.t|iQ  greatness  of  tlie 
chi^gl^  y^  W  he  wrouglit  op  their  K^indsrwafi^oiice  tapre.Mrikingly* 
shopQ.  ,  ip^lte  of  all  He  had  said;  the  questioo  of  precedence  was 
)9^  ^Q.t^eir  tjioughts.        j  /     ; 

>  ^isaa  of  the  group^  Jeiius  ^turally  took  .the:  fU'Ali ,  pla^  on 
thi|Jb|^fi^  co^ucb^he  outermost,  on  the  right  pf  the  h9n<«w  square; 
**v_  ■'^—■towards  the  second ^lace ;  Hw  feeliputward$,  /Resting 

■    .rriii'i'Mhi   -..ft  rr.  .1 


r.;a( 


ViPm^vOmiiiiot^ai 


i- 


^77 


u. 


3Mi 


'  1 


>N*i 


;[^  - 


'V  V 


TBioiiiatoi. 


'8    •*y'f'f¥{H'*f''''^'i'"' 


His  lefl  elho^  and  side  on  a  cushioh  the  -^hoUb  breadth  of  the  couch, 
His'H^  yatid  jTas  thus  fyee,  Ifvliile  the  Apostle  ht2^xt  fiihi  reclined 
so  |ttat  ftid  h^  lay,  a^  it  were;  Itt  his  Master's  1)0130111;  It  had  been 
tM'ic^flrtityni;  in  ^<tn<:#nt  times,  t^  en|  the  l^aidsover  sfetidih^;  butthe 
Babbis^had  changed  it  for  the  Gentile  practice  bf  rfecihliiig:  It  Was 
1U:»  ril^ves,  they  said,  to  eat  sjt^ding,  a^d  as  Israel  ws(s  not  a  race  oi 


'■''i'ilmi'^' 


THE 


M 


711 


i4»«es»biit  of  fre«iniie»;tUey  sUouM  c^  >h*,f«q*t  ,yefi^n^ng;.a  Artery 

Bilt  tills  Jewieh  pride  in  Ihe  ApK>SM9^  i|U^  .MU)  niQire  fierce  .py 
fflsh  ^tribitioQ,  in  .pnxipcet  of  the  .ptoliiM  glvrV  tlitjy  jjti^  j^-. 


seMsh 


Tersely 'hoped  !flois  could  iill^brook  to  t|^k«  a  lowpr  pk(;i3  tlinifi.  JOlt|)i?^> 
It  was  a  0rAve  matteF  for  tl«<imrR»iior  M>e  P]^^ruK3|BS,  >v;lio  ^Upuld, 
hftve  the  higher  seats,  for*  i«  tii«ir,  delusion,,  t^py; turned,  UiAtj.it 
m^  affect  their iutoue  posltioQfin  the  Moe^iapio  3iAt9.,  poi  ue  fqii^wd, 
as  they  dreamed,  presently.  So  the  strifq  (that  hadi  l^fiQ^e^^  oQt  qn  itho 
other  side  of  Jerioho,  once  more  di^tri^esed  their  ^asifsr,  an^j^^^f^uld 


rather  be  for  the  lowest  place.  .      t  ^i    w   '    .     -'Xr-t^'  ^''t, 

Sue  Be  did  not  oonfind  Himself  ;tch  words*  ,  JSleins  iv^m  t^.  j^oUQii, 
w^hen  tite  mppos  v»a  just  ahoul.  to  he^in^  ,a94  kU'jdl^g/QiTi^elf  ^Uh 
'a  ti»wel,  like/a  dflve;  filter  .laying,  aside  Pis  ^up^r.gj^^eiit^  He 
poured  water  into  a.  basin,  and  Began  to  wash  the  feet  of  His  ms- 
ciples.  Pride  and  ^Mi^h.aJnbition  could  not  be  more  strikingly  and 
touohingly  reprovad,  than  by  such  ^h  tet  an  tho  part  of  one  who 
knew  that  He  had  had  all  things  given  into  His  hands  by  God  His 
Father,  and  that  He  had  come  forth  from  llini,  i^nd  was  a|)out  to 
return  to  Him.  Ifeigreater  proof  could  b^.  ^bpwn  of  His  love^  than 
thait  such  an  act  of  humility  should  be  its  natural  expression,  Had 
they  all  been  tru9-hearted,  it  would  liave  bfen  amazing  in  one  so 
transcendently  abo^e  them,  but  it  was  still  igiore  so«  when  He  knew 
that  one  of  them  vfas  alreftd^y  a  tmitqr.ii.  lie  1^  proclaimed  Himself 

ih»%OB!^€)9dv tltN»MMI^fUdga <0t4hA« nmelij^ . tha^  MflfHJfth  JlLW^^"'* 

leift  were  the  honpurs  ^f  heavien,  and  whosf  voice^wwsilo  ra!*!  the 

lead,, arid  they  WeTjQ  simple  Galileean  fisheniKn.     There  could  l|e  no 

Icommentarjr  on  3^|9  demanui  for  lowliness,  aftfee  true  ground  #4id^ 

ivancement  in  Hi^  kingdom,  more  v^Yid  ^hfa  His  voluntarilyf  ^er- 

vforming  the  lowjiept  acVof  personal  seryice  t^  them  nil.     ,i    i    i^" 

'.    He  SG^ms  to  hflVje  begun  with-Simon  Petei,  His  chief  Apbst1|,lbut 

the  warm  heart  aivi  the  impulsive  nature  of  tju^  rock-like  man  sltilnk 

from  lettmg  his 'JlabteD,  humble  Himself  thus.     "Lord,"  saifli'Jie. 

'  "dost  T/*oit  vi^f^my  feet ! "    He  had  flot  re^lked  the  meaning  k)f  an 

actiintftnifliPiiAahaiyiubolical.     "-Wiiat  I  do,"  feplied  Jesu$,  **thqju  un- 

deistandflst  not  now,  but  wilt  know  hereafter.**'   "  7hou  sHalr  never 

l^mA^my^.  fa8t,;juQrd."|, reiterated  the  Apostle.    "  If  I  .do  npt  ^ash 

thee,"  said  Jeaus^ 

theic^ao/ 

cordiiic  tqt^Tewish  ways,.  hAs  tdken  a  bath  before  his  meal,  n^edd  no 
BI(bl!iv%^|0l^clea]l8e  the  4ust  from  his  fe^,  which  has  clune^ltbMBi 
on  ihe  way  from  thii  bath.  -  Except  this,  he  is  clean/shaitf  is  the 


'■'■Ml 


713 


TH]^  ,^FB  OF  qi^RIST. 


Bam^  with  you,  except  h^i  wlio  intcndn  to  betray  me.  By  my  word, 
wblch  I  bi^ve  spokeh  to  yoti»  and  the  faith  Wake(|  in  yoil  bf  it,  you 
are  already  clean  la  the  sense  I  mean— right  in  the  neAire  ef  your 
hefurt  towards  me.  Tct,  though  thus  clean,  tlie  dust  of  earth  still 
clings^  yon  in  part,  and  makes  a  last  washing  needful.  V  The  hour 
was  at  hand  for  this  last  crowning  act  of  love-^the  shedding  His 
blood  for  them  for  the  remission  of  their  sini— ^ud  Ho^oula  now 

Erepare  .tliemfor  it  by  thia  tender  symbol,  for  It  lau£^t<  not  only 
umilityj  but  ttiat  He  alone  could  take  away  sini    -  , 
Havh^g  washed  their  feet  and  resumed  H&gamieAts,  Hti  once  more 
tookHi)?,p1aceon  thecouch..     :  I.  u'i 

*]  Do  yoti  kn6w,"  He  a^ked,' a^'He  did  so,  "the  jbiiiWWg  of  what  I 
have  no^  dione  t6  you?  You  call  me  Teacher  and  Lord,  and  you  are 
right,  for  I  am  both.  Lea^,  then,  thai,  if  I,  your  Master  aha  Lord, 
wash  your  fe^t,  you,  also,  otight  to  wash  one  another's  feet,  fori  have 
done  this  as  an  example  to  you,  that  you  should  do  to  each  other  as  I 
hav(B  dp^e'tp  you.  x  pu  know,  and  1  i^'oiild  have  you  Vemember  it, 
th^t  a  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord,  nor  an  apostle  t^ian  He 
wl^QSent  iniin  forth,  iso  tliat  you  may  iWell  ifnitate  iae,  your  superior, 
in  m^  humility,  if  yoii  understand  what  1  «4y,  it  will  be  well  for 
yoii  if  you  act  on  my  teaching.  I  do  not,  i&deed,  speak  of  you  all. 
I  know  your  characters  and  hearts;  but  all  has  hap|)ened  in  fulfilment 
of  the  divine  will,  for  thd  6<^ritlture  must  becidg  be  fulfilled,  which 
says,  'He  that  eats  bread  with  me,  craftily  lifts  up  his  heel  against 
mej'  to'  trip  and  overthrow  me.  I  tell  you  befoipe  itliappeh,  that, 
when  it  does  take  place,  you  may  bcMeve  that  I  aWi  Indeed  the  Mes« 
siah,  and  that  no  other  is  to  be  expected.  That  I  should  be  betrayed 
by  one  of  ourselves  might  have  sliaken  your  faith  io  mej  but  it  cannot 
do  so  when^  I  have  foreseen  and  foretold  It^  as  pjiurt  of  the  counsel  of 
€k)d.  But  to  cheer  and  encourageyou  in  your  faithfulness,  let  me  tell 
you  that  you  ma^  go  forth  to  the  mission  on  whieh  I  have  sent  you, 
with  joyful  hearts.  Your  higii  position,  as  my  ^postles,  remains 
unafCected  by  the  treachery  of  one  of  your  number.  For,  as  I  have 
said  before.  L  now  solemnly  repeat^— he  who  receives  you  is  accounted 
by  ine  aF.  if  he  bad  received  mvself,  and  he  who  receives  me  receives 
GK)d.  the  Father  who  sent  me,  for  He  dwells  in  me,  and  1  in  Him^" 

The  supper  now  begap,  but  the  spirit  of  J^us  w^rstill  olouded  and 
troubled  by  the  presenoe:of  the  tnUtor.  At  last  His  feelings  broke  out 
into  irrepressib^  words.  "VeFily,  verily,*'  said  He,  "One  of  you, 
who  eat  withme,  will  betray  me.  His  hand  is  with  me  on  the  table." 
They  had  nerer  hitherto  realized  His  bints,  and  the  very  thought  of 
treason^  to  their  honest  and  faithful  hearts,  was  almost, beyond  belief. 
They  could  not  think  who  was  meant,  for  Judaa  had  maiuiged,  by  his 
hypocrisy,  to  hide 'his  character  from  them  all.  One  by  one,  they 
began4o  ask,  "Lord,  is  it  If  *  ^'  It  is  one,"  replied  Jesujj,}  "who  dips 
with  Hie  iiito  the  dish.  The  Son  of  Han,  ii;ideed»  goes  in  this  way  by 
iOM^colmaela  of  Oody  from  this  world.  t|ut  woe  to/lhab^mamfay  vttiom 


THSfllli*  OP  CHRIST. 


718 


He  it  b^tmv<)^^  ,  It  would  biVo  btsea  well  f^Mhn  if  he  had  not  been 
homV*  WordH  thuB  general  onl^r  increased  the  pain  i^d  emotion  of 
all.  At  IM.  Pe^r,  not  yet^turinff  to  ask  directly  who  it  could  be,  but 
conscious  of  his  0wn  Inteirity,  beckoned  to  John,  who  lay  next  our 
liord,  to  m  HJpi  who  couia  be  so  base.  **  It  Is  he,"  whispered  Jesus, 
"  who  ii<  just  ^bpiUt  to  dip  the  bitter  herhd  into  this  charoseth  with  me, 
and  to  whom  I  sh^ll,  giyc  some  of  It  pr  isehtly/' 

He  then  dipped  the  plciRe  of  bread  ir.  cd  the  charoseth,  and  handed  it 
to  Judas.  "  ts  it  I?"  asl^ed  the  guilt}  man,  cOnscfence-stricken,  and 
yet  unmelted.  He'  had  not  neara  the  words  of  John,  but  his  guilty 
soul  cQuld  not  help  staqumcriug  out  the  question,  In  a  vain  attempt  to 
keep  up  the  nioekery  of  true-hcartedness  h6  had  acted  so  toUg^  The 
awml  reply— that* 'it  Was''— tore  away  the  mask  at  oiice,>nd  uti- 
veiled  his  h^art. ;  Th^t  au  was  known  Wo^Id  have  overwheliucq  sonie, 
in  shame  hhd  coiitriti/^n,  but  It  only  harden<^d  the  betrayer.  The  wild 
madness  of  evil  Wbb  on  blm  for  the  tltne.  H^  could  thluk  only  of 
himself:  his  fancied  wrongs;  his  full  resolve.  Batan  had  entered  hjs 
soul,  and  beQt  lif^  whole  nature  to  his  own  dark  end's.  It  inay  be  tb^t 
tlie  eicposure  ioused  hitn  jtb  the  heedlebsuess  of  despair,  a^  vP^  ^' 
arch  epemy  hade  hope  ifarfewell,  ,  ''"'', 


e 


/•'I 


•i;t. 


Farewell  remorae:  aU«;< 
EtIi,  be  thott  my  good  !^ 


V  and,  with  hope,  farewell  fear* 
oodtoJ 


im^itlQst; 


It  was  Y^Pi  for  ,hiiH  to  seek  to  hide  the  workings  of  his  soul  by 
affected. Qutwar4  caUPv    He  had  long  veiled  falseyaood     .       ^,  ;^^  fy 

.  .  I  (xm  li,  I .  u\  Dtffp  n&anoe to  oonceAl,  oouch'd  with  roveog^.*^  > 

But  t^W^^df  his  Master  sfaohc  into  the  depths  of  his  being,  andsalir 
tlie  turtiUlt  of  hi^  woirst  pasMori^,  in  their  ttiii^fery.  *•  WhaTyOtt  haiie 
to  do,'*  safd  Jestisi  "do'  ^Uitkhr:"  He coiffd  tiotlbreathe  frfeelv  tflf  the 
miseraWe  mttti  had  left,  and  besides,  He  would  faiU  Vhect  the  ineViJ  • 
table  as  soon  as  might  be,  for  the  slow  advance  6f.a'<^tastroph^'is 
liarder'to  bear  than  the  eal^trophe  itself.  Jndas' knew  the  tAeaning 
of  the  yiomrtiaud  at  oncte,  and,  liaving  received  the  piece  of  bread, 
dipped  in  th^  chat^dseth,  moodily  took  it,  arid  Silently  withdrew  into 
tlie  outer  night.  TheEleven  were  too  much  confused  to'reaHze  the 
end  as  fl^t  allsd  hedt  Betrayal  might  coine,  but  atBome  ftitiA^,  per- 
liaps  distant,  time.  They  only  fancied,  therefore,  that  Jtida^  had  left 
eitlier  to  biiy  what  might  be  needM  during  the  week  of  the  feast,  or 
for  that  special  night;  or  that  Jesus  had  bethought  Himself  of  Some 
deed  of  merpy  tb  the  poor,  and  sent  hita  to  carry  it  out.  The  traitor 
gone,  Chiist'ielt  free  to  8peak,.and,  as  if  relieved  of  a  lokd,'  broke  out 
into  a  joyful  antioipation  of  His  fast-cOining  tHurriph.  In  the  near 
vision  Of  the,Grdss;  His  work  seemed  already  flnish€«;'Hi8'  gloiY,  as 
conqueror  df  Death  and  Hell,  arid  Redeemer  of  Haukind,  attamed, 
•tttf thitt  61  God  the^fattier  niuStrat^ai '  ^^^^^^^^'^ ^  ^^ J*^^  Ki^(s«a;^bo  b^ 


V,JU4  THE  LIFE.  OF.  CmmST. 

.  **  Now,"  said.  He,  ian  eflfect,  ''  th«  Son  of  Man  is  alreadjr  glorified. 
I  All  things  are  hastening  to  H!«  triumph,  and,  ic^thnt  tmimph,^GG(i 
Himself  will  also  he  glorified,  for  it  k.  His  work  wh&h  I  sliall  pres- 
entiy  complete.  Aiid,  if  God  be  thus  glorified  in  rny  death  for  the 
salvation  of  man,  He  will  assuredly  crown  me  with  His  own  heayeuly 

flory,  when  I  return  to  Him:  the  glory  that  %  had  with  Him,  hefoie 
came  to  earth  to  becomaman,  aria  that,  even  now,  is  close  at  hand 
through  my  death,  which  will  ushec  me  JAtp  it.  v  !I!hfi*]betraycr  had 

,  gone  to  accompliali.it!  '^Vr/^    ,    .    ,>;/^v^;:;f  •>}■;;.  v.af  a  fTT.j  ■),.'-  ^.y 

'jTi  ,'^' My  children,  foi*  I  callj^buao  in  love,  l^all  he  only  a  little  while, 
siotiger  with  you,  and  you  will  feel  the  want  of  jny  presence,  and  wish 

Xfor  me;,  but,  as  I  once  «aid  to  my  enemies,  I  shall  be  where  you  cannot  | 
follow  and  find  me.    For  a  parting  word^  let  me  give  you  a  last  conj- 
mand,— ^my  veiy  last:  a  new  command,  to  be  kept,  as  such,  so  much  I 

.f  the  more;— that,  henceforth,  yc  love  each  other  because  I  have  roved] 
'you  all,  and  because  you  all  love  me.    I  have  often,  before,  told  you 
tolove  all  men,  and  bo  be  like  Gfod,  but*  I  now  tell  you  to  dp  so,  for  the  i 
love  I  bear  to  you,  and  for  that  which  you  bear  to  rtic.  Wou  must, 
henceforth,  be  known  as  members  of  mv  kingdom,  by  the  love  you] 
iBhow  to  each  other,  as  siich.     Arid  the  love  you  have,  as  brethien, 
must  be  such,  and  as  great,  as  mine  has  been  towards  yoti  all." 

uii  As  He  tiius  spoke,  Peter  still  dwelt,  in  his  thoughts,  on  the  sad 
words  which  seemed  to  foreshadow  a  lasting  separation  between  him 
and  his  Master.     "Lord,"   said  he,  in  his  bold,  impetuous  way, 

'"?*Y©u  speak  of  going  away;  pray  teH  us  whither  you  -are  goiugv 

kWill  you  leave  us  and  go  to  the  Gentites?"  '•  I  go  to  a  plate,"  replied 
Jesus,  "where  you  cannot  follow  me  at  present,  however  willing  you 
may  be  to  do  «o;  Yet,  d6  not  fear.  We  shall  not  be  separated  for 
ever^.  You  will,;one  day,  follow  me,  in  the  same  way,  and  thenvou 
will  coirijB  to  me."    Peter's  heart  could  njot  be  silent.     "I. shall  be 

f  lad  to  come  to  Thee,  Lord, "  said  he,  "  even  after  a  time,  but  why  can 
not  go  with  Thee  now?   -Thou  knowest  me.    I  am  ready  to  lay 

dowamy  life  for;Tbee.",K-jjr*';  i"y ,  ^^  !-/,isi4;j£U,iUi  n^w 
,    v'Do  you  think  sof' repili6dJei5rua,  with  a  look  full  of  friendship, 
Mnd  yet  also  of  earnest  sadness.    .  •*  You  little  know  your  own  heart. 
All  of  you  will, forsake  me,  and, leave  me  to  my  enexttiea  this  very 
night,  as  Zechariah,  the  prophet,  has  foretoldt—'IiwBl  smite  the  shep- 
herd, and, the  sheep  of  the  flock  will  be  scattered  abroad.*  But  he  not 
cast  down  with  too  much  ^orrpw.    After  I  have  risen  f roin  the  dead, 
I  will  go;  into  Galilep,  and  gather  j^ou  round  me  once  more."   Tlie 
idea  of  forsaking  hisiiyiiaster,,  \vhom  he  loved  so  dearly,  w;aa  too  incon- 
ceivable, however,  to  Peter,  in,  the,  self-confidence .  of,  his.  affection,  to 
allow  him  to  accept, it  as  possible.     "Other  .men  may,  perhaps, be 
oifendijd  on  account  of  T,^e^,  Lord, "  s^id  he,  ",but  if  all,  the  ^yorld 
Were  to  be  so,  thpre  is  no  fear  of  my  failing.  I,  ^t  any  rate,  wJU  Qcver 
teftv^.Thqq."  ,-..1,     ...      :.   ■;  ■,:,  -.   ......:... 

..   •*  Si»on,  Simon,"  replied  Je»v^,.,H^g  ,^  ojidj a*iiwj w-wM*9li  He 


"■!', 


THE  LIFE  OF  OHmST. 


715 


had.kDOw  him  long  ago^"  take  cnro.  Self -confidence  will  be  your 
undoing.  Satan  hm  seen  it,  and  luii  nought  to  get  God  to  give  you 
over  into  his  power,  as  ho  one©  did  Job,  and  ho  has  got^ou  for  the 
time,  to  Bift  you  as  wheat  la  nittul.  Ite  would  fain  have  it  that  your 
professions  I  are  only  chafF,  and  ho  will  sliaite  and  test  you  by  tempta- 
tions, dangers,  and  troublos,  to  try  to  malte  you  turn  against  me,  and 
thus  prove  that  it  ia  so.  But  I  am  mightier  than  your  enemy,  and  I 
I'.ave  prayed  for  you  that,  though  you  lall,  you  may  rise  again,  a^d 
tliat  your  faith  in  me  may  not  give  way  altogether,  and  separata  you 
entirely  from  me.  Though  you  will  assuredly  fall,  yet  you  will  re- 
pent, and  when  ^ou  have  done  so,  seo  that  you  strengthen  the  faith 
of  your  felloW'disciples,  and  become  their  helper,  to  support  and  con- 
firm them,  if  they,  like  you,  waver." 

Peter  was  sorply  distressed  at  «uch  words.  Conscious  of  his  honest 
love  and  fidelity,  it  seemed  as  if  Jesus  doubted  both.  His  warm 
Galilaean  heart  was  full.  lie  Mim  if  his  Master  spoke  of  his  acting 
in  a  way  of  wlMch  he  could  not  believe  himself  capable.  "Lord," 
said  he,  ' '  I  care  not  what  happens  to  Thee.  I  am  xeady  to  go  with 
Tiiee  to  prison^  or  to  die  with  Tlieo,  but  I  will  never  leave  Thee,  nor  be 
untrue  to  Theei"  "Do  you  thlrik  m,  Peter?"  replied  Jesus,  with  a 
voice  full  of  tenderness—**!  toll  yoti  that  this  very  night,  before  the 
cock  crow  tile  secopd  tlm©,  you  will  thrice  deny  that  you  know  me." 
''  If  I  were  to  die  for  It^ "  answered  the  Apostle,  '  *  no  one  will  ever  hear 
me  deny  IEi»ee."    "  I  coa  sty th© same,"^added  all  the  otlier  Apostles. 

Tliere  was  now  a  pause  tor  u  short  time  in  the  conversation.  Pres- 
ently Jesus  re-commenced  it.  "  You  may  wonder  at  my  speaking  as 
Ihsavedone  to-niglit/'  suld  He,  ^'but  there  are  good. grounda for  it. 
Your  circumstances  will  be  entirely  different,  hencefoith,  from  what 
they  have  been  in  the  past.  Atlnwof  ctu*e  and  sti-uggle  lies  before 
ydtt.  .  When  I  sent  yau  to  travel  through  the  countiy,  preaching  the 
feingdom,  and  you  had  neither  purnc!,  uor  bag  for  food,  nor  sandals, 
— did-  yott>  miss  any  of  those,  or  want  for  anything?"  "  Nothing, 
Lord,"  said  all  tlie  Eleven.  *'  It  will  bo  very  different  now,"  replied 
Jesos.'  **  Whoever  liAs  money,  let  him  take  it,  and  let  him  take  pro- 
visions for  the  way,  as  well;  and  let  him  tliatbfl  no  s  vord  sell  his 
coat  to  buy  one.  to  defend  himwll  Ho  who  nas  money  and. provi- 
sions can  help  himself  ou  by  them  in  his  journeys,  but  he  who  has 
none  will  need  to  ask  hospitality,  and,  m  ho  needs  not  hope  to  receive 
it,  let  him,  ait  least,  have  the  means  of  protection-;  I  speak  in  a  fig- 
ure, for  I  do  not  really  mean  vou  to  fight,  or  to  carry  or  use  a  sword, 
but  I  wish  to  impreshi  on  you  \\ow  ho»tilo  the  world  will,  henceforth, 
be  to  you^as  you  go  on  your  .journeys  m  my  apostles;  and  what 
earnest  enei-gy  and  struggle  will'  bo  needful,  on  your  part,  while  you 
are  thus  carrying  tlie  news  of  the  Kingdom  through  the  world.  For 
I  tell  you,  solemnly,  that  the  words  of  Tsaiah,  •  And  He  was  reckoned 
among  transgressors.'  must  b©  fulfilled  in  me,  for  that  whiok  has 
been  written  of  mo  in  Scrlptura  Is  about  to  be  accomplished  " 


we 


THE  LIFE  OF  GHRISI^ 


^? 


The  disciple^t  always  ready  to  understand  whaterer  they  heard,  in 
the  most  material  sense,  liad  failed  to  caich  the  real  meaning«of  Jesm 
in  Hfe  reference  to  the  sword.  They  fancied  that  He  wish^  them  to 
provide  weapons  to  resist  approacbincr  ganger.  ''We  huve  two 
swords, "saia  one  erf  them.  "That  will  do,"  replied  Jesus,  gently 
avoiding  further  explanation.  "  You  will  not  need  more  thau  the 
two/'— a  touch  of  sad  irony  which  suflSced  to  show  even  then  *,hat 
He  had  thought  of  something  very  different  as  their  defence  than  t]\G 
purchase  of  arms;  for  how  were  the  nine,  v  ho  had  no  swords  at  vUl. 
to  protect  themselves,  when  scattered  on  the  apostolic  journeys  o* 
wWch  He  had  spoken?    ;  ;;^ 

The  evening  was  now  somewhat  advanced,  according  to  Easten 
notions,  but  the  Passover  meal,  in  its  different  rites,  could  not  bi 
hurried.  Tlie  feast  began  thus,  in  other  circles,  though  we  cannot 
tell  how  far  the  usual  customs  were  followed  by  .Tesus.  A  cup  of 
red  wine,  mingled  with  a  fourth  part  of  water,  to  make  it  a  pleasant 
and  temperate  drink,  was  filled  l^  one  of  the  company,  and  jgiven  to 
the  headlfl^  the  family,  who  took  it  in  his  right  hand,  as  h^  rested, 
supporting  himself  on  liis  left  side  and  arm,  and  thanked  God  in  the 
words—"  Blessed  be  Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  Thou  King  of  the  world, 
who  createdst  the  fruit  of  the  vine.*'  He  then  tasted  the  cup,  and 
passed  it  round.  Thanks  for  the  institution  of  the  waahing  of  hands 
followed,  and  then  the  washing  itself,  which  was  merely  formal. 
"Bitter"  herlis,  such  as  endives,  lettuce,  and  the  like,  were  next  set 
on  the  table,  to  represent  the  hard  life  of  Egypt.  Tlianks  were  given 
for  them  also,  and  then  they  were  passed  round  and  eaten,  after  dip- 
ping  tliem  in  a  mixture  of  sajt  and  vinegar.  The  unleavened  bread 
— the  bread  of  affliction — ^which  gave  one  of  its  names  to  the  feast, 
fdllowed  next,  atod  then  the  bowl  of  charoseth  and  the  Passover  lamb. 
After  this;  the  head  of  the  companv  once  more  gave  thanks  to  Him 
"who  created  the  fruit  of  tlie  earth,"  and  the  bitter  herhs  were  dip- 
ped by  each  in  the  charoseth,  and  a  piece  of  it,  "the  size  of  an  olive," 
eaten,  with  them,  by  all.  A  second  single  cup  of  wine,  mingled  vith 
water,  was  now  pcmred  out,  discourse  on  the  lessons  of  the  feast  was 
held,  and  then  the  hundred  and  thirteenth  and  hundred  and  fourteenth 
Psalms,  part  of  the  Hallel,  were  sung.  Another  short  thanksgiving 
followed,  and  the  cirp  was  once  more  passed  round  an(J  tasted. 

The  Household  Father  now  washed  His  hands  again,  and  then  took 
two  of  the  unleavened  cakes,  broke  one  in  two,  and  laying  the  pieces 
on  the  unbroken  cake,  pronounced  a  thanksgiving—"  Blessed  be  He 
who  makes  bread  to  grow  from  the  earth," — ^wrapped  some  bitter 
herbs  round  a  piece  of  the  broken  bread,  dipped  it  in  the  charoseth, 
ate  it,  after  another  special  thanksgiving,  and,  with  it,  a  part  of 
the  lamb;  the  others  following  His  example.  The  supper  had  only 
nbw properly  begun.  Each  ate  and  drank  at  his  will;  all,  alike,  in 
the  patrferchal  way  of  the  East,  lifting  what  they  wished,  with  their 
lingers,  fv^m  the  common  dish.  A  third  cup  of  vv  luc,  passed*  round, 
mirked  the  close  of  the  feast  as  a  religious  solemnity. 


THE  iilFE  OP  CHRIST, 


71T 


The  ih6al  had  advanced  thus  far,  and  wk?  now  virtually  finished, 
^hen  the  warhing  had  been  given  of  the  approaching  denial  of  their' 
Master  by  Peter,  and  the  w^c-iriinded  desertion  of  the  Eleven.  Tlie 
solemn  words,  foretelling  the  dangei*s  and  trials  before  them,  had 
been  add^,  when  Jesus,  now  in  the  bosom  of  the  little  band,  nearest 
and  dearest  to  Him  on  earth;  His  companions  through  the  past  years, 
gince  His  public  work  began — ^introduced  by  an  act. befitting  a  spirit- 
ual religion  like  His,  in  Its  simplicity,  the  institution  which,  hence-' 
forth^  should  supersede  ii^  His  kingdom  on  earth  the  feast  they  had 
ondedi  Homage  had  been  paid  for  the  last  time,  as  in  frirdwell,  to 
ihe  Past:  they  were,  hereafter,  to  hpnour  the  new  Symbol  of  th6 
ii'iiture..    - 'Ij^-J^-^^S^'    '  ■■■■:■-■■■     -••'    '     rr-y^nlfr-O'^'V^i-rr 

He  was  aftoiit  to  leav^  them,  and,  as  yet,  they  had  notite,  However 
dimple,  to  form  a  c^ntrp  round  which  they  might  permanently  gather;  : 
Some  emblem  was  needed,  by  which  they  might,  hereafter,  be  disi>^ 
unguished:  some  common  bond,  which  sjjould  outwardly  link  thcnt 
to  each  otlier,  and  to  their  comtiion  Master.  The  Passover  had  bei^n 
vhe  8)rmbol  of  the  tl^eocracy  of  the  past,  and  had  given  the  ppople  of 
Oodan  outward,  everrjecurring,  remembri^nce  of  their  relations  to 
each  other,  and  tlieir  invisible  King,  As  tlie  foUhder  of  the  New 
Israel,  Jesus  would  now  institute  a  special  rite  for  its  members,  in  all 
dges  and  countries.  The  Old  Covenant  of  God  with  the  Jew  had 
found  its  vivid  embodiment  in  the  yearly  festivity  He  had  that 
flight,  for  the  last  time,  observed.  The  New  Covenant  must,  hence^ 
fortb/jbiave  an  outward  embodiment  also;  more  spiritual,  as  became 
It,  but  equally  viyid. 

Noticing;  could  have  been  more  touching  and  b<^utiful  in  its  sini-t 
plicity 'than  tlie  syqabol  now  introduced.  The  Thiid  Cup  -vy^as  khown 
as  "  mVcup  o£  i)iessiiig,'''and  had  marked  the  close  of  the  meal,  held 
to  do  honour  to  the  pconomy  now  passing  away.  The  bread  had 
been  handed  round  )ylth  the  words,  "  This  id  the  bread  of  affliction :" 
and  thfi  flesh  of  the  lamb  had  been  distributed  with  the  words,  * '  This 
is  the  boc(y  of,  the  Passover."  The  feast  of  the  Ancient  People  of. 
God  halving  been  honoured  by  these  striking  utterances, — ^Jesus  took 
one  of  t)tkj^  loaves  pr  c^kes  before  Him,  gave  thanks,  broke  it,  and 
handed  it  to  the  Apostles  with  words,  the  repetition,  almost  exactly, 
of  those  they  hf,d  heard  a  moment  before— "  Take,  eat;  this  is  my 
body,  whiph  is  given  for  you;  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  Then, 
taking  the  cup,  which  had  been  filled  fot  tli«  fourth  and  last  handing 
round,  He  gave  thanks  to  God  once  more,  and  passed  it  to  the  circle, 


8ymbcn,  **  my  blood  of  the  Covenant"  of  my  Father,  with  the  New 
Israel,  V' which  is  shed  for  you  and  for  ntanv  f or  the  remission  of 
sifts.    This  do.  a%  often  as  ye  drink,  in  remenibrance  of  Me. " 

For Hlinself^ He  declined  to  taste  it.     "I  will  not dri«k» hence- 
forth," said  He,  •'of  flitf  friiit  of  the  vine— for  it  was  ttlU  o»ly  wli># 


r    El 


li 


tts 


THfe  LIFE  OFCItRIST. 


rr-till  UiiU  day,  wlicn,  fit  the  end  of  all  tilings,  flic  kingdoih  of  God, 
wUldi  I  llave  founded,  shall  finallj'  triumph,  and  my  followers  be 
gathered  to  the  great  heavenly  feast.  Then,  I  shall  driiik  it  new, 
with  you  and  thqrn." 

Such,  and  so  simple,  wa$  thje  new  rjtc  Of  the  Spiritual  Theocracy. 
To  those  lifound  Him,  at  its  institution,  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  its 
mci^ning  and  nature,  for  it  was,  eveh  in  words,  a  counterpart  of  that 
'vyhjch  He  J^ad  sv^pci's  ded,  with  a  purer  and  more  spiritual  form. 
'if|i6,cup.  He  told  thena,  ^as  asymbolof  the  New  Covenant,  under 
"w^hjcK  as  His' fQllQwers,  they  had  come;  in  distinctioh  from- that 
which  they  had  liiit,  for  His  sake.  It  was  to  be  a  memorial  of  Hitn, 
^Qd  a  constat  recognition  of  their  faith  in  the  virtue  of  His  atoning 
djBi^tb— -that  death,  whose  shed  blood  was  the  seal  of  tliis  Kew  Cove- 
ilfint  between  the, subjects  of  Hia  kingdom,  and  Gtod,  His  Father.  It 
synahpli^ed  Ijicfpreall  9,ges,  to  the  New  Israel,  the  cardinal  vh'tue  of 
l{is4ea>th>  w  T^e  Apo&Ucs  could  have  had  no  sitnplet  or  mor^  unmis- 
taife^hjip  ifltin^atipn  that  as  the  blood  of  the  Passoyei*  lamb  redeemed 
tlie  people  of  God,  of  old,  from  the  sword  of  the  angel  of  wrath.  His 
blopa  .wouI(i  bei  a  ransom  fqr  man,  from  far  deadlier  peril.  A  cove- 
i^n^-to.thoppi,  implied  a  sacrifice,  and  His  blood,  as  the  New  Cove- 
nant, was,  therefore,  sacrificial:  the  blood  of  a  Covenant  which 
ple^gQ^  His  followers  to  f^Uh,  and  duty;  the  blqod  of.q,  new  paschal 
lamli),  with  which  His  flisciples  must,  in  figure,  be  sprinkled,  thAt  the 
4)9fttroying  angel  might  pass  over  them,  in  the  day  of  judgment.  The 
custom  of  the  nation  to  make  a  common  meal  the  $peciaj  occasion  of 
religious  fellowship,  made  the  new  institution  easy  and  nat*!ifal  to  the 
Appstli^S,  a,nd  the  constant  use  of  symbols  in  their  hereditj-iy  religion 
pre^^ented  tjieir  misconceiving  the  meaning  of  those  nOw  introduced 
jpX  iko  flr^t  tjioe.  They  saw  in  it  an  abiding  memorial  of-  thc'r  Lord c 
a.yjiyid  epforcenaent  of  their  dependence  on  the  merits  of  His  death, 
a^.avsacrifice  for  their  salvatixin:  the  need  of  intimate  spiritual  coirt- 
munion/ys'i^t^  ilim,  as  the  bread  of  life:  and  the  bond  bf  tb<j  new 
b^therhopd  He  had  established.  The  joint  commemotation  of  His 
broken  body  and  shed  blood,  was,  henceforth,  to  distinguish  the 
assemblies  of.  His  .followers  from  the  world  at  large/  Excepting  bap- 
t|fflii,  it  YTfts  tjie  one  outward  fprm  in  the  Society,  established  by  tlieir 

J^XQVffi  ft  ritp,  thus  qimple,  qoctrines  have  been  developed  by  theo- 
logicftt  zeal , and,  heated  fancy,  which  woijld  hj^ve  alike  stai'tied  and 
Shocked  those  who  first  partook  of  it.  It  has  been  forgotlci  how 
Jesus.,  Himsplf,  i,n  answer  to  the  cavil— "How  can < He  give  us  His 
flesh  to  eat?"  repudiated  the  literalism  which  cftugjit  ttj;  sound,  and 
mjiflsecj  Uie  sense.  "My flesh-r-my  bodijy  peVson,"said He,  "profiteth 
npi^iag  tiowards  prpcuiring' eternal  life:  to  talk  of  eating  it  to  gain 
that  file  is  unworthy^  trifling:  it  is  the  Spirit  who  quickens  the  scnl 
tQ,  jOv  nqw.  immortal,"and  heavenly  existence,  and  tl^ikt  'Spmt  acts 
4^roU^  the  words  of  sacred  truth  which  I  speak  lb  you.  !'  The^  era 
iEi)irit,  and  tliey  arc  life."  .         v    .  .-      f  j:vr 


Hi]  . 


•Tfjl   f>l! 


,)rMjf' jO'^pfT^  UMhhifffb-'.'miiiCll AFTER  LDC'^^^-vfi 


.1 


THE 


PAREWEIiL* 


lit 


^BJktJ«AtHM  was  thie  brig:ht6Sk  and  happiest  of  cities  on  this  Pass- 
oven  flight.  "But  though  the  hum  of  universal  rojoic»n«^  roso  OQ  every 
side,  therd  ifais  ^iily  sadness  in  th«  little  band  round  JesuB.  One  of 
their  number  had*^  proved  a  traitor,  and  their  Mawter  hod  told  tltemv 
once  more;  '■  that  He  wotild  very  soon '  leave  them.  Thejy'  were  *rtro  at 
heart  from;  shame  at  the  baseness  of  Isoartot;  at  the  droad  i<^f  losing  a 
Master  ithev  passionately  loved ;  and  at  the  utter  tmiscatrlnge  of  all 
their  half 'WOiMly,  half -religious,  expectations  of  «artlilv 'gloiy.  Theit 
Master  had  instilnted  a  mb  to  mark  them  as  apart>from  ^11  other 
meur  but  lit  looked/as  if! tJiiere' would  belittle  us©  for  lt,iln  the  appar*- 
entlyoeiar  overthrow  of  Hisi  infant  Kingdom.  '  »       J  >.  »  o'**^ 

As  they  reclinedj  sad  awd  sitenti  Jesus  read  tholr  thoughts;  OQAfbe^' 
gati  to  che^r  thdm^  by  lifting  their  heaiUs  from  the  gloomy  prosi&t>to 
the-giOrioosfutiaWi. '  ''-^i'<'iJ^^'»^^<«i*:'^  '  ■  ■-■•h>  r/f  f/iJ  it  ^'*^..Hl^lfl 

'^^li*t  jidD'youp  lieart)!^  be  troubled  with' care  uiid  an^^y  in  sUch  a 
way,'^  staid  *Iiei?  ♦?  believe  in  God,  and  In  me,  His  Bon,  who  speak 
iu  His  name/  and^et  tltat  faith  lead  you  to  trust  confidently  that  the 
promises  made  you  will  be  fulfilled.  I  have,  Indeed,  told  you  that  I 
ift^t  go  to  «4y  Father, 'iMit  I  have  told  you^  also,  that  I  will  return. 
You  have;  assuredly,  nothing  to  expect  on  earth  except  ti^inl^  but  yoiif 
reward  Iti  tdie  world*  td  come:  may  well  raise  you  above  all  Borrow  on 
that^accbuiit  '  in  heaven,^  my  Father's  h^use,  are  jimny  mansldns; 

ou-iieedttotfear  that  everlastiing  habitations  in  glOi»y  will  fall  you, 

f  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you,  for  I  bdvep  dtjcelve  you. 
Nayi  Hftoi'et  I  am/  you^  forerunner  thither.  If  I  go  away,  it  is  to  pm- 
prtre  a  place  for  yoT*.  I  am  your  friend,  going  home  before  you,  to 
getall'feady  for  your  glad  recxjption  when  you  follow  r.ie.  > 

''No^i&thlsiall;  I   ill  return  to  fetch  you  to  my  heavenly  homei " 
tli»t,KvliereI  aiTiryou  may  be;  also,  forever.    If  you  remenibor  what 
I  have  said  in  the  past,  you  will  know  not  only  whither  I  am  going; 
bnt,fslnc0  itis  I  who  prepare  a  place  for  you  above,  and  I,  and  no 
otberj  who  will' coma  io  lead  you  thither, -you  musH  also  know  the 

He  allu<fed  to  His  spiritual  return  at  the  bliiasful  death  of  His  ser- 
vants, td  guide- tlifem  to  Himself,  above,  and  He  had  told  them,  not 
long  before,  that  H«  was  the  door  of  the  great  fold,  aiad  that  If  any 
man  entered  by ^ Him,  he  would  behaved.  But  they  had  forgotten 
this,  as  they  had  so  much  else.  •''      -     -    '>.'^-  ^    .     .    i 

A  f Ull  and  satisfying  answer  to  the'  question  of  Peter,  kvln'theiie 
words.  But  itf  i^as  not  enwigh  to  dtill  *he  fqars  and  aouHits  in 
the  minds  of  the  Apostles.    They  still  clung  fondly  to  thcli?  earthly 


I 


■ 


!■" 


il 


' '  iflK 

7         JmB 

'4 

'''k-    ''aSS 

1 

11 

1 

u 

I; 


78Q 


THE  UFB  OF  CHRIST. 


hopes  of  the  Messiah's  Kingdom,  and  though  they,  perhaps,  realized 
the  near  departure  of  their  Master,  they  had  riot^  even  yet,  come  to 
comprehend  that  it  meant  His  death.  Hence  His  figurative  language 
remained  so  dark  to  them,  that  Thomas,  constitutionally  given,  as  he 
was,  to  seek  clearness  and  certainty,  internipted  Hini  with  a  reverent 
freedom^^ 

.'  "Lord,  we  do  not,  as  yet,  know  whither, Tlioii  art  going,  and  how 
can  we  ki^ow  the  way  in  which  to  follow  Thee?"  The  (questioner 
wished  to  find,  out  the  way  by  learning  the  goal,  hut  Christ,  in  His 
answer,  pointed  him  to  the  way  as  revealing  all  eFse.  . 

>h  VI  myself,  and  no  other,  am  the  way,"  said  He,  "  hecapse  no  one 
comes  to,  the  Father,  in  His  heavenly,  glory,  hut  through  mi*..  I  am 
the  true  way,  for  I  speak  only  the  trutli  ^iyen  me  from  above  to  make 
known  the  way  to  life,  for  he  who  beUeyes  in  me  sha,!!  live  by  me, 
and  shall  have  everJasting  life,  and  J  shall  raise  himup^ttlie  last  day. 
If  je  hav^  kjjown  me— the  Way—ye  will  know  whither  I  am^ping 
—to  my  Father— for,  since  he  who  sees  the  Son,  see^  the  Father  al^o, 
you,  know  Hiv^  from  tliis  time>  and  have  seen  Him,  jn  seeing  me.  I 
am  tlie,  Wat,  because  no  one  can  reach  my  Father'$  presence,  but 
through  faith  in  me  as  the  Saviour:  the  Truth,  because  I  s^jn  ^e. self- 
revelation  of  God;  the  Light,  come  into  the  world,  without  following 
which,  no  one  can  gain  salvation;  the  Life,  because  I  am  the  source 
and  spring  of  eternal  life,  so  that  he  who  does  not  receive  i^e  into  his 
heart,  by  faith,  is  already  condemned."  i  ; :  v-  i 

FhiUp  had  listened,  but  could  not  understand.  He  could  oaly 
think  tiiat  Jesus,  in  speal'ang  of  seeing  ihe  Father,  fdluded  to  some 
invisible  appearance  of  Jehovah,  for  the  purpose,  of  founding  the 
earthty  kingdom  of  the  iPXessiali.  With  a  diil4-like  eimplicity,  there- 
fore, he  turned  to  Cto4n?^V*,l^pi)d,ji^o>Y  us  1^ef^.Fa^iv/^pf)l(>ailfP!ur 
wisl^es  will  be  satisfied. *''C.,^;  i-^  ;.,/<  ',.,,,:^'.  .'fw^rr^-v,  "V  '"^f^viA-f'  ■■    '^:' 

No  one  who  had  thoviglit  over  the  words  "If  ye  hftvo  kno;wn  me, 
ye  will  have  known  my » Father  also,"  and  had  understood  them, 
could  have  finked  such  a  question.  It  marked  an  amazing  want  of 
intelligent  appreciatioa  of  the  teaching  of  our  Lord,  and  of  His  mode 
of  speech.  Hence,  the  answer  of  Christ  sounds  almost  sad,  '  *  Have  I 
been  so, long  with  you,  and  do  you  know  so  little  of  me,  Philip?  If 
you  really  knew  me,  you  would  not  ask  me  to  show  you  the  Father. 
He  cannot  be  shown  to  the  natural  sight.  But  he  who  sees  me,  and 
rightly  understands  Tvho  I  am,  knows  the  Father,  in  thus  knowing 
me.  Such  aaone  realizes  that,  in  me,  the  highest  revelation  of  God 
that  is  possible  has  appeared,  and  has  no  wish  to  have  ^ny  higher  or 
Other  outward  and  material  manifestation  of  Him.  You  speak  as  if 
you  did  aot  l)eUeve  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me,  and 
that  lience,  as  I  said,  he  whb  sees  me  sees  the  Father  also.  The  proof 
that  it  is  so,  is  in  my  words,  for  they  are  not  my  own,  but  His.  If 
vovL  doAibt  this,  you  Ao  not  need  to  believe  merely  beca.use  I  say  so: 
t>clieve  it  on  the  proof  of  the  works  that  I  do,  for  it  is  not  I,  who  do 


rrittj'iiiPE' OB*  cmRlSTi 


m 


them,  but  th^  Father.  Put  away  your  gross  earthly  ideas.  What  I 
mean  is,  that  the  J^ather  is  rerealed,  by  the  Son,  as  His  image  and 
likeness,  but  duly  in  a  spiritual  sense,  to  the  eve  of  faith  and  of  tSie 
soul."  .  '  * 

Jesus  now  turned  tx>  the  Apostles  at  large,  and  resumed  His  dia* 
course  at  the  point  He  hod  left,  when,  first  Thomas,  and  then  Philip, 
broke  in  With  their  <luiestions. 

"I  hav*  promised  you  eternal  life,"  said  He,  " if  you  frusM;  me  and 
my  Father.  Lei  me  do  more,  that  you  may  be  cheered  and  supported 
in  your  future  laboiurs  for  my  Kin^om.  I  tell  you,  with  all  w?iem- 
nity,  that  if  you  have  this  true  faith  in  me,  and  love  towards-  me, 
you  will  have  the  power  t6  do  just  such  wonderful  works  as  I  have 
done,  and  even  gnjat^r,  for  I  am  going  to  My  father  to  be  raised  to 
all  power  in  hcaveii  and  earth;  so  that  you  may  feci  sure  that  your 
prayers,  as  my  Apostles,  ofEered  in  my  name,  tor  the  advanccmei  t 
of  my  Kingdom,  will  be  heard  and  answered,  in  all  their  fulness; 
You  will  receive  power  from  above  to  overcome  the  world  by  your 
labours  as  my  Apostles;— to.  sjiread  the  Oospel  among  all  nations* 
and  to  triumph  over  all  Jewish  and  Gentile  opposition.  I  tneah  thii 
when  I  speak  of  your  doing  greater  works  than,  my  outward  mira- 
cles oh  one  here  and  one  there.  It  is  I  who  will  give  ybu  this  power, 
for  I  am  in  mv  Father,  and  my  Father  is  in  ihe,  and  He  works  through 
me,  and  I  shall  give  it  that  my  Father  may  be  glorifled  by  hiy  triumph ; 
for  His  glory  is  the  great  end  of  my  work,  now  and  hereafter.  So 
mighty,  ihdeed,  wiU  be  your  prayers  in  my  name,  as  my  Apostles, 
that  I  will  do  not  only  what  you  ask,  for  the  st)read  of  my  Kingdom, 
hut  I  will  do  it  whenever,  aha  as  often  as  ever,  you  ask  it:  •• 

"But  if  you  desire  that  so  greftt  an  honour  should- bo  granted  you, 
that  1  should  hedr  and  answer  all  your  prayers,  you  must,  above  all 
things,  keep  my  commandments,  for  by  doing  so  you  best  show  your 
love  for  liie. 

"I  know  you  feel  sad  at  the  thought  of  losing  my  presence  and 
help,  and  wonder  who  will  stand  by  you,  aild  aid  j'ou,  when  1  am 
.gone.  Be  not  afraid.  I  will  not  leave  you  alone,  btit  will  see  tiiat 
my  place  be  supplied,  so  that  you  want  for  nothing.  For  I  will  adk 
the  Father,  and  He  will  give  you  another  Helper  and  Odunsellor, 
who  will  not  leave  you,  as  I  must  now  do,  but  will  abide  with  you 
for  ever — protecting,  helping,  strengthening  you,  in  all  your  needy* 
th6  Spirit  of  Trutli^  who  imparts  the  divine  Truth  to  the  hearts  of 
men,  leads  them  to  know  it,  and  quickens  them  to  all  spiritual  power. 
The  unbelicvin'g  world  cannot  receive  Him,  because  they  have  net 
the  inward  sight  to  know  Him,  and  He  is  not  visible  to  the  outward 
sense.  But  they  cannot  comprehend,  and  will  not  receive,  anything 
that  is  n6t  matorial,  and  apparent  to  the  bodily  eye.  You,  however, 
who  believe  in  me,  will  know  Him,  for  He  will  remain  with  you,  and 
will  be  in  you,  and  your  own  experience  will  make  you  feel  that  lie 
isBO,  ■  ■    —  •  ■ 


'^K"! 

m 


1 1) 


'Mi' 


THB  LH^K  OP  OHBISTt 


t  '^  Nor  is  Ihisiall^  ray  dear  ones;  I  tvill  liot ileare  yoli  likd  Orphans; 
"witii  mo,  yoar  spiritual  Father^  gone  from  you  for  ever,).  .Not  only 
will  you  liave  the  Spirit  of  Trutli  with  you,  wtt  I,  myself,  will  jBhortly 
return  to  you.  In  a  very  littK  while  longer  the  world  will  see  me  no 
more,  but  ^ouwill  see  nie,  though  not  bodily  preaenti  You  will  see 
mo  is  spirit,  and  feel  that  I  commtme  with  you  and  work  in  you, 
through  the  Spirit,  whom  I  will  send.  I  shall  bejkliyejthough  un- 
s^n,  for  I  will  rise  fi*om  tlie  dead  and  live  for  evermore,  and  shall 
make  you  partakers  of  my  heavenly  and  deathless  life.  By  this 
higher  spiritual  life  ye  ^all  know,  in  that  day^  when;  by  the  gift  of 
my  Spirit,  I  come  to  you  in  power,  that  I  ^m  in 'my<  Father^  and  you 
in  me,  and  I  in  you.  When  Ifcohie,  finally,  in  opt  ward  glory, as  I 
have  told  you  already,  at  the  last  day,  you*  will  haver  no  nnore  doubts 
or  fears,  ad  you  now  have,  in  this  time  of  my  lowliness  and  humiUa- 
tion.  You  will  then  know,  when  you  see  me  descend  in  heavenly 
majesty/ as  you .  shall  have  already  felt  when  I  csome,  very  s^o^,  by 
the  Spirit;  that  my  words  arc  trlic— that  I  am  indeed  in  ray  Father, 
and  you  in  me,  and  I  in  your4-sthat  we  are  for  ever  Inseparably  one 
v^ith  the  Father;  and  with  each  other. 

-ff  Bufl  onlyhe  whp  has  my  oonimandments  in  his  heart,  and  prac- 
tiacs  tlierai  in  his  life,  truly  loves  nie,  and  will  be  loved  by  imy  Father 
and  by  me.  To  him  will  I  reveal  my  presence  in  liis  .soul,  by  the 
Spirit  through  whom  I  fcommune  with  him."  :  i 

Here,  Judas  Thaddseus^^'tho  brave,"  the  son  of  an  unknown 
Jam68,  intomipted  the  discourse  by  a  reverent  question.  Withtlie 
simple  litetral)  ideas  of  his  age  and  nation,  he  could  not  uhder^ajid 
what^ Jesus  had  said  about  manifesting  Himself  only  to  individual 
bplievers,  and  notetb  ali  men.  H^  still  expected  a  visible  appearance 
ofifObrist,iu  gloiy,  as  th3  Messiai,  to  judge  the  unl»eli6ying  world; 
nm^  set  up  His  own  Kingdom.  ^  '  What  has  happened.  Lord,'-  asked 
he,  "  to  make  Thee  determine  to  show  Th}'self  as  t^ie  Jrle^i^ah  onjly  to 
us,  and  not  tortheiwoi'ld  at  large?    How  comes  itt:?^M. [iWirvjrWir-^^,  f  j '. 

•*  The  reason,"  replied  Jesusi  "  is,  that  tire  world,  so Tong  as  it  does 
not  believe  in  me  iind  love  mo,  is  neither  momlly  capable  <k  receiving 
such  a  mainifeslation  of  me,  a?;;  1  mean/— a;  spiritual  eonmiimion  with 
the  soul*^nor  worthy  of  its-  Only  telicving  and  faithful  hearts  can 
become,  or  desire  to  become,  the  abode  of  my  Father  or  of  myself,  so 
that  We  may  live  in  that  loving  fellowship  with  them  which  reveals 
Us  to  them.  I  do  not  speak  of  such  an  outward  and  visible  dwelling 
v.itli  men  as  when  the  divine  glory  rested  between  the-  cherubim,  or 
over  the  Tabernacle;  iRit  an  unseen  al)od0,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the, 
soul  as  in  a  Temple*  Only  he  who  loves  me,  and,  loving  .m;^,  keeps 
my  commandments,  can  have  this  honour  and  Ijlessedness.  Such  an 
one  My  Father  will  love  as  well  as  I,  and  we  will  come  to  him  and 
make  our  al)ode.  with  him.  He  who  does  not  love  me  will  not  keep 
my  commandments;  I:call  ray  commandments  ipiiie,.butt  inireality, 
they  are  those  of  my  Father  who  sent  me.    With  such  an  one,  there- 


TflTfi'  Itl^E  '6r  CHRlSt. 


739 


fore,  i^hn  rejects  Oif d't^orctsKi^d  flocri  not  6%  tiiC5i^;  ^f^  IfatliBt'^ftia 
I  caiinot  Riakc  pilr  at)ode,  and;  lliul?,  1  cmiuot  nicinifcst  inyscif  In  thif 
spiritual  way,  of  wliicli  alone  I  sp^iik,  except  lo  individual  soiili.** 

There  was  novi^  a  short  pause,  but,  after  a  time,  .Tesus  hcguri*ii^ain. 
Glancing  baels  at  ftil  He  hacl  said  to  them  during  the  cvenin*?,  and 
knowinff  that  much  of  It  must  be  dart  and  enigmatical  to  their  fcimplo 
minds,  He  loVin^ly  cheeriid  t'hem  by  some  further  kind  words. 

'•I  haVe  said  tliese  thind^  to  you,  while  I  am  still  with  yon,  but  I 
know  that  you  hardly  understand  some  of  my  sayings,  and  that  you 
will  necessarily  forget  others.    The  Holy  Spirit,  w^hom  the  Father 


I,  win  send  in  my  naine,  at  my  request,  to  be  your  heavenly  J]ricnd 
I  m^  f£el per.  will,  howevei",  throw  light  on  every  point,  and  bring  to 
.—  -♦-..J  -. —  ._j  ^ij  ^,^jj|,  J  j^^  now  told, you;  ghviii^'3^ou 

rstanding  of  th6  truths  I  have  only  briefly 
f'^Mi'ah  WliM  w^  Wfth^^^  lie. 


ope^e^i 


not,  my  belove 


saivfttion  fri'my'iSiiigdom,  which  I  have  gained  for  yoii  as  your 
Saviour.  ,  My  peaoe,  coming  from  me,  and  by  me,  I  leave  ypu;  for 
it  wiUbe^on  for  you,  as  an  undying  ^ift,' by  my  death,  now  soi^ncar. 
This  gift— my  peace— is  of  a  wholly  different  kind  from  that  which 
men  wi$h  icafeh  other  in  llieir  farewells — mere  earthly  joy  and  pfois- 


nelther  let  it  be  afraid,  either  now  or  hereafter.  T^Siy  should  it  be 
either?'  Instead  of  sadness,  you  oughtto  fbeV j|oy,forl  ha.ye  told ypii 
tlif^t^,  though  I,  ^^o  away  now,  I  shall  comd  to  you  a^ain.  Indeed, 
if  youldve  jme.'as  ITinoWyou  do,  ybu  win  be  glad  to  hear  md  say 
tliat  Jam  going  back' to  my  Fathei',  jf or  h'cjro  my  Father  has  used  my- 
human  wea^kness  to  speak  His  word&  and'  do  llis  works,  for  the  s'al- 
v^tioh  of  in'an.  'Th,e  ni'O^^^l  nature  I  now  wcdr  has  b^en  His  feeble 
afid  indirect  instrtimehVi  ./But  when' I  refiirn ;to  Him,  my  Kifigd^m 
will  be  imder  His'diifect  power.  i\Ty  work,  thenceforth,  Will  rest' alon^, 
und  directly,  in  His  hand,  iipd  He  will  cornplete' what  I  liaVe  begun 
op  earth,  by'IIisijnij^hty  power,  through  His  Spirit;  without  human 
limitation,  such  as  has  tieeii  inevitable  while  He  wrought  through  me 
as  the  Son  of  Man— a,, man  like  yourselves.  He,  Avorkjn^  with  His 
Almighty  power,  directly,'  thi-oujjh  His  Spirit,  is  greater,  Us  a  help  to 
my  Kmgdom,  than  J  pan  be  while  I  act  for' Himthrough  this  dying 
body. 'v  ■'     ;,-"\''.-^        ■  ,  ■   ._ /^^J;'*  v  •:■;;*■  ■    '*  ■.' 

^*  I  liave  idir  you -now,  whil^  i^ife  fe^tl  V^tlh-  you,  thAt  T  shall 
presently  lea.ve  you,  tliat  your  fiaith  tnay  not  b-p  shaken  when  I  am 
gpne.   If'he  hour  of  iny, departure  approaches:  1  shapl  n6t  ep^ak  mucht 
AVltli  vou  after  this.    For  the  prince  of  this  world— the  evil  dnei-- 


i 


Hi  r 

'■'11 


^ 


Tfi£  LIF£  OF  CHRIST. 


ifl  already  coming  affainst  mc.  Bat  fear  not,  ho  has  no  power  over 
me.  Th<;re  is  notmng  in  my  soiU  which  he  can  assail;  no  sin  by 
l/<rhicii  he  can  claim  me  as  his.  Nor  do  I  need  to  yield  to  him  in  any- 
thing,^or  I  could,  if  I  chose,  avdd  the  death  wltJi  which  h^  threatens 
me.  But,  that  the  worldi  may  know  my  love  to  the  Father,  and  thai 
I  (to  what  He  has  appointed  for  me  as  His  will,  though.it  be  to  die; 
let  us  i^ise  now  from  the  table,  and  go  forth  to  meet  the  powers  ot 
darkness,  before  whom,  according  to  thp  counsels  of  G<xl»  I  shali 

,  Th,o  \^^hole  company  herei^pon  rose,  and  prepared  to  leave  the 
room,  But  Jesus,  full  of  thoughts  which  He  longed,  even  yet,  lo 
litter,  Def<>re  His  ever  nearer  8eparatipn,-stood.  as  it  were,  fixed  to 
the  spot  by  His  love  to  th^m,  and  onCe  more  began  to  speak.  He 
could  not  bring  Himself  to  break  up  this  li^st  communion,  He  should 
have  with  them. 

He  began  by  the  wqll-knpwn  and  beautiful  comparison  of  Himself 
^nd  tlie  A.po8tles  to  a  vine  and  its  brandies,  J^ethaps  the  thcjnght 
roise  from  tl^e  sight  of  the  winC'Cup  on  the  table  and  its  recent  use 
at  the  evening's  feast,  or,  perhaps,  the  house  stood  amidst  vines,  and 
l)rauches  may  have  beei>  trained  round  the  window,  or  the  vineyard 
itself  ma^^  ^ave  lain  below  in  the  bright  moonlight. 

"This  vjhe,  with  its  brunches  and  fruit,"  said  He,  pointing  to  the 
wine-cup,  or  to  the  vines  outside,  "is  a  type,  in  its  earthly  and 
Visible  way,  of  a  heavenly  and  divine  truth.  I  am  the  true  vine, 
ye  are  tji^  branches,  and  my  Father  is  tlie  husbandman.  H^e  sent  me 
ihitp  the  wpr^cl;  iJHe  has  ^ven  me  such  ifaithful  souls  as  you,  and 
joined  you  witti  me,  in  Jiving  fellowship  and  communion;  He  has 
tendiCq  tl^Cj  grQ\^h  pf  the  truth  in  the  past,  for  it  has  been  He  who 
has  been  working  through  me,  and  He  \yill  continue  to  dp  so  after  I 
leaypyou/j^y, His  Holy  Spirit.  ,         . 

J**  A$  \a,  ttie  natural  vine  there  are  fruitful  and  upfrnitfiyl  branches, 
SO,  in  my  fellowship,  there  are  some  who  bear  fruit  both  in  word  and 
in  acv  and.  some  who  do  not.  Only  those  who  are  pure  and  sincere 
—those  whio  tnily  love  me  and  keen  my  comniands,  have  the  abiding 
cpmmuupn  with  me  frpm  which " such  fruitfulness  springs;  for,  as 
the  careiui  hustiandma^n  cuts  off  t|ie  unfmittul  branch,  sfnd  cleans 
away  witli  his  pruning-knife  all  that  would  hinder  the  full  fruitful- 
j^ess  of  th^  good  one,  so  does  my  Father  with  my  disciples. 

^"  But  be  ye  comforted.  You  have  been  pruned  and  made  clean  by 
yoiir  lovinj^  and  obedient  reception  of  the  truths  1  have  t/)ld  you,  and 
by  the  discipline  through  which  you  have  passed.  Dismiss  anxious 
carel  You  will  not  be  cut  off  as  unfruitful  branches.  My  Father 
wiii  make  you  still  more  fruitful ;  vvlll  cleanse  away  all  that  hinders 
your  po'o^e^s  in  grace,  and  will, perfect  you  in  the  end.  But,  to 
secure  this  growing  fruitfulness,  you  must  cherish  fondly  your  com- 
munion, with  mQ;  grafted  into  me,  as  thq  branches  into  the  stem  of 
,  Ihey^e.  ,tf  youjo  so,  I  will  not  separate,  myself  from  you,  any 


Tilt;  LIJ'B  OP  OHRIST. 


125 


more  tbim  tlie  vineleaw  It«e!f  from  its  brfinch<B«i,  btit  idll  fiti^n|^h^ii 
you  by  my  spiritnal  aid.  Ae  the  branch  cannot  bear  frult  of  itself  if 
It  do  not  abide  in'  the  vine,  you  cannot  bring  forth  good  frttlt  except 
ye  abide  ih  me.  I  am  the  vine,  yon  are  the  branches;  the  living 
pd^er  to  l)ear  fruit  comes  only  from  me.  But  if  you  abide  la  me, 
ybu  will  bear  much  fruit.  All  true  work  as  my  disciples— all 
spiritual  life— comes  onl^r  from  fellowship  with  me— fellowship  close 
as  that  Of  the  vine  and  its  branciies — each  in  the  other— f»r  apart 
from  me  ye  can  do  nothing.  As  unfruitful  branches  are  cut  off  by 
the  hui^bandhian,  and  cast  otit  ofthe  vineyard  and  fcft  to  dry  up, 
and  tli6n  gathtiiied  and  t&9t  into  the  fire  and  bufnbd,  so,  those  who 
break  awiy  from  living  in  union  with  me  will  be  cut  off  from  me 
here,  by  my  Father;  the  teligious  life  hence  will  wither  up  in  them 
while  they  live,  and  at  thfe  last  day  they  will  suffer  the  judgment  of 
God.  But  if  ye  abide  in  loving,  spiritual  union  with  me,  and  hold 
fast 'my  commandments  and  kefep  them,  yoU  may  nsk  what  you 
will,  ^nd  it  will  be  done  to  you,  for  you  will,  thdh,  ask,  Jh  my 
name,  only  such  tbihgs'  as  ate  in  keeping  with  my  will.  Aiid  It  Is 
I  a  great  inotive  for  your  abiding  in  me,  that  your  doing  so  glorifies 
my  Father  by  leading  to  vonr  bearing  mufch  fruit,  through  my 
answers  to  your  prayers.  Vou  will  further,  by  this  f nlflhnent;  of 
your  prayers,  become  truly,  and  in  tlic  strict  sense,  my  disciples, 
for  the  enjoyment  of  it  is  the  special  distinguishing  mark  of  my 
tnie  disciples  only.  i  »  >  ;■ 

**  That  you  may  thus  continue  In 'living  fellowshijj' and  spiritual 
nnioh  with  me,  let  me  remind  you  that  the  uniting  bdnd  Of  this 
fe^ldWship  bet#een  me,  my  Father,  and  you,  is  love;  and  thftt,  on 
your  side,  all  depends  on  your  showing  yourselves  Irue  and  bbedient, 
m  this  love  tome  and  in  the  practice  of  my  commands;  a^  I  have 
shown  and  still  show  myself  towards  *my  Father  and  His  com- 
mands. '  Ais  He'lias  loved  me,  I  have  loved  you;  see  tliat  ye  con- 
tinue henceforth,  fonever,  to  loVe  and  obey  me,  that  I  may  still  frtr 
everbe  able  to  love  you.  I  have  spoken  thtis,  that  the  same  joy 
whichlhivfe  in  knowing  that  I  abide  in  my  Father's  love,  may  tie 
felt  by  you,  from  your  knowing  that  you  abide  iri  my  16 ve,  and 
that  thii^  holy  joy  oi  soul  may  increase,  more  and  more,  to  a  heavenly 
fulness;"  '  ^ 

The  sound  of  the  word  "love,*'  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  Christ,  led 
Him  baek  to  the  new  commandment  He  had  given  a  few  minutes 
before.  That  His  disciples  should  love  one  another  was  the  true 
secret  of  keeping  His  commandments,  and  so  of  retaining  their 
place  in  JHis  heart,  and  securing  the  holy  joy  of .  soul  Hei  desired 
for  theim.  He  now  defined  His  requirements  more  narrowly.  They 
were  to  lov6  eadi  other,  as  He  had  loved  them,  and  that  meant,  Hfe 
told  them,  self-sacrifice,  even  to  death,  fot  their  sakes. 

*•  You  wish,  I  am  sure,*'  said  He,  "to  retain  my  love  after  I  leave 
you.  and  will  strivfe  to  ke«p  my  commandments  that  yt-u  may  do  so. 


^ : 


.m 


mn,hj^^  Qf  cpwBx. 


TJ^KQa<^  CQmmAQ^^cuUi  ftco  tyjwmecl  up  in  tUe  on&ivlikii  I:  gftv^  yqu 
toroight,  alrciidy^tltai  yclovu  one  anothci%  1  only  ad4.  that  ^t 
loye  must,  be  8U9lj,^8  tj  U^MP  shown  an^.  wi^  pi;eaemiy njiow  (o 
you;— love  SQ  ^ea^,  thai,  iii  Jturtlicrapce  pt  Um  divjac  purpp^  f©r 
ycju^-  sa^vatipu,  1  willija^gly  lay  down  my  Wiv  for  yoM.  t%eve  qan  ^ 
none  greater  between  num  and  jinaa,  and  this  lugiifSHtejiaipple— rthis 
loyiuTsacriflce  of  life  itself  for  each  otlier—must  Ik;  , your  »taif4ard. 
Npthlug  Jess  is  th^  ,i(Jeai j  1  require  in  j^iiy, ^e^  Bppiety*  Tha^  spirit 
alope  wiMch  w:qi^4  not  s^^ink  ^^on^/this,,  nuU^efi  true  and  tuU  obedi- 
eAce  to  v>y  .command  pos^^^le,.  witjh  all.  the  l)^08^g«  it  bring^^  . 
"If  you  tbua  H^e  J0|  a  iova  lijie  uuno>  you^iyill  bi^^  me^qryov  in 


loving,  *  I  Iqiow,  iji^eed*  ti?4t  you  wljll,  and  tj^reforp,  bencef pEtk  I 
ca^I  you  BC)  longer  merc^ servants,  as  in  tlie  pa^t,  but  trusted ^i^nos. 
F^r  thg  servant  obeys  without  ki^oYfitu^liislom'ajhouglitsrapd plun^, 
bi^t.you  havcibeeu  ^oUl  al^I  have^eard  ^"910  uiy  father,  ^q  far  a^ygu 
ar^  able  tohe^^r  a^d  vi)i4^ra^|[^d  it;^tpld,it,  out  as  mcrp  ifcrvants  ^nd 
messejjgqrs,!— tue  blind  lUBtriiimepts  of  my  will;  buit  in.tbei  fulucs^,  of 
loving  fiQufi^enca,  as  sharers  qt  my ,  inmp^V  tho]Li|^li.t^  and  J^eart.    , 

,  *  ^  j0ut  m-eat  though  t^p ,  honour  be,  I  ^hus  give  ygm,  pevei;  forget 
that  you  have  not,  liRe  tlie  disciples  01  the  Rabbit,  witJv  bum ;  whom 
they  follow,  chosen  me  for  j^our  teacher,  master,  a^dlYieud.  On  tile 
contrary,  .1  chose ,  y<ou,  not  for  jijere :  icjle  friendship,  .but  tbat  t  might 
appoint  you  to  go  forth  as  ujy  dipciples^  and  worlj  in, spreading  my 
Kipgdoro,  and  qpar  fruit  in  wipning  i,pen  to  tb^.tmtb;:— lipit  that 
would  remain  for  evpr,  both,  for  yox^if selves,  and  jfor  those  youjlpd  to 
the  ligbt.  Thu^  you  ow^  ail  to  me;  yqui"  first,  discipleship,  no  less 
tha^  tbe  fjieudshh)  to  wl^ich  j.  have  now  advanced* yp»u;  and  alpothat 
am^eipg  honour  ,1  hav€  promised  yqu,  that  so  Ippg  a^*  yoUjlieep  my 
commauds,  the  i^itbe^  will  ,give  you  whatever  you  ask  in  my  name. 
Ho>Y  much  fruit  mijay  ye  not  bqar  with  this  heaveply  lj^<,4p,  tji^d.l^qjv 
great  the  reward  beforp  pod  wbpn  ye  bave  bpriu®  itl  ^    n  . :  i/.f  v--f 

•'  Opcemore,  npvjer  foirge^tbat  w^l;bout:^rupbrqth^ly  love  all  ypijr 
labour  is  valueless,  for  the  Bpirit  that  prompts  thom  alone  give^  its 
worth  to  your  acts  or  words.  ..,;        ,.    ,      ^ 

r*/r  \yondcr  pot  that  I  enforce  t|iii&  call  to  mutual  lov^.  .Jtjpt  it  reign 
-'Within  my  New  Sw-iety,  for  outside  you  will  have  ^plj^  hatred.  But 
let  me  comfort  yqu,  by  the  tliought  that,  as  you,know,  it  bas  hatedipe 
first,  ^foi  be,  hated  by  ii,  is  only  to  share  my  Jot.  A^d  let  i^  still  mQv/i 
conpole  you,  to  cepapmbeivtb^it  tbiei  very  b^rpd  Ij}' tl^p  unb^li<?mg 
world,. iS; a  proof  tiiat  ypu  no  linger  belong-  to, it,'  lilyjo^beipj^ged  to 
it,  it  would  love  its  own,  fp^  lik^^ lp\;es ^iliie.  ..Ifuajtesiypu,,  be^iuiae^p^ 
have  chosen  you  out  of  it,  arid  made  you  mine.  To  be  hated  01  the 
ungodly  is  a  testimony  to  your  worth,  as  to  be  loved  by  them  would 


THIS  LIFE  OF  GHRIBT. 


Vlff 


be  of  the  reverse.    How  ought  thW  to  cheer  you  In  all  your  f  utur^ 
trinlHl  -  '^<" 

**  Remember  wlint  I  said  to  yon  to-rt!ght,  already,  *  A  scrrant  i«  not 
tTftaferthan  his  lord.'  If  they  have  persecuted  me,  ra  you  know  they 
Cave,  they  will  also  persecute  you;  If  they  liavo  received  my  teach* 
ing,  as  you  Hnow  they  have  not,  they  will  receive  yours  as  little. 
Tliey  will  iKito  jVm  uhd  peraecnte  you,  because  yon  come  in  my 
iinine,  confcAsin^m^  as  the  Messiah  ai)d  Saviour,— for  they  know  not 
Him  who  sent  mo.  ■    •' '         '*  :iv,  )/ *.iu..   .  n 

"  "this  hatred  of  my  rtame  has-  no  excuse,'  foi*  I  have  dwelt  among 
men,  i4nd  taught  them  the  truth'  And  have  done  works  among  them; 
such  as  no  othcjr  messenger  of  God,  or  prophet,  has  done; — works  * 
which  shbuld  hiive  made  theth  feel*t!liat  God  had  sent  me,  for-  tliey 
were  such  as  Isi'aeV  itself  had  agreed  to  accept,  as  pi'obf  of  the  pres- 
eiice  of  the  Messiah,  and  they  proved  that  my  teaching  was  His 
divine  word  to'thcrii.  '  But  though  they  have  both  heard  my  teaching, 
and  seeti  my*  mighty  Works,  they  have  not  believed.  They  have,  thus, 
I  repeat, 'no  excuse.  Nor  is  their  hatred  of  My  Name,  hfltreffof  me 
alone;  it  is  hatred  of  God,  my  Father,  no  less;  for  my  wonW  and 
works,  which  they  hate  and  reject,  are  not  mine,  but  His.  And  oi 
tliese  words  tti^d  works  arc  thtis  the  feelf-revelaitlon  of  my  Father ;— as 
He  tlius,  by 'them,  had  made  Himself  visible  in  me,  so  far  as  the  in- 
visible God  can  do  sb,  their  hatred  of  me  involves  the  awful  wicked-  • 
ness  of  a  hatred  of  tlie  Eternal  Aither.  Yet  this  hatred  Of  me  by  tlio 
uflbelleviteg  Wotid,  is  not  a  mere  accident  or  chance,  buf  was  forc- 
sefefi  by  God  and  slpokeh'  of  in'  ancieht  prophecy,  as  you  read  ;-a^'  TTiey 
liated  me  without  a  cause.* 

'•  Y6u  may,  however,  s^  in  your  hearts,  *  If  they  have  persecuted 
Thee,  iaid  have  n'6t  kept  Thy  word;  if,  after  havirig  been  taught,  and 
having  seen  such  things,  they  would  not  receive' thfem;  if  they  have 
liated  Tlifee,  and'Tliy  Father,  and  if  we  iare  to  find  the  same  treatment; 
what  good  is  there  In  your  sending  Us  to  them?'  Let  me  encourage 
yoh,  and  dissipate  su(ih  thoughts.  Foi'  when  tlie  Helper  Coihes,  whom 
1  shall  send  unto  you  from  the  Fiither— the  Spirit  6f  Truth,— who 
^oes  forth  froni  the  Father,  and  therefore  is  able  to  lM».lp  you  in  all  your 
needs,— He  will  beitr  witness  of  nie  ill  your- souls;  teaching  you  more 
ileeply  concerning  nie,  and  glorifying  me  to  you  in  doing  so,  that  you 
Bay  be  able  to  make  right  and  effective  use,  in  your  witness  before 
men,  of  all  you  have'  i^eeri  fetid  heard  while  with  me,  from  the  begin- 
>iiigot'  my  public  work  as  the  Messiah.  '       ^  f  «M6i  1^  •- 

"I  have  :old  you  these  things  about  the  hatred  thi?  world  win  show 
fou,  for  Thy  sake;  that  you  may  be  prepared  for  it,  and  not  stumble, 
>r  he  offended  6n  Aceourit  of  it;  but  may  meet  it  with  so  much  the 
Qore  earnest  zeal  arid  fldiBlity.  As  I  have  often  told  you,  they  will 
I  /ut  you  out  bf  the  sytiagogucs;  but  this,  hard  though  it'be  in  its  con^ 
Hequendes,'  is  riot  the  worst  their  frtnaticftl  Mtred  will  do.  You  know 
W  the  B&bb|^  te^h.  that '  he  who  she^ib  the  blobd  of  the  wicked  !s 


I 


/ 


■ft'ifSi 


W' 


1t86 


TH35  fclFl  t)F  CHRieTi 


"Na  if  he  offered  saorifiGe/;  ,TI>cy,  will  act  oq  tl»!s  principle  towards 
you,  for  the  hour  comes  wlien  every  one  who  kills  you  will  think 
your  blood  is  an  acceptably  sacrifice  offered  to  Go4-  Nor  l^;ill  the 
heathen  feeat  you  better.  Israel  knows  neither  jl^-  leather  por  me; 
.  and  this  wilful  ignorance  of  divine  things  makes  ^henA  act  thus.  I 
tell  you  all  this,  that,  when  these  times  of  persecuti^^.cpme,  you  may 
be  strengthened  in  your  faith  in, me,  and  in  your  pa.tient  endurance  of 
fsuffering  for  my  sake,  I  did  not  speak  of  these  things  fill  now,  be- 
cause they  were  still  distant  when  you  first  followed  pie,  and  becauBe 
they  might  then  have  frightened  you  away  from,  me.  Besides,  as 
lon^  as  I  live,  the  hatred  of  men  will  be  direqted  against  me,  not 
flgamst  you.^ 

It  is  hard  for  even  the  best  to  rise  superiQr.to  the  present  or  near, 
by  thinking  of  the  distant  or  future.  The  Eleven  were  thoroughly 
cast  down  and  dispirited,  and  stood  sileut;  unable  tx>  break  iiiG  still- 
ness, even  by  a  few  of  those  questions  whiph  .the  disciples  of  Jewish 
teachers  were  in  the  habit  of  putting  to  their  inas$ers.  The  lofty 
promises  of  Jesus  would  one  day  strengthen  their  faithful  souls,  but. 
for  the  time,  the)'  had  no  ear  for  them.  As  He  spoke,  He  saw  this, 
Ittid' gently  reproved  it. 

feif  **How  that  I  am  on  the  point  of  returning  tp  my,  .father,''  said  He, 
"how  are  you  so  wholly  engrossed  in  sadness,  that  w^ile  iriends  are 

.  always  wont  to  ask  often  from  one  about  to  leave  (hen^,— '  where  he  i 
is  going,' — you  have  not  been  cage%  tp  do  soV"     He  wished  to  be 
asked  more  closely  about  His  going  away,  for  it  seeix^ed  as  if  His  dis- 
ciples had  not  fully  understood  His  previous  words,  else  tliey  could 
not  be  so  dejected. 

**  Ymi  forget  the  comfort  I  have  given  you,  and  dwelj  only  on  my  I 
near  leaving,  and  tlie  troubles  io  come  after  it.    But  I  tell  you  onlj 
the  truth;  When  I  sa^'.that  it  Is  better  for  you  that  I  go  away.    Forif 
I  were  not  to  do  so,  your  gpjiat  Helper  would  npt  coi^e  to  you,  but,  if 
Jgoaway,  I  will  send  Hira  to  you,"  .1, 

iii  The  history  of  the  Church,  after  the  ascension  pf  Jesus  and  the 
4;ffusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  explains  and  confirms  these  words.  Only 
the  once  Crucified  but  now  Risen  One;  the  glorified  Son  of  God,  sit- 
ting at  the  riglit  hand  of  the  Father,  coujd  have  been  proclaimed  by 
ihe  Apostles  as  the  Lord  of  a  new,  eternal,  and  spiritual  kingdom  of 
heaven.  Only  the  Conqueror  of  Death;— the  Son  of  God,  returned 
triumphant  to  the  glory  of  the  Father,  could  have  been  anuounceri  to 
the  world  as  the  Righteous  One,  tlte  Victor  oyer  the  t'rince  of  this! 
world ;  as  He  not  to  believe  in  whom  waj  sin.  ,,  '^?,j,  >// 

Jesus  continued — "  You  will  Iwive  to  strive,  even  to  blood,  with  thel 
opposition  of  the  unbelieving  world  to  me,  and  their  evil  opinion  of  I 
me;  against  their  illusion  tliat  they  are  doing  right  in  their  unbelief  I 
and  in  their  persecution  of  my  servants;  and  PgMnst  their  belief  I 
in  the  invincible  power  of  wicked  men,  and  of  the  painceof  darkness. 
▲U  these  you  il.  ust  oppose  and  overcome.    But  Mumi^u,  eloquence  '' 


THE  LtFE  OF  CHRIST. 


729 


fer  t66  yeak  fbr  this  great  taik.  Without  ussiitatice  and  help  from 
abotne,  you  will  never  be  able  to  convince  mon.of  their  sih  and  error,  w 
to  drive  out  the  reign  oif  evil.  But  when  your  Heavenly  Helper  has 
come/He  wf  11,  through  you,  show  the  world  their  eln  in  not  believ- 
ing iti  me;  and  In  pei^ecutlng  ^ou,  tny  servants.  He  will  also  con- 
vince them  of  my  righteousness—that  1«,  that  I  am  not  unrighteous 
and  sinful,. as  they  Suppose,  but  that  my  righteousness  and  innocence 
have  been  shoWn  by  my  not  shrinking  even  from  tlie  death  of  the 
Cross  in  the  fUlfllrtient  of  liiy  grant  work;  by  my  rising  from  the 
grave,  and  thereby  proving  that  my  death  was  a  voluntary  act  of  love  to 
man,  indby  hiy  returning  to  my  Father,  which  will  show  that  I  ami  His 
Son,  sent  by  Him  as  the  Messiah.  Thus  It  will  be  seen  that  my  cause 
is  righteous,  and  that  I  am  the  righteous  and  holy  one  of  God.  He 
^ill,  flhaily,  Idonvinbe  nien  Of  the  utter  Weakness  of  all  tlie  powers  of 
evil  and  of  tlieii*  hkviiig  beeii  Judged  and  condemned  ci*  God,  by  re- 
vealing to  theni  the  complete  overOirow  of  the  reign  of  the  devil,  and 
of  tiie  \^ork9  of  darkness,  by  my  life,  my  teaching,  my  death,  my 
resurrefction,  my  return  to  my  Father,  and  my  victorious  help'to  you 
my  servants." 

He  had  touched  the  confines  of  great  and  mysterious  tnitlis  in  the 
future  econpmy  of  His  Jdngdom,  uut  felt  Himself  forced  to  go  no 
farther: '  A  wider  field  of  higher  teaching  lay  before  Him,  but  their 
present  weakness  arid  incapacity  to  understand  lofty  spiritual  things, 
forced  Him  to  break  off  further  revelations.  "I  have  yet  many 
things,"  He  continued,  "  to  say  toyou,  but  you  cannot  Lear  them 
now.  Yet  be  not  cast  down.  When  your  Helper,  the  Spirit  of 
Trutli,  comes  from  above.  He  will  give  you  fuller  instructions^  and 
will  strengtheti  your  minds  to  understand  them.  He  will  lead  you 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  in  Itn  whole  extent,  and  will  illuminate 
for  you  all  the  heights  and  depths  of  my  meaning,  in  all  that  I  have 
said*  to  you.  Nor  need  you  fear  t6  trust  Him  less  than  you  have 
trusted  me;  for  just  as  I  have  not  spoken  of  myself,  but  have  only 
repeated  what  I  have  heard  from  my  Father,  He,  the  Spirit  of  Truth, 
vi'iW  not  Speak  for  Himself,  or  of  His  own  promptings,  but  will  utter 
only  what  He  has  heard  from  God.  Nor  will  He  simply  explain 
my  w6rd3,  and'reveal  higher  aspects  of  the  truth.  He  will  also  anr- 
iwuiice  to  you  things  future.  Ho  will  give  you,  my  apostles,  the  gift 
of  prophecy,  by  which  the  future  development  of  my  Kingdom  will 
be  revealed  to  you,  to  fill  you  with  comfort  and  triumph. 

"You  must  not  think,  however,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  will  teach 
vou  any  new  or  different  truths,  not  counecied  with  me,  your  Saviour. 
He  will  only  purify  and  cnligliteu  ^your  hitherto  Imperfect  concep- 
tions concerning  me,  afid,  while  thus  fitting  you  to  spread  my  king- 
dom, will  but  develop,  expand,  and  complete  what  I  liave  taught 
you,  and  thus  increase  mj-"  glory.  All  that,  the  Father  has  is  mine, 
as  the  Son,  consecrated  and  scut  forth  by  lllm  to  carry  out  Ills  work; 
the  Son,  In  whom  the  Father,  for  thU  eucl,  dwells  and  works  in  closest 


:i  ^m 


THE  LIFE  QF  CHRIST,, 

communion,  as  He  also  dwells  in  like  communion  with  the  Father. 
Therefore,  as  the  Holy  Spirit  \y(ill  teach  vpu  only  what  H^  hears  from 
.  tjie  Father,  He  can  t^acli  you  no  other  cioctriije  thflp^inine." 
'But  all  the  instruction  and  comfort  Jesus  cpplfi,  administer; -all  the 
warnings,  oii  the  one  hand,  qf  the  diiRcuItieia.^n^^^ufferipgs;  and  all 
the  supports,  on  the  other,  ii^,  rich  prowses^  of  PsQw^r,  help»  ami 
hlessing  from  abov(i,  could  not  dispel  the  sa4u«s^  .pjf  the '^postles, 
or  biin^  th^.i  Joy  end  courage.  The  near  jiep^ture  of  their  lov^d 
Master  tilled  their  minds  with  abiding  dejectiqp  an4  ai^iQUB  fear. 

•e,  Jesus  once  Ji^qre  sought  to  cheer 
ent  on,  "that  very  gopw  you  would 


In  tender 


ider  s^m'^athy,  therefore, 
"I  said,  indeed," lie  wen 


them. 

see' me  no  longer,  but  yet,  a  Uttle  wliile  moi;^,  aj;id  you  ic^'M  see  me 

The  Apostles  weire  more  than  ever  perplexed  by  thesiB  words. 
They  thought  only  of  an  earthly  cpjninijinion  ^'ith  their  Master,  such 
us  they  still  enjoyed,  and  could  not ,  linderstaii^l  the  sudden ,  change 
of  hot  seeing  llim,  and  seeipgHiui  again,  or  iUiedouhle;  use  of  the 
words — *•  Alittle  while,"— or  what  Ilo  meant  by  spying  so, often  that 
He  was  going  to  tlie  leather.  Wondering  questions  followed  beihveen 
them,  an^l  tjfiey  )yerc.  jjnxipus  to  ask  an  explj^nf^tion,  when  Jesus, 
seeing  their  perplexity, 'anticipated  their  wish.  ^  V  iu    ^l,%v,  -^^    . 

. "  09  you  inquire,  apipng  yourselves, "  sain  He,  '  *  what  I  nieah  by 
saying,  'A  little  wiiilo,  and  vc  will  not  sec  me:  .ai;d,.again, aUltlc 
while,  and  yc  will  sec  me;'  and  '  1  am  going  to  the  Fa.(hei:?  Ye  shall, 
indeed  bo  in  great  trouble  at  my  death,  for  I  am  i>resently  to  die, 
tliough  you  seem  as.  if  you  could  net  cr,(?dit  it.  ,  Ipp^'ed,  ysvU'ill  he 
sad 'when  the  world  that  rejects  me  will  rejoice.  But  ypur  soitow 
will  be  turned  into  303'',  as  sudden  as  that  pf  the,  motheiv  when  she 
bears  u  son,  and  fcrlliwith  forgets  the  past  for  ,g][adu€S3  that  amaii 
is  born  into  the  world;  for  you  know  that  no  joy  is  ^ogi'eat  to  a 
wonaan,  in  our,  nation,  as  that  of  haying  a  fjon.  I^Oj  truly,  you  ^yill 
have  sorrow  now  at  my  death,,  but  it  will  pass  into  abiding  joy  when 
you  sec  me  again,  i  .1  my  spiritual  return.    ,  ,  . 

^'In  that  day  tiic  {ppint  of  Truth  will  havo  giv^u  you  such  a  ful^ 
and  satisfying  knowlcdgo  cf  all  that  concerns  mo  and  my  Kingdom, 
that  3-ou  will  have  no  need,  as  no\y,  to  ask  mp  respect|^g  any  words 
or  matters  3'^ou  do  not  understand,^  You  will  no  .longer  miss  my 
earthly  presence,  but  be  joyful  in  the  possession  of  ful(  enlightdnment 
For  most  truly  do  I  assure  you,  that  all  you  ask  my  Ift^ther  in  my 
r.ame^all  illumination,  all  gifts,  and  joys  of  the  Spirit— -He  will  givo 
you.  Ilitherlo,  from  want  pf  insight  and  cx,perience,  you  have  asked 
nothing  in  my  njmic,  and,. therefore,  have,  ixa,  j'et,  no  dream  of  the 
boundless  gilts  j'our  Father  in  tleaven  is  ready  to  give  you— no 
dream  cf  Ilia  comforting  and  supporting  grace.  From  this  time, 
ask  in  my  name,  and  you  will  vcceivo  what  you  ask,  that  your  joy 
may  be  complete. 

"1  have  spoken  of  my  goiug  away,  and  of  y-pm*  speing  me  again, 

.i],;&aoi  02  iiioiif  iUiv;  hud  61;. 


-."\'iT*"''~.7  •  ■ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CimiST. 


781 


and  of  wbat  would  flow  from  it,  in  figures,  and  darkly.  But  a  time 
comes  when  I  wiH  no  more  speak  to  you  in  thlu  way,  but  will  instruct 
you  clearly' and  plainly',  through  the  Spirit,  respecting  the  Father. 
In  that  day  ye  shall  ask  in  m}'  name,  because  you  will  then  bo  cn« 
lightened  by  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  and  you  will  not  need  that  I  inter- 
cede for  you  that  your  prayers,  thus  offered,  may  be  heard;  for  tlio 
Father  Himself  lovds  you  l>ecausc  you  have  loved  me,  and  have  be- 
lieved'that  I  came  forth  from  Him,  and  will  thci'Gforc  hear  you, 
Avithout  my  intercession.  Nor  must  you  ever  forget  this  groat  truth 
— tlie  sum  of  my -life  and  work— that  i  came  forth  fror.i  the  Father 
to  appear  ia  tlie  World,  and  now  leave  the  world  to  go  back  to  Ilim 
again." 

The  disciples,  listeniing  to  tbcse  words,  fancied  they  now  under 
'stood;  in  part,  at  least  "what  had  before  seemed  so  dark.  They 
had,  at  least,  realized;  from  His  last  sentence,  that,  as  He  had  come 
forth  from  God,  arid  was  about  to  return  to  Him,  He  must  be  going 
to  heaven.  Perhaps  they  thought,  in  their  simple  way,  that  ihey 
also  understood  better  what  He  Md  said  about  their  seeing  Him 
again.  It  seemed  as  if  He  had,  already,  fulfilled  His  promise  to 
speak  clearly,  and  without  metaphor,  to  tlkem.  .  That  He  should, 
moreover,  have  known,  without  being  told  them,  the  questions  they 
had  in  their  hearts,  so  astonished  them,  that  they,  further,  felt-sure 
He  was  omnisdient,  and  did  not  need  any  one  to  ask  Him,  but  could 
answer  tlieir  questions  "without  liaving  been  told  them.  Awed  and 
vividly  itnprcssed,  they  felt  a  fresh  cori-oboration  of  their  belief  in 
Him,  as  having  come  forth  from  God,  and  hastened  to  tell  Him  their 
strengthfetied  conviction. 

•'Is it  so,  that  you  now  feel  sure  you  believe  in  me?"  asked  Jesus. 
"An  hour  is  coming,  and,  indeed,  has  come,  when  your  faith  will 
have  a  hard  test.  Will  you  stand  firm?  Alas!  how  soon  will  you 
waver;  for,  in  that- hour]  you  will  be  scattered,  each  to  his  own 
home,  and  leave  me  alone!"  "  Yet,**  added  He,  after  a  pause,  in 
.calm  and  clear  asstirance  that,  though  forsaken  of  man,  He  would 
have  the  helping  and  pi*otecting  presence  of  the  Father — "yet  I  am 
not  alone,  for  the  Father  is  with  Me." 

"I  have  Spoken  as  I  have,"  He  continued; — "have  given  you  these 
consolations  and  promises,  that  you  might  have  rest  and  peace  in 
Me,  by  comnmnion  with  Me  as  tlie  loving  and  loved.  In  the  world, 
indeed,  attlictioii  is  your  lot,  for  men  will  hate  and  persecute  you,  as 
I  liave  said,  for  my  sake ;  but,  be  of  good  heart,  1  have  conquered 
and  broken  the  might  of  the  world  and  its  prince,  and  tliey  can 
neither  hinder  your  salvation,  nor  check  the  triumph  of  My  King- 
dom." 

The  farewell  discourse  was  ended  with  this  note  of  triumph — "I 
have  conquered  tlie  world!"'  But  now,  before  Ha  went  forth  into 
the  jiight.  so  big  with  fate,  He  could  not  break  up  for  ftver  the  eora- 
muniou  He  had  had  with  them  so  long,  through  joy  and  sorrow. 


782 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


without  catherihg  them  round  Him  in  a  partings  prayer.  He  was 
about  to  die  for  the  redemption  of  the  world, rand,  as  the  Great  High 
Priest  of  humanity,  would  make  intercession,  before  yielding  Him- 
self the  sacrifice.  I  venture,  reverently,  to  amplify  the  expression, 
that  the  import  may  be  more  easily  caught.         '       , 

Lifting  up  Hia  eyes  to  heaven-r-the  Apostles  standing,  as  the  man- 
ner  of  their  nation  was,  while  He  prayed-r-He  began^  "Father,  the 
hour  of  my  death  has  how  come.  Glorify  Tliy  Son  on  the  completion 
of  the  work  of  salvation,  thtit  Thy  Son  may  gloriiyThee  as  its  autlior, 
before  mun.  Glorify  Him,  in  accordance  with  Thy  will,  by  which 
Thou  hast  given  Him  power  over  all  men;  for  Thou  hast  appointed 
Him  tlie  only  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  to  carry  out  Thy  purpose  of 
salvation,  which  regards  the  world ;  that  He  should  give  eternal  life 
to  a?l  whom  Thou  hast  given  Him.  And  this  is  everfastang  life,  that 
thej  should  know  Thee,  tlie  only  true  God,  and  Him  whom  Thou 
hast  sent — Me,  Jesus,  the  Messiah.  I  have  glorified  .Thee  on  earth, 
for  I  have  made  known  Thy  name.  Thy  will,  and  Thy  plan  of 
salvation  for  man,  and  have  thus  completed  the  work  ThoUihist 
given  Me  to  do.  Therefore,  glorify  Me,  now,  O  Father,  when  I 
rise  from  my  work,  on  earth  into  Thy  presence,  in  heaven,  with  the 
glory  which  I  had  with  Thee,  before  the  world  was.  Let  me  enter 
again  into,  that  divine  communion  in  Thine  uncreated  glory,  which  I 
had  before  the  creation  of  the  w^orld !" 

He  had,  till  now,  prayed,  for  Himself.  He  passed  next  to  inter- 
cession for  His  disciples,  urging  His  faithful  obedience  to  His  divine 
inission,  aa  a  ground  for  His  being  heard. 

y  I  have  made  known  Thy  name  unto  the  men  whom  Thou  hast 
given  me  out  of  the  iunl)elieving  world.  They  were  Thine  own,  for 
they  were  of  Thy  true  Israel,  and  Thou  gavest  them  to  Me,  and  faith- 
fully and  truly  did  they  receive  my  words  as  Thine,  and  they  have 
kept  them.  In  much  they  may  have  failed  to  understand,  but  tliey 
have  been  true  and  finn  in  their  belief  in  Me,  as  having  been  sent  by 
Thee,  and  as  speaking  Thy  truth.  Noav,  also,  they  have  learned  to . 
know,  and  do  acknowledge,  that  all  that  Thou  hast  given  me— all 
that  I  have  paid  and  done— is,  as  it  truly  is,  from  Thcel 

"I  pray  for  them.  I  pray  not,  now,  jr  those  who  know  Thee 
not;  the  u.beliedng  world,  but  for  Thine  o»/n,  now  in  Thy  presence 
—Thine  own,  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me.  My  whole  life  and  work 
has  been,  and  is,  a  prayer  for  the  world  at  "large,  from  which  My 
people  must  be  gathered,  but  I  pray,  now,  for  these,  Thy  servants, 
because  they  are  Thine,  though  Thou  hast  given  them  to  Me.  And 
all  things  that  are  Mine  are  also  Thine,  and  Thine  are  Mine:  tlie 
work,  the  aim,  the  means,  the  power,  tlie  grace,  are,  alike,  Mine  and 
Thine,  for  I  am  in  Tliee  and  Thou  in  Mo.  Neither  I,  nor  Thou, 
Eternal  Father,  work,  nor  have,  for  Himself,  but  each  for  the  oilier, 
and,  thus,  though  they  are  Thine,  1 1  m  glorified  in  them.  Great  is 
their  need  of  Thy  help,  for  I,  their  ^  riend  and  helper,  am  about  to 


^HE  LIFE  Of  ,gmU9T. 


^W 


iQ^ve  them,  but  they  remain  in  the  world  that  hates  tlicm  for  my 
sake.  Without  Thy  heavenly  aid  and  protection,  they  will  not  bo 
able  to  do  the  work  Thou  hast  appointed  them.  Therefore,  Holy 
Father,  keep  them  tnie  to  Thy.  name,  which  Thou  gavcst  Mo  to  mako 
known  to  them,  that  by  their  common  faith  and  love  they  may  bo 
one,  as  Thou  and  I  are  one.  "While  I  was  }n  the  world,  1  watclicd 
and  protected  those  whom  Thou  thus  committedst  to  My  cure,  and 
kept  them  faithful  to  Thy  name;— kept  them  from  the  evil  one,  from 
denying  Thee,  from  falling  away  from  Thee;  and  n<mo  of  them  hfta 
perished  but  the  son  of  perdition — as  could  not  but  be,  for  the  Scrip- 
ture must  be  fulfilled.  Thou  must  watch  and  keep  them,  now  that 
I  shall  leave ^l^em! 

**  But,  now,  I  come  to  Thee,  and  these  things  I  speak,  being  yet  in 
.the  world,  that  they  may  have,  in  their  own  bouIh,  the  periect  joy 
that  is  in  Mine,  feeling  a,ssured  contidence  that  the  grave  will  not 
have  dominion  over  Me,  and  that  they  will  have  Thee  for  their  helper. 
I  have  gFveli  them  Thy  word,  and  for  their  receiving  it,  the  world 
has  hated  them;  because  they  do  not  iDclong  to  it,  as  I  do  not.  Tlicrc- 
fore,  O  Father,  keep  them!  I  ask  not  that  Thou  shoulUcst  take  them 
out  of  the  world  because  it  hates  them;  for  suffering  and  struggle  uro 
needed  to  perfect  tlieir  spiritual  life,  and  to  spread  abroad  my  King- 
dom. But  I  ask  that  Thou  shouldest  protect  them  from  the  evil  ouo, 
that  they,  too,. become  not  sons  of  perdition.  They,  like  Me,  are  not 
of  the  world,  for  it  is  the  kingdom  of  the  evil  one;  therefore,  they 
need  Thy  protecting  care,  and  as  Thine  own  will  surely  have  it. 

"Thou  hast  brought  them  out  from  amidst  the  unbeliuvhig  and 
hostile  world,  and  hast  given  them  to  Me,  and  they  have  received, 
and  kept,  Thy  Word,  made  known  to  them  by  Me.  Thu:^  'i»3y  11  vo 
iu  the  Truth,  for  Thy  Word  is  Truth;  sanctify  tliem  in  tiiin,  the 
sphere  of  their  new  spiritual  life :  not  only  keep  them  in  it,  but^  con- 
secrate and  prepare  them  for  their  great  work,  by  giving  them, 
tlirough  the  Spirit  of  holiness  and  truth,  divine  enlightenment,  povvev» 
boldness,  love,  zeal.  Even  as  Thou  dids.-  send  Me  into  thu  world, 
but  didst  tirst  consecrate  Me  by  the  Spirit,  given  without  meaauro, 
that  I  might  accomplish  the  work  Thou  gavest  Me  to  do,  I  have  aUo 
sent  them  into  the  world,  and  they,  O  Father,  need  a  slndlar  conse- 
cration, in  Thine  own  measure,  to  prosper  in  Thy  work. 

"  For  their  sakes  T  con'.scrate  myself  to  Thee,  in  My  doadi — aa  a 
holy  offering — for  I  am  both  high  pnest  and  sacrifice;  that  they, 
also,  may  be  made  holy  in  the  Truth,  by  Thy  Spirit— the  Ildnrr 
whom  llipu  wilt  send,  because  I,  the  Holy  One,  have  thua  died  tor 
them.  • 

■'But I  pray  not;  for  these.  Thy  servants  now  before  Thee,  alone^ ' 
but  for  all  them,  also,  who  will  henceforth  believe  in  Mo,  lhrou|;h 
their  word — that  they  all,  teachers,  believers,  lud  convert  J,  may  bo 
one,  in  mutual  fellowship  and  communion  of  love ;  the  copy  oi'  t!\al 
betweei^  TlxeCj  Father,  and  IMe :— communion  so  deep  and  holy  tliat 


*     1! 


m  m-m 


■At;.- 


ii,  ^n 


m 


The  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Thou  art  in  Me,  and  1,  in  The6.  May  they  b^,  thus,  one  In  each 
other,  by  being  oiie  in  Us,  by  loving  vital  conttmnttioDf'wfth  Thee  and 
Mg,  that  the  unbelieving  world  may  have  a  visiblie  proof,  ahd  may 
believe,  that  Thou  didst  send  Me— the  source— the  centre— tl^e  stay 
of  such  heavenly  love.  '  > 

"That  all  who  shall,  now,  or  hereafter,  believe  in  Me,  may  be 
thus,  one,  in  holy  love  and  life,  even  as  We  are  One— I  have  given 
them,  as  their  future  inheritance,  at  My  coming,  in  My  eternal  King- 
dom, part  in  that  heavenly  glory  which  Thou  hast  given  Me;  that 
they  may  share  it  with  Me,  for  ever.  I  have  given  it  them,  that  they 
may  be  one,  even  as  We  are  one,  for  how  strong  must  it  be  as  a  bond 
of  unity  that  they  are  heirs  together  of  the  same  glbry  witlr  Me  in 
heaven.  I  have  given  it  them  that  they  may  thtis  be  perfectly  joined 
in  one;  I  dwelling  in  them  and  Thou  in  Me;  that  the  \^6rla  rnay 
know  that  Thou  hast  sent  Me,  and  hd^  loved  tlibm  with  the  same 
Father's  love,  with  which'  Thou  hast  loved  Me ;  ajid  maVthiis  believe 
'dn  Me— the  Saviour  of  the  world.  '        '  ' 

•'  "Fatlier,  I  will  that  they  whom  ThOu  hast  given  Me,  from  all  the 
generations  of  men,  be  with  Me  hereafter,  to  enjoy  et^rhal  life,' and 
everlasting  communion  with  Me,  in  that  heaveiily  World  whither  I 
tan  now  going;  it  is  the  high  reward  of  their  faithfulness,  their 
supreme  consolation  ntaidst  all  earthly  trialsvtlieir  glorious  animating 
hope.  I  ^ill  that  their  joy  niay  be  full,  in  seeing  and  sharing  My 
heavenly  glory,  as  tliey  have  seen  and  shared  My  huriiiliation  on 
earth-^^that  glory  with  Thyst'lf,  wliidi  Thou  hast  given  Me  because 
Thou  lovedst  Me  before  the  foundation  of  Uie  wor|d.  'mn^MH-acis^y^ 

**  lifghtecus  Father,  I  know  that  Thou  wilt  carry  out 'this  TVIy  will, 
for,  though  the  world  has  not  known  or  acknowledged  Thee,  as  re- 
vealed in  My  words  and  deeds — I  have  known  Thee,  as  working  in 
Me,  and  revealing  Thyself  through  Me— known'Thee  by  direct 
immediate  knowledge-^and  these.  Thy  serviints  before 'Thee,  having 
opened  their  hearts,  aiid  received  My  word,  have  k^Owh  and  believed 
that  Thou  hast  sent  Me.  I  have  triridc  knpWrl  unto  them  Thy  Name, 
and  will  make  it  known  through  the  Spirit  whciyi  I  will  send;  th^t 
the  love  wherewith  Thou  hast'  loved  Me,  Thou  mayest  also  make 
dwell  in  their  hearts,  and  that  L  by  the  Spirit,  may  dwell  in  them 
forever."         '  ■ '  ■    rnv^n  ,f\  /Mi^AiO  a''  iv-^ir^-i^r^'^  •■^^.£  h\?y 

IIow  sublimely  this  prayer  was  realized  in  the  history  of  the 
Apostles;  the  "Acts"  and  the  Epistles  abundahtly  illustrjite.  It  was 
their  common  glory  to  believe  that  nothing  could  separate  them  froiii 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ;  that  He,  by  His  Spirit,  was  with  them, 
and  tiiat  tliay  overcame  all  that  opposed,  through  His  help.  The 
cit)ntrast  between  the  dejected,  faint-hearted,  materializing  Galilaan 
fishermen  and  peasants  of  the  Gospels,  and  the  heroic,  spiritual  con- 
fessors of  Pentecost  and  after-times,  is,  itself,  a  ihiracle,  great  beyond 
all  othcra.  The  illumination  of  soul,  the  grandeur  of  conception, 
the  loftiness  of  aim,  are  a  transformation  frolU  a  lower  to  an^  indefi' 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


780 


nitely  higher  inepital  .arid  moral  cpiialtion,  as  ,commete  as  the  changd 
from  e^rly  tiyUjiht  to,  noon,  and  fiud  their  only  eohUion  in  tlie 
admission  that  they  mu9t  have  receive^  the  miraculous  spiritual 
enlightenment  from  above  which  Jesuirhad  promised  to  send  theo^,, , 


'%i, 


I' 


.i   (■•:. 


.-'.ii       l»:ii(- 


■ft' 


:.;,:miM!tft£^'^ 


i'THE  ABBE8T. 


I?  If. 


nik 


"While  jesup  was  tenderly  bidding  farewell  to  His  few  folio werB 
in  the  u^per  room,  all, was  bustle  and  excitement  among  the  Church 
^authorities,  now  on  the  track  of  His  blood  by  the  help  of  Judas. 

It  was  the  great  holiday  of  tlie  year  at  Jerusalem:  the  week  la 
which,  beyond  any  othey,  time,  the  whpje  population  gave  then^selves 
up  to  rejoicing.  The  citizens,  from  ihe  liigliest  to  the  lowest,  were 
i;e8^ping  the  great  gold .  harvest  of  the  year  from  the  myriads  of 
pilgrims,  and  they,;  pn  their  side,  liad  the  excitement  of  uumbers,  and 
novelty,  and  religious  enthusiasm.  A  mere  mountain  city,  Jeinjsalem 
lived  by  tlie  T^niple,  either  djirectly  or  indirectly,  and  it  was  now  the 
loadstone  that  had  drawn  the  whole  Jewisli  world  around  it. 

/Wlththe  craft  that  JiaHt.4ally  marked  him,  the  te^arch  Antipas  had 
come  up  froni  Tiberias,  to  show  how  deyoutly  he  honoured  the  Law, 
and  had  taken  bis  residence  in  the  old  castle  of  the  Asmoneans, 
which  still  remained  in  the  handi^  of  his  family.  It  was  near  the 
XystuSj,  and  exfictly  opposite  the  Templp,  to,  wliich  he  Qould  cross  by 
the  upper  bridge,,*  oyer  the  Tyropoeon  Valley,  between  Zion  and 
Moriah.  ;  •     i 

Pilate,  also,  had  arrived  from  Csesarea,  to  $ecure,  in  person,  the 
preservation  of  order  in  the  dangerous  days  of  the  fea^t.  His  quar 
ters  were  in  il;ie  new  p^li[ice,  biiilt  by  Herod  the  Great  on  Zion.  It 
was  the  pj-ide  of  Jerusaleni.  "The  kinds^ of  stoue  used  in  its  con- 
struction, says  Josephus,  '*  we^e  countless.  Whatever  w:a3  rare 
abounded  in  it.  The  roofs  astonished  every  one  by  the  length  of 
their  beams,  and  the  beauty  of  their  adornment.  Vessels,  mostly  of 
Kold  and' silver,  rich  m  chasing,  shone  on  every  side.  The  great 
diaing-hall  had  been  constructed  to  supply  table-couches  for  three 
hiindred  guests.  Others  opened  in  all  directions,  each  with  a  different 
style  of  pillar.  Th^  open  space  before  the  palace  was'  laid  out  in 
broad  walks,  planted  with  long  avenues  of  different  trees,  andbor* 
(Ici'ed  by,  broad  deep  canals  and  great  ponds,  flowing  with  cool,  clear 
water,  and  set  off  along  the  banks  with  inuumerablfe  works  of  art." 
It  was  the  vast  citadel -paUce  in  which  the  tragedies  of  the  family  of 
Herod  has  been  enacted.  Here  Archelaus  had  reigned,  and  Glaphyrft 
had  died.  By  right  of  war,  the  Romans  had  taken  it,  as  the  chief 
building  of  the  city,  for  the  residence  of  the  procurators,  apd  ha4 
made  it  the  Pinaetoritim,  or  headquarters.  Its  enclosure — large  onpuga 


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736 


aM^P^'6BRSF 


to  permit  almost  an  army  to  Ibe  gathered  in  it,  if  necessary— ran  along 
the  inner  side  of  the  first  city  wall,  and  was  conn^fcted  with  the  great 
castles  of  white  stone— Mariijimne,  Hlppicns,  and  PhasaeliV^,  which 
Herod  had  built;  the  whole  constituting,  in  tact,  a  vast  fortification. 

The  high  priest  at  the  time  of  the  Passover,  as  we  have  seen,  was 
Caiaphas.  The  real  head  of  the  priesthood,  however,  was  the  crafty 
Hannas,  or  Ananus,  without  wliom  nothing  of  moment  was  done  in 
the  affairs  of  the  theocracy.  As  father  or  the  gieatest  Sadducean 
family,  he  was  fitly  notorious  for  hid  harsh  judgments,  and  was  pres- 
ently to  take  the. chief  part  in  the  death  of  Jesus,  as  his  son  after- 
wards ^id  in  that  of  St.  James.  He  had  been  appointed  high  priest 
by  Quirinius  in  the  year  ad.  7,  but  had  been  deprived  of  the  dignify 
seven  years  latter  by  Valerius  Gratus.  The  unique  hdhpiii*  was  re- 
eerved  to  him,  however,  of  seeing  his  ftve  sons  successively  pontiffs 
—one  of  them  twice— a  distinction  which,  in  later  y*ears,  gained  for 
him,  among  his  countrymen,  the  name  of  the  most  fortunate  of  men. 

Intrigue  and  unwearied  plotting  were  the  very  life  of  Hannasjaud 
his  house.  The  gliding,  deadly,  snakelike  smoothness  with  which 
thev  seized  their  prey  was  a  wOndei*  even  to  their  6wn  generation, 
and  had  given  them  a  by-name  as  hissing  vipers.  When  Quirinius, 
after  the  census,  sacrificed  the  high  priest  Joazer,  who  had  brought  on 
himself  universal  liatred  by  his  services  to  the  Hon^ans,  Hannas  was 
chosen  as  the  one  of  the  Temple  aristocracy  least  displeasiug  either 
to  the  Romans  or  the  Jews.  He  had  managed  to  inaint^in  his  in- 
fluence under  three  procurators  through  diflicult  times.  tJnder  Vale- 
rius Gratus,  he  had  had  to  give  way  to  Ismael  B^n  Phabi,  but,  after 
a  year,  had  had  him  displaced,  in  favour  of  Eleazar,  one  of  his  own 
sous.  He  himself  declined  to  take  the  place  again,  on  the  same 
ground  on  which  Jonathan,  another  of  his  sons,  af tenvards  did  so,  in 
the  days  of  Herod  Agrippa,  when  tliat  king  -wdshed  him  to  take  it  a 
second  time.  The  family,  though  loose  enough  in  more  serious  mat- 
tersj  were  very  strict  as  to  hierarchical  order.  No  one,  they  held, 
should  put  on  again  the  sacred  vestmeiits  after  having  orice  laid  them 
off,  and  released  himself  from  the  obligations  under  which  their 
wearer  lay.  Hanna  bowed  to  this  rule,  as  vital'  to  the  theocratic  con- 
stitution, by  the  help  of  which  his  liouse  stood  at  the  head  of  Israel. 
He  chose,  therefore,  henceforth  to  guide  the  reins  in  safe  obscurity, 
but  with  a  firm  hand. 

His  sons,  Eleazar,  Jonathan,  Theophilus,  Matthias,  and  Hannsis, 
successively  became  high  priestfi,  but  when,  at  his  death,  the  leading 
spirit  was  gone,  the  brutality  of  the  Sadducee  came  more  prominently 
into  play,  and  speedily  led  to  the  ruin  of  the  house. 

Among  the  high  priests  whp  had  iuteri'upted  the  direct  reign  of  this 
family,  Caiaphas,  son-in-law  of  Hannas,  ni led  longest.  At  the  time 
of  the  condemnation  of  JesiiS,  he  had  held  the  high  priesthood  for 
geyenledh  yearsj  having  ^iven  Pilate  no  excuse  for  setting  him  uside, 
in  spite  of  ihe  conflict  respeeliiio-  the  eagles,  liie  shlelds^-tcLich^he  con- 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


787 


dults  of  Jerusalem.  He  even  retained  it  till  after  the  great  day,  in 
the  year  a.d.  86,  when  the  sacred  vestments,  so  long  hela  from  them, 
were  handed  over  by  Vitellius  permanently  to  the  Jews,  instead  of 
being  given  out  to  them  from  tiie  stnong  room  of  Antobia,  a  week 
before  each  great  feast,  for  seven  days'  purifications,  washings,  and 
consecrations,  to  free  them  from  heatlien  defilement,  before  they 
could  be  worn,  Caiaphas,  however,  had  little  to  do  with  procuring 
this  great  favour,  and  was  almost  immediately  after  deposed;  Jona- 
than, the  son  of  Ilannas,  being  appointed  in  his  stead. 

Thus,  at  the  time  of  the  condemnation  of  Jesus,  the  acting  high 
priest  was  only  a  puppet  in  the  hands  of  a  powerful  family,  at  tho 
head  of  which  stood  Ilannas,  his  father-in-law,  sorely  envied  by  the 
.rest  of  tlie  priestly  aristocracy. 

Jewish  tradition  descrn)e8  the  grades  of  the  Ancient  hierarchy  as 
consisting  of  tlie  high  priest;  his  deputy,  orSagan;  two  suffragans. 
of  the  Sugans;  seven  priests,  to  whom  were  entrusted  tlie  Keys  of  the 
Temple;  and  three  treasurers,  whose  oftlcc  it  was  to  give  out  the 
sacred  vessels.  Of  those  holding  these  offlces  when  Jesus  was  con- 
demned, we  can  still  darkly  make  out  some.  Beside  Caiaphas,  at  his 
right,  hiuid,  sat  Hanuas,  Ihc  titular  second,  bat  real  head.  Jochanan 
Ben  Zacchai,  called  John  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  ono 
Alexander,  seem  to  have  held  the  next  dignities,  and  after  them  camo 
the  live  sons  of  Hannas,  already  an  old  man,  Eleazar,  Jonathan, 
Theophilus,  Matthias,  and  Ilannas-^the  five  apparently  hinted  at  in 
the  awful  parable  of  Dives  and  his  live  brothers —all  to  be  high  priests 
hereafter,  and  Hanuas,  the  younger,  to  stain  his  pontificate  by  the 
murder  of  James,  the  brother  of  Jesus. 

The  names  of  some  other  members  of  what  we  may  call  the  self- 
constituted  high  ecclesiastical  council,  still  survive.  Among  these 
were  Joazer  and  Eleazai*,  the  sons  of  that  Simon  Boethus  of  Alex- 
RDdria,  father  of  the  second  Mariamne,  the  belle  of  Jerusalem, 
married  by  Herod.  The  father,  though  well-nigh  a  heretic  in  the 
eyes  of  thn  national  party,  had  been  made  high  priest  by  his  royal 
son-in-law,  and  his  sous  had  siiccccded  him  in  the  dignity,  but  bore 
an  evil  name  for  their  state  and  violence-  Their  guard  of  spearmen, 
indeed,  became  an  object  of  popular  hatreil.  Simon,  surnamed  Kan- 
tbera — the  Quarrelsome — the  murderer  of  St.  James,  the  son  of  Zab- 
dai, — and  his  son  Elioneus,  afterwards  high  priest,  had  a  right  to 
attend,  and  did  so  with  a  pomp  which  brought  on  the  family  the  curse 
of  the  people — "  Woe  to  your  fine  feathers,  ye  family  of  lianthera!" 
Ismael  Ben  Phabi,  the  handsomest  man  ot  his  day,  was  another 
mitred  high  counsellor,  to  be  famed  hereafter  for  the  clubs  and  blows 
of  his  serving  men,  the  greed  of  his  bailiffs,  his  shameless  nepotism, 
and  the  Oriental  luxury  of  his  dress  ;*oue  outer  tunic  of  which  cost 
a  hundred  minee— equal,  perhaps,  at  this  day,  to  eighteen  hundred 
pounds.  There  were,  also,  Johanan  Ben  Nebedai — the  persecutor  of 
Bti  F«ul;-iu£amOttii  in  I{btfir  da^  as  a  ssusuM  i^'0i\*^J^#  suxe^ 


788 


THS-LIFB  OF  CHRIST. 


even  the  holy  sacrifices  for  his  feasts;  and  Issachar,  of  Kefar  Barkai, 
who,  in  his  pontificate  of  a  later  day,  would  not  sacrifice  except  in 
silk  gloves,  for  fear  of  soiling  his  liands,  and  lived  to  liave  those 
handi  barbai-ously  cut  off  l)3>Kiag  Agrippa.  Buch  were  the  men 
about  to  seize  Jesus.  No  wonder  that  cvei\  tlie  Talmud  relates  tlint 
voices  were  hen rd  from  the  Holy  of  Holies,  crying; — "Depait  from 
the  Temple,  ye  sons  of  lilli ;  ye  defile  the  house  of  j.ehovan  1" 

The  elders  of  the  people — a  body  equivalent  to  a  Jewish  Senate- 
were  in  no  less  agitation  respecting  Jesus ;  for  they,  also,  were  identi- 
fied with  the  preservation  of  things  as  they  were.  One  or  t\vo  of 
them — Nicodcmus,  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea — Averc  secretly  iu  his 
favour,  but  they  had  not  moral  courage  to  take  his  part  openly.  The 
names  of  the  rest  have  perished. 

The  college  of  Rabbis  took  an  equally  vigorous  part,  but  its  mem- 
bers at  this  time  can  only  be  guessed,  though  some  who  liad  met 
the  boy  Jesus,  twenty  years  bclore,  in  tho  Temple  school,  doubtless 
isurvived. 

It  was  late  in  the  nighl  of  Thursday  when  Jesus  had  ended  Hij^kst 
discourse  and  farcwclfprayer.  According  to  the  immemoriul  custom 
of  the  nation  to  mingle  songs  of  praise  to  God  with  thqir  feasts,  the 
little  band  had  already  sung  the  first  tw<  of  the  six  Psalms — the 
one  hundred  and  thirteenth  to  one  hundred  and  eighteenth — which 
formed  the  great  Hallelujah  of  the  Passover  and  all  other  feasts. 
The  stillness  of  the  night  had  been  broken  by  the  sound  at  the  time 
when  the  second  cup  had  been  poured  out.  Now,  at  the  close,  the 
voices  of  the  eldest  of  them  chanted,  with  slow,  solemn  straius,  the 
remainder  of  the  Hallelujah — the  rest  responding  with  the  word, 
Hallelujah,  at  the  close  of  each  verse.  The  anthem  began  fitly— 
**  Not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  Thy  name  give  glory,  for  Thy 
mercy  and  for  Thy  truth's  sake,"  and  closed  with  the  words  of  the 
hundred  and  eighteenth  Psalm — "Blessed  be  He  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  Jehovah;"  the  Apostles  responding — "In  the  name  of 
Jehovah,  Hallelujah  1"  Antf,  now,  all  was  over,  and  the  Eleven, 
following  their  Master,  went  out  into  th<j  nigj|it.  .Tli^y  were  on  their 
Wav  to  Gethsemane;  i';'''    '.  '^'■^■^?  .''t  .r't 

The  spirit  of  Jesus  had,  hitherto,  been  calm  and  serene.  But  the 
final  close:  the  break  with  all  the  past:  the  shadow,  deeper  than  that 
of  Kedron,  before  Him,  for  the  time  brought  on  a  reaction,  an  hich, 
till  it  passed,  overwhelmed  Him  with  trouble.  ISo  wonder  the 
Apostles  had  been  cast  down  when  even  He,  who  had  been  exhorting 
them  to  dismiss  sorrow,  was  Himself  moved.  Behind  Him  lay  iiie, 
beforo  Hiin  death:  He  was  about  to  leave  friends;  and.thefjiih'  eailb, 
whlehi  as  a  i!aan»  He  loved  so  well;  and  His  infantXhurch»  the  hope 
of  theF  wotld  He  had  come  to  save.  Beforo  Him  lay,  not  only  niuuial 
death,  but  shame,  derision,  misconception.  He  whose  whole  soul 
was  truth,  was  to  be  crucified  as  a  deceiver:  the  ope  qn  earth  abso- 
lutdijr  l»jal  t^ Qo^t ]ie  was  to dio  aa a l^laspkemeii  .  To  iMixoisteptfr 


•rafc  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


780 


sented:  to  feel  the  \itt<^r  falseness  of  charges,  and  to  be  cmclfled  on 
the  ground  of  thojn!  How  mii^ht  it  nflfect  tlie  little  band,  to  whom 
tlic  future  of  His  kingdom  was  ehtrustcd V  He  had  hitherto  restrained 
Himself  frotn  using  His  suncrnaturaf  power  in  His  own  bclinlf— 
would  He  still  do  so?  He  had  but  to  sjwak,  and  all  would  he  chanj^ed ; 
for  llewhocoi^ld  calm  the  waves  of  Iho  rea,  cruild  still  the  tumult  of 
the  people,  and  what  wcire  Temple  guards  or  HoUlatv  noldlers  againr^t 
legions  of  an^^ls?  Would  He  still  absolutely  subordinate  jvU  thought 
of  seU ?  "Would  He,  to  the  end,  let  men  do  with  Him  as  they  pleaded, 
though  He  hud  at  His  command  all  the  powers  of  heaven?  Tho ' 
temptation  of  the  desert  and  of  the  mount;dn  may,  for  a  moment, 
have  returned,  and  who  can  tell  the  struggle  it  must  liave  been  to 
overcome  it? 

Nor  was  even  this  alii  *rhe  mysteries  of  the  divine  counsels  must 
be  for  ever  unknown,  but  they  pressed,  in  all  their  Avelght,  on  His 
nbsolnlely  sinless  soul.  .  He  was  to  give  His  life  a  ransom  for  man :  to 
be  mude  an  offering  for  ain,  though  He  kno^V  none;  to  be  repaid  for 
infinite  love  and  goodness  by  ignominy  and  siMaiU'^.  Perfect  inno- 
cence frcclv  yielding  itself  to  miseonc'j'ptloii  aAd  death,  for  the  un- 
worthy ana  vile,  would  ba  transcendent  ove  i  in  a  man,  but  in  the 
Son  of  God.  Who  can  tell  what  it  was  to  have  fcft  the  right  hand  of 
the  Majesty  in  the  heavena  to  r^i oop  to  Calvary  1 — for  Him  who  could 
raise  tlie  dead  to  descend  to  the  tomb!  No  wonder  His  human  soid 
was  for  the  moment  eelipsod  and  clouded. 

They  passed,  silent  and  sad,  dowm  the  steep  side  of  the  ICedron.  for 
the  town  gate  was  open  that  nightas  it  was  Passover,  and,  crossing 
by  the  bridge,  were  on  the  road  which  leads  over  the  Mount  of  Olives 
to  Bethany.  The  noise  of  the  multitude  had  passed  away,  and  tho 
world  lay  asleep  under  the  great  Passover -moon.  The  path  lay 
among  stone-walled  orchards  and  gardens,  which  Titus  was,  here- 
after, to  lind  so  many  deadly  battle-gi'ounds,  with  the  walls  for  ram- 
parts. He  had  gone  out  of  the  city,  each  night,  to  Bethany,  but  had 
no  intention  of  doing  so  now,  for  He  knew  that  His  hour  had  come. 
Ahvajrs  given  to  solitary  prayer,  among  the  hills  so  dear  to  Him  as 
a  Gahlaean,  He  had  often  turned  aside  to  commune  with  His  Father 
on  one  pjirt  or  other  of  Olivet,  and,  this  night,  chose  the  stillness 
and  shade  of  a  spot  which  His  presence  made,  henceforth,  sacred 
ior  over.  An  olive  orchard  lay  near— known  by  the  name  of  the  Oil- 
Piois — or,  as  vre  arc  accnslomt'd  to  think  of  it-— 'Gcthscmane.  It  was 
(  \led  so  from  a  rock-hewn  trough  in  it,  in  which  the  rich  olives  were 
trodden  with  the:  f det,  the  oil  flowing  into  a  lower* vat  af  hand.  Tlie 
new  leaves  Were. bpening  over  the  branches  as  they  passed,  arid  the 
moonlight  fcH  thi'ough  tlielr  motionless  net  Work,  on  the  tender  spring 
»:;;i'as.3.  BtillU'>sS.  peace,  solitude,  fllled  earth  and  air*  even  the  bli5ic{$ 
:0.opt  safely  on  the  boughs,  under  the  great  skV;  for  they,  too,  had  a 
Heavenly  Father.  Horiah  rose  in, richly  wooded  terraces  beiiindy 
Orowd0#Wtth^«k^  Sii^r-whtt^  l^mpS'lrf  Itb  lUag&IffoeuoeTwutii  W 


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foimtheni^iivin^^ilSTbord^r  ol  g«rde?i?  and  ofe|^^S|ptli9,j['«jtow^tIopei 
of  Olitet  siK^Upd  Ijelw^P  t|iein#ni|  t^jloy^  co^f^  of  l^ljuioy. 

Amidi^  IhiSfquiel  and  befiaty>iiBf,jiiaAii^«  ^esus Turned, 9jRicuj,aud 
enterfld  the  todq^ure  of  QeXh^Qm^mr.  io  t  ^treiigin^^,  H^  ap^V / pr  th^ 
cmonig  Qriii».    Jt  was  a  iuiiig  plAper^nn^^qk  oUvi^  f^^^^^v^hlen^aot 

A^uorey  8ltQnefW(i£iiea^H>t,  plofe  l^  »«■  $il^  to  iBetj^u^r,  m  the 
edge  of  tJie  Kedroti  mvkie,  vinder  tiie  c^d^w  ql  ihejfi^n^me  J^ll,  is 
still  showiL  as.  the  spot  yenerable<  olhre-jtfeee,  fifa^ea  W}m'  suj^ersti- 
tiouseifl^^  are  ctoimed  a9  the  Yfry^'vi^itiiessef  o^  puf^  Saviour's  jagony, 
l^utit  i^  fam  to  the  belief  jp  thdr  age^^^^t  [Jfitusi  alter^iii;^ 
dpwn, itJl  tlie  trees  around  Jerusi^m,  ^ fo^  jgaiWfml  lise^, and  t^a^  the 
same  fate  has  befallen  tbe  whole  fiei^hbpni^ooa  even  ii|  |at(5r jsiieees, 
But  the  gnikFied  trnnkp,  iweQty  to  thirty^feet  h^gb,  t^e  br/c^a  ^^ancEes, 
mid  the  BtiU.$eeli|i^Qn,  at  leajati^I^p^^ 


>:  yifhen:  fhe  sqiiI  If  Ave? wheliwa  ife  fse^ks  itp  |)e  Blom,  ^d,  vei^^ofi  too 
far  from  human  ^mpa^hy  and  kfi^^n  ^o  ta^f,all  li^e  Me^en  "^iih 
Him*  into  ^he  idept^sio^f  ^  gardei^^  ( would  l^e,  itiyai^d Vt^P;  jsiw^red- 
nessiof  lEiis  retk^nent.  Only  thjeej  t^  moat  t^ii^st^-7T^|||6n|;:fried, 
andearly  ft)lJower8fT-Pet^,,  whose  me^  H^  haq  ||eeii  m\v\f  fpghi 
CJspernaiim  d9y/9,  and  <  James  .a9)djt}i^n»  knjit  to/HiiOil^y  ^cial 
tendeimesd,  if  PPt  even  by.  r^Iatioij/^lpTrwepe  let  foiClp^iffim  beyo2^4 
this  first  few  step  into  the  epclosuie.:;  TI^e«t'^en  wef^  tosi^  down 
az^  test^  while  He  went  into  the  deeper  sl^a^^^ftp  f^i^^^j i,    f  5 ,;  , 

iFc^Iowed  bytfae  Three,  He  passed puf  pf  hearing  pit  the  re^% Jind 
presently^  ieaylng  even  thfse  UwiPebelii^^,  rWi^th  fljje  ivordft  "My 
ecMilJB.^scfiediing  sorrQwiu),;eye^  iun^p  fi^at.hr^iarT'y  yehepe,  and 
•watch  with  Me,  Be- wentpPi  f^fcjputsft  stppe'iS  jBast-rralphe..  ^nd, 
lioWi  ttegreatpentrup  sorrow.  Inipsf^lortlV;, ^4^ 
no  one  knows  how  long, -blithe  excitement, pi  actlp^  .had  repressed 
itIiM  yet^ae  t^(  wind  keeps  4  heai^yTajn  qloifd  fi»ni|b^^k|f g.  But, 
hei^ev  instead  .el  the  citT  and  jits  mulititud^^  pf,merk.th^re'^§Pj»iience 
and  loneliness:  ins^aa  of  the  <&trapt}pii&^f  j^i^lict  ji^lth^ 
oi^diseourBcs^lth  ,friei}ds,<,He  W;a^|aeeto  fao^^itl)  His  ip^yn  thoughts, 
and  with  the  £*a8t  add  the  Future,  and  that  in  ^e  nig)it,  an/|  in  suc|i 
awful  isolattcMi.  Forit^emed  asif  even  hea^ep  ,were  ai^jfar  from 
Him  as  the  sympathy  of  enrjth :  as  if  e^enitfr  lights;  had  gpneput,  and 
He  wais  treading  t^e.  valley  of  tiie  i^hadow  or  deathfinfa^rror  of 
thick  darkness,  Must  He  bear  all?  Must  the  cun ^he  4rMQ^  to  the 
dregs  ?  Was  redehiption  possible  oply  rat ,itbe  awiuli  pHpp  that  so 
oppressed  ^iasoul  ?  Qauld.the  houv  not  ]^8§2f  .'v^aft  x^np^j^^ 
forthe  £tpii^|^Faj|ieir  tOisa^ejHim  from  lt|^ 


;  fThe  tao»<i  wiitera  labour  to '  despribe  the  agppy  it^  OTemhelmed 
Eim^  They  tett  us  thk  He  ^t  l^eeled*  then  fell  m  His  ^p  on  tbe 
«iMh»  fmd  pniypd  wUhiStrong  drying  anNdtpa^  till  H|g  t^lpaf  <l|;>eGanie> 


«oul,  tis  it  w^rl^.  flij^  Uncter  the  viiiibii  thttt  rose  before ;  itt  **<  Oi^y. 
F^et-j'^^e  cnM;  ''  if  it  be  lybssil)!^.  Kit  this  ctp  pass  from  mfe ; 
aeV€M\ele^;  iidtiiif  ^11,  but  Thhief,  bi6  done. "  Butiis  long&a  th^ro 
wasW  Whiggletyf  t&^  fHiiFhtfinan  hiiiul'6,  iihtt  a«ry,h6wevier  referent 
and  low)Y7ior.ojbaD0e4  if  possible,  in,  thie  burden  laid  on  Him,  there 
cow^'rio  pf(^fi<^^  Rising  from  th^  groUUd^  Ift'His  a^ny  ol  spirit, 
even  mimftii  symtiat%  and  presen^eseieitied  «is  ilthey  womdbe  a  lev 
lief'  1^^  came  ihitrmr^  to  the  Three,  but  on(y  to  find  tli^t,  uiHisloiig» 
wrestling  ^^j6l%cati^i  eVeri  they,  His  lieiird^t  ones,  overcome  hy 
weiirfn^^d  61^  Dodjr  lina  sybirijl;,  \hf  suiik  ih  cfeep  sl^ep.  Hoiniiig 
Peteif— liat^ly  ed'bpdstful--  ienlly  repit)ved  Had  Warhed  him^and 
witii  iiltti  ty  Alii^rti. '  **  What !  could  you  not  wktch  wilh  ine  one 
liortr?  Wiitch^  und^ray  as  ye  do  so,  that  ye  may  not  eimose  your^ 
sehreisr  to^i^ptaHiiM  to  be  untnieto.nie,  aiia  to  be><^nded  atme,  as 
I  have  s^d  you  would.  The  spirit  indeed  is  willing  to  stand  by  me 
fatthfiilly,  mt'lmmfkti  nature,  wit^  its  f^stibdt  of  self-j^rei^tatlQiiv  is 
we^,  andif'yoto  heed  n6i  jfnl  mak4  Vbu  fall!*'  tr.|if  ri  .< Kiyl 

luMiVin^  the^  i^%  He  6hcb  more  jHrostra^d  Himself  in  prayei^i 
l}ttt'me^^u'dsWiere  )ilready  for  fiisjwhole  being 'mtate*! 
turtiea  t6  Its  ha^iCiial  harmony  with  the  win  of  God.  Every  deGar9> 
or  Wi^  OT  Ifi6  o]«ytl,  '^yas  passing  like  a  ti^ubled  dream.  *V0  ipy) 
^jittfr.*'  SWed'He  now,  **  if  this  cub  may  not  pass  away  froan  ine^f 
exc^^I'difnk'ft,  ThV%m  1^  dbUr  Perfect  peace  of  soul  can  only 
l^e  foU|idin  absdltit^  sub^^ioii  to  the.  Oiic  Stt|>renie  Will,  and  thttt. 
Hi  waiOa^t  aitt^lttiiijg,'  Retitrnihg  t6  the  Three— wHo  knows  lor 
tPhat?--H(b '  fbuM  them  aslefeji '  a^ain.  Tliey  Were  tosing,,  by  theirs 
bbtir:8  ]^t6*fb;.  the  dm>o¥tUDity  of  6he^Hng  ftud  helping  theiif  Master  itt% 
Hiii^rest  trial: !  Mail  liad  thus  fftiled  Him,  but^'the  need  pf  humaft 
coririfdtt  tc^a^  pils^ni  ji^way.  Befirihg,  therefore,  onoe  more,  .and: 
prdsthltingHin^lfli  third  time,  the  isameGalm;  ehiid4ike.submiai. 
sion  to  His  Father  anain  rose  from  His  lips.  He  had  trium]plisd|i 
ti6  HM  1^n  Ju^ar^  ihmikt.  He  feared.  He  no  longer  craved  a<!ha^») 
eveii'  if  *  pos^itile.  In  tihc  ordered  course  tff  the  divine  purposes:  Hist; 
carne^'i^r^had  pai^^d  itito  still  8u{>mlsSl0n;  His  intense  desire  into, 
holy' jUyjniesc^iice.  We  thou^t  no  16h^er  of  Himself,  but  of  th« 
perfect  love  add  wisdom  pt  me '  Father,  He  had  ceased  to  havs  a. 
wibh:  dttpUghifdr'Hiih.'tieiiceforth,  the  dll-hOly,  all-wise,  aU-loving,- 
wilt  6t%\&  Fkihipf!  HiH  spitit  had  bl-okeu  through  the  cloud  tiiat  fdr 
a  mdiqA^nt  tdarkenled  if,  and  reposed  once  inore  i&  the  calm  light  of 
ti]ie  fa)ee  of  God.  7^e  tempter  had  fled,  and,  in  Hisplac6,  as  after 
the  vibtbi^;^  ol  ^Se  wildertiess,  we  are  told  by  St.  Luke,  v  there  aig>o, 
pcared  An  angel  unto  Him  frofn  Heaven,  stteugthfetting  Him.V   JV 

MeanwHFe^  |i;^a^;iiadl)een-budy:  Exposea;  and  dismia^d  by  his 
Mastbr^in'tii^  cdfti|)any  of  the  Apostles,  lieUad  only  been  the  mo^ 
set  Id  "^#i¥  biit  Ills  nHi^ra^  pilit&ddes:  \HA8tcnlng  ^roug^MUft 
Ulttmr&li^^^tf^et^^%>-  t^e'  i»<lli«^til^  :]^  hSidi^  foithf(sith, ':x#olt4(| 


11 


'^mmmmm^t 


tHutor 


fe: 


'lei 


M 


m 


n 


a; 


heroic  ^ct,b 

Bfet 

suffe 
k 


i^ 


rnif 


.u'  ii*; 


(^4fpK?r. 


tofejto 


^  E  cases, 

jCbmpa- 
OTYea 


tf. 


?i'^n 


mm 


WdeOT.    *^1  roittyQU.^  wpt^dd  He,  f;tk|t|aiiijpie;  if  irduadek 


I, 


I 


il 


\l|v 


M- 


It' 


Ml  wcNild  iiot  Kl  them  ido  iU 


chf^ \hjeikiii  i^  wofld  &ot  |b|  theii^ido  myMv^i  fMsii^  iikey  Mumr. 
seltdl  M^pied  ih  diuiiger^ithroi]%h  4y  imMtm|i]P0f  ^^kt^AIook  t^ 
fli^t  as  soon  as  they  Si|w  their  MaeKter  f  amy  in  tbe  hands  of  His  euetnies., 
lll^  IhtAiise  "ijXCitMaiekit  of  the.hi^fchy  hi^  biTQlceOrit^roilgli  iiil 
TfsilMixts'ofaiBeial  dignity.  JThe,  liarppos^.  ior  U)^  aii^  MCbeen 
tod  imtbrtant  a  inatter  to^  t)e  trusted  to  s#y«^<D)i^i^li')^^<^4'^Ace, 
8Qi|]|e«|^theijMf4  ^ests,  axtd  of  ih«  <^e]dQIiSy  IJliddui^eaJ  leodo^rs 
of  t^i  Tei^plis  |xiiUoe  Jo  the' MMwmokt  to^tlMmfwi.  c  BMrrouitdt4 
o^  all  aio^Sr  m  limAj  bound*  afi  if  His  captipra.  s^  fe^eed  thajt^  ^Ile 
\nyiMii^0wp(i/6f  be  veseti^,.  J^sua  do^  turned  to tt]|4eA9( 4igQM(M^Bri mi 
sad)^' om  of  thfir  jplaoel  i^;  suc^'  a ^scene,  ai)d>  j^i^My* I^^i  IM^ly, 
brooghtbomsfto  tliem  their  iikax!Si»4  ,VYmt^^m 
He,  fi".  nfei  yftii^  ^ht  agaitist  a  fohte^  qri  the  iliead^  of  ^  iirjeiiigj  rwi^ 
sDdQrds  and  clubs..  I  m^  d&3'  1;>y  day,  in  the  ^Temiili^^.tfiia^M&iin.taie 


thiidk  oMl»e  peopja  Yoa  had  every  Qfgf>©rt»«^ityf^liQri»gj>j:^d.fin. 
mo  tbeiiiJhttl  y»t^  did  nothing,  ^  The  aarl^iiess  of.  nightijis ;|$jltteid  for 
your  deigns:  it  ii^  your  hour:  the  powew  ofi  evil%f rfe  by  c^^Jelia 


the  i^w^  But,  in<va^i  fl^ia^  the^  is;  lul  fdtiance:  l|b  i  Jrappe9A>i^ly  Hn 
aj2ecimiDcifr^,ith4ho4Vrcdiotion^]ii)l  the  inrbp^ts^'!^  ^^^ iiMd/pi^ J»^re; 
and^i  them  lead  Hin^fuwaiy^  ;  )Th(i  disciiJles  rwere  featteimi  w^^^ 
fomiiliovered  aftev  them,  white  i^  theiuqjQ^Hj^: ;  Jit  ii^p  1^ 
y6^Ilg'  mata^y^Q  had,/i)p|Mix€ot]y^^ 

tyittmtr  iE^^Mviflg  fhi'owa  his  wfiiitQ  Hiiicn  sleQi^i^selM  i^u^  Mm 
m^mfi^^yna^  IbUoiRrii^  J^us  toiAa^S'theiiclU^^  WJto^iAras.^ust 

itt  <ft!  on^i  from,  thie  jioi^o  M}^  c^taclied  to  Geihsetna^e^l-tB^ifi^  l^a^^ 
suppo^  hii^  to  halve  becn.l4izi^i]a>  xitliiers  hatdi  bild  di^i^f^ei^Moh' 
j^tiiJiesVlie  wi»;  lit  leii8t,:toiue  fnjlthf*il  hear^t^i^ftges  to^s^  whi^they. 
woi^d  cfe  wijlh;his  Lo«L  i  fllirioldi^^ 

invBO  idlers  tb  tM^i^  ihfnxir  but  t|ii$  mmge  ikppai^tllWJtv^t|»fited 
th«i^  »Ueo«io>nl,  and  th^  sought  to  )ayJidld!iQn,^tim4(  C!s«^)»g>m  thi? 
cloth  fiT6vad'li)nk,  boweireri  ht; esca^fd  out  oiMi^tlm0Mi.i} .  ?^k ;   ^ 

Tettaiere  i*i^r»  friendly  eyes  foWo:wingith«t8^  soeoc,7iB|itfte  s»fp 
d^rlioess  of  the  ziri|^t  I%t«i*  und  0ot^  ii£  tbeii^^o&tass*  Tf|i0  j^i^4 
on)v  be  John,  hadlied  iiii>  fuftltec^t^l^an: Safety  JeinaoMiflili^lcii^wed 
t^^crowdv^^t  a  dlstancfti  unable  to  leave  one  tiiey  held^^dewj,  };. 

Th^  great  object  with  tlic  a^ithorjties  was  talttirryiikMjwwd  the  pror 
ceidhiiga  agdinst:  their  j^iiioner  so.quibl^^  tli»t  Hie^isntglttibMLd  Him 
opsr  ^  tb»:Hoiiiaii«  a».  ot^e  ^iilready  ^ond^anedi  l|tef<Jm  Jlfe8;.people 
coidd  be  roused  pn^  side;    They  Imd  gairieddOitelPa^Qisk^lolWn 

Oh  teaching  Jerusalem,  Jesus  was  first  led  to  the  mansion  of  Habnas, 
the  bead  of  the  reigning  priestly  family,  either In  deference  to  his 
recognized  influence,  or  because,  as  the  oldest  high  priest,  he  was 
still  recogpize^  as  the  rightful,  if  not  le^l,  dignitary.  He  cpwld  see 
Jesus,  and  hear  His  defence,  and  advise  bis  son -m-law  bow  to  act.  H,is 
"Bftakeniic''  cMt  ihigtrt  heip  thcless  k^ia  Caiiiphas.       '   "  "<  * 


¥■ 


•MS  USFE  GFiGBSSBt. 


741 


"MhaA  pme4  liefoiv'Hannas,  or  wiiat  hic^ts  he  tent  QaiaphM.  are  np^i 
kfiowh.    It  m&f  tie  tb«t  he  simplT.  passed  cai  tbe  |Mrieonei;to  the  logial 
hli^'pfiestat  ooe^,  hurfyisig  to  folkiiwBun^andaeourcHlB^eondeiiu 

The  houfl^s  of  the  ^gmat^  u>  the^^iHit,  are,  xMlifir,  a  group  of  build- 
inpis,  or  chimnbenvof  unequal  fae^ht.  hear  or  above  each  other,  ¥|ith 
pdMigiMJ  btftir^d; :«Ml  >  tatarvehh])^  /0]ieii>  t^Baeftft ;  <  tiie  dfteMkHfintMio- 
tUMBlavlii^  ktdeifBiideiit 'entilaDce^  Abd  etearatfriDof sj  i  fi&oh  a  boiuie; 
oip  fttthdr  <!lii8(ev  >of  ^  tfoueet,  has  usually  the  f onn  «if  a  huge  holldW 
s^ttexi^tli^ l^r  Md9»  of  'whiohi  siiurround!Rvtoolii!jF!G<niit;ipa%ed^  io 
sOtia»ea90»;f4ii^Dthidi!$^  platyted  with  tfees^  ^aiidof Bamebtiil^itii  uUif/n 
oi  tKHS^irmi.  Boinm\itom,  an  nadergroand  ciatei^,  wifpiin^^icttk  batli, 
dseiB  t wi  IdtyfT v:  4)loabttndii»t « water,  atid  limkes  the  eoiwt  «h  Agree- 
able'spottfor  ^jneiaxatki^h  or  refreshiheot.  Porticos  and  ganeiiee  mn^ 
rotthd'il^^id'filriiiQlvc'efaahibeiB.foi^  gdest^t  and  entertaittihents;  ^  in 
8diti# houses  Iheiifffeiyiiso  a  £»^|E)court,  ciuilooed  f ^m  dlealr^  b^  wdlie, 
and,  iiif  allv  tlie^lhb&i^  cmttfr I4i«iached  by  m  archway  through  the  front 
baildiiig-^^* tlie^ pbrbhi '*  hi  the  narrative  ofthe < Goepelek   ^. ni    > P  i <    \ 

ThiiHevaMshioJil  pari^'we^  hi  perinanfeiitiiesifrionin  th<^mifiiiMi$ii  wr 
. *pa/^kf^t  Oaittphas.^  Aj&mJS^^Bkm,  consiMing  nialiU^ vif' iStrntSiM 
piiesfe,  with  Ckiiaplias  at  their  heady  liad  bee»iippb&dte4  to  aWatti  the 
T«8tlit'>ol*  the^  Ci'each^ry  olJud^;  ^^thtt  whole  patty^fhi  Its  lilarm, 
had  e&tetifrp(Wi2tdi$  jbitit^^tSoii^  thought  their!  talcing  any  jiidlehirjitepa 
aff^aH  Wttft  irrt^itilaf ,^  4ar  tliey  fisuhned  tkOf  >  tegaM»«irt  oi^i^gnhied  trt^ 
bu^M.^  ''They  Wfifi^^faply' acting  a$  ft  «?lfcottstltiited  body?  ^pafUsiinfei 
of  eiitabtlsbod^eodeMastical  i^^  ^defenders  of  thehDowib  vtetedv 
r^t^  j  pifStiUmdi^M  >tlie>  ^tiiftiohs  of  Tthd  ^  higli  piieMv  in  \  the  blind 
exttitettient^OffiMittieism  aiidi<paBSioii;Jwithoat  ntW  of  jtidi^ial  j^iyK 
eeddinii,  <iit  X^mmAMa^mk  <so\\tt.  The  chief  Jlabbis^iih&scbool 
of  HlUel  geaettatty'  kept  aloiof  from  tach <  tdmuHuohs'  andfvic^^t  |pro^ 
ceedin^^ Whisht wi$i«  ah^dy  too>  coihmonyttndie£t  tfiemlio^Uioae  of 
thdfi«ie##(lhtii^  olHtehamihai^  aad  to  the  merdifes^SaddiieeeaJ  TIm^ 
name  Sanhedrim  i»  givten  in  the  Qospelsr  to  43uch  extempdfized  assconf- 
blie9;ftiiiiplya8'«Q(^^ft#)thei«^  '^an  assenibiy.^f  But iVis 

ufdt  «Msed  m  them  ^'the  title  of  a  Vsp^  tribintil.    It  was  bef  ore^araiob 
of  digiiitarietij  notw>^*'4^eiartiV  that  JesuA  was  brought;         11    r  f  x^n 

The  comfti4ssiOA<^  wetfe  awaiting  the  arrival  of  their  pr6y  In  the. 
houiSo'M  Oaiaphas,  who,  as  high  prieet/  was  thte  only  repkcsentatlve 
of  Judttisni  r^iESOgnized  by  Ihe  -Romans.^  Rn4  therefiorev  the;oidy  one 
Who  cQuldi  hold  official  i^elationB  with  Mate,  to  ask  hhn'tg  tarry  out 
thek^predeiliiii&lnied  Insolations  put  Jesus  to  d^tlL 


■rHA 


hM 


/' 


'n-^ 


/  -r 


f    'fr^r-i 


,f+ 


CHAPTER  Llu.^vifhn^  ^o  - 


',n,>,'| 


'  ii^iMMiB^  Ili^QM^  iW  ^Wd  Wrcb,.  ovv^rcl^?^^  Xkt  inner 

opDrl;  Qjis  (!»pt0K!9><l.Je»U8it0  bnp  ot JIierol)im)Wi»rf<f«nliig  fisom  it, 
where  Hb'jUdl^es  sat;  mdy  to  go  thro^gI),,^^  .naopKery  of  latrial. 
Thjg  liQinaiij|o|f4i0rfl  haAr^m^  ha\M  oiit^uic,,  fbr  thieir  presence 
'ff<}nM^!9.ye;\m^A  oe^Jcwpnt,  jiiuts  the  Je,i?|^  serving  w«n  went  in 
yfM  w.prieftnen  tJ^^owgU  omJ^t,  tlie.  &w,  i:eq!iure4;  oceowpftnied  Him 
to  the  iji^ne^ cdinpUjQi:.  .Th^ijtnhtimal  aljowt  to condenw Rina,  ilmust 
not  b^, foi-gpttqfl,  ,w«8  noit  a  )^gal .'* cowrt/.',.  but  h\m>W  a, selfreonsti. 
jnteq  "  q^niinittpe  of  |^ll>liq  f>afetv:^,eiM|enipori«?ai  by  the  rcxeited 
T^inpte  au^^Qritijes  anA'Ba]l>bfs.  like  the.  ^yigilani^e  C<><ni|?Htces  of 
4p)eri(^c;  V^iUi.a  JiQwipU  Fowquier  TinyiUe  for  Ppew(}e»t*  i»  the  pr- 
Bon  OT.  the  Sa^,<^iip^e,  ,CaiwMA9.  Knp:wi;og  th^-yiegaHty  ^f.tiidr 
P;^qc^dti»g^^  tto  cft^ild  0nly  ywt,uj:o  to  propose  the  fr<n*i»g  an  indict- 
!ffi^t|<^%.l|^fo?Q?m     i^flfdi^'wst ;4Q;  iji^it  vioieiMWi  for-extortiDg  a 

1^  bipffirc^^  were  masters  qf  form,,  and  kni^w  h^w  ta  i  honour  4be 
appei^rfl^p, pf  j^pt^C^  jwhlle  njQckingthe  rtaHty,,  ijn  ipiltationpfahc 
t^ditiani^l  usagias  of.  thq,SanheMri9)i  whileiit  eilst^d,! fthe.iudgesi  be- 
^l^.^/Jiotb  J^su^.iy^^  J^d  /^,  tu^baned,  on,  cu^hi(^a  or  .pillows^  in 
Orif^pi^  f ai^)uon,  wit^ji  i;ro$sc,^  legs,  aod  upshod,  feet,  \^  a.hal|  eiicle; 
CJi^hittS,  ftlh^g)^  ^rij^ai,^h  rhe,oeiM<re,5aod(lhe  (Dhief.ojiioM^^^^ 
JM t0 ;prec(Kl^ncp;^;<)i> ^^m si^e^  "I^iepiiiwnerwiVspilaccdM standing, 
belbro  Q§iaphc}s ; . at  (^^\  end, of  the  eemipirclu . sat  a  ,«cribe,  M  ^'ritc 
out  the.  i»}iiUincjq  Qi;,ficquit^al  m  condemna^ioni  jsopw}  MwSv  with 
cords  ^4  tho^^s,  gt»ard94  i^Q .  Acp^8ed^^  ^.^,  &  iew  others  stood 
be|rihd,  .to  cal)  wiUjiess^s*. A^(i*  ^  the i closer  to  CAn:y  put, the,  decision 
.of  the  ^dgca., .,,_;. ,  .s,,:,  \,..;  <^.•.,';• -■.:  hT^-.,-,  ^'--ij-v/? -•i-Kii .':.   • 

]^i)^br^st  ptl^;pr  natters  iu  the  J'udaismi  of  llie^  time, -uo>M!f  could 
be  feaper,  bif:'morc>tti^ct|yp,^  oui  paper  alone,  ithan  the 

riilcs^for  tlie  ti  ifjl  9^  prisoner^,  TM .  occusfid  wa/^,  ,ir^  njl  /cases,  to  be 
held  innocent,  tili  proved  guilty.  It  was  an  axiom,  that  '^the  San- 
hedrim was  to  save,  not  to.  destroy;  U^c/,*», No, one  :<;QU,ld.V«  tried  and 
cpndemncit^  in  liis  absenc^^  and  >y^ea  a  person  accused  iW<^l}i'<>ught 
beJo^'o  tho^cqurt,  ^  \yas  iUc  duly  .of  the  pr^jsjdejat,  M  -the  outset,  to 
admbnish  tlio  wittiQ8SC^iqje|i|ea#eC;tli5-,Ay^^ 
take  care  that  they  fotgoj;  ndtmng  that  wbula.  telV  in  the  prisoner's 
favour.    K6r  wns  hq  lof(  undcfex^dcdT^  Batd^Bi^^^  was 

appointed,  to  see  that  all  possible  was  done,  for  ?  his  acs^ulttaL 
Whatever  evidence  tende(J  iq  aid  tiim  was  to  be  freely  adm^jited,  &tkd 
no  member  of  the  couji  who  had  once  ^okon  in  fayo^^r  of  acquittal 
CMiid afterwards toto.fQi' (;oudema£itlouv    Tho. v<>ie£i'ol|l>jb^^4«t2iwr. 


.;  ^f     Jt      .i  v>  tf     ^  -■-* 


rv 


tHB  tiFB  OF  dlhllST.  iAI 

of  the  Jisages  were  takefn  first,  thftt  they  hi)^t  n6t  ^  IWn^ 
their  e^niors.  In  capital  charges,' it  require^  a  majority  of  at  i^t 
two  to  condemn,  ana  while  ihe  verdict  c^  acq(iiiV«al  could  be  givep 
at  dnce,  that  of  guilty  cdoHi'  6mT  lie  rironoiinced  tjib  day  after. 
Henc^,  capital  trialftcoiilc}  not  beg[|n  on  wd^yprecedihga  oabMth, 
or  pqMc  feast. 


No  criniinal  trial  could  he  ci 


mi^% 


i)i^;  %He  tuVr^s^HB^iMd^mnied  kny  diiW  to  ayftl^^ 

d^y  b^oi^;>ftt^l  ndMi^<e8cil(I't)e,^xecuted'bh  th6  iki^  dft^M  Vf|M^ 

Riiles  so'^r^i^e  and  d6'htli^i^o'itibn(demn 'the  WhoIc;t 
before  Caiaphas;  as  an  outrage.  rB  Wtis;  itiyf^ictf,  AqJ  ai 

Ifltfc*  days  b^Jeirti<^*feni. :  /•F!tftin6'd8  triliiibf^^^^  aiiiff  jtiaicftt 

telto  UsJ'*'*  v^r^Miet  up;  atid  keii  cdifed  ib^Uer  to  iK?t"flifli;jt^te6^ 

thb%h  they  h^<  tio'  imiyxM)Ai^,  \*^hen'  t j^as '  de8li:ed  to  69c%e  TO 

death  Of  an'oppaoertt  *'    M  in  mos3  latei',  instaflOes;  Sc^  how;ifi'th6 

cfc^  of  Jefes,%^y  k3pt  Wttfe  fonb  Arid  Ai<^ke&  of  a  M^^^ 

thte  cWs?.    No'  ncctsner  appelirea,  aiid  thp  judge  hiiMelftpwittft 

oim,'ih-  uttei^' VloWtloh  #^all  'tei^ty.    intne^O 

t>rfia*ofer  «lo^^ipiir^d.  diid'  wer^,  fti&ettd;  ^fiy.T>*6<iia'^'^  '"^^ 

by  the  judjje;  but  not  a  ,single  viritness  in  HiS  deifiEshbdj 

thiwp  t*i*^ljtw  jniVe  sutih  with^iafes^  the  t)tefdeii<s6.;  IffO,^™.  «-.„,,. 


?m<: 


evwn  the  possibility  offered,  for  His  calling  rViiim 

TW^'mifi}'  f roWtlie  tlAI,  sbi^ffo  cWieitiAV'ibot  W.tM  mwj^^^ 

quired,  tioaciiiit.    Tiitir^  wjis'hb  ai^teihbt,' ks'  VA«  Wal,  U    "^ " ''  *  * 


tiiii;  t*astw<OrtBri^si^f  the  hBsAle  ^d6rite  Wlilo£  -  .^^. 

hilt«<,  t6^  thb^  >#hcl  gaVe  it.  W  ^hfe  mOilal  WSi  leg^l  o|f^e  .oFM-! 
lihfttlh^^. '  So  ketSnly,  lnd?is?d.  lias' W^Jiim^aT  itjw^        feSw. 


tirU 


bi^ti'f«JU*bytli«'J6wl«i 
aftt*t»i<rai^4'  ihVenCerf  Ib^ 


r6wl«i  tiatiotf;^^  iti  later'tlittS.  tb^t  the  dociripe  wiS. 
Jerf  lb^%lfe  Tabhtid;  t&at  atff  ofe^^hp  g^^    mmam 

mm  ot  whrt-iaa  the^ieopir ^fef  fvpw'the m; 


tli^'^bf>ath 

glfiiiiii»^tf  #Iiloh  lM  i3ici6bra^ 


i 


74»  's^i^ii^m  (pfmwmr 

itod  modftcations  of  it  wWch.foijiaBd  tije. cuwsnl;  J^w.  ,..4  «»text 
hftdto  be  lqTCtit€jd  lor  tbei9PWW  tpken.  JIM  reaj  ^OTWocft  wm  tb>t 
theChxjrch  authbrities  felt.  Hft  WM  dj%ing,  *  w^itiwU dA^^ 
which,  if  left  %o  d^vftlopand  $nre^.w<)M^  iji#i?J(ia^ 
(jorrtpt  theocracy.  ai»tiriyUli(Jt,  th^ir  <?Yr»  po.^fff  and  jforWly  in- 
teWBSts.  to  gaiaa brief  )PB8plte,„(hey  were,a Wft  §»  IW**w«  §^5^  to 
death,  thdugh  Hia  toftx  jwr%;pf  maafj^oia^^^  traffsqen W  tho 
hitfhiBt  iclei3$hl«UerroMown,  and  HiadivinegOjwiReeeTpfW  aHpgethpr 
unique.  They  did  not;«ce  that,  Jo  WU  JSiro,  waa  oftJy  tp,|^aatei>,the 
rai^^ihe  cauee lliey  aought  to  Mpboid  ,,        ,  .      hj^i/.  a,ii  v 

3tttlHii|i  iriWtnal  ^pry,  rRHfailidi  Wd^e»  ta  tht«  ^^M  ibljndness, 
and  the  shadow  iiito  which  it  threw  their  own  sliortcominKS  rowed 
oi^y  fanatlai  t^gfw  ;  tieije  T«fnain!ed;P9^nfo.t^^^  rii^ce  they 

couM  bring. houcapital  charge rrecfomf?^ in  Uj^  1^  Hiin, 

except  to  feign  horror  a«  J^e(W».  at;  the.  presumR^if^^  m^g  w^^ 
b^Tovr  tfieih  in  worldly  ata^n.  lai^ing  Kirosfilf  .aho^.itha  •divinejy 
ren6aldd.lawi  of  Ko^s,  and  ^n  claiming  cqwaUty  wah  Gcd ; Jpnd 
a8ffa#cicnit}<!ial  f ^enda  of  tJ»c  Boiiian,  .whom  tljqr  V^  JfaJily  hatediti. 
tenMfc:t<>  pretend  iodJgnatWftiannlf^Ar  at  the,|)0pi*lw  diftVT;^nQe 
aiurdTateytiJty  to  the  I^pefcir.  y^hkh  they  a#e«tfid,,tp  beji^^e  would 
SSaitiEioih  Hia  claim  ae  He^piah  pipgv  /  0*4y  ;OnJh|a  M  mw^ 
c6ilM*-they  8eci!n»|he  Uidlq?eijaablft  asH^taiv;p  9iuPo?»n  PW^r.  to 
put 'liibi 'to  deaths  v...  h^' '^^  i^f^"^'  •'.••;;  pn^;  hi  ■  jmi;.  .fr-'ii  <ti  ::-■=,,;'. 

r  Ciui^has  now^  at Ja3l,  hi^> hia  epemy  f«pe^^  fape* . ;Ha,wo»ja  Jet 
Him  feel  what  it  was  to  denounce  the  rj^ieatjjppd  af<  H^r^  d'^ne, 
atj^lsohdlAtbem lip  t^  the,  ob^<jWy,fi|.  Wl^^^^ 
cbattfe  ewtroatdd  to  tbem.  byrBift  .l|ahjpgi>t  cHiinl^ 
^l^theiriiT^^lniil©  luH8diction,.^j^  of 

thi  sacred  enclosurfea.  fia  had  hrwght  nft^sift^afiodivm.^ji^^^^^t^^^^ 
by  the  cohtiaat^  betwecaHiszealin  ithw  mt^n^°' fW^  ^m 
neilledt,  hi  ailoifving  sorcalled  abuae*. ,  jTheNf«i»a%aV Warmer  v?hp 
xw>uld  turn  the  wofld  «ppide  down,  was  ii.ow,atapwi?g,  hownd,  before 
him.  a-lBdhe  had  Him  U  his  mei^cy.i ,  uThe^res^i  o|  vlh^  .W^con^tuted 
ja^e^jhittAitheir  owh  inj^riw  t9;,awge.  for  ^d,JBpfe^ey,f^^V^.PCTibes 
and  Phari«ee8,-riteacber8iOf  the  Ba^i09r7rt^ff»,  W<iiW4?  :<?pn^»JPt. 
asartsiiaritigiy  as  the  knot  of  high-caste  Saddiacees?  Cwaphashad 
longmadeuphis.mind  what  to  d(Q.,  .Thfi  formM.i?i^?a|  ^PJght^oe 
nc«es8ary,  but  the  resullt  was  deternMned  l^efwfpft^^^He  «ad 
already  cotinaelled  both  BftddnceeaiandJPharifeea,  to  lay  laside  mutual 
disputes,  ind  unite  ag&iwfc  J50u$*  aa,pp^.wbq  ffi^a^??!9,4#^^^ 
mon  interested  and  to  saertflc*  HiniVwithowt-,  he|>%to>^  .?ftW.  "^ 
had  ureed,  deMad^d  that  0^»  he.  at  dnfie  ,pp|,  i^^C^i  #  W J?# 
jffii  o^rthrbwing  the  whole  eccle^iasttcal  con^i^utjon,,  i»?|^  wRi^^^ 
ttieir  trclfate  aiid  dignity  ^ere  idenUfled.  Jhe  Bg^tenpe..™,  thus 
mddWtoed  bef OTe  Cfeiaphas  t<mhhisr<8eat,t*aJ.nigj||ty^%ji^eiW 
^roady  openly  said  tm  he  htend^  tti  <3PQdemii>    Jm  Yl 


•rt&i^  ttlte  *t5F '  cttiii#.^ 


*tv 


im 


\4», 


oe^dtegi  iiieTe,!B  f^t/idmpljrit/ttn^^  hypooiltjr^' to  seotm  lh»T 

Dead^.otimiiies  at  other  tin^,  the  "^urt  **<  were  nowon^tlie  moat 
amiable  lerms^itli  eacb  Qlhen  in  their  mtxlety  to  bunt  down  ther 
conoiinoil  foe.  T^e^^pr^M^iniirsjh^gaii.by  <?iii»pbM.  at  he  claoMd 
fieroelir;  ^t  hia  »rl6otiei<,  lualdugmm  < varloua  qu^fUons  iiQ«|N)GUag;  Hit 
diBciplea  aodBia  ^iuibl^ng:  Whjr*he  gaihered  so  many  f^UoweisI 
What  He  h^  ineint%  aendlng  tt^m  through  CklUe^^  aiidiJfuda%. 
annouadolff  the  eonlihg  <rf'  t^  Eoiiffaom  of  Ood  ?  Why,  a  lew  daya^ 
before,  at  Hfs  ei^nee  to  the  dty,  He  had  allowed  the  crowds  toi^f  " 
Him  aa  ^«  lAesaiah  ?  ^  What  ^e  meant  W  the  Uogdomot  f 
siah«  and  wlxy  md^not  formally  and  publicly;  ^roo^^j^ 

such?"     S'-^fTl  olTvit^,  „    •    _^  .....    ..;  /,;;»,u''-?.»-.t:.iiv  ;,vr  ^^C 

Jefoi^  earefllHy  afoi^ad .aby  aliusioiL  to  His  ^ciple^lii  HisanKwar, 
for  to  hftv^  referred  to  liiem  n^ig^  l^tye  hfo^ght  th^rn  |olf>  i^itnoigeiu^ 
A9  ^.  Hlmflclf i  thci  ^M^atiops  neei^'  no-  inquiry  -^  the  mattes  apakfi  for 
itseli  ^.1  lia^e  taiight  frahkly  and  wiiihout  j^aerve,"  isaid  He ;  M I 
havQL  90  aecret 'dootriiii0is;  I  have  spoken  everything  I  had  to  tfmk^^ 
publicly,  in  the  synagofe^es  &i|d<  iMchools  of  tho  lanidk  before  fr|ei^ 
|,  aM  enemies;  airaibere  pi  Jernsaiemi  in<the  l^ple^  where  I  ha<l;iQC; 
Hearers  ilm  people  ass^ahted  f roni  i^t  parts. .  ^I  uwm  taught  .noUdiuf>: 
secret|^,-»^ttot}inig^xoeptin  t^se  public  phices.  Why  do  ^ouaw^malt 
aski^BJieof  the  muUitades  w]|o  have  heavd  me.  -They  k^owswliatrl 
bayesaid  tQ;them,  i|nd  what,  they  say  will  aoem  to  ydii  inere impair; 
tif^i  thsii  anyjWord9'of  tnlqe;  TheXaw  reiqmires  that  witnesses  imnaXd 
flrpt'he'e*^iiied-in any  tH^l."  --■  ;■'•'■':••  ■'■  -•  :-'.  >',  v...;  ■/  :;.,>,.  ^nxht 

fiut  an  h^if^st  iEtnd  f<>rma)  inquiry  dt  thii^daqL'thiQni^  iffitbrasi^ 
lnrthe^#,.wils  h<^partof-.tfae  pl^^  OaiapUaaand  ^lafasso^soiii. 
The}^ sdv^ht  only  Jt6  ,g^t  Jesus  handed  over  to.^|)0  Qomatis,  Sff  sdqn 
as  |>c»si!bler,th^t  H«  niight  be^^l^^  hope  ot fescue,  when  thd 

p^obte,  ahm^  whom  ^e  had  m  many-  sujipiocters,.  awoke,  in;  the 
raom^  lliai'  i^e  ^uld  <laroto  ^ect  the  highi  priest  <tks.  to  hi^i 
dnXyl  and-  should'  pi^^me  Aio  throw  on  th^  conurt  inei  rightful  task  of 
proving  SliS'tnilti  w^  i|fresli>  offence,  and  provoked  fierce  Jopli^s  and 
ffogiy  wdifrds  irom  t)ie  bench.  Thv  defence  was  atoncexudely  interh 
mpte^;  f6)!.i]|ne  of  Che  -^nkeys  ^tHndi&g  by,  whether  j(^t  his  olsm 
ftcc6rd,/hecause  he  sai*-  the  fei^iing  of  the  iuck^a,'  <or.at^  m  hint  fnbim 
Hanttwf  ^  Oalapha^  in  vitter  violf^tiqn  of  ludkdalnilies,  4>r  common 
dcc^nct,  f  orthiiHth  t^^ek  the  prisoner  on  ^e  mouthy  ^noth  hia  hand, 
to  ^enee  Him;  -•*  Atiswer<feat  <aiou  the  Idgh  priest; thus  IWdbfr 
s;iid  h^v'':^t^thi^i^nldi  have  pleased  the  beaoh  bettev,  «md  tliej.did 


1  si\y  be  right,  w|gr  ^^ou-  stijike^  me  vl^ently  thus  I   ^ist  oae  has.^ 
right^o  tai£4rJy^yhiy^i«M^        ^nd^  tttc^i  ]eto>^  servimlilot^lui^ 


4' 


^ 


tite  ^iiii'Bf  ^QF  T^piiil^ 


•  t'.r 


«P|>m1  to  the  known  and  «8tiib){$hed  fonoM  of  trial  had  not 

.  Ibat  Hovtikr  #!tnbtDiB9  Had  HMUfhr '  bMit'  smigllt  «>  WnV  hom« 
to  Jmu^.  if  possible,  somfel  ebhrge<^fnl}ie''d^fiiii6.  6t  0Nlfti6U8  Inn- 
go)^.  fcUt '  toonr  fcadf  bean  found.  -Thio  %r\\f  (jtiaatice^  to '  be  had 
MTofild  tiot  .s!ifflce»  etati  in'  ffQeh  aii  aBsemblf/to^idstibHtilli  a  capital 
(mm  of  wMch '  IHa  Roinans  vrbM;  taK^'  (H^ismAbe.  Tfi^re  u^et^ 
nimjv  donbtlMs;  irho  bad  beardllim  ti^^hni^age  tilitcb''bai[PMv6n 
tbe  |at)M>l^  offe^dB,^i»iob  «^,^  *•  'Wby  shia  are  WwWen  Ib^rif-^^orrt* 
TcJiSaMad  as  bbiaobotoy;  rind'  aa  BUtb.  piinUbniMiB  i^fth  death,  by 
J^sh  laW]  but  ttiey  wanted  to  cotidtiMn' Htm-  bti  a  charge  <  punish* 
i^t^Jby  Ronmn  lawr  They  liad  tried  by  spic^,  fdr  monehl  boott,  to 
dt»m  t^  Him  something  they  c6iild  twm  into  aii  attack  on  th« 
national  i«ligion,  or  thd  Roman  gbv!emmenti '  biit'  liad  failed,  it  was 
hard  to  ge.t  a  tolerable  pretext  for  condemning  Him. 

/$ne|i  evi^liCeaa  thc^r  hiid  was  tibw  however' bi^dM  fOiPWard,  in 
theiltop6  that  it  would  at  least  ^TQ  Him  t6  be  **o4ecjeIveriof  the 
n9(y^e»f  <  siSrrititf  them  tm,  .ana  exdtiiir  them*  ag^ibsti  th^  Ijvwb  '(y| 
KoMfijAa  deflp^d  bytihe  ftffbbis.  '■  Put  it  was  a 'fandannsbtaVrul^  of 
Jeyrish  Jurfsprgidettce,that  condemnation  c0iild  bnly  lolloWtlie  ermcur* 
rant  .teatCmbBy  of»':at'iea6li,  two 'witnesses.  'Sonta,  however,  who 
camai^^ar4>  l^i^Qthifig  relevant  rto  'say,  abd'Othevs  cbntttodictedf 
tliiennseiyes.  His  laat  discourses  were,  daabtless,thotspedat'i8r<me  in 
the'tycabf  HJs^QUSers.  OiittreCottld  be<saidaboat<liiaovatik>n  on 
ebtmn^  Jerusalem^  except  that  He  had  not  ^refused  it.  ttof  <  wMs  even 
the:d9fj[nilsfoil  of -the  buyejrs  bnd  sellers  fromi  the  l^emptebrotij^  up, 
fortheU^hlttfaiat  dictated  it  was  evidently  hobleihoweirer  the  not 
itself  might  be  challen^d:  The  strong  Invectives  against  the  collect 
ti^fliiefafctiy  Offered  a  safer  groimd  foir  becusatioD/  Uliftirtunatcly 
forf^.e  ittdgea,  suitable  witnesses  wereinot  tobeif^ond.'  Attihefbe^t 
thbse  "Who  etfrne'  forw'ard  garbled,  or  misundei-stood  thte : words  of 
Jesus; :  ha  the  hierarchy  tbemaelveii  afferward^  befoveiiPilatei  twisted 
those  respecting  the  tribute  mOiiey  into  a  directl^' opposite  seasei 
But $5veti tbQs»  mie testimony araotinted  tonothlng.^ (  ^iide  waai pate> 
!^  danigerons^y  fas^,  without  anything  done/r    ;•  i  i  >: ;     mm       i,) 

alleged  tint  he>Uad;heardiJesQ9' 
only  the  work  of  wanj  fOiA  I 

,„,.__  — ^~, - ,  not  made  with  i hands. V-  Others 

agi^'thaiHe  h«4  words  which  E«emed  intended  >to  -bring tiie 
Temple  into  contempt;  an  offence  so  grave  that  itrlRrais  'afterwards 
made  a  capital  charge  against  the  first  martj^^'Stei^ni' that  he  had 
"spoken  Jblsjiphemoua  li^ords;  against  this' holy  place;;''  :but  their 
etatemCi^ts  did  tfot  tally;  atid  thcit  witness  M^aetherdtorewoirthless. 

IdSeanwhile,  JcsUs  had  6tood  silent^  Even  to  idluditgest^  hateful  to- 
Jo^Sh  ears  .i)B  contempt?  0|  the  iT^ple;  He  Imd  mado^hb  adswerl^ 
ife  knew  it  would  be  idle  to  ispCfdi  Before  Buchatrtbunal,  mbid/kopta 
digii^ed  iileuce;  To  thei  judges;  on  ^he  other  hfaoid^thdy  seemed  of 
tliifgxia^t  -^eii^t^  i€ali^pft^9^^#a  itrMe\  il»q^l^eijto|^;^el»»id  mn  lOBser* 


THB  PPB  OF  :<mmr(. 

pttmr^  oflldftlcaknaMlk  ^ll^^ttt  fiM  ^  enttdlif,  «Ad  iMi^tng 
up  iji  ifoot  of  it,,  ho  domancwd  If  Josun  hnd  tiotMnrio  sayih'Hft 
(>wn  defeiiQ*,  MaMt  M  ihkt^  Whnt  did  Hti  Mledde  mmia  t  Wan  it 
ii,<V)nxeMloQ.  offtiilt  ?  BiU  He  itlll  rttinlii#<r  afletit  The  nmtot 
9po^  for KflelltHQieitQilltmmy  tflven  agtlnit  Him  wail  dfeobrdMtattd 
WQrthl^fli.:.  If.  Hit  Tpuk  life  c6flld  not  Mctoe  Hit  aeqtilttalMkAird 
words  were  ueeloM..  To;  UM  1-Ua  own  eiirllef^  aa^g  they  would 'tie 
pearla  (^ast,  before  iWlite.  who  would  turn  again  and  wMt  Hihi>  Mf^ 
Qon^4QM aud kingihr^iHo  boroHitniotf  with  rdiffqfty  thm litt|n«aied 
einen  Hia.Judgoa.  vHa  tnoukl  let  i^iolefaerimd  nleeliood'tttn  theiir 
cou«89(  He  woiiklinot  tqeogalte  the  tf*lbankU\  oor^flb  lioiirtur  «oltfi 
nwmhevi^^for  He  tauw  that  tfier  were  d^efmhied  th4t  He  ^fbit^d 
dieijiikaocfiAtiOrigiuttyi  toai|hr«tiidro  i  i/.  tf 

Caiaplias  might  i^te  olQied  the  examhiotion  at  this  *p(^!ti«,  indMM^ 
^dn-^the  Vdtea  of  the  Oommieilon.  Bat  Mrith* ^nleli,'  fiypo<M«tenl 
acwteneas,  hei^U  that  this  ohargd  beet  mstained  was  art  onenocr  ^»)y 
ia  vlewlsh  ayea;  tb«t  the  ovidowo  in'  support  of  it  waa  open  to»^tr> 
cism.  and  that  the  Jllonoe  of  the')irl8(^ter  ihf^t  not,  afti^r  aiil,^)Ui 
admiasion.of  i^Utt  .  Hia  prlde>  moreover,  waa  touched  byiUthJi 
bfOviiuE  towatd^  hMaidlf,  thatirhnAto,  mid'heNivbuld  foreij  an  an^er, 
if  poe^Thiev  lo  aave  uto  o\vn  dighlty.  It-wouid,  iD^sides;  toe  betti»rto 
go  no  lurthmri Into  mattera  which  miglit  protnidt  the  sittings  imd'ispolt 
U»e  plot,  by  letnng  morning  retufii  t^^foro  Jesus  waa  in  the  hafd  hands 
of  the  ii<^maofi.  Traoto  theaerpantwcunning  of  the  hon^'of  Bannad; 
l^e^jdetefmined  jto;  tiding  things  to  a  hedd  hy  making  Him;  ^if  poasi- 
blOt  eompromiao  Hiiiiaoif  at  cmeo  with  Jcwmi  opinion,  and  HoiiiiA 
f eattk  .  m  lu9ped.,to  worm  6nt  what  )6ouId' be 'distorted!  intdadvit 
offemm/tfof ihia  keen  fcQowlod|te  of'  men  toidi  him/thati'whUe  ii«V 
sUoilt  ftnd/dijriii^d*  hithertorlua  jnlBoner  woiild^give  a  friiiftj[!#lr, 
«))d«f!«xvoal  Juis  .sooiet  tltnngtittt  wuen  honour  demanded  tt.<^ Motm 
^)»,t¥JAm%Whi«mlt  to  i.die,  aa  'He  hod  been  charged  with  Itvincg^m 
e»tiMiiiiurt;iftit0^aeaii9L  ;^'  -  ■;,■.?■'  >^^  ^-v*  --m  vd'i^>.!:.'vi  r^^or 

cJMqplung  8tm%Ut  iitithiB  nocuAedi  the  mitred  'hypbcHte;  in  Md  white 
robes,  with  practised  otiloial  aolamhity  wont  at  ohci^  to  the  heart  of 
thtitimatterfhtiihe  d0m<md.  uttered'  hi  Aramaic,  the  Common  speiB6h 
c$  tdie.5fet«riBljt  courts  as  of  the  nation,  "  I  put  you  on  ybuir  5ath  by 
thttUKmgG4id,;iR^h^cuifiiefaila  on  those  who  dwear  falsely  byriHIm; 
a«A  Mq^lre  yoU  totell  us  wlietlier  yon  lire  the  Madcha  Mesottlehaa*' 
tkeipnglleMiah^theBanof God-^EverBles^edr'  f'   ek:  i^ 

bTiher^lbag^iforeae&ii  foment  had  ^omo,  when  «n  open*  claim  whioh 
H«t  iad(hatli9rto  lef^tol  be  infbrred  from  His  actsnand  li|^rait!^«]^ 
presaion^t  ratherinaQi  openly  stated,  wotild  brinrgf  ^otf  Hiitt^'sWtfticiei 
tenciB  6f  death;  Oaiapfias  kncJw  that  many  bfelteved  Him  to^be^lhe 
Messiah;:  tlmt  Tie  Himself  hi)d,no>  reftiscvl  this  ttWful  namerilmt  had;, 
r!Lthqr;in  HM  dlacouriK^s,  ju^tindd  Its  being  ffii^Him;  atidtfaat,  a 
di^yajwloce,  ijlet  had  allowed  th^'thoiiaand^'ot  Gafileean  pilgtlittt,  wh6 
gcoQted  His  eiatrance  tb  Jdmsalem,  to;iail«(t»''Hi^^^ 


I  H 


W^  W^,  OF  iJpi^T. 


eocMastici^l  jwUUoriti^s  Jifi^  deqideci  tliat  Hp^^itlier  wj^  nor  could 
I)e<tbe  Messiah,  and  hence,  m  their  eyes,  liis  claiming  openly  to  be 
BO  iWiOul(|  h^acnfm^  ,J«^<q ,  r!»<5t/^5'^«— bJaspJbiQmous  high  treason, 
<»gaiR»t  the  tnj^  Qpvei^eijjiof  jh?  La^^d—JehpYahi  IJeuad  hitherto 
<>ya4^  A  clireptvaiw^,  jfxccpt  ,\n  mre,, Cases,  l)ecj^se,  the  time  had 
not  yet  qoinc:  foi^  Hi»  ppenly  4ccJai:ipg  Hfm$f)f.  TOt^^^^^e  done  so 
before  aril  hope  of  Ipn^er  life  was  j^assed,  >voiil4  Jl^^jyie^  ,l)een  to  cut 
sJwut  His  pubjiq  jvorK  i^  foundujig  His  Kin^pm^  ;  ' ,'  "  '  , 
,  vBut  t,ho  ^uprejtt©  mowiobt'had  now  arrivecl.  ]^tli  kingly  dignity, 
JR^hefa<;e!of  cer^^n  dejatH  fof  ^is  words.  Jjiocl  lii'Sblenir  atiswerto 
the  appeal  to  "the]ivin2  Qod  '*  a*  tp.  their  tirutlijjepnscalfvly  replied 
^itm  ad3uraliV?*;Trn;',IrI  tell  ,y9U.  yp  will  not  believe,  and  if  I  ask 
questions  that  would  p^oyp  nw  h^hest  claims  you  would  hot  answer. 
Ilh^i:  hasl^  8ai4  vhe  Truth— I  ^m  theMalc^a  Mcfscl^icha— tlie  Kinj 
]fefl^teJik^the  Sou  of  Qod,  aii4  So^o^  M?^. .  In  W  present  guise  yc 
wiliae^  m^  UP  lUprjQ;  but  ^whfjn  yo  havt^iilaln  pe,  T,  the  Bon  of  Man, 
.iSii^yfcarthwUh  sjt  on  tlie  rij^ht  hapd  o^  the  Majesty. pf  God,  and  when 
yiB^e  me  Biext  It  wiU  ,bo,  sitting  t^^r0,  and  conwnjg;  iii  the  clout^s  of 

Thisd^eplaratic^.n^ght'^ayo  se^jlie^  sufBpi^ntly^  explicit,  but  the 
^xoitfupput:  of  :th€i  4iidg^p,,tcue  Qrlentab,  had  grown  libgoycrnable. 
Rising  on  their  cushions,  one  an^d  ail  clenian^ed,  witli  loiid  voices, 
"  Arjt  Tho^i  t^^n,  th?  Son  j)f  .Qpd?"    '•  YM,haye  s^idit/'^  replied 

.^;lQlalaphttSi  had  gamed,  ^is  j^nd.,  Jj^eayjn^  witnesses  would  havere- 
||$i|i;q^  t\v^%  and  the  whple.:  sclie^e  would  have  miscanied,  if  Jerusa- 
lem woke  and  the  (jtaiijl^an  pllgripis  learned,  while  a  rescue^ was  still 
)^QI9aiblQi  tho  rSfeorat  arreist,  tlurough  the  njght,  pf  their  fejlow-counti^- 
foaQ^jwSom  many.trf  them  e^eflfj^d^^  prophet  of  Jel^oV^hi  if  not  the 

ifSry ■Messiah. w. :,.■.(. /■  :„-.l^,':  ../'''■/    '.':'/"•'" 

Caiaphas  played  his  part  welt  .Qmveri^g  with  passion,  and  trir 
umphantat  his  success,  he  forgot  the  practised  coldness  of  the  Sad- 
duceei  jand  onpe  wor^  springing  from  his  cpuph  with  well-feigned  hor- 
ror At  th«  words  , of  t|fe8^s,  tliougii  they  W^reprbcLsely  what  he  had 
wished, .rent  the  bpsoni  pf  his  priestly  robe  pf  fine  lipen,  as  if  it  were 
too  nairrow  tp  let  him  breathe,  after  hewing'  such  blasphemy.  He  for- 
got toat:  it  WAS  the  worst  of  blaspheniy  for  his  owri  lips  t»  u^e  the  name 
of  Jehpvah  as  a  mxire  cloak  for  crime  and  wickedness!  Jesus  had 
spoken  with  the  cahnness.  (jf  ti-uth  and  innpcence.  He  had  applied 
to  Himself  words  of  Daniejt^and  of  the  I'salms,  universially  under- 
stood of  the  M«8aiali,  and  had  predicted  His  sittir^g  henci^fprth  with 
Jehovfth  on  the  throne  <4  heaven^  and  descending  iH  divine  maj- 
esty .to>  judge  the  earthi  .though,  while  He  spoke.  He  was  at  the  very 
threshold  of  a  shameful  death.  .      .  h  '  ♦w,  ' 

"He  has  blasphemed  I"  cried  Caiaphas.  "what  need  is  thereto 
hear  mo»e  witnesses?  You  have  heard  the  blaspheipy  from  His  own 
lips.  i£[e  givfs  himself  out  a^  IhQ.tiuQ  Ji^ssianic  Son  of  Qpd,  wliich 


coIHagtie& 

Inim  fr 

Already  ap 

prisoner  oi 

He  had  ki 

havesecun 

too  man  V  \ 

tier.    The^ 

themselyes, 

that  the  Mc 

Theocrajcy, 

Rome.    Ti 

It  might  b( 

broke  the  L 

what  else?- 

And,4jesi( 

harm  if  a  sii 

the  conmEio] 

identify  its  < 

All  voted 

confesaioii  J, 

They  had 

or  Judaism, 

Romian'proci 

siah.Hecou 

upfoiranatt 

The  forma 

to  be  coufirii 

three  o'clock 

sentence  couj 

Meanwhile 

Willie  the  ju< 

nothing,  now 

prisoner  had 

always,  in  the 

those  in  chai^ 

of  the  judges, 

Their  passionj 

Jewish  bigotf 

treated  Him 

Having  blind 

with  their  flsts 

dons  and  othe 

to  use  on  the  1 

Tesus  had.sucl 

'iands,  while  t 


THXl  litF^i'  OP  OHHtfi^ 


•^e%KVB  already  decided  He  isr  not'  l^l^Mt  s^nui  good  to  you;itiy 
coH^a^cS?"  *  '  . 

In  ta  Irregular,  illc^l,  i&lf 'Constituted  court;  whose  membeirs  had 
already  approved  the  cohi-blooded  couhsel  of  Caiaphas^to  put  tint 
prisoner  out  of  ;tb'~  wajtr^  guilty  or  innocent;  and  thus  quench  th^  fire 
He  had  kindl^,i::t  ms  own  blobd,  no  evidence  or  want  of  it  <K)^d 
have  secured  an  acquittal.  Too  many  private  and  class  grudien,  and 
too  many  vested  rights,  lent  wdght  to  any  pretext  for  a  judicial  ViW- 
der.  The  very  humiliw  and  tlie  purely  spiritual  ^ins  ol  Jesus 'Wei'e, 
themselves,  a  deadly  offence;  for  their  Jewisli  pride  llattered  itself 
that  the  Messiah  would  wield  supernatural  powers  to  restore  tdio  (M 
Theocracy,  and  make  Idrael  the  head  of  fiie  nations  instead  of  hated 
Rome.  Then/"  was, He  not  a  Glalilffian — one  of  a  i-aco  they  despised? 
It  Alight  be  taHe  that:  He  wrought  miracles,  but  one  who  wilfully 
broke  the  Lavir,  as  He  openHy  did;  by  Sabbath  hea}hig'--and  tDhoknew 
what  else?— must  wCrk  them  by  help  from  Beebsebub,  not  Jehovah. 

And, -beside,  hadnot  the  high  priest  told  them  that  it  was  no  great 
harm  if  a  sin^e  man*  were  put  out  of  the  way,  even  if  innocent^  for 
the  common  good?  When,  moreover,  did  ferocious  bigotry  fail  to 
identify  its  cry  for  bBood  with  pioiis  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God  ? 

AU  voted  thslt  further  investigation  was> useless:  that  oh.!  Hia^otva 
confession  Jesus  was  worthy  of  death.  /?*  J  >    .'«;•:  >.   .v,i^  n ,  ? .;w^  ;^Ji>i 

They  had,  at  last,  their  wish.  All  charges  affecting  the  Teniple, 
or  Judaism*  would  have  raised  only  the  contemptuous  laugh  of  tfhe 
Roman'  procurator.  But  now  that  Jesus  had  daimed  to  be  the  iKfes- 
siah,  He  could  be  re];»re9ented  to  Pilate  as  a  State  Criimnid^  delivered 


up  for  an  attempt  against  the  imperial  rights  of  Tiberius.  - '  ^^  w  \^ 
The  formal,  Dreliminary  exahiination  v^as  over,  but  itd  restiltiiCfeded 
to  be  coufirmea  by  a  larger  gathering  of  the  hierarchy.  It  was  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  some  hours  must  elapse  before  the 
sentence  could  be  formally  ratified. /?M!';v  VI  f'  ;  ^  ,  i .  tji 
Meanwhile;  Jesus  was  left  in  charge  Of  tikcitiugh  Templo>  p<AiOff» ' 
while  the  judges  separated  for  an  hour  or  two  of  sleep.  There  was 
nothing,  now,  to  restrain  the  coarse  natui^es  to  whom  the^  condemned 
prisoiier  had  been  consigned.  One  under  sentence  of  dcatii  was 
always,  in  these  roug^  ages,  the  sport  and  mockery  of  his  guards^  and 
those  in  charjge  of  JeSus,  made  worse  thian  common  bytho  example 
of  the  judges,  vented  their  cruelty  on  Him  With  the  coiirsest  brutality. 
Tiieir  passions,  indeed,  intensiflea  their  b^terness,  for  they  were  llerco 
Jewish  bigots.  He  was  to  die  las' a  false  pfophet,  and  as  such  they 
treated  Hiin,  racking  ttieir  ingenuity  to  invent  insult  and  injury. 
Having  blindfolded  llim,  Isome  struck  Him  violently  on  the  head 
with  their  flsts,  or  pferiiaps  With  the  vine-sticky  which  Roman  centu- 
rions and  other  officials  carried  as  their  sign  of  rank,  and  wore  wont 
to  use  on  the  face  or  head  of  the  soldiers;  for  some  of  tlio  captoirs.of 
Tesos  h&d.such  stains  wilh  them— otJiers  struck  Ilim  with  their  open 
uands,  while  still  others,  addic.^  the  greatest  iudighity  an  Oriental 


Hsi 


■  ■  .  ■    t    t  ■ »  ,         ■  /   t      .  ■ . 


gpuld  offer, i^mt  in  His  face;  crying,  as  tbey  insulted  and  tortured 
Him,—"  Propliesy  tQ  us,  thou  Messiah,  wlio  was  it  that  did  it?"  The 
liandsl^Iiey  bad  bound  bad  healed  the  siclt,  and  raised, the  dea^;  tiie 
Ifps  they  smote  bad  calmed  tlie  winds  and  tlie  waves^  Oneiword,  and 
tlie. splendours  of  the, Mount  of  Transfii^j^uration  would  bave  tilled  the 
qbamber;  one  word,  and  the  menials  now  sportiDg  Vitli  him  at  their 
YfiU  ^oitld  baive  perished.  B^t,  as  He  bad  begun  and  43ontinued,  He 
woidd  end — as  self-cestrained  in  the  use  of  Hi»a>vfnl  powers  on  His 
(^wn  behalf  as  if  He  iiad  been  tbe  j^bstbelple^  ol  men.  ODiviQc  pa- 
tience and  infinite  loye  knew  no  wearying.  He  bad  but  to  will  it  and 
'^ralk  free,  but  He  came  to  die  for  man,  and  He  would  4or  it.- 
■  Wbile  His  examination  I  biid  been  proecedmg,  the  centi^  court, 
wbich|8eemSfto  bave  been  paved,  was  the  waiting  place  of  the  serv- 
ants of  the  several  judges,  and  of  the  underlings  of  the  high  priest 
and  the  Temple  watch.  John  and  Beter^  Tccovering  from  their  first 
panic,  and  anxious  to  sec  what  becameof  their  Master,  had  followed 
at  a  (iistanc^  till  He  was  brought  to  tlie  house  of  dmapbas.  The  door 
of  tbe  outer  court,  or  porch,  bad  been  closed,  te  prevent  the  ehtrt^nce 
oif  any.dne  likely  to  «pread  an  alarm  and  bring  about  ai  rescue,  ^but 
Jobuj  happening; to  be  known  to  the.  bousebold,  or,  perbaps,  to  the 
bigh  priest  himself,  nivas  readily  admitted,  v Meanwhile,  Peter  remained 
shut  out,  but  at  John's  solicitation  was  presently  admitted  by  the 
miiiid  who  kept  the  door.  .,  .: 

A  fire  of  wood  kindled  in  the  open  court  in  the  cbxlly  April  night, 
hadi  Attracted  all  roimd  it,  Peter  among  the  rest,  by  its  cbeerfijlblaze. 
Hesat^witb  weary  beart,  by  the  li^btv  wondering  what  the  end  itould 
be,  and  not  without  alarm  for  bis  own  safety,  in  case  he  should  be 
r^Gognized,  and  chai'gcd  with  bis  violence  in  the  garden.  -Mean- 
wbiEt  tSie  door-keeper,  wbo,  .perhaps;  bad  seen  hijn  in  attendance  on 
JcsbS'  in  tbeW^omcn's  Court  of  the  Temple,  sauntered,  like  otliers,  to 
the  fire,  and  w^itb  a  woman's  abruptness,  after  gazing  at  him  ^;eadily, 
put  tbq  question  directly  to  hiili-r-'f  Art  tbou^alno,  oni^  of  tbis  man's 
disciplesiS?"  Confused  €ind  oil  bis  guard,,  he  said,  notliiqgi  but  she 
would  notletliim  go.  '"Thou, also;  wast  with  Jesois  of  Galilee," 
slie  continued— repeating  to  those  round  her,  "Certainly  this  man, 
alsOj  was  witb  Iliia,"  "  Woman/*  said  Peter,  stammering  but  the 
words  in  mortal  terror  for  h^  life,  "  I  do  not  know  Himj  I  do  not 
Imow  wliat  you  mean."  But  bis  conscience  was  ill  at  ease,  and  his 
fears  grew-  ^apacc.  i  He  could  no  longer  bide  bis  confusion,  and  went 
off  intxi)  the  darkness  of  the  porch.'  Ilis  inexorable  inquisitor  would 
notj  bowcvcr.,  let  him  escape.  He  had  hardly  con^C;  to  the,  light  again, 
after  atimc,  Avhen  she  once  more  scaniuud  bim,  and,  determined  to 
justify  herself,  began  to  speak  of  him  to  the  serving  men  and  slaves. 
"IIcw  one  of  them.  He  w>a»  witli  Jesus  of  Naaireth.'(  Irritated 
and  rJarmGd,iand  losing  all  presence  of  mind,  he  repeated  bis  denial 
with  an  oath.  "I  do  not  Imow  the  man.  t  ^  not  o^e  :9|^J^  disv 
ciplos.    I  swear  I  am  not."  r  lu*  "f"    "'   a  "^      '^H 


Hlsstot^t  assertions  gave  him  an  hour's  regjiito  and  i)cace,  but  hig^ 
troubles' were  not  over,  for  tile  maid  hsid  llxect  attcation  on  him,  qnd 
his  bearing  had  excited  suspicion.    At  last,  ono  of  the  sbves  of  thb 


iU'lJHJJ   JJiOlUiW  jOi£  iWiJJ^i^U 


^.^^»,  youarcaGalildpap— \vdhearitiiljptlrw6rtlg.'  .  , 
Peter,,  now,  losi  fill  coMrot  oif  himself.  He  liad  tried  to  strcrigtliBtl' 
his  last^ebial  bya  solei^noafli,  but  now  burst  into  cui^cSdrid  Im^ro-' 
cations  on  himself,  it  he  had  not'  spoken  tnitK,  In  feayinff  that  }i(i 
knew  nothfng  whatever  about ;Jesus !  lii  the  inidst  of  hi^  excTtemtnt 
the»sound  of  a  cock-crow  fell  on  his  ears,  and  at  the  sound,  liirt aster;' 
still  Wore  Hiia  'raurderefe,  in  a  room  opening  into  the  coiirtyard, 
turned  andl  boked  him  full  in  the  fnce,  with  those  l(>vih<^,  but  now 
no  less  r^proachfureyes,  in  thp  lijjht  of  which  Pc^t^f  'liad'  so  16ng: 
found  his  sweetest  joy.  •  '  ;  *  •  ,         .    . 

It  was  enough.     The  glance,  like  li^htnih^',  revca;tin«j'  tm'  hbSr&3, ' 
brought  back  to  its  nobler  self  the  honest  heart  thrft  ff^r  a  tl^id  had 
been  -alarmed  into  superQ<jial  unfaithfulness,  Jitid  thrciW  iih'awM 
brightness  into  the  depths  of  sin  on  whoso  ed^c  he  flt6bcl.    All  his 
unmanly  weakness  ana  wretched  fear  rose  in  Iii^  tlioughti^' and,  with 

them,  the  rqmembrancc  of  his  boastin^^^,  gomi3eral)lybdlifed.  Chriflt's' 
words.  ~^'*^  -t  -  » -J     -  -^-„--T_^  -  -.-.J..V..J    .>._x  i.^i»^„-  ^,--u.-vt^ 

crew 

trast  „.- 

nessi'-'^^^'      _._  ,  .     ,        ,     , 

Shame  arid^^sorrow;  mingled,  oii  the'mbinent,  with  a  yearning  hope 
of  forgiveness,  overpowered  hira,  and' he  did,  nov/,  what  he  should 
have  done  earlier;  went  out,  and' wept  bitterlyr  It  ia  a  touching  and 
beautiful:  traditic»,  true  to  the  sincerity  of  his  repentance,  if  not  a^  a 
historical  reality^  that,  all  his  life  long,  thb  rembnibrantib  of  this  rii*ht 
never  left  him,  anji  thfit.  moi-hihg  by  tnornifag,  ho'toso  at  the  hotir 
when  the  look  of  his  Master  had  entered  his  soul,  tD  pray  otice  mbrc 
for  pardon,     --f-f'f ';*^;^r:  if  :•■  ;•  -  ..^i.  -.  A-mwiv^rA-^anv-.  :ioL>-5i^ 

towards  th^  ctM'ot  Ihc  fd'iirth  tvj^tfeli,  arid  licfoi-b'  dayb^aH:;  tM 
head?  of  the  theocracy,  true  to  precedent.  Which  required  that  the 
whole  Sanhedrim,  while  it  existed,  should  meet  to  ratify  a  sentence, 
of  death,  had  <ixtemporiJeed  a  semblance  bf  the  61d  High  Court  of  the 
Nation  in  some  suitable  building.  Thither  JeSiis  was  wow  led,  under 
escort  of  Temple  police  and  retainers  of  the  high  priest;  to  appear 
before  the  notables  of  Israel.  The  chiefs  6f  the  fariestl>  courses,  and 
other  dignitaries  of  the  Temple,  with  aniimbei'  of  elders  atid  Rabbis, 
had  gathered  in  the  fti^ipg  darkness,  old  though  most  of  tliem  were, 
to  take  part  in  the  condprtnation  of  the  Hated  One.  The  profceed-' 
ings  were,  however,  duly  forilnal;  to  hear  th^  sentence  of  tue  Goiaa- 


nai 


'^^l4WB  QP  CHJiiaTi 


mission  an4  tMB4or$9  it.  ,  Tld»49M  thQjv$j  was  dear  for  handing 

jUi  tbc^  ey«9Q|  ^ose  who^llius^iitianuTl^t^ijr'eOQitm  fatal 

ficn^nc^,  I(e  w*»  a  cr|mi|i£»l  pf  the  wpMt  dye^;,  far»  iii  their  opinbn, 
He  had  bUi4pheined  wi^  audiuiipus  lH>idiic8s^  hy,  claimrag  to  be  the 
VS^jag  Hesi^ildi,  the  Son  pf  Gioa,  the  lo^g-expect^  dellvet^  pf  the  na- 
t|pn^^ot,t9  jit  fr^iDi  heavep.  .  Np  Pne  hacTcyer  belpre  laid  cinim  to 
the  sacred  nJame,  ipr,,  thpugh  many  Ij^^ialM  rpse  in  later  years,  no 
pjie,  afl  yist,  h^a.a^^umpd  t^e  trj^men^Qus-  dignity.  ,Pi^)pf  iT»pre  than 
cnpygl^  jtp  e^t^bli^h  tm  )bdgl^est  claims^pffeied  ttseU  iq  His  life,  and 
^pr(&,,fittd  wprks.  bi^^  pa^^pn  ana  pj^judiiqo/li^  hardened  thdr 
hea]:t?,r^]p.4,mln4^  w4ri^%  Xfeo  \vpirgt  among  them  wonid 

neyer^haye  awed,  tp  ,p»Q|<»ea  ^aiinst  H|nrC  bejie^ed  Him 

really  the  JI^spiaK  ,  \''t  fyavrc  says  St  l^etur.,  '^that  you  acted  in 
ignprance,.  ^$  ^\d  atfp  yq^r. ri^lera, **  But  it  vim  the  Ignoi^nce  that  had 
refused  tlie  light.  Had  tHey  been  lipnest  nnd  honourable,  the  first  point 
to  have  been  settled  wpuld  have  been,  nt  least  tp  hear  what  the  Ac- 
cuse^h^d  tp>/sayjui;(J^ispxr^  laypur.  They  h^d  cpustittited  them- 
i$elvea,the  yln.di<;;^rs,p|  the.  l4aw  and  the  I'rophets,' atid  it  was  tleir 
.  c^meptaiy  dtfia^  J^'he^i*  tl^e  Prispner's  cxppsltipii  pf  the  statements  of 
bpthf  respecUiVt  t^  PIM^tter  ia  h.i(n<i,  tie  l^ad  pwned  Himfielf  the 
]ileQ^ab«  (^4  ^r  4oing  sp^  wHhput  giving  Uim  the  opportunity  of 
supporting  His.  claim,  they  ypted -the  sentence  pf  death,  by  noisy 
acclan\atioQ..  ,  Xiaw  &p^4  4ra4iHoii  ^^etpau^ed  ft  seicpnd  full  hearing  of 
the  case,  bjut  the/  .th^9t  i^Pjtit  aside,  i^  thdr  zeal  tp  get  Him  con- 

,«  1-,/  i';irf^0J';;r:Ut;?j ,.  '  -'-    •■  •-■  '     "' •     ^    ^ ' 

I  TsB  deci^pn,  pf  the  Jewishv  aut^hpntie?  hayfng  been  duly  signed 
and,  se^d,  i^nd.  Je^us  poce  mpie  ,Bec«re]y  ,^(»;nd,  He  was  led  eff, 
strongly  guarded  from  res^,,to  the  official  tjesldenGe  pf  Pilate,  on 
Mount  Zipn.  It  Was  still  early,  but  Eastern  life  anticipfites  the  day, 
for  tlie,  heat  fi^  tM)pn  i^eaui^resjesjl;  d^tring  the  hpura  busiest  with  us. 
The  yf9i^ma,  fron^  the  West  Hall  of^  thp  Temple  pver  the  T^ppoeon 
by  a  iinds^,  ant  aci-pss  tji^  op^  ^ce  Pf  tlie  Xy^us^  with  its  pil- 
lared porches.  Tne  p^liH^e  of  Jfterpd^  npiv  Hlate's  headquiitrterfli.  lay 
just  beypj^^dT^tlie  proud  pesidenpe  of  the  Romnp  knight  whp  held  the 
gpvernment  f pr  the  JSmperor  Tiberius.  It  was,  inhabited  for  pnly  a 
few  weeks  or  daya^t  a  time,  but  iJpw,  during  the  Paeeover,  the  Pro- 
curatpr  tppk  care  tp  be  present;,  to  repress,  atonce,  any  popular 
mpvemeiOit  tor  national  ftTcedOm,  wliich  the  spring  air,  the  Jeast  it- 
self, anid  the  vas:  gaU^eri^g  qf  it^\e  na^on,  might  excite.  . 

J^pw,.  for  the.  first  time,.  J^esus  entered  the  gates  of  a  kio^'s  palace; 
the  home  pf  "men  in  soft  rdimenl"-^utcrcd  it  as  a  t^sonerr    H« 


tectiug  Hin 
Him  up  in 
people  he  h 
tJie  popular 
already  give 
There  \vai 
ducted,  but 
J^uqk  too  k 
there  niight 
o^an  tliat 
season  a  su 
^e  freewill . 
Passover  ani 
woyld  preve 
totheehame 
1)0  wl  and  pi 
wickedness, 
<tf  the  Bomai 
Knowing  t 
tempt  to  ovoi 
moa.^fOf  Ro„ 

fialf  RcNtaaa  JE 


THB  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


%Mr 


Ukding 

K  fatal 
pinion, 
» be  the 
the  na- 
Inim  to 
jars,  lio 
»rethan 
ife,  and 
d  their 
1  would 
ed  Hiin 
acted  In 
that  had 
rst  point 
;  the  Ac- 
cdthpm- 
was  tkeir 
jmentbof 
Oifielf  the 
•tunily  of 
by  noisy 
Leafing  of 
Hijja  con- 

■4)   '     ' 

-    '■1  ; 

ily  signed 
led  oft, 

'Uftte,  on 
the  day, 
with  u». 

f'yropoeon 

[th  its  pil- 

.held  the 

Cqt  Dfily  a 
thP  Pro- 
popular 

.|b8^  it- 
t's  palace; 


was.  to  atwid  befotre  a  nmn  who^lias  come  down  to  qs  as  one  of  tho 
moat  unrighteous,  cruel,  arbitrary,  and  hateful;  a  man  rightly' named 
Pitate^the  *'  Javeliiiniat^":^for  it  seemefl  his  ddight  to  lauiibh  cruel- 
ties and  scorns- on  every  side,  like  javelins,  amoikg  the  oppressed  peo- 
Ele;  What  had  Jesus  to  expiect  fron^  one  who  hated  the  iiation  nom 
is  soul,  and  si>orted  with  thar  iives^  and  possessions  as  if  they  Wero 
not  men,  biit  a  lower  race  of  despised  slaves  and  fanatical  Helots? 
It  might,  indeed^  4)0  of  bene^t  to  Him  that  the  hatred  of  Pilate 
towards  tliB  Jeyrs,  might  regard  Him  as  ar  welcome  instrument,  in  tho 
absence  of  a  better^  tor.  playing  off  his  bitterness  against  them  and 
their  leaders.  To  favour  apiaa  who  w^s  in  opposition  to  Iheftt,  was, 
itself,  a  pleasure.  Calm,  temperate,  and  impartial,  cOrhpared  to  Jew* 
ish  passioii.and.  bitteinesa,  uoa  in  soBierespeots  in  sympathy  with  the 
acdnsed,  Uie  hard,  proud,  hoatheu  Roman  was  more  open  to  ttie  hn- 
pression  (rf  Christ's  innocence  or  harmlessness. than  the  Jewsor  their 
loaders 

That  he  did  not  permaneiiftly  protect  Him,  rose,  partly,  from  his 
character,  and,  partly,  from  his  past  h^tory  as  procurator.  Mot^dly 
enervated  a,nd  lawless,  the  petty  tyrant  was  incapaUe  of  a  strong  im- 
pression or  righteous  firmpess^  and^  besides,  he  dreaded  com|d^ts 
at  iRome,' ^frcMii  the  Jewish  authorities,  a^  iiisunrections  of  t|iio 
masses  in  Uis  local  giovemmeat  |Ie  had,  in  the  past,  lea^med  to  fear 
theunconqiiemUte  pertinacity  of  the  Jews  and  the  rebukes  of  tho 
Emp^roTy  so  keenly,  th^t  .he  wo^ld  permity  or  do;  almost  anything, 
for  quiets  Tiiis^iowed  itself  in  hi»  bearing  towanls  Jesus.  Pro- 
tecting Him  for  a  time,  half  in  sympathy,  half  4n  mockery;  hei»av^ 
Him  up  in  the  end,  ratlicr  than  bratve  the  persistent  demand  of  r. 
people  he  hated  and  feared,  He  WQuld.  have  set  Him  free,  but  for 
the  popular  clamour,  and  a  bitter  r^ii^rabrance  of  the  trouble  it  had 
already  given  him  in  Jerusalem  .aQid  a^  |lome. 

There  was  a  hall  in  the  palace,  in  which  trials  were  genejfaHy  con- 
ducted, but  the  Jewish  notable^  who  had  condemhea  .Tesus^  were 
muc^  too  holy  to  enter  a  heathen  building  during  the  feaet,  i^cc 
there  might  b&  old  ioaven  in  it.  It  was  Friday,  and  tlie  Sabbath 
began  tliat  night,  and  in  the  evening  there*  was  universally  at  this 
season  a  supplementary  feast  of  priests  and  people,  on  the  flesh  c^ 
the  fi'eewill  offerings.  It  had,  for  centuries,  beeh  associated  with  the 
Passover  and  was  thought  a  part  of  it,  and  Leyitieal  undeanitess 
woi^ld  prevent  the  acciisera  taking  part  in  it.  They  were  stilt  ti'ue 
to  the  oharacteF  given  them  by  Jesus;  careful  of  the  outside  of  the 
bo\vl  and  platter,  but  willing  that,  within,  it  should  be  fitted  with 
wickedness.  Thoy  had  effected  their  end.  Jesus  was  in  the  hands 
of  the  Boman.s,  before  Jerusalem  awoke. 

Knowing  the  peo{^e  with  whom  he  had  to  do,  Pilate  made  no  at- 
tempt to  overcome  their  scruples.  Trials  in  the  open  aur  w^r©  com*- 
raon^f or  Roman  law  courted  publicity,  Roman  governors^' and  the 
half  Raman  Herod  and  kis  sc^s,  ei^fiea  their  tribunals,  ind^4a>eBt^i 


t 


it 


758 


THE  LIM  OF  CHKlSt*. 


before  the  palace,  in  the  nifiirket-t)l)ice,  in  the  theatre,  in  the  drcus, 
or,  oven,  in  the  highways.  '  Pildte,  then^fore,  caused  his  ofiicial 
seat  to  be  set  do*«rn  on  a  spotiknown,  in  Jerusalem,  as 'Gabbatha^ho 
high'  plaoe,— from  its  being  raised  above  the  crowd,  and  as  " The 
Pavement,"  because  it  was  laid,  according  to  Roman  eustom,  where 
judges  sat,  with  a  mosaie  of  coloured  stones.  It  was,  .very  possibly  a 
permanent  erection,  square,  or  of  crescent  shape,  of  tjostly  marl>le, 
in'kecping  with  the  «piendo«ir  so  dear  to  Herod,  its  builder;  project- 
ing from  the'front  of  the  •' Judgment  Hali,"  in  the  palace,  and  easily 
accessible  by  a  doorway  from  it.  It  was  i  a  niaxinn  of  Roman  law 
that  all  criminal  trials  should  be  held  on  a  raised  tribunal,  that  all 
miMit  see  and  bo  seen. 

? '  The'  ivory  curule  chair  of  the  procurator-^his  seat  bf  staite,  and  sign 
of  ofllcei  <w.'  ix^rhaps,  tiae  old  golden  seat  of  Aitihelaus,*  was  set  di)yvn 
on  tlie  tesselated  tloor  of  the  tribunal,  which  was  large  enough  toletthc 
assessors  of  the  coiirt — Roman  citizens — who  acted  as,  nominal  mem- 
bera  of  the  judicial  bench,  sit  beside  Pilate^fof  ]Roman  law  required 
their  presence.  On  lower  elevations,  sat  the  ■officers  of  the  cGoirt, 
fric'jds  Of  the  procurator,  and  otliers  whom  he  chose  to  hohour.  \ 

The  priesttsivad  elders  who  appeared  against  Jesus,  now  led  Him 
up  the  steps  of  the  triinmal,  to  the  procurator,  and  set  Him  before 
him*  Seats  were  generally  provided  for  the  accusers  near  the  Judge, 
and  there  was,  also,  usually,  a  seat  for  the  accused;  but  in  Judea, 
despised  and  insulted,  this  custom  wtus  not  now  observed,  at  least  so 
far  as  regarded  Jesus,*  for  He  had  to  stand  throu^  the  trial.  An 
interpreter  was  not  needed,  as  the  Jewish  officials  doubtless  spoke 
Greeu,  and  Josus,  brought  up  ia  Galilee,  where  the  presence  of  for- 
eigners made  4(s  use  general,  necessarily  understood  it.  A  strong 
dotaohment  of  troops  from  the  garrison  guarded  the  tribunal,  and 
kept  the  ground,  for  a  vast  crowd  of  citizens  andpilgrims  speedily 
gathered),  at  the  news  of  the  arrest  spread. 

Romanlaw  'knew!  noUiingof  the  inquisitorial  system  by  which  a 
prisoner  might  bo  forced  to  convict  himself;  it  required  that  a  foimal 
accusittlon  of  a  specific  offence  should  be  made  against  him.  This 
office  of  accuser^  Caiaphns,  dispensing' with  the  customary  employ- 
ment of  an  "orator/  himself,  apparently,  performed,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  nation,  and  its  highest  dignitary;  to  give  the  charges 
th«  greater  weight. 

Pilate,  having  taken  his  seat,  began  the  proceedings  by  formally 
asking  Caiaphas  and  his  colleagues  -what  accusation  they  had  against 
the  prisoner.        •      '      .'^^^v  >  ■..■-•■■  , 

•*  If  tie  luid  not  been  a ^eat offender,"  replied  Oaiaphas,  as  spokes- 
man, "Ave  would  not  have  delivered  Him  up  to  thee.  We  have 
pftwer  enough  to  punish  ordinary  offenders,  by  our  o^n*  laws,  but 
this  •  man's  crime  goes  beyond  our  powers  in  the  punishment  it  de- 
mands, and,  there^re,  we  have  handed  Him  over  to  you.  -  That  we 
have  done  80;  ifubmit^  ki  proof  that  He  deserves  deatli.    Theprts- 


Hliaccusei 
Pilate  wa 
already  und 
He  had  lear 
courses  had 
was  mainly 
and  public  t 
same  cause. 

first  appean 
course  in  Q^ 

munications 
formlv  repri 
therefore,  thj 
only  from  ei 
learned,  Jesi 
easily  see  ho' 
terests  and  ni 
Roman  auth 
religious  mo\ 
for  appreheai 
The  Gospel 
the  opening  a 
his  colleagasi 
Pilate  himsel 
however^  a  vc 
hypocritical  e 
Jews,  and,  sti 
of  taste  and  ( 
was  hateful  a 
represented  tl 
question  aboil 
accusers  had, 
Interrupting 
found' Him  wl 
andjudgnHi* 
him  further,  h 
understood  thi 
they  wished  43( 
Caiaphas  ha 
he,  "a charge 
w^ithout  yoixn 
conflnn  any  t 
and,  thu^  the 
stoned  Jesus  f 
they  were  reai 
have  theiri  viot 


TBDBLUFE  OF  UHiaSl^^ 


CP***  of  mjtelf/thehieli  pfiest,  and  of  the  QotabloiB  of  tlie  nation, -«f| 
lUi  tccusers,  may  suffice  to  prove  the  blackness  of  His  guilt." 

Pilate  was  not  a  stranger  in  Palestine,,  and  hadv  doul^less,  hadJosus 
already  under  his  notice,  through  reports  of  his  spies  and  officials. 
He  hod  learned  that  He  avoided  all  appeals  to  force;  that  His  dls^ 
courses  had  nothing  whatever  political  in  ;them,  and  .that  His  iscial 
was  mainly  directed  against  the  corruptions  of  the  Jewish  prieisthood 
and  public  teachersv  whom  the  Romans  themselves  despised  for  tlio 
same  cause.  The  immense  crowds  that  had  followed  Him,  at  His 
first  appearance  in  Judsa,  three  years  before,  and  His  subseque.at 
course  in- Galilee,  must  have  been  the  eubjeot  of  many<^oia1  oomr 
munications  to  Caesarea,  Pilate's  usual  residence ;  and  they  had  U.n|t 
fornilv  represented  Him  :a»  peaceful  and  harmlefis.  lilat;^  koqw; 
therefore,  that  He  was  now  dolivered  up  by  the  priests  and  HabUs 
only  from  en vy^  and  for  thsir  own  sel^sh  ends.  From  all  he  had 
learned,  Jesus  was  only  a  w^ll-meamng  enthusiast,  and  Hp  could 
easily  see  how  such  a  man  might  well  be  dangerous  to  the  vested. in- 
terests and  mock  holiness  of  the  Jewish  lutignates,  but  not  at4)ill8o  to 
Roman  authority.  He  was  ready  enough  to  quench  in  blood  lany 
religious  movement  that  threatened  the  jxiace,  but  he  saw  no  ground 
for  apprehension  as  regarded  this  one. 

Th^  Gospels  give  only  a  brief  outline  of  the  whole  trial,  but  eveu^ 
the  opening  address  of  -OaJaphas,  or  the  orator  who  spoke  for  him  an^d 
his  colleagues,  was,  no  doubt,  ;fuli  of  rhetorical  compUmeuts.  |e» 
Pilate  himself,  and  of  fierce  words  against  the  prisoner^  It  had* 
however^  a  vdry  different  effect  on  Pilate  from  that  intended.  The 
hypocritical  elamourifor  blood  by  a  piiesthood  whom  he  despised  aai 
Jews,  and,  still  more,  for  theii-  superstition,  bigotry,  barbarous  want 
of  taste  and  culture^  restless^  greed,  and  restive  opposition  (p  RomOt 
was  hateful  and  repulsive!  iHe  would  not  involve  his  couvt,  which 
represented  the  majesty  of  the  Emperor,  in  any  further  details' of  a 
question  about;  one  who  seemed  a  mere  religious  refovmer^  The 
accusers  had,  themselves.  Jurisdiction  in  their  own  religious  4ispjute8{ 

Interrupting  the  speaks,  therefore,  Pilate  told  lum— '!*  If  you  bavQ 
found' Him  what  you  say,  you  had  better,  in  mr  opinion,  take  Him, 
and  judge  Him  according  to  your  own  law/'  It  they  did  not  trouble 
him  further,  he  would  not  interfere  with  them.  He  had  not,  as  jret, 
understood  that  they  sought  to  liave  Jesus  put  to  death,  but  fancied 
they  wished  430hie  other  punishment.  r  • 

Caiaphas  had  his  answer  ready.  "It  i&  a  erimnal  diarge,"  said 
he,  "  a  charge  of  capital  crime,  and  we  cannot  put  any  one  to  death, 
without  your  confirminj^  our  sentence."  He  could  not,  however, 
confirm  any  sentence,  without,  at  least,  a  sumraarv  investigation, 
and,  thu^the  matter  must  proceed  before  him.  They  might  have 
stoned  Jesus  for  blasphemy.  Had  he  sanctioned  their  doing  so^  but 
they  were  resolved  to  leave  the  odium  of  tlie  murder  on.  him,  and 
haivetheif  victim  erucifled.    In>  the  fuMlmenfc  of  tjhe  divine  oomtsel^ 


'm 


tftU  'IJlFEi  OF  CHiaSTl 


"Bf^na  to  d!d,  not  As  a  niatt^^  to  Jewish  farjv  but  «s  a  slii*oiUniiff, 
ontheCros*^  ■  ■■  '•'•    • -n     ■•nv  v  ,  —  ■■,.?.'      ,..,  ,._    ,  . 

*^  ♦*  What  Is  you¥  aecusfttion  then  r  asked  Pilate, '>v(.rfArfiv/ 

Craftily  keeping  out  of  sight  Clirfst's  declaration  that  He  was  the 
SOh  of  GtKl,  because '  snoh  a^theologieat  question  wa»  indifferent  to 
the  Roman,  and  because  heathenisHi  bad  no  such  ideaa  connected  with 
ih^phiraseas  Judaism,' €aiapbas  tutiie<l  the  religious  offence  into  a 
politicial  One.  ^he  •'  Son  of  Ood',"  in  a  Jewish  flense,  was  equivalent 
to  the  Messiah,  the  expected  national  deliverer,  and,  hence,  he  created 
out  Of  th6  elaim,  a  ptetensicm  to  earthly  royalty^.  Such  an  accusation 
could  not  be  Oirerlo<*ed,  and  must  wake  prejudice,  if  believed,  as 
involving  a  charge  of  treason  against  the  suspicious  and  relentless 
Tlberiu^:'  The  priests  Expected  an  instant  tiobdemnatioii,  for  they 
khefW^ PilhteHr  bya!na^liko  natutel  >-iP^'fii'''WymHuH'*ft\n  j  fft* 

Roman  law  permitted  the  questioning  of  a  prisoner  after>  formal 
iiCGu6ation,<and  6onf6ssion  of  the  ehai^^  was  he^  jnifficient  proof  of 

guilt.   '  ■'■  '■}  !  ■  ■    "•    I     •-     t     ■■■■  ..  :rn  ^       .     .,.    •    , 

^^"'^Bieftcetised' "has  been  condemned  by  us  as  a  deceiver  of  the 
|Jii6plfe,"a(nsweted  the  high  priest,  n  trpj  ni  if*/$ifii,,ii  jij-^i  i>i^  A-     . 
-^^H^w risked  Pilate.     '.   '-■    JM,^,, 'r/.  r^- .'f,,.f^:.';:',w,,.^.:  ,:T 

^^'  In  a  double  way,"  said  Oaiaplias.  ^'  He  stirsup  the  nation  against 
^^hg  theiv  tribute  to  Ccesar,  and  He  sets  hintiselx  up  as  king  of  the 
Jews.  He  says  He  is  the  Messiah,  which  is  the  name;  w«i  give  our 
"king,  and  He  has  fed  mui«y  to  re^rd  Him  as  a  defl(^i]4ai|t  4^  Plavid, 
and  our  only  lawful  sovereign."  ;.>•(- f',i'iv<>v, 3^  ^wf^  f  nrf*  *»'  rr* 
-  Jesus  was  standing  at  Pilsite's  side.  Rising  from  his  chair  and 
tli^afering  Him^to  be  brought  after  him,  he  retii^ed  into  the  palaccj  and 
callihg'  Jei^us  before  him,  asked  Him— "  Art  uT^iw*  the  king  of  the 
JfeWs*?  Dost  ThbUi  really,  claim  to  be  so?'';  He  evidently  expected 
^  disavO'^al,  for  he  felt  it  almost  beneath  him  to  ask  such  a  question 
^f  one,  4n  his  eyes,  so  utterly  unlike  a  king.  Had  he  been  firm  and 
^rong-^n^indied,  he  wouM  have  seen  the  groundlessness  of  the  chai-ge, 
fw»n 'the  absi^ce  of  all  overt  proof ;  but  he^  weakly  proceeded  to 
<K)mproiiniee  himself, 'by  putting  J^sus  to* exdmiftation*  r. 

Knowing  that  Pilate  had  nothing  against  Him  but  the  words  of 
His  «nemiei  'Outside,  Jesus,  with  a  calm  dignity  that  must  have 
%^Cized  th!id  procurator,  asked  him  a  counter  question.  "Do  you  ask 
this  of  your  fOWh  accord,  or  have  others  told  it  you  of  me?"  He 
Would  have  Pilate  remember  the  more  than  doubtful  source  of  the 
accusation-atad  that  with  all  his  oflScial  means  of  information,  no 
groimds  Of  such  a  charge  bad  ever  suggested  themselves  to  his  own 
mind.  It  was,  besides;  essential  to  know 'if  he  spoke  as  a  Roman, 
with  a  political' use  Of  the  titte  "king,"  orrepeatediit  in  the  Jewi|(i 
■iiense,  as  equivalent  to  "  the  Messiah."  ^     *.    \.{.  Tr  f?M  ^ 

•'  **Do  yoti  think /am  ai*?<»w.'"  answered  Pilate,  BooirnfuUy,  feeling 
fiii^  false  posi^tion,  in  entertaining  an  accusaticm  from  so  suspicious 
%  Sdtirce.  -  ' '  You^  6wn  nation  have  brought  you  Siefore  me ;  the 


THB  LIFE  OF  CHRIBTi 


1^ 


dmrg^  comes  from  the  priests  and  Rabbis.  I  have  only  repeated 
their  accusation.  What  do  I  care  for  your  dreams  about  a  Mesaiaht 
Tell  me,  what  have  you  done?  Do  you  oall  yourselC  the  king  of  the 
Jews?" 

"In  your  sense  of  the  word  I  am  not  «  king,"  answered  Je^iBt 
"  but  in  another,  I  am.  ^y  aecusers  expect  a  mere  earthly,  world* 
conquering  Messiahs  But  my  Kingdom  is  i^ot  of  this  world— not 
earthly  and  political,  If  it  were,  my  attendants  would  have  fouj^ht 
for  me»  to  prevent  my  being  arrested  and  delivered  up  to  my  enemies 
by  the  soldiers  you  sent  against  me.  But  they  made  no  resistance 
nor  any  attempt  even  to  rescue  me,  and  tliis,  of  itself,  ia  qqouj^,  tQ 
BhoW  that  my  Kingdom  is  not  a  political  one."  .  ♦  r  -r'j  ,v  rrji^ 

VYou  speak  of  a  kingdom:  are  you  really  a  king,  then,  in  any 
otiier  sense  than  the  common?"  asked  the  procui'ator,.awed  before  thie 
Mysterious  Man.  >     .  . 

' '  Thou  sayest  it ;  so  it  is;  I  am  a  K^g,  "  answered  Jesus.  '  f  I  was 
bom  to  be  a  King;  I  came  into  the  world  that  I  should  bear  witness 
for  The  Truthl^'  He  spoke  in  His  lofty,  mystic  way  of  the  divine 
Truth  He  had  seen  and  heard  in  a  former  e:(istence,  when  in  tl^ 
bosom  of  the  Father.  "  All  who  love  and  seek  the  Truth,"  ^  eon- 
tinued— "that  is,  who  hear  and  obey, my  words—are  my  subjects." 
He  had  thrice  claimed  a  Kingdom;  and  thrice  told  Pilate  tl^^t  it  was 
not  of  this  world. 

"How  these  Jews  talk  J"  thought  Pilate.  -"They,  barbarous  as 
they  are,  think  they  have  Tkuth  as  their  special  possessionr^TBUTH, 
which  is  a  riddle  insoluble  to  our  philosophers!  What  have  I  to  do 
with  su<^  speculations,  fit  only  to  confuse  the  head  of  a  hungry 
Greek  or  a  l^ggarly  Rabbi?"  But  he  had  heai'd  enough  to  conyiqco 
him  that  Jesus  had  no  thought  of  treason  against  Rome,  or  of  stir- 
nng  up  a  disturbance  in  the  country.  Hardened,  cold,  worldly,  he 
felt  how  awful  goodtvess  i£^  and  would  fain  Imxa.  dismissed  One  so 
strangely'dlSerent  fxom  other  meu'^an  enthusiast^  wilUng  to  die  to 
make  m(^  better!  "  What  kind  of  a  mtkn.  is  He?"  thought  the  Ro- 
man. "  If  He  only  had  not  been  so  ready  with  His  talk  about  being 
8  king!  But  He  wm  do  nothing  to  h§lp  Himself!"  ''What  is 
Truth?"  said  he,  ironically,:  and  turned  away  without  waiting- an 
answer,  for  in  Pilate's  opmion,  as  in  that  of  most  men  of  his  class 
in  that  age.  Truth  was  an  airy  nothing,  a  mere  empty  name. 

Leaving  Josus  to  be  brought  out  after  him  to  the  tribunal  again,  he 
returned  to  the  accusers  and  the  multitude.  .  Touched  by  tlie 
prisoner's  self-possession  and  dignity;  half -afraid  of  one  who  spoke 
only  of  Truth,  and  of  other  worlds  than  this;  and  incensed  that  the 
hierarchy  should,  for  their  own  ends,  have  sought  to  pahiioff  a  harm- 
less enthusiast  on  liim,  as  a  dangerous  traitor;  he  threw  the  priests 
and  Tlabbis  into  fierce  confusion,  by  frankly  telling  them  "that  ho 
'had  ej^amined  Jesus,  and  found  no  ground  for  anj  punishment  in 
His  thinking  Himself  the  Messiah,  sm  they  called,  it./'    Onepoiat  ia 


m 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST.' 


the  nccnsatioti  hnd  failed,  but  it  was  necTessary  to  Iicar  wliat  miglit  be 
atleged  t)esideK  Tlic>  accuscrB  could  easily  see  tluit,  in  spite  of  the 
admission  of  Jeras  tlmt  He  cinlmod  to  be  a  kidg,  Piiate  regarded  Ilim 
rather  witti  pity  tlian  fear.  More  must  lie  done,  Uy  fix  on  Him  the 
crime  of  being  daugerous  to  the  State.  Tlie  priests  ntd  Rabbis  vrere 
gi'eatly  excittoa.  One  itfter  another,  they  Kpnng  tip,  with  charge  oh 
ciiftrge,  to  confirm  their  main  dccusation.  In  tlieir  tleroe  bigAtry  and 
unmeasured  hatred,  they  had  t(ot  scrupled  to  spealc  of  i^  purely 
religious  movement  as  a  dark  political  plot,  and  now  they  were  bold 
etiough  even  'to  adduce  proofs  of  this  treason.  **  He  has  perverted 
wonien  and  children,  and  has  systematically*  stirred  'np  the  whole 
nation  against  Ctesar;  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem  there  is  not  a  town 
or'Village  in  the  land,  where  He  ha^  not  won  over  some,  and  filled 
thdm  with  wild  expectations.  He  has  appealed  to  tlie  nation  to  join 
His  Kingdom;  lie  has  spoken  against  paying  the  ttfxes;  He  is  a 
second  Judas  the  Gaulonite,  and  you  know  what  fit's  cfireer  has  cost 
Rotaie,  in  blood  and  treasure."  Thel  hyt)ocrites!  They  were/hunting 
Jf^iis  to  death  simply^  because  He  would  not  identify  Himself  With 
them,  and  iise  His  Supernatural  power  to  drive  out  the  Romans,^ &nd 
set  them  on  the  vacant  tlirone.  They  were  demanding  His  deatli  en 
the  pretext  that  He  had  thi^atened  to  us^ /or««  tb  'establish  His 
Kin^om^'wUen  th6  truth  was^His  rieal  offence,  ito  their  eyes,  was 
thatHe  would  7W<  use  force!  '. 

Sudhastomiof  'accusations  and  suspicions  might  well  hate  led 
Pildte  to  expect  some  denial  or  disproofs  from  Jesus.  He  doubtless 
attributed  all  the  difficulty  of  the  situation  to  His  too  ready  admis- 
sion of  Hisdreamy  kingship;  and,  on  every  ground,  eveh  for  his  own 
ealce;  to  clear- him  fromi  a  busifacss  that  grew  more  and  more  serious, 
hoped  to  heariJome  defence.  "But  Jesus  knew  ^th  whom  He  had 
td  doj  '  He  knew  that  His  enemies  were  determined  that  He  should 
die,  (ind  wotild  invc»t  charge  After  chaise  till  Ho  Wtts  destroyed. 
They  liad  already  scrupled  at  -nothing.  He  knew  Pilate-^fl^ce,  and 
j'ct  cowardly,  Willi  rtd  moral  forcfe;  the  tyrant,  and  yet  thd  sport  of 
the  Jewish  authorities.  Thb  majesty  of  truth  and  goodness  in  Him 
looked*  down  with  a  pitying  disdain  on  the  moral  '^orthlessness  of 
4udge  and  accusers  alike,  and  would  not  stoop;  to  utter  even  a  Word 
m  His  own  behalf,  before  them.  Tliejr  krtew  His  Kfe  and  v^ork,  and 
if  the  witness  tliepHote  were  of  no  weight,  He  would  add  ho  other. 
^' If- /demand  thftt  He  answer."  thought  Pilate,  "perhaps  He  will 
do  so."  *'  Do  you  not  hear,"  said  he,  **  hoW  manv  things  they  accuse 
you  of?  Do  you  make  no  defence  at  all?"  But  Jesus  remained 
sileat,  not  uttering  even  aworfl.  ♦*  Avery  strange  man,"  thought 
Piluto.  He  seemed  to  him  more  than  ever  a  lofty  entlnisi^st,  blind 
to  Ilia  own  interests,  and  careless  of  life.     ^i'««>^i  -i  >f<' '  -  ^'  '■  >  i 

The  Word  ''Galilee,"  in  the  wild  cries  of  the  priests  and  Rabbis, 
raised  a  new  lio^e  in  Pilate's  mind.  Antipas  was  now  in  Jerusalem, 
at  the  feast    If  Jesus  were  a  Gfilileean,  it  would  be  a  graceful 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


768 


ightlw 
of  the 
edhim 
lim  the 
A»  were 
arge  oh 
)try  and 
pwely 
ei'c  bold 
ervetted 
8  "whole 
t  a  town 
ndfilled 
a  to  join 
He  18  a 
has  cost 
I  hunting 
leM  With 
ittns/and 
death  on 
blishHis 
^es,  was 

bate  led 
fdoubtless 
i\y  admis- 
f  his  own 
e  acriotrs, 
1  H<5  had 
it  should 
eStrdyed. 
lerce,  and 

i  SpOTt  ol 
Bs  in  Him 
BssneBs  of 
»n  a  word 
?^ork,  and 
tio  other. 
iS  He  will 
ley  accuse 
Tcmained 
"  thought 
i^it,  blmd 

U  Rabbis, 

Ferusalem, 

graceful 


courtesy  to  send  Him  to  be  tried,  as  n  Galilniui,  befbre  His  own 
prkice,  and  would  Iperhaps  efface  the  grud^:^  Antipas  had  at  himself, 
for  UaVlQg  let  loose  Jhissc^iere  lately  on  the  Galil(eau  pilgrims  in  the 
Temple,  during  a  disturbance,  and  bv  cutting  some  down,  ercn  at 
the  altar:— ^a  sore  scandal  in  the  Jewish  world.  It  would,  moreover, 
got  him  clear  of  a  troublesome  matter,  and,  perhaps,  it  might  even 
save  the  stranjd^  man-r-iw  calm,  so  dignified,  in  circumstances  of  such 
weakness  and  humiHation ;  with  such  a  look,  as  if  He  read  one's  soul ; 
>vith  suqh  a  mysterious  air  of  greatness,  even  in  Imnds,  and  in  tho 
very  face  of  death. by  tlie  Cross.  Antipas  would  not  likely  yield  to 
the  Temple  party,  as  he  himself  might  Iw  forced  to  do,  to  avoid 
another  complaint  to  Rome.  Ho  no  sooner,  thei^eforc,  heard  that 
Je^uA  was  a  GalilsD&n,  tlian  lie  ordered  Him  to  be  transferred  to 
Antipas,  that  he  tnight  judge  Him  as  such.  .  t 

The  old  palace  of  the  Asmoncans,  in  which  Antipaa  lodged,  was  a 
short  wav  from  Pilate's  splendid  official  residence.  It  lay  a  few 
streets  off,  to  the  north-east,  within  the  same  old  city  wall,  on  the  slope 
of  Zion,  the  levelled  crest  of  which  wjis  occupied  by  the  vast  palaco 
of  Herod,  now  the.  Roman  headquarters.  Both  were  in  the  old,  or 
upper  city,  and  through  the  narrow  streets— with  rai^d  pathwayi^ 
and  middle  sunk  tp  prevent  defilement  to  passers-by  rhesus  was  now 
led,  iinder  escort  of  a  detachment  of  the  Roman  troops  on  duty.  The 
accusers  had  no  choice  but  to  follbw,  and  the  multitude  went  off  with 
then),  for  it  was  no  ordinarv  spectacle,  to  see  the  high  priest  and  all 
the  great  men  of  the  city,  thus,  in  public,  together. 

The  vassal  king  was  caught  in  Pilatcj's  snare.  The  flattery'  of  re- 
ferring a  Galiltean  case  to  hinv  as  the  Galilsean  tetrarch,  j^reatly 
pleaaod  him,  and  his  light  superticial  natiu^  was  no  less  gratified  by 
haviiag  One  of  A^om  he  had  heard  so  much,  brought  before  him.  In 
his,j)etty  cbqrt,  amidst  all  its  affectation  of  grandeur  And  state,  ennu! 
hung  Uk^  a  drowsineft)  over  all.  He  had  never  seen  a  miracle,  and 
should  like  to  be  able  to  say  he  had.  It  would  break  the  monotony 
of  a  day,  afldgivfe  an  hour  sianguid  talk.  A  prisoner,  in  dancjer  of 
tlie  Gross,  could  hot  refuse  to  humour  him,  if  he  commanded  Ilim  to 
perform  one!.  He  had  been  afraid  of  JeSus  once,  but  a  miracle- worker 
in  chains,  could  be  only,  at  best,  a  clever  juggler. 

Pjjfi.te  hiid  taken  his  sea-t  on  his  tribunal  in  the  grey  dawn,  and  an 
hour  tind  passed.  '  It  was  shortly  after  six,  when  Antipas.  early  astir, 
lilie  all  Orientals,  heard  the  commotion  in  the  courtyard  of  his  palace, 
and  received  word  that  Jesus  liad  been  handed  over  to  his  authority. 
A  few  minutes  more,  and  the  prisoner  was  led  into  the  Court  of  Jus 
tice.of  the  palace,  And  presently,  Antipas  made  his  appearance  on  the 
tribunal,  on  which  Jesus  was  also  forthwith  placed. 

The  Ught,  weak,  crafty,  Wortlilcss  man,  was  disposed  to  be  very 
conde/scenditig.  He  put  question  after  question  to  Him:  whatever 
his  idle  curiosity  suggested;  and  jdoubtless  asked  that  a  miracle  might 
be  performed  there  and  then.  But  Jesus  was  no  conjuror  or  "magiia.*' 


! 


'  "t'l', 
.1  ■  ■ 


r'ifi 


m 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST.- 


He  was  ready  to  save  His  life  by  worthy  means,  but  He  would  not, 
for  a  moment,  stoop  to  anything  unworthv.  The  cre^iture  clad  In 
purple  before  Him  was  the  murderer  of  Jonn :  th^  slave  of  a  wicked 
woman;  a  mean  adulterer;  and  would  fain  have  had  I^is  life,  as  well 
as  that  of  the  Baptist.  Jesus  felt,  therefore,  only  utter  disdain  for 
him,  and  treated  him  with  withering  silence.  He  might  tire  himciclf 
with  questiops,  but  not  a  word  of  i-eply  would  be  vpucnsafed.  An- 
tipas  began  to  feel  that  it  was  no  time  to  indulge  hts  humour,  and 
grew  half-alarmed.  ■'  '^     "■'" ,"    '  '     V 

The  high  priests  and  Habbis,  Caiaphas  at  n&U  1ilM,-W6iM  gladly 
have  turned  the  annoyance  of  the  tetrarch  to  the^r  own  account. 
When  his  questions  had  ceased,  they  broke  put  into  vehement  accn- 
stitions,  forgetful,  in  their  rage,  of  either  their  office  or  their  self- 
respect.  But  they,  too,  were  met  with  the  same  insuperable,  con- 
temptuous vilence,,  which  gave  no  chance  of  fastening  anything  on 
their  enemy,  by  any  admissibn  of  ^is  own.  Antipas  was  no  less  at 
a  loss  what  to  do  than  Pilate  l^ad  been.  One  thing,  alqne,  he  had 
resolved — he  would  have  no  part  in  condemhihg  sp  mysterious  a  nW. 
Was  he  afraid  of  the  large  following  Jes\is  tuready  had  in  dalilcc? 
Was  he  spell-bound  and  awed  by  those  eyes-^that  calmness-^that 
more  tlian  kingly  dignity?  Was  he  f  fraid  of  the  very  power  of  which 
he  had  craveu  some  exhibition?  When  there  was  no  Hei-odias  at 
hand  to  make  him  the  tool  of  her  ievenge,.he  was  ratl^er  a  mere 
voluptuary  than  cruel.  ,    ,  '    / 

Treated  so  strangely  before  his  courtiers:  l^uiipbled  and  bAlBfed, 
Antipas  covered  his  defeat  and  alarm,  bv  an  affectation  of  con- 
teniptuous  ridiculo.  The  harmless  fanatical  madman  who  claiuied  to 
be  a  king,  would  make  a  fine  butt  for  the  humour  of*  his  guard,  Let 
them  trick  Him  out  as  a  king,  and  play  at  homage  to  Him,  and  see 
how  He  would  bear  His  shadowy  dignities!  It  ivas  a  brave  chance 
tor  the  courtiers  to  show  their  manliness  by  mocking  a  "helpless  pris- 
oner! Antipas  knew,  by  this  tinie,  Pilate  s  opinion  of  the  Accused, 
and  suspected  why  he  had  sent  Him.  Bo,  offlper  and  common  soldier 
set  Uiemselves  to  amuse  their  master,  by  trying  their  Wit  on  this 
ridiculoi^s  pretender  to  a  crown!  Tired  i*t  last,  nothing  remained 
but  to  send  Him  back  to  Pilate,  avidlet  him  finish  what  he  had  begun. 
Antipas  ^lad  no  desire  to  meddle  further,  in  what  might  prove  a  very 
troublesome  niatter.  Having,  therefore,  put  a  white  robe — the  Jewish 
soyal  colour,  on  Jesus— as  if  to  show  that  he  had  no  fear  of  such  a 
king,  he  sent  Him  back  to  Pilate., 

/  Pilate  had  already  made  one  vain  iattempt  to  $ave  Him,  and  now, 
anxious  to  end  the  matter,  summoned  the  accusers  once  more  to  the 
tribunal.  A  great  crowd  had  gathered,  mostly  of  citizeiifl,  hostile  as 
such  to  the  alleged  enemy  of  the  Temple  by  which  they  lived. 
Looking  at  Jesus  again — standing  before  him  in  the  hum1>te  dress  of 
the  people— for  they  had  already  stripped  Him  of  His  robe  of  mock- 
ery:— Pilate  noticea  that  He  showed  rid  trace  of  fanaticisnfi,  in  word, 


bearing,  c 

was  no  re 

said  he,  ' 

Still  more 

he  lias  a 

trouble  hf 

ment.    I  i 

missed.    ] 

was  a  mea 

fusing  thei 

Heanwh 

momentoui 

at  the-  Feai 

it  was  also 

liverance  o: 

Passover,  t 

themultitu 

looming  i 

P^e,  Pilate  j 

prisoner,  to 

that  he  shoi 

pleased  him 

who  should 

king,  and  hii 

accepted. 

whether  the 

leased  to  the 

It  happen 

Bar^bbas—i 
mised  thmu 
volts  T5rhich 
robber,  buij  a 
Law,  had  tal 
thizers  or  sol 

Thepropo 
hierarchy,  ai 
Jar  fancy,  an 
quick  preseri 
log  a  countei 
lease  Barabb 
It  was' a  dext 
offence  wj^icl 
risen  against 
zealot  for  th»- 
Jhings  as  thej 
t^aiaphas  h^ic 
w»bbas>but  it 


THE  UPE  OP  CHRIST. 


785 


i  not, 
lad  in 
vlcUcd 
IS  well 
iln  for 
ilmsclf 
An- 
ur,  and 

[  gladly 
ccount. 
it  accu- 
elr  self- 
Ic,  con- 
hlwg  on 
5  less  at 
he  had 
a  a  nm. 
dalilee? 
J9S— that 
of  which 
radias  at 
r  a  rttere 

baffled, 
of  con- 
aimed  to 
ird,    let 
and  see 
chan<ie 
less  pris- 
^ccused, 
on  soldier 
t  on  this 
remained 
ad  begun. 
,ve  a  very 
le  Jewish 
.f  ,euch  a 

and  n6>^, 
pre  to  the 
[hostile  as 
key  lived. 
jB  dress  of 
of  mocli- 
in-word, 


bearing,  or  counteniince;  and  foU  more  than  over  ccnvinccd  t!\at  He 
wasDo  rebel  or  dungoroui  porion,  "I  have  examined  this  man,'* 
said  he,  "and  notlilnff  worlliy  of  death  has  \hicn  done  by  Him. 
Still  more,  I  sent  Him  to  Horou,  and  he  is  of  the  same  opinion,  and 
he  has  sent  Him  again  to  me  uncondemned.  But  since  so  vxnch 
trouble  has  been,  caused  by  His  fancies,  He  deserves  some  puulsh> 
ment.  I  shall,  therpfoiie,  order  Him  to  be  scourged  and  then  dis^ 
missed.  It  will  bo  a  wanting  to  Him."  HUi  offer  to  scourge  7 Tim 
was  a  mean  salve  to  the  wounded  pride  of  tho  hierarchy,  for  his  Txi- 
fusing  their  domau '  for  a  sentence  of  death. 

Meanwhile,  a  cry  arose  In  tho  crowd,  which  was  destined  to  hMve 
momentous  results.  It  was  tho  custom  to  carry  out  capital  sentences 
at  the  Feast  times,  that  tho  people,  at  large,  might  get  a  lesson;  but, 
it  was  also  the  practioa  of  Ine  procurators,  in  compliment  to  the  de- 
liverance of  Israel  from  tho  slavery  of  Egypt,  coAimemorated  by  the 
Passover,  to  release  any  one  prisoner  condemned  to  death,  whom 
the  multitude  might  name  in  tue  Passover  week.  ;  ' 

Coming  forwara,  therefore,  and  addressing  both  accusers  and  i^eo 
pie,  Pilate  reminded  (horn  of  their  custom  that  he  should  release  a 
prisoner,  to  them,  at  the  Passover.  Cries  instantly  rose,  clamouring 
that  he  should  (fo  so,  aa  he  had  always  done,  and  for  once  the  sliouts 
pleased  him;  for  he  fancied  that,  this  time,  there  could  be  no  question 
who  should  receive  the  pardon.  One  who  claimed  to  be  their  national 
king,  and  had  attracted  so  much  notice,  would,  he  assumed,  be  gladly' 
accepted.  Cpminff  forward,  therefore,  he  called  out  to  the  people, 
whether  they  would  like  ''Joius,  their  king,"  to  be  the  prisoner/cor 
leased  to  them  that  year.  ^' '" 

It.  happened  that,  at  this  time,  there  lay,  awjoiting  execution,  one 
Barf bbos— the  son  of  a  R^bbi— who  had,  apparently,  been  compro- 
mised through  religious  fanaticism,  in  one  of  the  countless  petty  re- 
volts which  iQcessantlv,  harassed  the  Romans.  He  was  no  common 
robber,  but^  a  xealot,  who,  in  mistaken  ardour  for  the  honour  of  the 
Law,  had  taken  pai^t  In  a  tumult,  during  which  some  Roman  sympa- 
thizers or  soldiers,  had  been  killed. 

The  proposal  of  Pilate  threatened  to  overthrow  the  scheme  of  the 
hierarchy,  and,  unless  opposed  on  the  instant,  might  catch  the  popu- 
lar fancy,  and  bo  accepted.  Caiaphas  and  his  party,  therefore,  with 
quick  presence  of  mind,  dotennined  to  turn  attention  from  it,  by  rais- 
ing a  counter  proposal  Mattering* to  local  passion.  "Ask  him  to  re- 
lease Bambbas  to  you,  and  not  this  man,  shouted  they  to  the  mob. 
It  was' a  dexterous  stroke,  for  Barabbas  had  been  condemned  for  an 
offence  which  made  him  a  martyr,  in  tlie  eyes  of  the  people.  He  had 
risen  against  the'  abhorred  Roman.  Ho  was  a  patriot,  therefore:  a 
zealot  tor  the  Temple  and  the  Law,  while  Jesus  was  the  enemy  of 
things  as  they  were-— of  tradition  and  rites;— and  demanded  reforms. 
Caiaphas  had  no  sympatliy  with  the  revolutionary  fierceness jpf  Ba- 
rabbas,-but  itf  made  him  only  too  zealous  on  the  right  side,  whereas 


:  KM 


^  ■  1 

f  •,    'it 


T^:^|B!EOF,Cfpi^:^,- 


Jesus  was  tb^  pul^Uc  accuser  of  the  whole  priesthood,  and  of  the 
schools  as  well. 

The  cry  for  Barahbas  \ia^,  therefore,  raiscid  by  the  high,  priests  as  a 
cue  to  the  people,  and  repeated  witl^i  such  vehement  urgency  that, 
erelopg,  it  was  caught  up  by  the  whole  crowd,  wl^o  were  presently 
wild  with  excitement  to  liave  "the  patriot"  released,  instead  of 
Jesus.  The  public  opinion,  or  voice  pf  a  natdpn,  when  the  result  of 
free  expression  of  opposite  judgnient^s, naay  b^  the  voice  of  God,  but 
the  voice  of  the  unthinking  multitude,  as  the  outburst  of  $udden  pas- 
sion or  caprice,  seems  often  that  of  Satan.  ,  Pilat^  was  rot  required 
to  give  the  ^ople  their  choice,  but  had  fancied  he  might  appeal  to 
them  as  against  the  priests  and  Rabbis,  an^  have  tlieir  approval,  as  a 
counterpoise  to  the  opposition  of  their  le;ader8,  and  a  security  for  him- 
self with  the  Emperor.  But  the  high  priests  kept  up  the  ciy  for 
Barabbas  so  fiercely,  and,  to  Pilate*s  regret,  the  mulKitude  echced  it 
with  such  a  wilci  tuniult  of  voices,  that  he  saw  he  had,  f^ilj^d.  * '  Give 
us  barabbas,"  alone  was  heard.  A  popular  tumult  seemed  risiBg. 
Everything  promised  another  scene  like  that  of  the  great  deputation 
to  C«esarea,  about. the  s^ndar^s  set  up  in  Jerusalem,  when  the  per- 
sistent cries  of  the  multitude  were  not  to  be  silenc^-^d,  even  by  fear  of 
4eath,  and  forced  Pilate,  in  the  end,  to  yield,  .  ,  .  , 
,■  To  add  to  the  gpvernor's  perplexity,  he  h^d  scarcely  as^ei^ded  the 
Judge's  seat  to  receive  the,  decision,  of  tne  people,  and  give  liis  sentence 
Ui  accord  wjth  it,  when  a  message  came  to.  hii;n  fronoi,,  )us  wife, 
from  the  palace  behind,  which,  under  the  circumstances,  must  have 
greatly  impressed  him.  Since  the  time  of  Augu^tu^,  Roman  n?agis- 
trates  had  been  permitted  to  take  their  wive^  to  the  provinces,  and 
tradition  has  handed  down  the  ^iie  pf  Pilale^whose  nam^  it  gives 
as  Proclar— as  a  proselyte  to  Judaism.  She  ]bad  evidently  heard  of 
Jesus,  and,  having  taken  a  lively  interest  in  llim.iWfts  greatly  troubled 
at  Jlis  ari^est,  and  present  danger.  Her  messenger,  hastening  to 
Pilate's  ear,  now  whispered  an  entreaty,  frppi  her,  that  he  would  have 

Sothing  to  dp  \yith  pondemi^ing  this  just  man;  she  had; suffered  many 
lings,  through  the  night,  m  a  dream,  because;  of  llifli^—^nd  feaied 
divine  vengeance  if  He  were  condenined.  . .       u  ;  <  . ,     t 

Pilate — ^guided  only  by  expediency — was  at  ^  loss  what  to  do.  Ur- 
willing  to  give  way  to  the  mob,  and  let  loose  a  fierce  enemy  pf  Rome, 
instead  of  a  harmless,  and  evidently  lofty-minded  enthua|iast:  certain 
that  the  high  priests  had  accused  Him  only  from  envy  at  His  influ 
ence  with  the  people,  and  hatred  of  Him  for  His  opposition  to  them- 
selves: half  afraia,  moreover,  especially  after  his'wife's  message,  to 
meddle  further  in  tlie  matter — he,  once  "more,  turned  to  the  crowd, 
who  were  si  ill  sliouting — "Not  this  man,  but  Barabba^  **— and  at- 
teinpted  to  carry  liLs  point,  and  save  Jesus. 

"Which  of  the  two,"  cried  he,  "do  you  really  wish  me  to  release 
to  you?"  "Barabbas,  Barabbas,"  roared  the  multitude..  The  cry 
raised  ty  the  priests  had  caiTied  all  before  it.   ",iyhat  eh^  Ido 


THE  LIFE  dP  CHRIST. 


inn 


then,**  asked  Pilate,  pale  before  the  storm,  "  wfth  Jesus,  whom  you 
call  the  Messiah — the  King  of  the  je'ws?"  He  hoped  that  the  soimd 
of  titles  so  dear  to  their  hearts,  and  so  flattering  to  their  piide,  would 
have  some  effect.    But  he  was  bitterly  deceived. 

For  now,  for  the  first  time,  rose  in  answer  to  him,  the  fearful  words 
—••To  the  Gross  r'  ••  Crucify  HiVn!  crucify  Him!"— the  priests  and 
Rabbis— prelates  and  doctors  of  the  nation— on  the  raised  platforn< 
of  the  tribunal,  shouting  flrstt,  and  the  mob,  below,  presently  re-echO' 
ing^them  far  and  wid«. 

Pilate  had  failed  twice,  but  he  still  held  out.  Appealing  a  third 
time  to  the  excited  crowd,  he  strove  to  reason  with  them — 

"Why  shall  I  crucify  him?  What  evil  has  He  done?  He  has 
broken  no  law.  I  have  foUnd  no  cause,  in  anything  He  has  done,  to 
put  Him  to  death.    I  will,  therefore,  only  scourge  Him  and  let  Him 

go." 

But  he  knew  not  the  forces  he  was  opposing.  Behind  the  passions 
of  the  priests,  and  Rabbis,  and  people,  were  the  slowly  self-fulfilling 
counsels  of  the  Eternal ! 

The  sea  of  upturned  faces  broke  into  wild  uproar,  otoce  more,  atfd  a 
thousand  voices  cried  only,  '•  Crucify  Him!  crucify  Him!" 

The  six  days  of  CaDsarea,  when  the  same  crowds  had  besieged  his 
palace,  with  tlie  unbroken  cry,  which  not  even  imminent  death  could 
Btill — the  six  days,  when  their  invincible  tenacity  had  forced  him  to 
humble  himself  before  them,  and  let  them  triumph— rose  in  Pilate's 
mind. 

•*It  will  be  another  uproar  like  that,"  thought  he;  "I  must  yi61d 
while  I  can,  and  save  myself."  Poor  mockery  of  a  ruler!  Set  by  the 
Eternal  to  do  right  on  earth,  and  afraid  to  do  it:  told  so  by  his  own 
bostfm:  strong  enough  in  his  legions,  and  in  the  truth  itself,  to  have 
saved  the  Innocent  One,  and  kept  his  own  soul — he  could  only  think 
of  the  apparently  expedient.  Type  of  the  politician  of  all  ages,  who 
forgets  th4t  only  the  right  is  the  strong  or  wise! 

Not  daring,  in  his  weakness,  to  play  the  ihan,  and  do  right,  Pilate 
was  yet  determined  that  even  those  at  a  distance,  who  might  not  hear 
his  disavowal  of  any  willing  share  in  the  condemnation  of  Christ, 
should  be  niade  to  see  it.  To  wash  the  hands  in  water  is  a  natural 
symbol,  so  expressive  of  repudiation  of  responsibility,  that  it  had  been 
'adopted  by  Jews  and  heathen,  alike.  So  long  before  as  the  days  of 
Moses,  the  elders  of  a  city,  near  which  the  body  of  a  slain  man  had 
been  found,  were  required  to  wash  their  hands  over  a  slaughtered 
heifer,  and  declare  their  innocence.  To  wash  the  hands  in  innocency 
was  already  a  common  expression,  in  the  days  of  David,  and  it  was 
familiar  to  both  Greeks  and  Romans.  Calling,  therefore,  for  water, 
Pilate  went  towards  his  official  chair,  and  with  significant  gestures, 
washed  his  hands,  calling  aloUd  as  he  did  so  "  that  as  his  hands  were 
clean  before  them,' so  was  he  himself,  of  all  guilt  in  the  blood  of  this 
man.     It  is  on  you;  you  may  answer  for  it  us  you  best  can  I" 


;i'  If 


'•■;f  .MR  il 


IB  m  4 


h.% 


768 


THE  LI!FE  op  CSRIST. 


.7r'**Yes!  yes!*' cried  the  furious  priests  and  rabbie,  "willingly!  w* 
and  our  children  will  take  the  blame!  His  blood  be  on  us  and  our 
children,  if  He  be  slain  unjustly." 

'  *  Then  you  may  have  His  blood,  '*  thought  Pilate ;  **  I  have  done  my 
best  to  save  Him!"  So  dc  men  deceive  themselves,  as  if  they  could 
-wash  their  conscience  clean  as  easilv  as  their  hands !  They  fancy  they 
have  done  their  utmost  for  their  acknowledged  duty,  whfen  they  have 
not  done  precisely  the  first  indispensable  and  decisive  act.  They 
weary  themselves,  toiling  along  a  thousand  crooked  ways,  which  can- 
not lead  them  to  their  end,  and  turn  aside  only  from  the  path  of  un- 
hesitating, immovably,  right — the  way  nearest;  to  them,  and  the  short- 
est, after  all  I.  .|X;,;;,  0'L':p,,j'^^(-  '  "*'':' 
r .  The  Innocent  One  had  gained  nothing  biit  eyil  by  all  the  windings 
and  doublings  of  the  scheming  and  trim,ming  Roman.  Pilate  had 
proposed  as  a  compromise  with  His  accusers,  to  save  His  life,  by  de- 
livering Him  over  to  the  shame  and  agony  of  scourging,  though  He 
had,  confessedly,  done  nothing  amisd'.  He  was,  now,  to  be  both 
scourged  and  crucified.  i 
f.  Victims  condemned  to  the  cross  first  underwent  the  hideous torttiie 
of  the  scourge,  and  this  was,  forthwith,  inflicted  on  Jesus.  Pilate,  in 
person,  commanded  it  to  be  carried  out.  "  Go,  bind  His  hands,  and 
let  Him  be  beaten,"  was  the  prderfor  this  terrible  pi-eli|de  to  cruel 
fixion.    \  '})^'f "" -^' ■-:■'''' ^  ^''■'r i  M''^*fy'.'t^.:i  •'^^^^  


tii^ 


Roman  citizens  were  still  exempteit,  by  various  Jawis,  from  this 
agonizing  and  painful  punishment,  which  was  employed  sometimes 
to  elicit  confessions,  Sometimes  as  a  substitute  f6r  execution,  and,  at 

..others,  as  the  first  step  in  capital  sentences.  It  was  in  full  u^  in  the 
provinces,  and  lawless  governors  did  not  scniple  to  enforce  it  even  on 
Roman  citizens,  in  spite  of  their  protests  that  they  were  so.  Jesus  was 
now  seized  by  some  of  the  soldiers  standing  near,  and,  aft6r  being 
stripped  to  the  waist,  was  bound  in  a  stooping  posture,  His  hands  be- 
hind His  back,  to  a  post,  or  low  pillar,  near  the  tribunal.  He  was 
then  beaten  till  the  soldiers  chose  to  stop,  with  knots  of  rope,  or 
plaited  leather  thongs,  armed  at  the  ends  with  acorn-shaped  drops 
of  lead,  or  small,  sharp-pointed  bones.  In  many  cases  not  only  was 
the  back  of  the  person  scourged,  cut  open  in  all  directions:  even  tlie 
eyes,  the  face,  and  the  breast,  were  torn  and  cut,  and  tli^  teeth  not 
seldom  linocked  out.  The  judge  stood  by,  to  stimulate  the  sinewy 
executioners,  by  cries  of  *'  Give  it  him"— but  we  may  trust  that  Pilate, 
tliough  his  oflSce  required  his  presence,  spared  himself  this  crime. 
Under  the  fury  of  the  countless  stripes,  the  victims  f  ometimes  sank, 

raniidst  screams,  convulsive  leaps,  and  distortions,  into  a  senseloss 
heap:  sometimes  died  oh  the  spot:  sometimes,  were  .taken  away  an 
unrecognizablo  mass  of  bleeding  flesli.  to  find  dellveEaiice  iu  death, 
from  the  inflammation  and  fever,  sickness  and  shame.  ' 

.j[;.rTUc,  scourging  of  Jp?Ais.w|us  of  the  ;se,yerest,  for  tlae,  so,ldicrs^  eiu 
ployed  as  lictorsj  in  the  absence  of  these  special  offlciiils;  whd  were  im 


lesque  oi 
One  of  tl 
and  shar 
the  thori 
that  wor 
sharp  the 
on  dwarf 
scepire,  t 
used  ia 
Placed  in 
to  pay  Hi 
allegiance 
The  cour 
could  not 
had  clain 
Emperor, 
coarseness 
striking  _ 
rudely  wil 
as  they  di 
to  end  it, 
out. 
Thfeton 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


769 


allowed  to  procurators,  only  too  gladly  vented  on  any  Jew  the  grudge 
tiiey  bore  the  i^ation,  and  thev  would,  doubtless,  try  if  they  could  not 
force  oiit  the  confession,  which  His  silence  liad  denied  to  the  governor. 
Besides,  He  was  to  be  crucified,  and  the  harder  the  Scourging  the  less 
life  would  tjliere  be  lef^,  tp  keep  them  on  j^uard  at  the  cross,  after- 
wards. Wh,at  He  must  have  endured  is  pictured  to  us  by  Euf^bius 
in  the  epistle  of  the  Church  in  Smyrna.  "  All  around  were  horrilied 
to  sjBc  them  (the  martyrs),"  says  he,  '*  so  torn  with.scourges  that  thch* 
very  veins  were  laid  bare,  and  the  inner  muscles  and  sineWs,  and  even 
the  very  bowels,  exposed." 

The  scourglpg  over— Pilate,  as  his  ofBce  required,  standing  by,  tj 
hear  any  confession  that  might  be  madc,^ — Jesus  was  formally  de- 
livered over  to  a  military  otficer  with  the  authorization  to  see  Him 
crucified.  He  had  been  scourged  in  the  open  grounds  before  tho 
palace  §ate,  close  to  the  tribunal,  but  was  now  led,  still  half-naked; 
with  painful,  bleeding  steps,  into  the  inner  court  of  the  palace,  ia 
wh^ch,  as  the  trial  was  over,  the  Whole  cohort— no  longer  needed  out- 
side— was  massed,  to  be  ready  for  any  attempt  at  rescue.  His  guards 
now  put  spnfie  of  His  clothes  on  the  quivering  body.  For  this  His 
own  humble  under  garments  contented  them,  in  part,  but  the  brutal 
Uumour  of  the  guard-room  was  free  to  vent  itself  on  a  condemned  man, 
and  the  lofty  claims  of  Christ,  and  His  hatec^  nationality,  excited  it  to 
the  keenest.  Instead  of  His  plain  abba  of  linen,  therefore,  they  threw 
over  His  shoulders  a  scarlet  sagum,  or  soldier's  cloak — as  a  rough  bur- 
lesque of  the  lon^  and  fine  purple  one,  worn  onljr  by  the  Emperor. 
One  of  them,  running  to  the  nearest  open  space,  heightened  the  coarse 
and  shameful  merriment  by  bringing  in  some  of  the  tough  twigs  of 
the  thorny  Kubk,  which  he  twisted  into  a  mock  laurel  wreath,  like 
that  worn  at  times  by  the  Caesars,  and  forced  dowu,  with  its  close 
sharp  thorns,  on  our  Saviour's  temples.  The  Nubk  even  yet  groWs, 
on  dwarf  bushes,  outside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem.  A  fit  mockery  of  a 
sceptre,  to  complete  the  ridicule,  was  at  hand,  in  one  of  the  long  reeds, 
used  in,  many  ways  in  Jewish  houses,  and  hence  easily  procured. 
Placed  in  His  hand,  the  mock  king  had  a  sceptre!  It  only  remained 
to  pay  Him  a  show  of  homage,  and  this  they  did,  with  mock  oaths  of 
allegiance,  on  theif  knees, sal utin»  Him,  "Hail,  King  of  the  Jews." 
The  courtyard  rang  with  peals  of  laughter.  Some  of  the  morie  brutal 
could  not,  however,  let  things  pass  so  lightly.  He  was  a  Jew;  He 
had  claimed  to  be  a  king,  in  opposition,  as  they  fancied,  to  the 
Emperor,  and  He  was  about  to  be  crucified.  So  they  indulged  tleir 
coarseness  by  tearing  the  stout  cane-like  reed  from  His  Hands,  and 
striking  Him  with  it  over  the  face  and  head.  Others  struck  Him 
rudely  with  their  fists-  some,  in  their  contempt,  even  spitting  on  Him 
as  they  did  so.  The  scourging  had  lasted  till  the  soldiers  had  pleased 
to  ena  it,  and  now^  ,their  unspeakable  bruttility  was  left  to  wear  itself 

This  long  i^SEii^^^duIt  i^  iHodi^^^^  oheoi  tU^  8c?e6i  irials 


m 


TORrLI^Bf  OP;  CHRISTf 


of  th^se  laet  sod  liou^s.  Yel^  througU  the  whole  iiiO  coix^plu^t  (^scapeid 
His  Ups.  He  was  being  iasul,ted,  ra^ltreoiedj  ^nd^noekea,,  a^,a  Jqw, 
while  ahready: agonized  by  the  scouring;  but  i^' Sis,  tpfW^ntors  had 
known  it,  it  was  because  the  Jews  hated  Hi^  He  ^toocl  ,>vbi»iip  He  did. 
They  ridiculed  His  claim  to  the  monarchy  of  tiie  world; , but  had  tho 
soldiery  ;kaQ wn  tl^e  tri^th,  it  was  bjecause  He  ha4  -opposed  the  Jewish 
dream  pf  suph  a  monarchy  that  He  was  being  put  to  deatt, 

No  murmur  rose  fro  n  Him.  He  might  have  spoken,  or  sighed,  or 
imploi-ed  the  pity  of  t  Ue  soldiery :  He  might  have  appealed  to  their 
honour  and  compassion.  A  heart  beats  even  iu  thq  roughest  bosom. 
But  He  was  silent — silent,  uct  because  the  waves  of  ijis  sorrows  had 
overwhelmed  Him,,  but  in  triumphant  superiority  to  theim.  ^^[e  had 
been  bowed  and  crusiied  iu  Getlisemanc.  but  ,no>y,  Ijfe  sh^pwed  the 
serene  joy  of  a, conqueror.  His  silence.was  a  knark  of  His  perfect 
child-like  resignation  to  the  will  of  His  Falherl  He  was.  fulfi'Jlng, 
\)y  Ilia  calm  endurance,  the  work  of  His  Jife,  in  accoifdance  w,;th  tho 
eternal  counsels  of  God,  and  in  holy  love  for  His  nalion  ahq  the  world. 
His  kingly  spirit  was  clovided  to  human' {cyes  by  pain  arid  agony,  hut 
the  end  of  His  life  and  d^utli  shon,e  outcvqrinore  triumphantly  before 
Xlim.  <  HjC  .was,  dying  to  destroy  for  ever  the  dead  and  death -causing 
ritualism  pf  tlio  p^.stv  m  tlie  founder  of  a  rjeligipu  of  love  and  treedom 
and  light;  and  as  Ihc  atoi^ing  sacriflcc  for  the  sin?  pf  the  wor)^  wliicli 
would  open  Ihc^ates of  mercy  to  man  for  evermore!  ,  .  i 
.  Filate  had,  apparently,  retired  into  the  palace  foij  a  time,  but  ftow  re- 
appeared; wrge^i  perhaps,  by  his  wife  Procla,  to  mal>e  one  more  efTort 
to  saye  .]csi\s.  He  might  have  prevented  the  pitiful  coi^rsen^ess  of  Ihs 
soldiers  had  lie  pleased,  and  the  scourging  itself  was  iiu  mj^ti^cc,  by 
hiax)wii  copfession.  He  npw  ordered  Ilimtp  be  brought  biit  pace 
more,  tot terjting  with  pain  and  weakness,  wca,ring  the  s(;aj;let  ,clpak 
and  the  crown  of.  thorns,  and  covered  bci>id<r'S  fWitli  tliq  vile  proofs  of 


turniiig  to  the  ligureathis  side,  drawn  together  witlv^mort^l  agony, 
and  looking  at  the  pale,  worn,  and  bleeding  face,  tlirougli  wliiqli  thcVe 
yet  shone  a  calm  dignify  und  more  tlifin  humaa^  Ijeauty  tlia,,t  hrid 
touched, his  heart,  and  might  touch  even  ilic  heart  bf  Jews,  he  added 
—"Behold  the  man!"  Would  they, let  the  scoui'ging  aiKLx^ockeiT 
Bumce,  after  all?        .   ,  ;  r-     ' 

'..  But  reUgioiis  hatred  is  the  fiercest  of  all  passions.  Jcswsliad  been 
sleepless  through  the  night,  wora  with  anticipationij  of  the  icrriblcj- 
future, and  with  IhQ  sadness  of  an  inlinite  sorrow^:  disfigured  by  llie 
lawless,  treatment  of  thu  palace-yard,  aud bowed  by  tho.&turcprtlic 
scourging;  and  now  stpod,  utterly  exhausted,  l^eforo  all  oycs-— yet  a 
form  demanding  reverence.  .        ■        i  ; 

Eut  the  priests  were  unniovcci.    What  revenge  would  satisfy  their 


TIJE  LIFE  OF  GHIUBT; 


Vf% 


redoubled  their  ferocity.  Forgetful  of  tlieir  profession  nnd  dignity, 
the  chief  priests— tlie  primate  and  prelates  of  llie  dav — their  servants 
and  the  servile  crowd  ecliping  their  cry — ahswcrea  the  procurator's 
appeal  only  by  loud  shouts  of  "  Crucify!    crucify T 

**  Take  ye  Him,  then,  and  crucify  Him,  if  it  must  be  so,"  answered 
Pilate.  *'  I  have  found  Him  blameless  of  any  offence  against  Roman 
law  for  which  I  could  condemn  Him."  As  if  he  wished  to  say—"  I 
will  not  be  your  mere  tool!'* 

The  first  accusation  had  therefore  failed,  and  was  dropped.  But 
the  priests  were  determined  to  have  His  life,  and  forthwith  demanded 
it  pn  a  new  ground. 

**  He  shatlnot  escape  with  life!"  cried  their  spokesman.  **  If  He 
has  committed' no  crime  worthy  of  death  by  Roman  law,  we  have  a 
Jewish  l;iw  which  He  lias  outraged,  and  by  this  law  He  must  die. 
Me  has  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God— the  Messiah— which  He  isi>ot. 
and  for  that,  by  our  law,  which  we  only  can  or  dare  decide,  and 
whicii  thou  hast  sworn  to  uphold,  He  (deserves  death; — death  by  stoor 
ing,  in  any  ca.*e;  death  b^  the  cross,  if  thou  alio  west  it.  Thou  art 
bound  to  up]liold  our  decision,  and  confirm  our  sentence."  *        , 

Thousands  wcf e  eager,  now  that  the  high  priests  had  roused  their 
fanaticism,  to  put  Jesus  to  death,  with  Pilate's  permission  or  with- 
out. The  zealots  would  do  it  as  a  meritorious  act.  But  such  an,  out- 
break Pilate  dreaded.  IJe  would,  therefore,  have .  yielded  without 
hesitation,  but  even  to  his  frivolous  soul  there  was  an  ominous  sounii 
in  the  name  '*  Sou  of  God."    Might  he  be  braving  the  wrath  of  the 

fods,  and  what,  compared  to  that,  wa3  the  utmost  these  wretched 
ew^couldd[o?^^v,  ^.f  ,  , 

The  irresolute  m&a — with  no  force  of  character,  and  too  unprinoi- 
pled  to  be  an  upright  judge,  if  the  right  were  not,  first  of  all,  politic 
—w,as  alarmed.  **  Perhaps^"  thought  he,  "  if  he  Ijrought  Jc8u§  be- 
fore, him,  privately,  once  niore,  a  way  out  of  the  dilemma  would 
present  itseli"  There  was  also  that  dream  of  I*rocla^s  to  frighten 
him.  , 

Retiring,  therefore,  into  the  palace,  he  ordered  Jesus  to  be  set  be- 
fore him  again. /x  ^./y 

•'.What  was  thafihoy  said,"  asked  he,  "about  Thy  being  the  Son 
of  God?    Whence  comest  thou?    Art  thou  of  human  birth  or  more?"' 

No  answer  which  could  have  revealed  the  mj'^stery  of  His  nature 
was  possible  at  such  a  time.  Anything  He  mi^lit  have  said,  however, 
clear,  would,  moreover,  have  been  unintcHlgible  to  the  hoath<»n' 
'governor,  with  his  utter  \vant  of  moral  earnestness,  and  would  have 
Seen  fruitless.  Jesus,  therefore  remained  silent.  Pilate  had  abundant 
means  of  judging  from  the  past,  and,  besides,  it  was  no  question  of 
birth  or  orgin,  but  a  simple  matter  of  uprightness  he  was  called  on 
to  decide.    If  his  prisoner  .were;  innocent,  ne  had  aright  to  be  set 

to,  whoever  ijo  might.  ]be.  7/1.  ri^  . 

I^iite'kinitte  wild  t(ni(iW3a  try;  IP  8!^e;-.-Kis  mom 


i\ 


in  THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 

neis  tunied  Into  lOTrorlng  passion:  for  power,  when  it  feels  itself  in 
the  wtong,  Is  tlie  more  ready  to  drown  conscience  by  violetrcc  to- 
wards thewonkness  It  outrages.  "  Do  you  refuse  to  answer  Me?''  lie 
asked,  in  flasliing  anger.  'vDo  you  not  know  tliat  your  lite  is  in  my 
hftiids,  and  Imngs  on  my  nod?  that  I  can  crucify,  or  release  Thee  at 
my  pleasure?" 

Had  ho  been  self-possessed  at  the  moment,  und  able  to  ponder 
things  aright,  ho  would  have  seen  an  answer  to  his  question,  even  in 
Christ's  sflenc*.  For  it  is  certain  that  He  in  whose  Kps  no  deceit 
l^as  erer  foimd,  would,  on  the  instant,  haVe  honourably  confessed 
that  He  was  only  a  man,  had  He  been  no  more.  His  very  silence  was 
ft  testimony  to  His  divine  dignity.  ?  i;  t  .Trron  <;ff''  i 

But  He  was  now  no  longer  silent.  **  You  have  Indeed,*'  said  He, 
power  over  me,  but  you  would  have  none  were  it  not  given  you  from 
above,  from  God.  But  your. sin,  though  great,  in  condemning  me 
against  your  conscience,  and  exercising  on  me  the  power  granted  you 
by  God,  is  not  so  great  as  that  of  otliers;  for  yoti  are  Only  an  instru- 
lUent  in  His  hands  to  carry  out  His  counsels.  The  chief  guilt  lies 
on  those  who  have  delivered  me  to  you  to  force  ydU  to  can^  out  their 
will  iiffalnst  me.  Theirs  is  the  ^eater  sin!"  Even  in  Iiis  lowliest 
humiliation,  Ho  Is  tender  and  pitiful  to  the  man  who  has  dK)ne  Him 
80  much  wrong,  and  boars  Himself  towards  Him,  Roman  governor 
though  He  be,  as  if  He  were  the  judge  and  Pilate  the  prisoner.  H^ 
has  nothing  to  say  of  his  Own  aggnies  or  wrongs,  but  Ohly  wftniing 
earnestness  at  the  thought  of  the  sin  that  was  being  wrought  by  men 
tigoinst  their  otvn  souls.  ,  u  ?  ,j..  p.,  j   ,*   ,^,;! 

'  The  words,  and  the  whole  bearing  of  Jesus,  struck  into  the  heart 
at  the  Roman.  Presence  of  mind  and  self-i^specf  fnl  dignity,  even  in 
the  most  helpless  victim  of  injustice,  Irnve  an  irresistible*  power  over 
the  Ojiypressor*  How  much  more  such  a  uni(3[ue  grandeur  as  diffused 
itself  round  this  mysterious  manf  Pilate  was  more  than- ever  re- 
Solved  to  release  Him.  Returning  onice  again  to  the  tribunal,  Jesus 
at  his  side,  he  strove  to  bring  the  priests  and  the  crowd  to  coAteat 
themselves  with  what  their  victim  had  already  sufferedjt'  bFcx^j^  ',i*r;' 

But  the  priests  and  Rabbis  had  hit  upon  a  new  terror  foi*  the  half- 
t'ighteous  Judge.  Hardly  waiting  to  hear  his  first  wordis^,  they  raised 
a  cry  which  they  and  the  mob  kept  shouting  till  Pilate  was  thoroughly 
alaraied  and*utinerved.  "  If  you  let  this  man  go,  you  are  not  true 
to  Ccesnr.  Any  one  that  makes  Himself  a  king,  as  He  has  done,  de- 
clares Himself  against  Caesar." 

Pilate  knuw  tuc  jealous,  suspicious  character  of  Tiberius,  and 
feared  his  di.j' jiuisure  tlie  niore,  because  his  conscience  told  him  how 
he  had  abuaea  liis  office  by  e/ery  form  of  tyranny,  so  that  an  appeal 
to  Rome  might  well  be  fatal  to  him.  Should  he  expose  himself  to 
the  displetisnro  of  the  Empeior?  He  was  ready  for  any  act  of  weak 
unrighteousness,  ratlier  than  brave  a  censure  from  Capraea,  far  less 
th»  risk  <>f  it»  ^engeftiiee.    lie,  doiabtlees,  tried  to  make  lumaelf  be* 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


•TTS 


lieve  that  he  could  not,  in  any  case,  save  Christ's  life,  and  flattered 
himself  that  he  had  acted  with  exceptional  uprightness.  He  must, 
after  all,  look  to  himself,  first.  Would  he  bring  down  on  himself  a 
reicall ;  perhaps  banishment,  er  even  worse;  to  save  a  Jew,  because 
justice  demanded  his  doing  so?  "  Who,"  doubtless  thought  the  mere 
politician,  '*  in  my  position,  would  dream  of  committing  such  a, folly  T 
bhall  I  sacrifice  myself  for  any  one?    No!"  ,11  '<«?;» i  a/tv 

Furious  at  the  priesthood  and  the  rabble,  who  kept  shouttok  the 
hateful  insinuation  that  clemency  would  be  treason  to  Oiesar,  Hlute 
onco' more  took  his  official  seat.  It  was,  now,  about  nine  o'clock; 
and  he  had  at  last  given  way,  though  with  bitter  mortification^  He 
would  not,  even  yet,  however,  surrender' without  one  more  effort  to 
carry  his  pointy  for  he  was  alarmed  alike  at  Jesus  and  at  theiEmperor* 
fuming  to  .Tesus,  still  wearing  the  crown  of  thorns  and  the  scarlet 
cIoak-^iQ  a  bmst  of  unconcealed  contempt  against  the  Jews,  as  im- 
l)olitic  as  it  was  useless,  he  cried—"  Behold  your  kingl"  The  only 
answer  was  a  hurricane  of  cries—"  Away  witli  Him,  awf^  with  Him, 
crucify  Him!"  "  Wliat!"  cried  Pilate,  with  keen  withering  mockery 
—i**  shall  I  crucify  yoiir  king?"  As  if  to  say  that  one  so  humiUated 
and  outcast  was  all  the  king  they  deserved  or  could  sfa^w^ 

Cataphaisand  Hannas,  and  the  group  round  them,*were,  however, 
mbi^e  Uisn  a  match  for  him.  TUey  had  an  answer  ready  which  would 
force  his  hand,  if  he  had  any  thought  of  still  holding  out.  V  We 
have  no  king  but  Cajsar,"  rose  all  round  him — "we  vant  no  other 
kingr  **The  hypocrites,"  doubtless  tliought  Pilaxj,  "with  the 
souls  of  slaves,  t'iberius,  himself,  has  hot  yet  ventur^  to  call  hinv 
self  king,  or  Lord,  and  these,  his  mortal  enemies;  priests  too,  pre- 
tending to  be  the  heads  of  religion,  pay  him  homage  as  king,  wiith- 
out  being  asked,  only  to  force  me,  by  their  pretended 'oyalty,  to tcarry 
out  their  revenge  against  one  so  much  better  than  themselves,"  ■,      , ;  n 

It'  Was  Friday ;  and  Sabbath-^on  which  nothing  could  be  done^ 
began  at  sunset,  if  the  execution  were  delayed,  new  di^cultied 
might  rise  to  i^ive  Jewish  scruples  about  the  desecration  of  .the  holy 
day,  by  the  exposure,  during  it,  of  bodies  on  the  cross.  Who,  more- 
over, could  tell  what  might  follow,  if  the  followers  of  Jesus  num 
a^inst  His  enemies  during  this  respite,  to  force  a  release  of  tlieir 
Teacher?  Besides,  folate  felt  he  could  not  no >y  save  Him,  and 
vs'islicd  the  whole  mh'tter  over  as  soon  and  as  qu;jtly  as  possible. 

He,  thereforc,  at  last,  gave  the  final  order  fgr  ci'ucjfixion. 


U^^Ji 


iljff^A 


.-f 


'"'d  i^i'^a^i-di^Mmf^r  h^hi  »a^L*ii*^b  ,<^M     '^"^nw-y^mv  sit  to  ylj^n  **«> 


mi'. 


i:!> 


/   n 


■■au.  '  "'■  • 
t  .11  ■r-..;.uH 

-  1 

CHAPTEB  txni. 

: , ;  judastwthB' eiujciFixioK. 

AmoWO  the  spectators  of  the  trial  and  condemnation,  >7as  one  who 
wasftir  enough  from  joining  in  the  cries  o|  the  high  priests,  and 
their  satellidels, — Judas  I&cariot,  Whatever  might  have  been  his 
thrmghts  while  sustained  hV  excitement,  he  had  no  sooner  seen  Jesus 
led  away  by  the  Roman  soldiers  from  the  garden,  than  all  changed. 
Tb0  fe'xCittment  was  over-^tlie  whirlwind  of  evil  on  which  his  spirit 
h$,d  for  the  tim^  ridden,  was  spent,  and  in  its  place  had  come  the 
awfuft'  dalhi  of  retrospect  and  reflection.  He  was  no  longer  needed 
by  his  employers,  and  found  himself,  lately  so  flattered  and  followed, 
now  east  i^omrlnioUsly  aside,  as  the  traitor  he  was.  The  ereat 
mo6n,  the  snent  ilight,  his  loreliness,  after  such  agitation,  th^  sudden 
breiiking  tjp  of  the  past,  the  vision  of  the  three  years  now  so  traf- 
icaHy  ended;  echoes  ^nd  remembrances  of  the  love  and  divine  godd- 
ness  of  the  Master  he  had  betrayed;  a  sudden  realization  of  the  in- 
flriite  iiltui*e;  T^ith  its  thix)ne,  its  unerring  Judge,-r-the  assembled 
tiniVerse,  the  dootti  of  the  guilty,  and  the  Joy  of  the  faithful,  acted 
tind  reacted  (in  his  heart  and  brain. 

i  It  may  bfe  lie  had  stood,  pate  with  remorse  and  anxictv,  through 
all  the  incidents  of  the  triai,  hoping:,  against  hope,  tiiat  his  Master 
wbtilAat  last  put  forth  His  supernaturafpower,  and.  deliver  Himself , 
atf  perhaps  he  had  expected.  It  is  quite  possible  that  Jiidas  had 
a^ted  a^  he  had  done,  to  precipitate  a  crisis,  an4  force  Jesus  to  such 
ai^ffispl&y  b^  His  power,  as  would,  even  against  His  will,  force  on 
Him  the  assumption  of  the  worlcUy  Messianic, dignity » from  which 
fft^  tltih*ppy  fallen  niaii  had  d|jeaime3j,9li>,9lSca|  greatness,  and  rich 

dfffcifctl  swite  for  himself."  ,  /.^n'--'ijji)im'2^'Q  ''"*•»  '*  ■■  Wii>-''-A'^'^'  *,- ■ 
r^^dliisu^spciakable  horror,  1>e  had  louna  i^llhis  cakulationa  mis- 
ttiity\  Perhaps  after  \^aiting  imongst  the  c;*o,wd  before  Pilate,  as 
^freW  as  at  thl^  gat6  of  the  high  priest,  lie  liad  heard  the  shouts  of  the 
priests  and  the  mob,7--th6  souiid'of  tnc  knout,  falling  on  the  bleeding 
M<Jk-"tlie  awful  demand  for  Tiiis  CROssMh^t  image  of  lowest  deg- 
radation And  extrefnest  agony— and  last  of  all,  the  fatal  utterance 
of  Pilate-^**!,  miles,  expedi  crucem,"— "Go,  soldier,  prepare  the 
cross."  They  had  fallen  in  a  Sodom-likc  fire-rain  on  his  soul,  and 
he  felt  himself  already  the  accursed  of  time  and  eternity.  The  light 
\oi  life  had  passed  into  the  darkness  visible  of  dei^pair,  .WhiclLway 
he  looked  was  hell;  bimself  was  hell.  ivrO  -.ift  loi) 

Hurrying  to  the  Temple  with  his  wretched  gain,  for  which  he  had 
bartered  away  his  inheritance  of  one  of  the  twelve  thrones  of  the 
resurrection,  and  an  apostle's  glory  here,  in  the  heavenly  kingdom 
his  Master  had  founded, — he  sought  to  t^rnst  it  l^ack  a^in.  o»  th« 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


t75 


ne  who 
)t8,  and 
een  his 
n  Jesus 
twanged, 
is  spirit 
)me  the 

needed 
)Ilowed, 
le  great 
I  sudden 

so  traf - 
ne  good- 
f  the  in- 
isemhled 

through 
3  Master 
Himself, 
ida»  had 
to  such 
;orce  on 
which 
land  rich 

)ns  ini»- 
*ilatc,  aa 
Its  of  the 
}leeding 
rest  deg- 
litterance 
jar©  the 
[oul,  and 
?he  light 
lichway 

11  h€!  had 

is  of  the 

kingdom 

o»  th« 


priests  from  whom  he  had  got  it,  as  the  wages  of  his  guilt— paid  be- 
lorelMind,  to  quicken  his  zeal,  fiut  though  willing  to  prop  up  their 
Temple  system  by  murder,  they  would  on  no  account,  compromise 
their  own  ceremonial  purtt^,  or  that  of  the  sacred  treasury,  by  taking 
back  the  coin,  which  they  themselves  liad  poilnted,  by  paying  it  as 
the  price  of  crime.  They  could  see  tlie  stain  of  the  blood  on  the 
shekels,  but  not  on  their  own  souls.  Judas  liad  served  their  purpose, 
and  was  nothing  to  thetn  ftOW.  He  had  in  his  ftgony  pressed  into  the 
very  court  of  the  priests;  where  they  were  gathered— ground  sacred 
to  oonseorated  feet;  ••  Would  they  do  nothing  yet,  to  save  his  Mas- 
ter? •  He  had  not  expected  they  would  go  to  6uch  awful  extremes. 
Jesus  was  innocent.  '  All  he  had  said  against  Him  was  untrue. 
Would  tliey  not  for  their  holy  office  sake,  for  the  sake  of  Uie  holy 
spot  on  which  they  then  were,  undo  the  awful  crime?" 

He  might,  as  well  have  sfyoken  to  the  marble  pavement  on  which 
they  stood,  with  bare  feet,  in  reverence  of  the  Holy  of  Holies  close 
by.  The  stone  Wft*  riot  more  impassive  than  their  nearts.  "What 
is  it' to  us,"  answered  they,  "  what  you  have  done?  Tlmt  is  your 
own  affair.  See  you  to  it."  But  it  he  could  not  move  them,  he 
could  at  least  clear  himself ,  so  far,  by  casting  back  among  them  the 
money  with  which  they  had  hired  him.  Throwing  it  down  on  the 
jiavenwnt;  therefore,  he  went  out,  peilinps  in  the  darkness  of  early 
raorning^ — ^for  possibly  he  did  not  wait  for  the  last  acts  of  the  trial, 
but  had  been  overwhelmed  br  the  condenination  of  a  Jesus  by  the 
Jewish  authorities-^nd  liangea  himself  in  a  spot  of  j^und,  till  then 
known  as  the  clay-yard  of  a  potter  of  the  town,  but  thenceforth  as 
the  Field  of  Blood.  Nor  was  even  this  the  end,  for  the  cord  by 
which  he  had  suspended  himself  gave  way,  and  he  fell  beneath,  rup- 
tured and  revoltidgl  * 

To  put  money,  defiled  frotii  any  cau^,  into  the  treasury  was  unlaw- 
ful. ;  To  what  cotild  the  authorities  apply  it?  How,  better,  than  to 
buy  the  worn-out  clay  pit,  already  defiled  by  the  suicide  of  Judas, 
foit'thie  further  defilement  df  a  graveyard.  Thetk  was  need  of  a  spot 
in  whibh  to  hurt  foreign  Jews,  who  might  die  in  Jerusalem.  So  the 
scene  of  the  traitoi^s  death  became  doubly  a  ''field  of  blood." 

Meanwhile,  proparfttions  Were  being  rapidly  made  for  crucifixion. 

Death  by  the  cross  was  the  most  terrible  and  the  most  dreaded  and 
shameful  punishment  of  antiquity — a  punishment,  the  very  name  of 
which,  Cicero  tolls  us,  should  never  come  near  the  thoughts,  the 
eyes,  or  ears,  of  a  Roman  citizen,  far  less  his  person.  It  was  of 
Etistern  origiUj  and  had  been  in  use  among  the  Persians  and  Car- 
tiiaginians,  long  before  its  employment  in  Western  countries.  Alex- 
ander the  Great  adopted  it  in  Palestine,  from  the  Phenicians,  after 
the  defence  6f  Tyre,  which  he  punished  by  crucifying  two  thousand 
citizens,  wheti  the  place  surrendered.  Crassus  signalized  its  intro- 
duction^ into  Roman  Use  by  lining  the  road  from  Capau  to  Rome  with 
crucified  slttTcs,  captured  in  the  revolt  of  Spartncus,  and  Augustui 


Ml 


rt9 


T JiE  WFE  OP  eilRISTr 


ftnally  inaugurfttcd  ito  general  u^e>  l)y  crucifying,  sjjc  thousand  ilav^ 
at  once,  in  i^ioilyt.iii;iM9i  BVkppire98ion  Qt.thci  w^r.^rt^i^  Vy  Scxtus 
Pompeiiifl^..,  *iiiv  ^'i-'M'-ii: .  .-«»;H'   •        .'l>[.niitu-fi{fu^vi  fvriv^d ',•*•■ 

Itwus  not  a  Jewish  punishment,  for  die  caaeii  linenibnted  inUiiQ 
Old  Testament  o£  "hanging  up"  criminals  pi^  QflendeFH  refer  only, 
to  tlieir  dead  bodies,  or  were  imitations  of  the  heathen  custom  by 
some  of  the  kings.  For  Jews  to  cnicify  a  Jew,  indeed,  would  have 
been  impossible,  as  the  nationalisentiment  wpuld  have  revoilted  from 
it  The  cruelty  of  heathenism  had  to  be  called  in  b jT;  tlie  corrupt  and 
sunken  priesthood,  before  auch  a  death  could  be  inflicted  on  any 
member  of  the  nati<>ni  far  less  on  one  declared  by  the  Procurator 
himself  to, be  innocents  It  was  the  punisiiment  inflicted  by  heathen- 
iem^  whicli  knew  no  compassion  or  reverence  for  a  man  as  man,rr-on 
Ihc  worst  criminals^  on  highway  robbers,  rebels  and  slaves,  or  on 
provinciala  who,  in  the  eyes  of  Bome»  were  only  slaves^  if  they  if  ell 
mtp  crime. 

The  cross  uaed  v^t  Calvaiy  consisted  of  a  strong  post,  which  was 
carried  beforehau'l  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  ortvo  cross  piec(^i 
borne  to  the  spot  by  the  victim,  and  afterwards  nailed  to  the  up- 
rights so>  tliat  they  slanted  forward,  and  let  the  sufferer  lean  on  his 
stretched  out  hands,  and  thusrelieye  the  pressure  of  his  body  downt 
wards,  A  stout  rough  wooden  i  pin,  in  the  middle  of,  i  the  upright 
post,;  supplied  a  seat  of  fitting  agony,  for  the i, weight  of  the  body 
woiuld  otherwise  have  torn  it  from  the,  cross.  ,, 
.V.Wbfle  everything  was  b^ingprepareil,  Jesus,  was  exposed  i^  4he 
guar^  r«5»om,;Once  more,  to  the  insults  of  tlie  soldiery.  At  last,  how-- 
over,  if  A  was  ready,  .and  the  sctulet  cloak  was  now  iemoyedyUn4Hi3 
own  linen  abba  replaced.  Jt  was  the.  custom,  as  I  hftye  said,  for 
offenders  themselves  to  carry  the  transversse  pieces  of  their  crosSt  and 
theee<  therefore,  wei-e J  now  jfnidhOn  thCi^hpuldflTs  ofi  J^sus,  faint  as 
lie.was  with  mental  and  bodily  disti'ess.  lA  detachment  of  thi@ cohort 
wluoh  had  been  massed  in  the  wurt  of  tlie  pakiqe,  in  case  of  disturb^ 
ance, , was  told  off  under  a  centurion. to  guavdthe  procession  to  the 
place  of  death,  the  officer  being  responsible  for  the  due  execution  of 
the  sentence.  ;  Jiesus  was  not,  however,  to  die  alone,  Two  more 
prisoners  were, brought  out  to  suffer  with  him;  men  convicted  not  of 
mere, insurreotiou,  but  of  robbery;  the  sjiecial  troubie  of  the  landin 
these,  evil  timeSj  even  till  Jerusalem  ptaislied.  Pilate  could  hardly 
have  intended  to.degrudo  .Jesus  in  the  eyes  of  the  Jews  by  associating 
ITim  with  enemies  of  society,  but  the  want  of  thought,  with  which 
he  formed  such  a  gi'oupi  of  victims,  dimply  to  empty  his  prison,  and 
fret  through  the  annual  Easter  executions  ^at.  once,  shows  how  super- 
ficial an  impression  had  bepPinf^de  on  his  light  nature,l?y]  all  that  had 
piilised.  i.  His  seriousness  had.  Ijeen,  written  in  water ;;jhi(9»a:tl«,Si^n<^s 
and  vittcw  want  of  moml  enfne8tne«w«fs  were  liis.provoijin^^|io6d(,  i^ieta 

And  now  tlie  sad  procession  bm;?Mi,    It  W}^«.about^ter^m!■the;foro- 


T^ftE^tfE  OF  CHHIBT. 


777 


sbtfficJrs  stcpjWJff  into  theI^  rt^iks,  and'  the  prisoners  were  set,  nndor 
gtittt^,  hk  toeff  places;  eadi  carrying;  \mng  from  his  neck,  a 
wbiteped  board,  proelaiminff  in  large  black  letters  the  offences  for 
whicli  he  '^^'  fibout  ta  ale;  niiliros,  indeed,  ns  in  some  coses;  a 
soldier  brtre  it  b^bre  them.  Each,  also,  bore  the  cross  beams  of  his 
cr6s$;  fMlfeti^  ir^ther  like  the  littler  V,  with  his  arms  bound  to  the 
projecting '^ds." 

It  is  Vinn  to  irttcmjjrt  td  follow  the  route,  for  the  whole  surface  of 
Jerusalem  has  diiin^d  slnee  then.  Roman  London  i«  only  reached 
at  a  depth  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  feet,  thous:h  the  history  of  our 
islafid  ts  comparatively  peaceful ;  but  Jeilisalem  has  stood  siego 
aftet^  siege  tillthe^  streets  of  Christ's  day  are  buried  below  the  ruins 
of  sucefessive  citt^s^.  All'we  know  is  that  the  place  of  execution  was 
outside  the  walltr.  to  the  north-west,  at  the  side  of  a  leading  road,  to 
let  th0  spectacle  t?e  s6en  by  the  crowds  passing  artd  repassing.  From 
the  palace  of  Herod,  the  sad  procession  must  have  passed  out  under 
th^  shadb^  6f  th^gri^al  feistles  of  Hippicus,  Phasacl,  and  Mariamne  ; 
thibusrh  the  Hebron. or  Jaffa  gate,  or  the  gate  Gennath.  As  it 
movtea'slpwiy  .oh,  an  official  proclaimed  aloUd  the  names  of  tho 
pirisoners,  and  tner  offencei  foi*  which  they  were  about  to  die.  F6ur 
sol'dters  \valked  beside  oach,  hs  the  special  guard  and  executioners, 
ttti^  rest  of  the  detrtchMent  preceding  and  following. 

As  it  moved  through  the  narrow  stiwts,  a  great  crowd  accompa- 
nied U.  The  Temple  had  ppecfal  claifns  oh  the  citizens  in  the  Passo^ 
v6r  ^eek,'  iind,  b^des,  it  would  soon  be  Sabbath,  and  they  were 
busy  with  their  worldly  affairs;  and  loath  to  afford  the  time  ;  yet 
bianV",  both'  frltthd^  rind  enemies,  pressed  after  the  soldiers.  Tho 
iv'Anldrt  e§i)^any,.les8  eai^ily  diverted  from  sorrow  and  pity,  eitlrer 
by  religiolus  rites  or  ^ve^y  day  duties,  thronged  to  see  One  led  out  to 
die  of  whbhi*  they  had  heard  so  much.  In  the  East,  men  and  wo- 
lAeii,  eVieti  man  aiid  wife,  never  appear  in  public  together,  and  hcnco 
all  'iterfe  "free'  tb  SioVi^  tlidif  feelings  indepeudc^ntly.  The  Oalilsens  in 
tliiB  city' had  befe  takieti  by  sutprise,  and  had  had  no  time  to  gather 
at  the  trial  and  show  sympathy  with  their  coimtry man,  whom  so 
hijltiy  of  them  ¥feckoiidd  as  a  pMphet.  Only  fanatical  Jerusalem,  to 
wlrich  the  cry  of  th6  priests  was  law,  and  to  whom  Jesus,  as  a  sup- 
]^S(^d  erietny  of  the  Temple; — the  idol  at  once  of  their  bigotry  and 
their  po6ket,— Was  doubly  hatieful,  had  learned  of  the  arrest  ni  the 
early  momifag,  and  hrid  gathered  to  yell  ^own  Pilate's  proposals  of 
release.  '         '    ' 

Twb  incid^ts  duly  are  recorded  of  the  march  to  the  place  of  ex- 
ectitibn'.  'The  beams  laid  on  Jesus  sohft  proved  too  heavy,  in  the  hilly 
streets,;  f(5tHik  ^'xhausted  strength,  and  His  slow  advance  with  them 
so  delayed  the  ptbctession  that  the  guard  grew  impatient,  and  having 
8eized'apji8Sfet-1t)yboWiiii^.fit)m  the  country,  compelled  him  to  bear 
thei^.'  Tlief^'inVOhihtary  cVoss-bearer  Was  a  foreign  Jew,  called 
'SlBii<m;*ft4)M^>^nViJt'North^  Af ricia  ,♦  uow  part  of  Tunis,  then  |»tfc 


778 


THE"  LITE  OPOHIUST. 


of  tUo  province  oC  Llbyn.  Ptolemisufl  l«fi  bful  carried  off  a  hun> 
drcd  thousand  Jfnw^  from  Pnlcstino,  tuid  aottlcd  Uiciu  in  these  part  of 
Nortli  Africa,  and  in  three  iiuiidrcd  years  lliey  liad  increased  sc 
gr(>ntly  in  numbers,  tliata,  special  eQ'nagogue  waa  erected  in  Jerusii- 
Icm  for  tlie  pilffrims  tliey  yielded  to  the  great  feasts.  Simon's  ap- 
pearance marked  him  as  a  foreigner,  for,  in  Uie  £a»t,  all  nationalities 
have  their  distinctive  dress  ;  and,  as  a  stranger,  the  infamy  of  bein^ 
made  to  carry  a  cross  would  be  less  lilcoly  to  oau^e  a  stir.  It  may  be 
that  he  showed  svmpathy  with  Jesus,  but,  in  any  case,  his  service  to 
Him  appears  to  have  resulted  in  his  conversion,  with  all  his  family; 
for  it  is  easy  to  beliovo  the  tradition  that  the  "Rufus  and  his 
mother,"  of  whom  St.  Paul,  a  quarter  of  a  century  later,  speaJks  so 
tenderly,  were  his  wife  aulcl  one  of  the  two  sons,,  4-I^xander  and 
Hufus,  mentioned  by  St.  Mark  ns  known  to  his  readers.  , 

From  the  moment  of  Ilis  declaring  Himself  the  Messiah,  and  being 
condemned  to  die  for  doing  bo,.  Jesus  had  had  nothing  more  to  say 
to  His  judges.  No  cry  of  pain ;  no  murmur  of  impatience  escaped 
Him.  He  had  realized  to  the  full  all  that  the  victorious  completion 
of  His  work,  through  sclf-sacritice,  dmanded,  and  bore  indignitki; 
and  agonies  with  unbroken  submission.  He  was  dying  to  free  man- 
kind from  the  bondage  of  the  letter;  to  break,  for  ever,  the  chains  of 
Rabbinism  and  priestly  castc«  from  the  Iiunian  soul;  tp  ina^jnirate 
the  reign  of  spiritual  religion;  and,  above  all,  to  atone  l^or  mafi^  sin, 
and  then  enter  into  His  ^orv  with  the  Father,  The  joy  set  before 
Hun  strengthened  Ilim,  in  the  words  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
to  endure  the  cross,  ancl  despise  the  shame. 

But  His  lips,  shut  for  hours,  opened  once  more  on  the,  way  tp  His 
death.  The  ix>ad  was  lined  witli  spectators,  many  of  wJiiom  did  not 
attempt  to  conceal  their  sympathy;  and  a  great  crpwd  followed,  both 
of  men  and  women,  the  hitter  iilhni^  the  air  wiiUi  loud  lamentations 
and  wailings.  Touched  with  theur  grief,  so  strangely  sweet  after 
such  a  long  l)itterness  of  mockery  and  clamorous  hatred,  the  Inno- 
cent One  stopped  on  His  way,  and,  turning  jto  themi  bade  them 
lament,  not  for  Him,  but  for  themselves. 

"Daughtera  of  Jerusalem,"  said  He,  "weep  not  for  Me,  but  weep 
for  yourselves."  His  death  was  the  fulfilment  of  the,  counsels  of 
God,  and  His.  apparent  overthrow  was  His  real  and  eternal  yiptory. 
They  miglit  have  wqpt  for  Him,  had  He  shrunk; from  competing  the 
work  ^ivenliim  to  do,  and  failed  to  perfect  the  great  phi  f  human 
salvation.  "  But  vrccp  for  yourselves  and  for  your  childicn.  The 
fate  cf  Jerusalem  which  I  Jove  so  well,  is  seaied,  and .  will  be  sad 
indscd  compared  with  my  momentary  pains.  For  jf  your  enemies 
Uo  these  tilings  to.3Ic»  a  green,£ruit-be«nng  trjee  that  dea^rveslp^live 
and  be  chcrisucd-r->Ie,  pronounced  guilt  Jess  eypa  by  thj©  judgQ  |dm- 
self— what  will  they  do  with  the  dry,  aiid  worthlep$  tcee  of  th©  ikaiiQn, 
guilty  before  God  and  man  t    Israel  is  a  dry,  leafless  trunk  thai  ,wiii 


TBB  LIFE  OF  0HHI8T, 


77y 


fialiB,  it  Mine,  who  am  green  ond  fronh  in  innoconco,  bo  nhnt  it  in! 
Yet  the  green,  otit  down,  will  epraut  a^rain,  but  tho  dry  will  pcrisli 
for  evermore  I  In  tliatday  the  ourfic  of  ogos  of  sin  and  hypocrisy 
will  overwhelm  your  city  and  Temple,  with  its  watchers  and  sliop- 
lierda." 

He  had  alwaya  k>ved  f hlldron,  and  had  often  pressed  thom  to  Hi? 
lieart  and  oariiod  them  In  His  arms,  but  tho  vision  of  tho  nv^f ul 
future  now  riring  before  llim  was  darkened  bv  thin  very  tenderness. 
To  bear  children  waa  the  glory  of  every  Jewish  wife;  but  in  after 
years,  He  told  them,  thoy  would  call  her  blessed  who  had  never 
borne.  *•  Your  nation  has  not  known  the  day  of  its  visitation:  it  hns 
pushed  Imok  Mythand  when  I  offoix;d  it  life  here  and  liereafter;  it  ha<) 
Uilled  its  prop!*«its  and  slonod  Uiem  tliat  were  sent  to  it  from  God  ; 
and  now  tlie  tliiogs  of  Its  {K'nco  are  hid  from  its  eyes.  Instead  of 
lifo  let  it  wish  a  grave,  ere  Its  despairing  cry  rises  tiiat  tho  mountains 
sliould  fall  on  It,  and  tho  hilla  cover  it  from  the  aveni^ing  wrath  of 
God."  Words  of  tender  human  love,  welling  up  from  the  depths  of 
n  sacred  pity,  even  undur  the  shadow  of  tiio  cross! 

The  spot  on  which  tho  orotttos  A^ero  to  be  erected  stood  nenr  some 
of  the  gardens  of  tho  suburbs,  and  was  known  by  the  Aramaic  name, 
Golgotlia,  of  which  Oranioh— a  skull—given  as  the  name  by  St. 
LukOi  writing  for  Gonliles,  is'  tlio  Greek  translation,  and  Calvaria, 
Calvary,  the  Latin.  From  a  fancied  allusion  to  the  shape  of  a  skull, 
tradition  has  handed  it  down  as  a  hill;  but  all  the  four  Gospels  call 
it  dimply  a  place,  as  if  it  had  its  name  only  from  its  luirc  smootlmess 
and  slight  convexity,  as  W(i  speak  of  the  brow  of  a  hill  from  its 
rounded  slope.  It  may  have  been  the  usual  nlaco  of  execution,  but 
then;  is  nothing  in  tlie  namo  to  load  to  the  belief,  for,  in  that  case,  it 
would  liave  been  spoken  of  as  a  place  of  skulls;  had  they  been  per- 
mitt^  to  lie  unburiod  in  Judoa,  which  was  impossible. 

Tlie  cross  pieces  were  naikid  in  their  places  on  the  upright  posts, 
someti]  qa  before,  sometlmos  after,  tho  posts  themselves  had  l)een  set 
up.  Jesus  and  His  fellow-sufforors,  in  either  case,  were  now  stripped 
once  mon?,  as  tliey  had  l)ocn  lieforo  they  were  scourged— a  nnen 
cloth  at  most  being  loft,  round  thoir  loins.  Tlie  centre  cross  was  set 
apart  for  our  Lord,  and  Ho  was  laid  on  it  either  as  it  lay  on  the 
ground,  or  lifted  and  tied  to  it  m  it  stood  upright,  His  arms  «tretched 
along  the  two  cross  beams,  and  His  body  resting  on  the  projecting 
pin  of  rough  wood,  misnamed  a  seat.  Tlie  most  dreadful  part  then 
followed;  for,  though  ovon  the  Egyptians  only  tied  the  victims  to 
the  cross,  the  Bomans  and  Cartliaginians  added  to  the  torture,  by 
driving  a  huge  nail  through  tho  palm  of  each  hand  into  the  wood. 
Tiie/legs  were.oext  lient  up  til',  tho  souls  of  tlie  feet  lay  flat  on  the 
upriglU  beanvj  and  then  thoy,  too,  wore  fastened,  either,  separately, 
bytrwd  great  iron  nails,  or,  over  each  othori  by  one.  ' 

Afh^gletoucih  of  humanity  was  permitted  during  those  prepara- 


" 


•jte 


THti  liiFE  0F  COHklS^? 


soldiers,  mingled  with  some  stupefying  bietdr  driij^'-^itSiially  myrrltj) 
The  ladies  oi  Jerusalem  made  it,  indeed,  their  special  task  to  ptovido 
it  Jfor  iall  condemned  persons.  But  Jesus  would  take  nothing  to  cloud 
His  faculties,  even  thougli  it  might  mitigate  Hid  paiii.  The  ciosa 
was  now  lifted  up  and, planted  in  the  ground,  with  a  rough  shock  of 
undescril|3iable  iagony.  '  It  1^'as  perhaps  then  thftf  the  first  words  ut- 
tered froija  it  rose  fronti  His  lips — "Father,  forgive  thetn,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do,*'— words  breathitfg  IbvCj  patience;  submit 
sion,  gentleness,  and  goodwill,  not  only  towards  wte  soldiers,  who 
were  only  the  bjind  servants  of  power,  ifet  e"<^:in  tO'l*ilftte;  and  Caia 
phas,  Hfmnas,  aiid  Jerusaleml ;  ^ '  ■ '! '  ^  s^f^^^i  ««>;  '.^;  j 

Jlacked'by  the  extreme^  pkinj'atid  c'overeA  With  every  shame 
which  pien  were  W'oiit  to  he^p  on  the  greatest  criminals  >  forsaken 
and  denied  byH43  disciples;  no  sigh  escaped"  His  lips,  no  cry  of 
agony',  no  bitter  or  faltering  wdt"d;onIjrg,  prayer  foir  Ihe  forgiveness 
of  His  euf^miqs.  They  hadf  acted  in  bliridness,  under  the  impulse  of 
religious  and  political  fanaticism;  for,"  to  Use  St.  Priul's  words,  had 
they  known  it,  they  woiild  not  hiave  ci*u<cifled  the  Lord  6f  Glory. 
Tl^ey.thoi^j^Jit,  without  doubt,  that  they  were  dbing  a  service  well- 
pleasing  to  ^od  In*  puttihg  Him  to  d'eath.  It  stood  written  in  the 
books  of  iMoses,  "Curbed  be  hfeWho  does  not  fulfil- the  words  of  the 
la\lr  to  do  them, "  ana  they  fancied  they  were  obeying  ihiB  command 
in  crucifying  Him  for  slighting  their  additions,  which  they  con- 
founded with  the  words  of  God.  In  spite  of  all  their  school  learning 
tliey  wTre  blind  to  th6  time  meaning  of  th^Script\ire«i' though  this 
ignorance  was  not  guiltless,  for  He  had  sot^ght'for  three  years  to 
rouse  them  to  a  betiet  knowledge.  But  their  giSilt  was  m  some 
measure  lessened  by  the  infliiehce  oh  their  miridi^  of  education  and 
the  p^escriptichs  01  centuries,  which  had  shut  their  eyes  to  the  light 
He.  bi^of^ght.  theih,  Uisi  prayer  that  His  heavenly  Father  would 
pardon  th^^i  was  only  a  last  utteran'ce  of  the  lov6  of  which  He  had 
bepn  the  embodiment  and,  expression  through  Hfe.  and  th6  fitting 
illustration  of  His  words  that  He  caitije  to  tail  the  mck;  not  those  wlio 
had.no  heed  of  a  plivsiciah:"''  ^^'^^  ¥■  m>H' ms;  r^mo  mii'mmitnm 
,  The  "  title"  that  had  beeu 'borne  Wore  Htm;  6rliufig  from  His 
neck,  was  npw  nailed  on  the  prOiectirig  top  of  the  cross,  over  His 
head.  Tliat  all  classes  might  be  able  to  reiaa  it,  Pilate  had  it  written 
in  the  three,  languages  of  the  country— the  Aramaic  of  the  people,  the 
Latin  of  the  Komans,  and  the  Greek  of  the  fbreign '  population.  It 
proclaimed.  Him  Tbobj  King  op  the  Jews,  but  seems  to  have  run 
differently  in  c^ach  latUgUagej  to  judge  from  the  variations  in  the 
Gospels.    ,       '^■''^*^:  '^'^^^-  -<^^  i>'^i^'*^Mhma't)i^u=iimii):t-uinmmitin^^ 

Jfo  tribute  Cotnd'htt^^fe  teW  iiibi*^  fi<tittg.  ^r'mdi-e  l^dph^llc  than 
an  iU^c'Hfitidn  Which  I'evealed  unconscioiiah^  the  relation  of  the  Gross 
to  all, the  pationalities  of  the  world.  The  cfuciflxiort  was  nowcoip' 
Dieted,  and  there  6nly  remained 'th6  wea^  ItiterVal,  till  death  Oatoe  to 
oeii^r the  tfiUI^et^'  frtkttiheH^  a^hies.    Me«ri WMM^  tlMhirMpar^lth 


their  c 
they  w 
executi 
^he 
the  sen 
perquia 
Jesus  tl 
divisior 
robe,  h< 
from  th 
by  rend 
brazen  i 
lots  for 
himself- 
John,  Ic 
been  wi 
Jews  oj 
to  the  '. 
mvvest 
Theii 
demnati 
Him,,tli 
once,  w] 
a  bitten 
mail,  to 
yetalan 
enough: 
dismisse 
have  wr 
Meanr 
Tliesufl 
partlyft 
the  outs 
motion  ( 
f6^t,.pie 
through 
andsom 
Inflamm 
and  ere 
checked 
creaalugi 
exti^mii 
nuturaJi; 
beaide£y' 
giew  mm 
Had  the 
thereqp 


THD  WFE  OP  QHRiaT. 

their  centutUm,  kept  the  ground  and  guarded  th^  three  crpBsps,  for 
they  were  answera)t)jic  with  their  lives  for  the  due  carrying  out  of  tlie 
executioit  , 

z^'fThe  four  soldiersi— a  quaternion^— specially  detailed  to  can*y  out 
the  sentence  of  the  Procurator,  were  now  free  to  appropriate,  as  their 
perquisites,  the  clothes  of  the  three  victims.  The  out^r  garments  of 
Jesus  they  divided  into  four  shares — tearing  the  larger,  to  make  the 
division  equalr-^for  tl»ey  were  not  worth  keeping  eiitire.  The  inner 
robe,  however,  like  the  robes  pf  the  priests,  was  of  one  piece  woven 
f roan  the  top  without  ^ny  seam  or  stitching,  and  would  be  destrpyed 
by  rending.  The  dice  were  ready  in  tlieir  pocket,  and  one  pf  their 
brazen  helmets  would  serve  to  throw  them;  it  would  be  better  tp  past 
lotd  for  this,  and  let. him  who  won  the  higl^cst  number  keep  it  for 
himself-^and  so  it  was  done.  No  wonder  that  both  Mtitthew  and 
John,  looking  back  on  thesce^e,  were  struck  t>y  the  fact  that  it  had 
been  written,  ages  before,  in  the  twenty-second  Psalm,  which  the 
Jews  of  that  day,  as  well  as  Chri^ians,  rightly  believed  to  refer 
to  the  Mes8ial>—V' They  parted,  ^iy  garm(^I^J||.,^m,9^g  tliem,  ^nd  fqr 
my  vesture  they  cast  lots.,  V  rrrwi  t  ^,rf!'  t^^^,ffl    ^.,.  ^  :.,,    ,  ,  ..    , 

The  inscription  on  the  cross  had  been  Pilate*s  revenge  for  the  cop* 
demnatiou  of  Jesus,  wrung  from  him  by  the  priests.  IJ'p  proclaim 
Him,. the  villager  af  Nazareth,  as  the  King  of  the  Jews,  marked,  at 
once,  what  wa^  fit,  in  hiS:  opinion,  for  them^  tuad  flung  in  their  faces 
a  bitter  reproach,  of  having  betrayed  thek  pwn  natipnand  country- 
man, to  Home.  Xhe  authorities  of  the/Teuiple  were  indignant,  and 
yet  alarmed,  and  appUed  to  him  to  alter  \t  But  he  had  suffered 
enough  at  their  hands,^  and  smarting  unde^  his  defeat  and  humiliation, 
dismissed  them,  with  the  laconic  answer,  ."IJ^That  Jjiave  written! 
have 'Written."/  ■.:.,•         ,■■,/.,•  '■''"',,     ,,  '"'^^ 

'T^Meanawhile  the  fierce;  heat  of  a  Syrian  noon  beat  down  on  t|ie  prpi^. 
Tltc  suffering  incrucifixipn,  from  which  death,  at  It^^t  resu^t^d,  rose 
partly  from  tlie  constrained  and  fi^ed  position  of  jthe  t>P^y(, and  of 
the  outstretejiied  arm^,  \<;rhich  caused  acute  p^in  from  every  twit,ch  or 
motion  of  the  back,  lacerated  bv  the  knput,  and  pi  the  nands  and 
ft6t,t pierced  by- the- wails.  These,  latter  \yere,  morepypr,  driven 
through  parts  where  many  sensitive  neryes  and  sinews  pome  together, 
and  some  of  these  were  mutilated;  others  violently  crushed  down. 
Infiammation  of  thewounda  in  both  hands  and  feat,  speedily  set  in, 
and  ere  long  rose  also  in  other  places,  where  the  circulation  was 
checked  by  the  tension  of  tlie  parts.  Intolemble  tliirat,  and  ever-in- 
creasingi  pain,  resulted.  The  blood,  which  could  no  longer  reach  the 
extixjniities,  rose  to  the  head,  swelled  the  veins  and  arteries  in  it  un- 
naturally, and  caused  the  most  agonizing  torturett.  \i^  tuT  brain.  ,  As, 
besides,^?  it  oouldnp  longer  mo  vo  freejy  from  the.lungi,  the  heart 
giew  more  and  nM)re  oppressed,  and  all  the  veins  were  distended. 
Iloil  the  wounds  bjed.  freely,  it  would  have  been  a  great  relief,  but 
there  ^jv«»  very  jitUo  fe^a,    TUu  ,>vei|iht,9f  M^;,1»P<,1^  it^f.,ye§t\iif5  pa 


I 


;r  :f'Sa 


ISlL    H 


i 


783 


THE  tilFB  OP  €HRlf#; 


-t* 


the  wooden  pih  of  the  upright  beam;  the  burning  h^kt '6^  tJie  mt 
scorehing  the  veins,  and  theliot  wind/which  dried  up  the  mbisture 
of  the  body,  made  each  moment  more  terrible  than  that  before.  The 
numbness  and  stiflfness  of  tlie  more  distaint  muscles  brotlght  on 
painful  convulsions,  and  this  numbness,  slowly  extending,  sometimes 
through  two  or  three  days,  at  last  reached  the  vital  p&ts,  and  re- 
leased the  sufferer  by  death,  n  ;?*!  ^.niisa  uji  c*  >vi  r»^i^f,if^;v>  •'  4? 

Common  pity  would  have  left  the  victim  'of  i^ich'hg-ony  \6  die  in 
peace.  But  it  is  reserved  to  the  malignant  hatred  and  jpadfedon  wliich 
spring  from  pei-verted  religiOiid  zeal  to  ignore  comjiassion.  '  The  title 
over  His  head  was  as  offensive  to  the  people  as  to  the  priests  and 
Rabbis,  for  it  was  a  virtual  ridicule  of  their  impotefat  aspirations  alter 
universal  monarchy.  Beneath  the  croiis  the  sanie  mockery  indulged 
itself,  as  the  Procurator  had  thought  not  beneath  the  dignity  of  Rome. 
The  fierce  crowd  had  heAtd  repeatedly  that  d^^  of  Jesus  having 
said,  as  was  aseerted,  that  He  could  dtJstroy  their  vast  temple,  and 
build  it  upa^in  in  three  days.  They  had  heard  iaiso  a  great  deal 
about  His  miracles,  and  of  His  calling  Himself  the  Son  of  God,  biit 
it  seemed  as  if  the  whole  must  have  been  a  deception,  else  why  Would 
He  let  Himself  die  such  a  death?  There  were  taupts  and  bitter 
gibes,  from  the  raob  and  the  soldiers,  and  triumphant  sneeris  at  His 
having  met  the  fnteHe  deserved*  the  very  high  prief>it8,'yiid  Rabbis, 
and  elders,  indeed,  degraded  themselves  to  the  level  of  the  rabble  in 
their  unmanly  taunts,  among  their  owii  kndtis  and  gt^ups.  **  Tliou 
that  destroyest  the  Tenr«ple,  and  buildest  it  in  three  day^,  WhoW  that 
Thou  couldst  have  done  so,  by  saving  Thyself,  and  coming  dbwufrom 
the  cross,*'  called  oul  a  looker-on,  with  a  contemptuous  lau^h^  **  If 
Tliou  be  the  Son  of  God,  as  Thou  sayest,"  cried  anotliei",  "come 
down  from  the  cross."  ••  Ke  wrought  miracles  to  save  othets,"  said 
a  high  priest  to  his  fellow,  "  by  the  help  of  Beelzfcbtrb,  Mt  He  ekn- 
not  save  Himself  now  HiiMnae^ter  has  forsaken  Hiin."  The  crowd, 
catching  their  spirit,  bandied  from  one  to  another  the  iscoff,  *'  If  He 
be  the  Christ,  the  King  of  Isi'ad,  the  Gliosiett  bf  God,  let  Him  descend 
from  the  cross,  that  we  may  soe  and  believe."  A  tnie  ihdex  to  thlik 
religious  ideas  I  If  they  saw  Him  with  their  bodily  eye^,  by  a  miracle 
come  down  from  the  cross,  thoy  v/ould  belieVe!  Their  religion 
rested  on  thieir  five  senses.  The  invisible  spiritual  po^er,  in  which 
Jesud  taught,  did  His  work,  and  founded  His  k'ingdorii,  had  no  ex- 
istence for  them.  The  onlv  authority  for  their  faith  was  what  they 
could  grasp  with  their  hands,  or  see  with  their  eyes! 

Nor  was  the  only  railing,  and  trial  of  litter  mocking,  from  the  spec- 
tators. Affecting  indifference  to  their  own  sufferings,  and  perhaps 
v.'ishing  to  get  a  poor  favour  with  the  'irowd,  in  their  last  hours ;  per- 
haps angry  that  Jesus  had  left  both  them  a'L»d  Himself  to  die,  when 
He  might  have  saved  them;  the  two  unhappr  incu  cmcifi.ed  with 
Him,  cast  the  same  reproaches  in  His  teeth.  But  m  8*r^uge  'rontrast 
was  sooB  tojcUsplay  itself.    One  of  the  two,  e?eIoi:g-,  Kwea  liid  T^^oti  by 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


788 


the  sun 
loisture 
e.  The 
ight  on 
jietimes 
and  re- 

i)  die  in 
b  which 
Hi^  title 
?sts  and 
5ns  alter 
ndulged 
>f  Roine. 
\  having 
pie,  ana 
•eat  deal 
3td6,  but 
ly  Would 
id  bitter 
ts  at  His 
Rabbis, 
•abble  in 
''**Tliou 
bow  that 
iwiifrom 
Cb:    "It 
'*corhe 
ts,"  said 
He  can- 
ecifowd, 
••If  He 
descend 
toth^ 
miracle 
religion 
n  which 
d  no  ex- 
hat  they 


Jlis  bearing  under  such  treatment;  perhaps  thinking  of  the  daughters 
of  Jerusalem  |ie  ^lad  seei)  weeping  by  the  way ;  or  of  the  words  of 
Jesus  in  which  He  spoke  of  the  distant  future  as  open  before  Him; 
perhaps  struck  by  tjie  title  over  the  Saviour's  head,  or  by  the  very 
taunts  Avhicb  spoke  of  His  having  trusted  in  God,  and  having  claimed . 
to  be  the  Christ,  the  Chosen,  the  Son  of  the  Highest;  perhaps  recol- 
lecting some  words  of  His  heard  in  happier  days;  repented  of  his 
bitterness,  and  turi^ed  to  his  companion,  to  persuade  him,  also,  to 
kinder  thoughts.  ''Have  you  no  fear  of  God,"  said  he,  "when  you 
think  that  you  are  dyin^  the  same  death  as  He  whom  you  are  still 
reproacning?  It  ^s  no  time  to  mock,  when  you  are  so  near  death. 
Besides,  we  are  dying  justly,  for  we  are  receiving  the  fitting  punish- 
ii^ent  of  our  deeds;  but  jthis  man,  as  the  very  Procurator  has  said,  has 
done  nothing  amiss. "   ■  ^^  '.. 

;  r^heu  followed  words  which  showed  that  his  repentance  and  faith 
were  alike  sincere  an/d  intelligent  He  had  been  silently  watching 
the  meek  and  patient  end!urauce  by  his  mysterious  Fellow-Suflferer,  oi 
ail  that.  His  enemies  could  do,  s^nd  had  come  to  the  belief  that  He  was, 
in  rejijity,  the  Messiah  He  deqlared  Himself  to  be.  With  death  near, 
tlie  folly  of  tlie  earthly  dreams  of  his  countr3rrnen — for  he  must  have 
been  ^,  Jew— flashed  o|i  his  mind.  As  the  Messiah,  He  who  now  hung 
in  agony  must  have  a  kingdom  of  which  death  could  not  deprive 
Hini,  an4  it  mus|;  be  in  the  wprld  beyond,  since  He  had  only  a  cross 
hOre.  He  would  doubtless  enter  on  it,  as  even  the  Rabbis  taught,  at 
t^e  re'surreetioh  of  the  dciad,  and  reign  over  it  for  all  future  ages. 

;^^*0,  tohl.'^siid  he,  therefore,  turning  as  far  as  he  could  towards 
Jesus,  as  he  spoke,  ' '  riemember  me  wh^en  Thou  enterest  into  the  enjoy- 
ment of  TJiv  jdngdom." 

'**  I  shall,  replied  Jesi^s,  "This  very  day  thou  shalt  be  with  me, 
airiong^lie, blessed,  ^n  Paradise."     9it  /; 

-  To  have  confessed  his  faith  when  Cliriat  hung  on  the  cross,  and  wa& 
deserted  even  by  His  Apostlqs,  won  for  him  the  high  reward  of  being 
the  lirst  trophy  of  .tl>p  yictory  that  cross  achieved.  His  ideas  might 
be  vague  ^nd  obscure  enough;  but  the  broken  heart  and  trustful  love 
which  uttered  them,  made  th^m  dear  to  the  Saviour.  Angry  blas- 
phemioi^  alone  had  hiihe^'to  gi*eeted  Him,  but  now  came  this  prayer, 
dropping  Uke  balm  ou  His  wounded  spirit!  Calmly,  and  with  the 
bounty  of  a  king— ciiou^h  now  nailed  to  the  cross — He  showed  His 
unswcring  love  by  the  gift  of  divine  pardon  of  sin,  and  the  bestowment 
of  a  crown  in  Paradise! 

Th^  Eleven  had  never  gathered  again  after  the  arrest,  and  had  been 
too  much  alarmed  even  to  venture,-singly,  into  the  crowd  which  stood 
outside  the  cordon  of  troops  round  the  three  crosses.  John,  alone,  had 
had  cpurage  enougk  to  follow  his  Master  to  Calvary,  and  to  cheer 
Him  by  the  proof  of  fidelity  in  at  least  one  heart.  He  had,  indeed, 
foreseen  that  He  would  be  deserted  thus  in  His  hour  of  need;  but  He 
wa3  too  near  His  triumph  to  notice  theii^  abecnce  as  otherwise  He 


1 


inli 


I 


lil 


I  ,,    1H 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


tnight.  The  veil  between  Him  and  His  eternal  glorj'"  was,  each 
moinent,  fading  into  the  upper  ligUt,  and  had  He  not  even  now,  won 
^hc  first  trophy  of  His  redeeming  love,  to  bear  with  Him  to  heaven? 

Tlie  last  sight  we  have  of  John,  before  t)ie  cruciflxioh,  is  in  the 
Courtyard  of  thq  high  priest,  where  his  silence  and  pfud^nt  keying 
in  the  background,  saved  him  from  the  danger  before  which  Peter 
had  fallen.  He  had  seen  Jesus  led  away  to  Pilate,  and  had,  apparently, 
followed  Hini  to  the  pialace,  lyaiting  in  the  angry  crowd  till  the  weak, 
time-serving  Procuraljor  hsid  given  Him  up  to  the  cross.  He  may  have 
left  as  soon  as  the  end  was  known,  to  hasten  into  the  city, witli  the  sad 
news,  to  those  anxious  to  hear;  above  all,  to  telt  her  whose  soul  the 
sword  was  now  about  to  pierce  most  keenly  '  Mary,  likely,  heai'd  her 
Son's  fate  from  his  lipsl  She  had  come  to  Jerusalein  t6  bfe  near  Him, 
l)Ut  we  do  pot  know  when;  for  she  was  not  one  of  th^  group  of  pious 
Galileean  wome^  who  habitually  followed  Him,  though  ^he'was  with 
them  at  ihis  mom^t.  How  many  were  togettier  is  not  told ;  but  Mary, 
at  least,  on  hearing  John's  wordg,  determined,,  in  hier  Idte,  to  go  at  once 
to  C^lv^ry,  ajjd  some  rouifd  her  fesolvedto  go  witli' !her.  Tier  own 
8ister,who,  it  may  be,  was  Salome,  the  imbther,  Of  johh^  Maiy.'the 
^pife  of  (pl5pas;  Maiy  from  Ma^dafa,  on  the  Ibiah^^  of  Gehiiesareth, 
would  attend  her,  and  John,  faithful  »&  a  .wbman,  would  iiot  stay 

The  first  sight  th^YTrgin  had  of  her  Soh.  was\a^  He  hliiig  on  the 
cross,  at  the  roadside,  piocked  by  the  crowd  ah<|  the  jpassers-by,  and 
scowled  at  by  the  high  priests  and  di^itaries,  Who  had  coirie  Out  to 
glut  the  hatred  they  bore  Him  by  the  sight  of  His  agciny.  '  A  super- 
natural darkness— the  sign  of  the  sorrow  anfi  thewrath  of  heaven^ - 
had  fallen  on  the  landscape  soon  after  the  nailing  to  the  cross— though 
it  w&a  then  high  noon ;  but  the  spectators  had  fancied  it  only  a  strange 
incident  in  the  weather.  The  Sufferer  had  oif ^red  HlS  prayer  f ot  His 
inwrdere^,  and,  had'  spoken  words  of  comfort  to'  the  pienitcrit  6'pii'it 
at  His  sidq;  when,  as  I^is  eyes  WRndered  over  thq  oiowd,  He  sdw, 
through  the  glQopi,  John,  standing  by  His  mother's  side.  Koiie  of 
His  "brothers  or  sisters"  were  there,  for  HJs testtfrdctlon^as' first  to 
win  them  jto  JHis  cause,  and  Mary,  lonff  a  widow,  was  noW  to  bo  more 
so  still.  ,  He  knew  John'?  heart,  and,  mdee^,  his  presence  thOre  pro- 
claimed, itr  The  sight  of  His  piother  in  tears ;  true  even  in  death ;  in 
spite  of  danger,  or  of  her  broken  heart.  Or  of  the  ifsprpaches  risiiig  on 
every  side;  ttie  remembrance  of  Nazareth;  the,  thought  of  the  soh'ows 
that  so  often,  in  these  last  years,  had  pierced  her  soul,  arid  of  the 
supreme  grief  that  had  now  overwhelmed  her ;  the  recognition  of  the 
true  faith  in  Him,  shining  out  in  these  last  hours,  ais  the  child,  botne 
by  miracje  to  be  a  Saviour,  the  holv  Son  of  God;  and  the  thought  that 
His  earthly  relatioi?^  tp,her  .^ore^osed  j()r  ejer,  fi^ed  His  h^art^w 

tender  emotions.  ;,•■■.  :■■  -  :>';.j;  ■'; '  ;  ,:■•  ,f.-  ^i    ,  :'"' '■/S''  > /:  'v-  ' 
Turning  His  face,  now  veiled  with  mainv  sorrows,  to  h^r  aiid  John 
He  provided  for  the  one,  and  honored  the  fidelity  of  the  Othier.    A  fev; 


words 
of  His 
was  le 
"behol 
Then,  ] 
her  be 
Keed 
age,  fel 
in^?    I 
His  lov( 
Nazarel 
John,  tl 
Jeslis  tl] 
by  His 
greatest 
np  to  H 
pale  feai 
It  wat 
tlu'ee  lu 
as  if  na 
spectacle 
all  natioi 
had  been 
a  nature, 
large.    1 
of  a  serv 
som  for 
hope  to 
martyrdc 
been  ioaa 
nien,  anc 
represent 
now,  on 
agony  of 
« truggle " 
of  the  hdi 
'cntly  utt< 
Uii3Path( 
the  Trang 
gloom  of 
His  face 
in  blaokn 
lieved  i'tsc 
from  our 
aside  in  ; 
and  Jesus 
Greek  of 


TttE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


785 


words  gave  Marv  ft  home  and  anotiier  son,  and  rewarded  the  friiend 
of  His  soul  by  the  charge  to  take  the  place  towards  Mary  He  Himself 
was  leaving.  "Wbman,"  said  He,  in  tones  of  infinite  tenderness, 
"behold,  in  him  at  thy  side  thou  Iiast  thy  Son  given  back  to  thee." 
Then,  looking  at  John,  He  added,  "To  thee  I  trust  My  mother;  let 
her  be  thy  motjier  for  My  sake/';;;''^  -^^^'l  .^"tr^V 

Need  we  wonder  thiat  tlie  beloved  disdiple,  wi^Mng  his  Gospel  in  old 
age,  felt  a  sweet  reward  in  recalling  an  incident  so  unspeakably  touch- 
ing? Mary,  henceforth,  had' a  home,  for  John  took  her  to  his  own; 
His  love  to  her  divine  Son. made  him  dearer  to  her  than  the  circle  of 
Nazareth,  however  related.  In  Mary,  he  saw  a  second  mother;  in 
John,  the  widowed  ope  saw  a  son.  Nor  was  the  new  nearness  to 
Jeslis  the  only  reward  to  John  from  the  cross.  His  Master  had  shown^ 
by  His  thoughts  for  others  rather.than  Himself,  in  this  time  of  His 
greatest  need,  that  He  was  still  what  He  had  always  been.  Looking 
np  to  Him,  John  saw  the  light  of  higher  than  earthly  victory  oft  His 
pale  features,  and  felt  his  faith  confirmed  for  ever.  -.t^ffr  i^  ' ^"^ 

It  was  now  three  o'clock,  and  Jesus  had  hung  on  the  cross  about 
tlu'ee  liQUXS.  DsurkHess  still  lay  like  a  pall  over  the  landscape, 
as  if  nature,  less  insensible  than  man,  refused  to  look  on  such  a 
spectacle,  or  would  prefigure  the  sadness  one  day  to  be  spread  over 
all  nations  for  the  sin  that  had  caused  so  awful  a  sacrifice.  What 
had  been  passing  in  His  spirit  no  one  can  know.  As  a  man  He  Ij^d 
a  nature,  in  all  things,  except  its  sinlessness,  like  that  bf  the  taiCA  at 
large.  But  He  was^lso  thje  divine  Sou  of  God,  for  a  time  in  the  form 
of  a  servant,  and  now,  of  His  own  free  love  to  man,  dying  as  a  ran- 
som foi*  sin.  We  accept  the  transcendent  mys*ery  but  we  canhot 
hope  to  explain  it.  The  cross  was  but  the  culmination  elf  a  long 
martyrdom.  His  soul  had  often  been  sore  troubled;  His  e^hshad 
been  marked  6V6n  by  His  disciples.  To  be  dying  for  the  sake  of 
nien,  and  yet  to  be  treated  as  their  foe ;  to  be  misconceived  and  mis- 
represented; to  have  His  heart  full  of  infinite  love,  and  hear,  even 
now,  only  execrations,  brought  back,  for  a  moment,  the  mental 
agony  of  Gethsemane.  It  was  the  "power  of  darkness;"  tlie  final 
struggle  with  the  prince  bf  this  world.  To  the  unendurable  torture 
of  the  body  there  was  added  the  unspeakable  spiritual  pain  of  appar- 
ently utter  rejection  by  man,  whom  He  loved  with  a  love  s®4Hvine! 
Uis  Father  was  witlrHirii  in  the  midst  of  the  darkness  as  much  as  in 
the  Transfiguration  at  Csesarea  Philippi,  but  the  gathering  clouds  and 
doom  of  these  last  awful  hours  made  it  seem,  for  an  instant,  as  if 
His  face  were  hidden.  The  shadows  of  death  passed  for  a  momeit 
in  blackness  q,nd  horror  over  His  spirit,  and  His  mental  anguish  re- 
lieved itself  by  a  great  cry  of  distress.  The  language  we  have  heard 
from  oiir  mother's  lips  and  have  spoken  in  childhood,  may  be  laid 
aside  in  after  years  for  another,  to  meet  the  requii-enients  of  life; 
and  Jesus,  doubtless,  in  these  last  years,  had  often  had  to  use  the 
Greek  of  city  communities,  instead  of  His  own  simple  Galilcean. 


?s 


786 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


But,  now,  the  souik'.s  of  intancy,  always  nearest  the  heart,  and  sure 
to  aonie  to  the  lips  in  our  deepest  emotion,  returned  in  His  anguish, 
and  in  words  wliich  He  had  learned  at  His  mother's  knee.  His  heart 
uttei'ed  it»  last  wail— 

"EIoI!  ISloT llama  saWhtbxmif? 
"My  God!  My  God!  why  bast  Tbpu  fcisaken  me?"' 

The  first  words  sounded  like  the  name  of  the  great  prophet  Elijah, 
the  expected  herald  of  the  Messiah,  and  were  ttiken^  by  some  in  the 
crowd,  for  a  cry  that  he  should  come  to  save.Him.  Meanwhile,  one 
near,  more  pitiful  than  the  rest;  caring  little'for  the  words,  saw  the 
agony  of  which  they  were  the  expression,  and  mn  and  filled  a  Bponge 
with  the  sour  wine-and- water  of  the  soldiers,  and  having  fixed  it  on 
the  short  stem  of  a  hyssop-plant,  growing  near,  put  it  to  flislip^;  for 
the  cross  was  quite  low,  the  feetof  J^u»  reaohiug'  nearly  to  the 
grouild.('ifi>J^;  rv'^'iirhu)W^J'i-,:1.';j'3bbx':r;jifur?i'f;4?ij'  i-!  n  ,.••-     ■  .1)  tvi  car 

A  moment  more,  and  all  was  over.  The  eloud  had  passed  as  sud- 
denly as  it  rose.  Par  and  wide,  over  the  rar.<g|Uiohed  throngs  of  His 
enemies^  with  a  loud  voice,  as  if  uttering  Hia^lioiat  Of  etemal  victory 
before  entering  into  His  glory,  He  cried,  ;vor  -«i?^u}L^f;Cf«'': 

Then,  more  gently,  came  the  words  :—         .   ,  ,  HtkaM- 

ui  (f^'U'  '-■■  ■.' 


W  Mi.' 


.«'wvi;« Father,  into  Thy  honAa  I  cwnmrtid  My  spirit. 


A  moment  more,  and  there  rose  a  great  cry,  as  of  n^ortal  agony  > 
the  head  fell.    He  was  dead. ; a  wi-.'/r  ?!  n  5  tu!  *  '^    i  <;i;;    >k  «,j     ;; 

The  great  work  of  salvation  was  now,  at  lastj  completed;  ptophecy 
fulfilled;  the  Ancient  Cov«nant  at  an  end^  the  !New  Inaugurated. 
Judaism  wasfor  ever  obsolete,  and  the  Holy  of  Holies  had  ceased  to 
be  the. peculiar  presence-chamber  of  JehovaJi  among  mem  Nor  was 
a  dfn:  wtmting  tjjmt  it  was  so,  for  the  great,  veil  of  pAirple  and  gold-r-^ 
sixty  feet  lone  and  thirty  broad — before  the  inner  ^ Sanctuary  of  the 
Temple,  suddenly  rent  itself  in  two,  from  the  top : to  the  bottom,  tit 
the  moment  of  Christ's  death:  as  if  He  who  had  hitherto  dwdt  there 
had  giMie  fortii  to  lead  up  His  Eternal  @on  to  His  own  right  hand. 
And,  indeed,  not  only  the  yielding  veil  of  the  Temple,  but  the  very 
rocks,  round  Calvary i  as  Bt.  Matthew  tdls  us,  ♦'were  rent,  and  the 
earth  quaked,  the  graves  were  opened,  and  many  of  the  saints  sleep- 
ing in  them  rose  from  the  dead,  and  went  into  the  Holy  Gi^y^  and 
appeared  unto  many.^'  r        r;i    1  i  "-  -.ui  r^ 

One  incident  is  recorded  of  this  moment,  by  three  of  the  Evange- 
lists. The  centurion  in  charge  of  the  troops  had  halted,  as  he  passed 
the  cross,  when  Jesus  uttered  His  loud  death-cry.  He  was  w  ithin  a 
few  yards  of  Him,  and  must  have  involuntarily  flked  his  jFaae  on 
Him  at  such  u  soimd.    He  fiaw  the  change  pass  over  His.  features ;  the 


'THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


T87 


light  6f  life  leavinj^  them,  and  the  head  suddenly  sink.  As  it  did  no, 
the  eartliquake  dtookthe  ground,  and  made  tlie  three  crosses  treinblu, 
But  the  tremor  of  the  earth  affected  the  Homan  loss  tlinn  the  piercing 
cr^  and  sudden  death.  He  had  likely  attended  many  crucmxiqnH, 
but  had  never  seen  or  heard  of  a  man  dying  within  three  houni,  on  n 
cross.  He  had  n^ver  heard  a  crucified  raau»  strong  to  the  last,  itttei* 
a  shriek  that  dhoWed,  as  that  of  Jesus  did,  the  full  vigour  of  tb.o  vital 
organs  to  the- last.  He  felt  that  there  was  something  mysterious  in 
it,  and  joining  with  it  all  He  had  seen  and  heard  of  the  Bufferer,  he 
broke  involuntarily  iato  tlie  words,  "  Assuredly  this  man  wai 
righteous;  truly  this  was  God's  Son."  The  one  expression  wm,  per- 
haps, equivalent  on  his  lips  to  thex)ther,  but  both  «lio wed  that  evea 
heathen  spectators  were  profoundly  affected  by  the  spectacle  tliey 
had  wijtnessed. 

lil^or  was  the  effect  on  the  spectators  less  marked.  The  darkness, 
the  earthquake,  and  the  rending  rocks,  had  filled  them  with  alarm. 
They  had  been  Upisy  and  ribald  enough,  for  a  time,  but  when  all  was 
oyer,  amidst  sucli  strange  portents  of  nature,  they  were  glad  to  huaten 
home  in  silence,  Witk  the  demonstrations  of  awe  peculiar  to  E  istern 
populations— smiting  their  breivsts  as  they  went.  The  incidents  of 
Calvary  had  prepared  the  way  for  the  triumph  of  Pentecost,  as  perhaps 
the  rending  of  the  veil  had  been  the  first  step  towards  the  change  of 
feeling  in  the  great  company  of  priests  who  soon  after  profesied 
them^lvesChriitians..         *  ^^^'^^  ^^^^  ''^'  ^'^'''^-  .  "'^^^^   ^'--^  ^^^' 

The  Jewish  \&%  a^  I  have  said,  knew  nothing  of  crucifixion,  but  it 
had  been  not  uiicoiiimon  to  hang  up  the  body  of  a  criminal  after 
deaths.  It  iiWis  not  permitted,  however,  that  it  should  be  eitpoiited 
after  sunset;  burial  the  same  day  was  enacted,  "  that  the  land  should 
not  be  defiled."  The  Romans,  on  the  contrarjr,  left  the  bodies  on  the 
cross  till  they  were  wasted  away,  or  devoured  by  the  do^s,  the  jiackalii, 
or  the  ravens— as  the^  fell  limb  from  limb.  "  To  feed  the  crows  ort 
thecro«^"  was  a  familiar  expression.  It  was  necessary,  therefore;  if 
the  Jewish  law  were  to  be  honoured,  that  the  permission  of  Pilata 
shdUld  be  given  for  putting  the  cnicified  ones  to  death,  if  they  had 
not  already  died,  and  for  taking  down  and  burying  their  tiodtes, 
almost  at  once.  Next  day  was  the  great  Paschal  Sabbath,  and  only 
an  hour  or  two  remahied  Ix^fore  it  cotnnienced.  Three  cortwes  men 
on  the  cross,  so  near  thfe  Temple  and  the  Holy  City,  on  a  day  so  sa- 
cred, would  make  great  commotion,  as  polluting  the  whole  place. 
Besides,  the  feelings  of  the  people  might  turn,  with  unknown  results* 

A.  deputation  of  the  Temple  authorities,  therefore,  wailed  on  Pilate, 
to  get  his  sanction  for  putting  any  of  the  three  to  death,  who  might 
yet  be  alive.  The  common  way  to  do  so  was  in  keeping  with  Roman 
brutality.  The  legs  of  the  unfortunates  were  broken  by  blows  of 
clubs,  and  this  Pilate  authorized  to  be  done,  that  the  shock  mi^it  kill 
them  at  once.  The  two  thieves  were  found  still  living,  and  the  hor- 
rible ord^  was  forthwith  executed  on  them,  but  Jesus  was  doad 


7^ 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST.  • 


already,  and  they  left  Him  untouched,  Oi;ie ,  Soldier,  however,— 
resolved  that  there  should  be  no  doubt, — plunged  his  gpeai^  ihto  the 
Savioui*s  side,  making  a  gash  so  wide,  tliat  Jesus  could  Afterwards 
ask^Thomas  to  put  his  hand  into  it,  and  so  dee^  thiit  blbod  and  water 
poured  put  in  such  a  quantity  as  attracted  the  notice  of  John,  who 
was  still  standing  close  bv. 

That  any  on<?  should  die  so  soon  pn  the  cross,  especially  6ne,  like 
Jesus,  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  unweakened  by  previous  ill-health, 
and  in  such  vijgour  to  the  last  as  to  utter  such  a  shriek  as  that  witli 
which  l%e  ea^pired,  app^red  even  to  Chri^lan  Antiquity, 'tp  imply 
spme  supernatucal  cause.  But  the  mingled  "flow  of  blood  sitid  wiiter 
seems  to  p©int  unmistakably  to  another  expiration.  The  immediate 
cause  of  aeath  appears,  beyond  question,  tP  have  been  the  rupture  of 
His  heart,  brought  about  by  mental  agony.  Excess  of  joy  or  gri^ 
is  known  to  induce  the  bursting  of  so^e  diyision  of  tlie  heart,  and 
the  consequent  flow  of  blood  iptp  the  peiicardium,  or  bag,  filled 
with  colourless  serum,  like  water,  iii  which  the  heart  is  suspended. 
In  ordinary  cases,  only  examination  aftei*  dedth  dfedo vers  the  fact 
but  in  tliat  of  our  Lord,  the  same  end  was  answered  by  the  thrust  w 
the  soldier's  spear.  In  a-  death  from  heart-nipture  "  th(Ei  liaVid  is  sud- 
denly carried  to  the  front  of  the  chest,  and  a  piercitig  shriek  uttered." 
The  hands  of  Jesus  were  nailed  to  thp  cross,  biit  the  appdtoff  shriek 
Is  recorded.  ■,.-:;:,        ,  '^  '^f^  '?-,*'v ^         '   ' ,;  ^''' '^-^^.^''^ 

Jesus  died,  literally,  of  a  brofeen  heart'*  -    "  "  ^ 

Thie  heat  of  the  climate  in  the  East  Jias  led  tP  the  cui^tom  of  burial 
follpwiflig-  almost  inimediately  sitter  death,  but  there  were  special 
reasons  for  that  of  Jesus  being^hurried.  It  was  the  eve  Of  the  gieat 
l^j^sover  Sabbath,  and  no  coi-pse  could  be  left  unburied  td  defll^'the 
ceremonial  purity  oi  tlie  Holy  City,  on  that  day.  It  was  hfeciessary, 
tlier6fore,  that  our  !tord  be  buried  without  a  moment's  dd#,.foir  sun- 
set,, when  the  Sabbath  be»an,  was  rapidly  approaching.*, •'  /.V^^"  '"^ 
,:  Bodi^pspf  Jewish  crimmals  seem  to  have. been  buried  With  fj^'p. 
iininy,  in  the  Valley  of  ,Hinnom;l«iqwri,frbih  this  reason,  a^  the 
iV^aifey.of  Corpses— amidst  the  uncleaii  diist-heaps ibf  tlie  d§^;  and 
fhe  ashes  of  the  burned  pffal  of  the  Teipple  sacrificies.Tljey  could 
Dptbe  laid  in  the  graves  of  their  fathers— the  common  blirial-plaee 
of  the  cpmmunity — for  the  guilty  could  not  be  buried  witli  the  just- 
but  were  huddled  out  of  siglit — the  beheadedi  or  hanged,  in  bneijg^ot; 
the  stoned,  wd  burned,  in  another.  But  such  an  indignity  was  ii*o{ 
to  befall  the  Siacred  form  of  the  Saviour.  '       ;, 

AiApng  the  spectators  of  thp  cruciflxion  there  had  t:|een  |Jne,  if  not 
two,  whose  position  might  have  enabled  them  to  be  of  service  to  Jesu^v 
in  His  hpnr  of  need,  before  the  high  priestly  court,  had  they  had  the 
moral  courage  to  avow  their  convictions.  Joseph^  a  meiiiber  of  the 
rulihgclass,  known  by  the  name  of  his  l^irthplace^Arimaltliea,  or 
Hamathajim  Zophim.  whe,r^  Samuel  the  prophet yvj'as  born-— athptig 
the  "fruitful  hills"  of  Ephraim — liad  long  been  a  secret  disciple-  and 


80,  nlsi 

Afraid 
porting 
trial,  tj 
if  pot  1 
fellow- 
dead,  h 
into  th( 
favour, 
would  J 
shame  f 
ness  an 
veiled  8. 
mur^en 
great  st 
abovefe 
before,  I 
l^'Jate 
make  siu 
allowed 
from  the 
Master  a] 
women  S 
hearted  i 
It  wasnt 
burial,  at 
thin^  ^n< 
&ion  thro 
nnd  rejoi 
superior, 
refidferhii 
of  ft  Jew. 
ToSft,  in 
he  found 
darker  h( 
salem,  thj 
the  city  ^0 
Jesus  to  \ 

Hendinfi 
ingthat  J( 
Ab^ve^i 
not  be  coil 
In  later  da 
curator  Fii 
philus,for 
ryphalAc 


•  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


IVCT, — 

ito  the 
rwards 
I  water 
u,  who 

ae,  like 
■health, 
at  ^vith 
)  imply 
d  wkter 
mediate 
ntiire  of 
or  gri^ 
jjirt,  and 
ig,  filled 
upended. 
the  fact 
thrust 'of 
id  is  siid- 
uttcred." 


of  biiriJ\l 
•e  special 
the  gi-eat 
deflll^'the 
i^ciessary, 
'  fotsun- 


80,  also,  had  Nicodemus,  another  member  of  the  theocratic  oliffarchy. 
Afruid  of  tlie  overwhelming  opposition  they  must  encounter  by  9ui> 
portinff  Christ,  tliey  had  timialv  kept  in  tlie  backgroui^d  during  His 
trial,  though  npither  had  voted  for  tlic  condemnation.  Joseph,  indeed, 
if  pot  both,  had  even  braved  public  opinion,  and  the  wrath  of  their 
fellow-counsellors,  by  following  Jesus  to  Calvary,  Now  that  ite  was 
dead,  breaking  through  all  weak  reserve  and  caution  at  last,  he  went 
into  the  city,  aMi^ waited  on  the  Procurator,  in  his  palace,  to  ask  as  a 
favour,  that  the'<l6dy  of  Jesus  might  be  put  at  his  disposal.  He 
would  fain  honour  His  lifeless  form,  if  onlv  to  show  his  regret  and 
shame  for  unworthy  half -hear  tedness  while  He  still  lived.  Tlie  meek- 
ness and  inajestic  silence  under  (all  reproaches  and  indignities;  the 
veiled  sky,  jJie  trembling  earth;  the  prayer  of  the  Sufferer  for  His 
murdjerecs;  His  wail  of  mental  agony,  as  if  forsaken;  and  then  the 
great  shriek,  and  sudden  death — had  awed  his  soul,  and  lifted  him  far 
above  fear  of  ii  n.  He  had  been  waiting  for  the  Kingdom  of  God 
before,  but  would  openly  identify  himself  with  its  founder  now. 

JPilate  was  astoni^ed,  alike,  that  a  Jew  in  Joseph's  poa^on  should 
make  such  a  request,  and  tbat  Jesusi  should  alrciody  be  qead.  It  was  not 
allowed  to  remove  a  body  froni  the  cross  without  fonnal  permission 
from  the  Procurator.  The  Eleven,  with  onc^  exception,  had  left  their 
Master  alope  amidst  His  enemies  in  His  last  awful  hom^,  and  e'ven  the 
women  who' had  watched  the  cross,  didnot  venture  to  ask  the  stony- 
hearted governor  to  let  them  pay  the  last  tribute  of  love  to  the  dead. 
It  was  no  light  matter  Joseph  had  undertaken;  for  to  take  p4rt  in  a 
burial,  ata^y  timjB,  would  defile  him  for  seven  days,  andmak,o  every- 
thing ^nciean  which  he  touched;  and  to  do  so  now  iiivolved  his  sieclu- 
&ioii  throuj^K  thew^hole  Passover  week — i^ith  all  its  holy  observahc^B 
and  rejoicings.  But,  conscience-stricken  for  the  past,  he  had  rigeXi 
superior,  alike  to  prudent  inaction  or  ceremonial  prejudice,  and  Would 
render  hi^Master  a  tribute  and  service  especially  sapred  in  the  eyes 
of  1^  JeTVy  It  was  one  of  the  ijiost  loved  rememlbrances  of  the  hero 
Tbblt.  in  the  old  times  of  the  first  exile,  that  he  buried  any  Jew  whom 
he  found  cast  out  dead,  round  Nineveh,  and  Josephus  eoVild  add  no 
darker  hprror,  a  generation  later,  to  tlie  picture  of  the  fall  of  Jerji- 
salem,  than  by  telling  that  the  Zealots  would  not  buiy  those  slain  in 
the  city  ^or  wlio  fell  down  on  the  roads.  Joseph  would  not  suffer 
Jesus  to  want  the  last  offices,  with  all  the  indignity  the  neglect  would 

Sending  for  the  officer  who  had  charge  of  the  execution,  and  find- 
ing that  Jesus  wps  really  dead,  Pilate  granted  Joseph's  strange  request. 
A.  b^ve  deed  had  had  its  success.  The  humour  of  the  I^'ocurator  could 
not  be  counted^  on,  and  the  rage  of  Joseph's  own  party  was  certain. 
In  later  days,  a  servant.  Porphyrins,  who  ventured  to  ask  from  the  Pro- 
curator F|imilian,,  the  body  of  his  martyred  master,  the  presbyter  Pam- 
philus,  for  burial,  was  himself  seized  and  piit  to  death.  The  apoc- 
ryphal Acts  of  Bilate  describe  Joseph  as  beseeching  the  favour  with 


H '» 


tfiO 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


tea^.^  aiA  e:\tt^aiks,  and  they,  thiis,  rightly  mark  the  gravity  of  hie 
%ct,  but  1^  is  joi  unlikely  thut  a  meaner  fnfluencc  came  to  his  help, 
tor  Fhilu  tells  as  ^hc>t  Pilate's  special  clmracteristic  was  his  opencess 
^  a  bribe.  Two  o/  three  thousahd  denarii  from  the  wealtliv  suppli- 
cant, wouki  ucagU  n.o^  than  Ids  supplications,  in  securing  his  wish. 

A  written  order,  or  a  verbal  command  to  the  centurion,  put  the 
l)ody  at  Joseph's  dispcs*;!. 

'W^ththe  help,  of  scTvacits,  and,  it  may  be,  of  some  »>ldiers,  the 
cross  was  quickly  cut  donvi  or  lifted  from  its  socket,  and  laid  on  the 
ground,  the  cords  round  iJu'  limbs  untied,  and  the  nails  drawn  from 
the  hands  and  feet.  An  opea  Mer  suiiiced  to  carry  aw^y  the  body  to 
its  destined  resting-place. 

Among  the  ^ews  the  hope^s  \  f  tie  future  were  closelv  connected 
with  tlie  careful  preservation  if  tlie  body  after  death.  Like  the 
Sgyptians,  they  attached  suprv^uii?  importance  to  the  inviolability  of 
tl^  touib  eitlier  by  time  or  violeLCt*.  jmd,  no  less,  to  the  checking  of 
natural  decay,  by  embalmii^g.  Tl  perpetuate  their  existence  on 
c^rth,  at  least  p'tbe  withered  mocker)'  of  tlie  grave,  and  to  lie  in  the 
Holy  L^nd,  in  the  midst  of  their  father »\  had,  at  all  times,  been  tlie 
most  sacred  wish  of  the  Jews.  In  the  lays  of  Jesus,  however,  an 
additions^  J^otive  for  burial  in  Pales^ne..  4>Lv1  a  caieful  preservation 
of  the  l)ody,  was  found  in  the  belief  of  the  ttcsurrection,  which  was 
to  take  Dkice  $rst  iu  Judea,  commencing  in  the  valley  under  the  east 
of  the  Temple.  Kvep  now  an  Israelite  always  seeks  tor  have  some  of 
theso|I  of  the  Holy  Land  laid  in  his  CTave,  tha«:  the  spot  where  he 
rests  may  be  counted  part  of  the  sacred  ground  ;  If ,  indeed,  his  body 
has  not,  before  the  Judgment,  made  its  way  through  land  and  sea,  to 
tLi^  home  of  his  fathers.  The  same  feeling  was  sH-powerful  in  the 
days  of  pui:  Lord,  for  in  tli^  great  sieges  of  Jerusalem,  many  Jewish 
fugitives  came  tikck.to  tlie  city,  in  spite  of  the  horrors  they  had 
already,  striven  to  esc^p^that  thev  might  count  on  at  toast  the  last 
of  aUulessings.  a  burial  in  its  holy  pounds. 

The  neighbQUi'hood  of  Jerusalem,  like  all  other  ports  of  Palestine, 
li^  ij^nce,  sincQ  the  earliest  times,  abounded  in  tombs  hewn  out  in 
tiie  Jimestpne  rock  Princes,  rich  men,  every  one  who  could  by  any 
means  secure  it,  desired,  above  all  things,  to  prepare  for  themselves 
and  their  families  an  "  everlasting  house,"  and  such  a  tonib,  never 
yet  use4  K^d  ^n  hewn  out  in  the  hill-side  for  himself,  by  Joseph, 
in  a  garden  not  far  from  Calvary. 

To  this  the  body  of  Jesus  was  now  taken.  Nicodemus  had  come 
with  some  of  his  servants,  and  he  and  they,  with  Joseph  and  his  at- 
tendants, and  Mary  of  Magdala,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James  the 
Less,  and  of  Joses;*  the  wifeof  Cl6pas,  and  peiiiaps,  some  others  of  the 
true-hearted  women  from  Galilee,  were  the  only  followers  of  His 
bier. 

Ajrived  at  the  grave,  the  sacred  burden  was  laid  down  for  a  time, 
;till  the  needed  preparations  were  made  for  placing  it  in  the  tomb. 


The  who] 

and  then 

tluckly  St 

by  Nicod< 

The  ends 

with  gum 

finally  lai( 

The  corps( 

no  stone  d 

pose,  was: 

designs  of 

Tied  burial 

tlie  stone  v 

Even  the 

the  spot.    ' 

saw  Him,  s 

theirs,  and 

tomb.     In 

seemed  to  1 

as  near  as  n 

they  had  loi 

Meanwhij 

awaked.    A 

aud  the  suo 

subject  of  h 

was  not  oVe 

had  spoken 

disciples,  ac 

the  assertioi 

than  ever,  bi 

that  the  gra^ 

therefore,  at 

sions,      TirJ 

humour  to 

ness.     '.'GoJ 

strong  cord  ] 

it,  after  noti 

approacli  wil 

And  tliusT 

through  the  J 


'■■  'x'  J-;  ■:•'*  r\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


791 


The  whole  body,  stained  as  it  was  with  blood,  was  tenderly  washed, 
and  then  wrapped  in  broad  bands  of  white  linen,  within  which  were 
tliiekly  strewn  powdered  myrrli  and  aloes,  whicli  had  been  provided 
by  Nicodemus  for  the  imperfect  embalmment  practised  by  the  Jews. 
Tlie  ends  of  the  bandages  wore  apparently  secured  on  the  inner  side 
with  glim,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Egyptian  dead.  A  white  cloth  was 
finally  laid  Otrer  the  face,  after  a  last  liiss,  the  pledge  of  undoing  love. 
The  corpse  was  then  laid  in  a  niche  in  the  rock,  and  since  there  was 
no  stone  door,. as  in  some  tombs,  a  great  stone,  prepared  for  the  pur- 
pose, was  rolled  against  the  entrance,  to  protect  the  body  from  the 
designs  of  enemies,  or  the  attacks  of  wild  beasts.  It  was  only  a  hur- 
ried burial,  for  the  last  rays  of  the  sun  were  sluning  on  the  garden  as 
the  stone  was  set  up  against  the  entrance  to  the  grave. 

Even  then,  however,  tliere  were  some  hearts  that  could  not  leave 
the  spot.  Though  Ho  no  longer  spoke  to  them,  and  they  no  longer 
saw  Him,  some  of  the  Galilssan  faithful  ones  still  felt  Uiat  He  was 
theirs,  and  sat  down  as  mourners,  on  the  earth,  before  the  door  of  the 
tomb.  In  the  evening  stillness  and  gathering  twilight  they  still 
seemed  to  hear  His  voico  nhd  see  His  form,  and  so  they  lingered  on, 
as  near  as  might  be,  into  the  Sabbath  eve,  and  lamented  Hun  whom 
they  had  lostt 

Meanwhile,  the  fears  of  the  chief  priests  and  their  party  had  already 
awaked.  A  meeting  had  been  held  immediately  after  the  crucifixion, 
aud  the  success  of  the  scheme  to  crush  Jesus  had,  doubtless,  been  the 
subject  of  hearty  mutual  congratulations.  But  they  dreaded  that  all 
was  not  oVer.-  It  was  remembered  by  one  or  more  that '  *  the  deceiver** 
had  spoken  darkly  of  rising  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day,  and  His 
disciples,  acting  on  this  hint,  might  steal  the  body,  and  spread  abroad 
the  assertion  that  He  had  actually  risen,  misleading  the  people  more 
than  ever,  by  claiming  for  Him  divine  honors.  It  Was  hence  necessary 
that  the  grave  should  be  watched  for  three  days.  A  deputation  was, 
therefore,  appointed  to  wait  on  Pilate,  representing  their  apprehen- 
sions. Tired  of  them,  and  hating  them,  the  governor  was  in  no 
humour  to  argue.  "Ye  have  a  guard,"  said  he,  with  military  blunt- 
ness.  "Go,  make  it  as  sure  as  ye  can."  This  they  did.  Passing  a 
strong  cord  across  the  stone,  and  securing  its  ends  by  clay,  they  sealed 
it,  after  noting  that  the  soldiers  were  duly  stationed  so  as  to  make 
approach  without  their  knowledge  impossible. 

And  thus  the  Redeemer  was  left — pale,  but  victorious — to  sleep 
through  the  Sabbath. 


'ImotJxO'iti  If 


fife'' 


^"\f\UT       •«■?-';>■. 


m 


i::. 


1, 


:\r'i=. 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 

THE  BESrRBECTION  AND  THE  FORIT  DATS.         ^ 

Tub  roliffion  of  tho  Letter  had  carried  out  to  the  bitter  end  its  con- 
flict with  tne  religion  of  tlio  Spirit.  Incui)ablo  of  reform:  identifying 
its  dead  Hghts  with  tho  essence  of  truth;  it  had  crucified  the  Teaclier 
who  had  dared  to  say  that  tliey  had  served  their  day,  and  lost  their 
worth.  Ritualism  hnd  reached  its  natural  culmination  in  claiming  to 
,he  tho  Whole  of  religion,  and  had  slain  The  Truth  itself,  when  H« 
witnessed  against  it.        ^ 

The  benumbed  and  moribund  Past  had  striven  to  perpetuate  itself, 
by  attempting  to  destroy  the  Kingdom  of  the  Future  in  its  cradle. 
How  utterly  it  failed,  eighteen  centuries  have  told  us. 

It  was  the  old  story :  the  light  had  come  into  the  darkness,  and  xhe 
J^arkness  wottld  not  have  it;  accustomed  to  the  one,  it  was  only  m/.- 
•  zfed  hnd  blinded  by  the  other.    Evil  had  had  its  apparent  triumph. 
As  far  as  the  will  and  hand  of  man  could  effect  it.  He  who,  alike  as 
He  was  man,  and  as  also  the  Messiah  of  Israel,  knew  no  spot  or  blem- 
iish  of  sin,  &ad  been  crushed  as  an  evil-doer.      The  one  holy  being  of 
our  race;  having  revealed  Himself  as  the  true  Christ,  expected  for 
ages ;  the  Hope  of  Israel ;  the  highest  and  perfect  expression,  the  true 
'Spirit  rind  aim  of  the  ancient  economy;  ami  even  of  all  other  relig- 
■  fobs,  so  ^ar  as  they  had  divine  elements  in  tlicm;  had  been  rejected 
;'i|nd  dishottoiired  to  the  uttermost  by  the  rulers  of  the  People  of  God, 
/'ind  by  the  great  bulk  of  the  nation.      He  who  had  desired  to  secure 
the  snlvrttioQ  of  Israel,  and  through  it,  of  humanity,  and  had  shown 
how,  iilone,  that  salvation  could  be  attained,  had  been  branded  by  the 
highest  authorities,  both  of  Judaism  and  heathenism,  as  a  deceiver  of 
the  people.    The  blindness  of  the  one,  and  the  indifference  of  the 
other,  had  united  in  attempting  to  crush  Him  whose  only  weapons  in 
the  assault  of  evil  had  been  the  highest  wisdom,  the  divinest  love, 
'  and  unconqiierable  hieekness.    But  their  triumph  was  only  a  mo- 
mentary and  permitted  eclipse  of  the  Light  of  the  World,  destined, 
presently,  to  reappear,  in  unveiled,  and,  henceforth,  unsetting  glory. 
"  Nothing,"  says  even  so  keen  a  critic  as  Heinrich  Ew aid,  "stands 
taore  historically  certain  than  that  .Jesus  rose  from  the  dead  and  ap- 
/peared  again  to  His  followers,  or  than  that  their  seeing  Him  .thus, 
again,  was  the  beginning  of  a  higher  faith,  and  of  all  their  Christian 
J,  work  in  the  world.    It  is  equally  certain  that  they  thus  saw  Him,  not 
^jifts  a  common  man,  or  as  a  shade  or  ghost  risen  from  the.  grave;  but 
I  as  the  one  Only  Son  of  God — already  more  than  man  at  once  in-  nature 
and  power;  and  that  all  who  thus  beheld  Him,  recognized  at  once  and 
^Instinctively  His  unique  divine  dignity,  and  firmly  believed  in  it 
"thenceforth.    The  Twelve  tmd  others  had,  iadced,  learned  to  look  on 


Him. 

t)Ut  f 
clearl 
conqij 
niindc 
ancec 
depth 
the  fir 
Him  t 
as  the 
Mar 
forMu 
the  daj 
the  gar 
ingon 
Passovi 
ed  natu 
The  J 
Jandsca 
in  the  s 
put  on  J 
mg  till 
robed,  « 
of  goats 
saerifico 
the  rude 
with  stn 
trumpet 
high  pr 
robes  :— 
throngs, 
an  omen 
b^  Levi 
Intherto ' 
for  a  few 
the  cour 
for  the  ; 
The  hug 
its  hyaeii 
top  to  bo 
pired  on 
been  exp 
Thetfi, 
by  the  e 
meaning, 
warnings 
dead  on  t 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


ItB  con- 
ntlfying 
Teacher 
ost  their 
imiDgto 
trhen  He 

ite  itself, 
:s  cradle. 

y  andihe 
only  aa/.- 
triumph. 
I,  alike  as 
t  or  blem- 
f  being  of 
jected  for 
1,  the  true 
ther  relig- 
n  rejected 
leof  God, 
to  secure 
lad  shown 
Jed  by  the 
ieceiver  of 
ice  of  the 
capons  in 
iinest  love, 
nly  a  mo- 
1,  destined, 
;ing  glorv. 
a,  "stands 
id  and  ap- 
[Him  thus, 
L-  Christian 
Him,  not 
Igrave;  but 
le  in  nature 
jX  once  and 
Lcved  in  it 
to  look  on 


Him,  even  in  llfo,  an  the  Trtio  Messianic  King  and  tho  Son  of  Ood, 
t)ut  from  tlie  in()ni(!i1t  of  His  reappearing,  they  recognized  moro 
clearly  and  fully  the  divine  .side  of  His  nature,  and  Haw  in  Ilim  tlio 
conqueror  of  dcatli.  Yet  tltc  two  pictures  of  Him  tlms  fixed  in  their 
mimlH  were  In  Ib"^'?  essence  ideullcal.  That  former  familiar  anpcar- 
anceof  tho  OH?ui(y  Ohrlut,  and  this  higlier  vision  of  Him,  with  its 
depth  of  emotion  and  eontAtic  ioy,  wure  so  interrelated  that,  even  in 
the  first  daya  or  weeks  after  His  death,  they  could  never  have  seen  in 
Him  tlie  Heavenly  MoiMlfUi,  if  tliey  had  not  lirst  knuwu  Him  so  well 
as  the  earthly." 

Mary  of  Magdnln,  and  the  wifo  of  ClOpas,  herself  another  Mary-- 
for  Mary,  from  tho  Hebrew  Miriam,  was  a  favourite  name  ever  since 
the  days  of  the  sister  of  Moses, — had  sat  on  the  ground  at  the  door  of 
the  garden  tomb  in  which  the  Beloved  On^  lay,  till  late  (m  the  even- 
ing on  Friday.  Tlio  trumpet  announcing  the  beginning  of  tho  great 
Passover  Babbath  had  only  startlod  them  for  a  moment,  and  exhaust- 
ed  nature  had,  perhaps,  first  compelled  them  to  leave. 

Tlie  next  day  rose  calm  and  bright  on  the  budding  and  blossoming 
landscape,  for  it  was  Nistui— tlio  month  of  flowering— and  nature  waa 
in  tho  secret  to  bo  revealed  on  the  morrow — ^and  might  well,  for  joy, 
put  on  Iier  fairest.  The  courts  of  the  Temple  were  tilled  from  raorn- 
mg  till  evening,  with  zealous  worshippersr  the  barefooted,  white- 
robed,  and  turbaned  i)rlcst8  were  busy  offering  tlie  blood  of  bulls  and 
of  ^oats  for  the  sins  of  Israel,  unconscious  that  the  blood  of  a  greater 
saoriflco  had  boon  shed,  of  which  that  which  they  offered  was  only 
the  rude,  and  welbnlgh  revolting,  symbol.  Yet  it  must  have  been 
with  strange  feeliii|;s  they  went  through  tho  services  of  the  day.  The 
trampets  and  voices  of  tho  Levltes  were  loud  and  clear  as  ever:  the 
high  priest,  fresh  from  Oolgotha,  not  less  gorgeous  in  his  splendid 
robes:— -the  crowd  of  priests  not  hiss  pressed  with  otticial  toil:  tho 
throngs,  filling  the  courts  below,  not  less  numerous  or  devout..  But 
an  omen,  portentous  beyond  all  their  history  recorded,  had  been  seen 
by  Levito  and  priest  alike— for,  was  not  the  Holy  of  Holies, 
hitherto  veiled  in  awful  darkness,  and  entered  only  once  in  the  year, 
for  a  few  momouts,  by  tho  high  priest,  laid  visibly  open  before  all  in 
the  court  of  tho  priests',  in  fact,  before  all  in  the  vast  Temple  area, 
for  the  Holy  of  Holler  stood  hi^h  above  the  rest  of  tho  sanctuaiy? 
The  huge,  heavy  veil  of  iJabyloniau  tapestry  of  fine  flax,  gorgeoufj  in 
its  hyacinth  una  searlot  und  purple,  had  been  mysteriously  rent  from 
top  to  bottom,  at  the  moment  wheu  the  "enemy  of  the  lemple"  ex- 
pired on  Calvary,  ancL  the  awful  presence-chamber  of  Jehovah  had 
been  exposed, to  every  fyQ,  like  ground  no  longer  sacred. 

The  disciples  of  Jesuf*,  and  even  the  Eleven,  iiad  been  overwhelmed 
by  the  events  of  the  day.  Having  no  cleai-ideaof  their  Master's 
meaning,  and  tlilnking  little  on  words  painful  at  best,  His  repeated 
warnings  that  He  must  bo  put  to  death,  but  would  rise  again  from  the 
dead  ou  the  third  day,  luid  luado  no  lasting  impression  on  their  minds. 


m 


TKBILirE;  OF  GIERIOT. 


The  catastrophe  had  been  so  sildden  and  complete,  that,  for  the  time; 
they  were  confounded  and  paralyzed. 

It  is  the  glory  of  woman  that  she  most  seldom  forsakes  those  she 
loves,  even  when  things  are  darkest.  The  two  Marys  had  left  the 
grave  only  when  the  deep  night  compelled  them,  but,  even  then,  they 
stilL  had  its  Dear  One  in  their  hearts.  The  Sabbath,  which  bad  begun 
just  as  the  stone  was  rolled  to  the  entrance,  kept  them  from  doing 
anything  for  Him  for  twenty-four  hours,*  but  it  was  no  sooner  over, 
on  Saturday  at  sunset,  than,  AVith  Salome  and  Joanna,  and  some 
other  women,  they  arranged  to  take  additional  spices  at  the  earliest 
dawn  to  complete  the  embalming  of  the  body  begun  by  Nicodcmus, 
but  left  unfinished  through  the  approach  of  the  Sabbath.  Mary, 
mother  of  Jesus,  was  too  sorely  stricken  in  heart  to  join  them. 

Meanwhile,  the  Roman 'sentries  were  pacing  to  and  fro  on  their 
beat,  before  the  sepulchre .  their,  fire  lighted,  for  the  spring  night  was 
chilly,  and  besides,  the  light  prevented  any  one  approaching.  The 
true-hearted  women  had  resolved  to  reach  the  grave  by  sunrise,  which 
would  take  place  about  a  quarter  before  six  in  the  morning,-  and  slept 
outside  the  city  gates,  which  would  not  open  till  daybreak  at  the 
earliest.  The  grey  dawn  had  hardly  shown  itself,  when  they  were 
afoot  on  their  errand,  to  perfomi  the  last  offices  of  love.  .As  they 
went,  however,  a  diflSculty  rose  of  which  they  had  not  thought  be-, 
fore.  Who  would  roll  away  the  stone  for  them,  from  the  door  of  the 
sepulchre?  They  had  heard  nothing  of  its  having  been  sealed  during 
the  Sabbath,  or  of  the  guard  being  mounted  in  the  garden,  else  they 
might  liave  been  altogether  discouraged.  But  they  had,  doubtless, 
told  some  of  the  Eleven  where  the  grave  lay,  and  might  hope  that 
one,  at  least,  would  be  there  to  help  them.  ' 

i  -  A  greater  than  an  Apostle  had  already,  however,  been  at  the  tomb. 
For  St  Matthew  tells  us,  "an  angel  of  the  Lord  had  descended  from 
heaven,  his  countenance  shining  like  lightning,  and  his  raiment  white 
as  snow,"  "and,"  striking  terror  even  into  the  Roman  guard,  "had 
rolled  back  the  stone  from  the  door."  As  it  opened  the  Crucified 
One  had  come  forth,  unseen  by  the  dazzled  soldiers,  and  had  pres- 
ently vanished. 

They  had  scarcely  left  the  spot,  when  the  women  arrived.  The 
earth  had  been  trembling  strangely,  but  they  had  kept  on  their  way. 
How  great  must  have  been  their  astonishment,  however,  when  they 
found  the  stone  rolled  away,  and  the  grave  open.  There  was  no 
longer  a  guard,  for  the  soldiers  had  fled  in  tenor  at  the  angelic  vision. 
Maiy  of  JVlagdala  liad  entered  the  garden-  first,  and  had  found  things 
thus,  and  having  run  back  to  the  others,  hastened  into  the  city  to  tell 
Peter  and  John.  Determined  to  solve  the  mystery,  if  possible,  her 
companions  came,  together,  to  the  sepulchre,  and,  bending  down, 
entered  its  inner  chamber.  But  it  was  only  to  be  appalled  by  the 
sight  of  an  angel,  in  white,  sitting  in  it;  as  if  waitmg  to  l)ear  the  i^lad 
HOWS  to  them,  of  what  had  taken  place.    PresenUy,  a  second  radiant 


fOTBW 

in  ter: 
to  the 
reth  V 
He  is 
Him; 
from  t 
was  yi 
hands 
And  tc 
Him,  a 
.  Man 
to  tell 
the  strj 
John's  J 
joined 
the  torn 
both,  fo 
way  to  I 
utmost  ( 
cpntentc 
gazing  i] 

was  not 
intheer 
ercnce,  a 
enterintr 

jngun(£ 
indeed,  ( 
linen  wo 
and  thee 
themi  bu 
now  ente 
tells  us  j 
mind,  thj 
as  yet,  r 
would  do 
would  ha 
Himself  i 
Having 
only  of  re 
what  it  ( 
Wanderii 
loved,  if  t 
to  some  ( 
and  stood 
companio: 
and  ref usi 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.' 


788 


• 

}e  she 
ft  the 
.they 
begun 
doing 
■  over, 
some 
sarliest 
lemus, 
Mary, 

tt  their 
rht  was 
I    The 
,  -which 
tid  slett 
I  at  the 
ey  were 
As  they 
aght  ha-. 
or  of  the 
pLduring 
jlse  they 
>nbtle88, 
ope  that 

Le  tomh.'- 
led  from 
snt  white 
d,  "had 
niciiied 
ad  piea- 


forxL  stood  before  them,  as  tliey  bowed  down  their  faces  to  the  earth, 
in  terror.  But  words  now  fell  on  their  cars  which  brought  back  joy* 
to  their  hearts.  "Fear  not,  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth who  was  crucified.  Why  sock  ye  the  living  among  the  dead? 
He  is  not  lierc,  for  Ho  is  risen.  Behold  the  place  where  they  laid 
Him;  lint  go  quickly,  tell  His  disciples,  and  Peter,  that  He  is  risen 
from  the  dead.  Remember  the  words  that  He  said  to  you,  while  He 
was  yet  in  Galilee — that  the  Son  of  Man  must  be  delivered  into  the 
hands  of  sinful  men,  and  bo  crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again. 
And  tell  them  'Ho  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee' — there  you  wiU  see 
Him,  as  He  said  unto  you.  So,  1  have4oldyou.** 
.  Mary  of  Magdala  had  Imrried  back  to  Jerusalem  with  eagxjf  steps, 
to  tell  Peter  and  Johu„  who  seem.to  have  lived  together  at  this  time, 
the  strange  fact  of  the  grave  being  empty.  The  Virgin  Mother, 
John's  honoured  guest,  now,  doubtless,  heard  the  amazing  news,  and 
joined  the  other  Mary  in  urging  the  two  Apostles  to  ^o  instantly  to 
the  tomb;  though  their  own  hearts  had  at  once  instinctively  impelled 
both,  forthwith,  to  do  so.  Peter  and  John,  therefore,  were  on  the 
way  to  the  garden  at  once;  their  eager  Iiaste  hurrying  them  to  the 
utmost  speed.  John,  however,  younger  than  Peter,  outran  him,  yeti 
contented  liimself,  on  reaching  the  tomb,  with  stooping  down,  and 
gazing  into  its  empty  space.  The  body,  assuredly,  was  gone,  but  there 
was  no  trace  of  violence,  for  the  linen  bandages  lay  carefully  unrolled, 
in  the  empty  niche  where  the  Saviour  had  l»en  placed.  Natural  rev- 
erence, and  the  awful  mystery  before  him,  kept  him  from  actually 
entering;  but  no  such  hesitation  checked  the  impulsive  Peter.  Passf 
ing  unmir  the  low  door  he  went  in,  undismayed.  The  sepulchre  was; 
indeed,  empty,  as  John  and  the  women  had  found;  only  the  grave* 
linen  ^vas  left:  the  bands  for  the  body  and  limbs  laid  by  themsel\^es, 
and  the  cloth  that  had  covered  the  face  of  the  Dead,  not  lying  with 
them>  but,  folded  up,  in  a  place  by  itself.  Following  his  friend,  John 
now  entered,  and  saw  that  it  was  so.  The  gi*eat  truth,  as  he  himself 
tells  us  in  long  after  years,  now,  for  the  first  time,  flashed  6n  his 
mind,  that  Jesus  had  risen.  Neither  he  nor  the  other  Apostles  had, 
as  yet,  realized  that  it  had  been  foretold  in  the  Scriptures  that  He 
would  do  so ;  for  this  would  have  explained  the  whole  at  once,  ftnd 
would  have  thrown  light  on  the  hitherto  mystwrioua  words  of  Jeaus 
Himself  respecting  His  resurrection.  ;  *T  I 

Having  seen  for  themselves  the  empty  tomb,  they  thought  like  men; 
only  of  returning,  to  discuss  with  each  other  and  with  their  brethren^ 
what  it  could  mean.  But  the  women  would  not  leave  the  spot. 
Wandering  everywhere,  they  only  carcu  to  find  Him  whom  they 
loved,  if  they  could,  for  they  fancied  that  the  body  had  been  removed 
to  some  other  place.  Mjiry  of  Magdala  had,  meanwhile,  returned; 
and  stood  weeping  at  the  door  of  the  tomb;  her  spirit,  like  that  of  her 
companions,  overborne  with  longing  anxiety  to  find  Him,  if  possible; 
and  refusing  to  believe  that  she  would  not.    The  two  Apostles  had 


"fr, 


796 


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t) 


Ol^dHRim 


rp. 


seen  no  angels,  but  the  weeping  woman  was  more  highly  favoured. 
Gazing  into  the  sepulchre,  the  empty  space  where  Jesus  had  lain  wai3 
no  longer  untenanted,  hut,  instead  of  the  Redeemer,  she  saw  two  angels, 
in  bright  robes,  one  where  the  hiead,  and  the  other  where  the  feet  had 
rested.  They  were  there  to  comfort  the  broken  heart,  as,  indeed,  they 
had,  doubtless,  been  before,  though  for  the  time  they  had  remained 
unseen. 

"  Woman,"  said  one,  in  a  human  voice,  that  disarmed  fear,  "  why 

weepest  thou?"  -  ,  /  :y^;^:;r::fff. . 

* 'Because,  "replied  Mary,  in  broken  accents,  "  theyliave  takdii  away 
my  Lord,  and  I  know  hot  where  they  have  laid  Him." 
!  As  she  said  this,  she  turned  and  drew  back  into  the  open  garden, 
hardly  kaowing  what  she  did.  A  ipaan  now  stood  before  her,  in  the 
simple  dress  of  the  humbler  classes,  and  bein^  in  a  garden,  she  natu- 
rally thought  him  the  person  employed  in  it.  "Woinan,"  said  the 
stranger,  stranglyenough  as  it  must  have  seemed  toMary,  in  the  same 
words  as  the  angels  had  used,  "why  weepest  Ihbu?— whom  scekesj; 
thou?"  "  Sir,"  said  Mary",  taking  it  for  granted,  as  great  sorrow  does, 
that  the  cause  of  her  grief  must  be  known  to  all — "  if  thou  hast  6a:r- 
ried  Him  froni  this  tomb,  pray  tell  me  where  thou  hast  laid  Him,  and  I 
will  take  Him  away."  She  was  a  woman  of  means,  atid  •v^ouid  see 
that  He  had  a  final  and  suitable  resting-place. 

No  reply  was  given,  except  the  repetition  of  her  O'w^tt  name — 
**  Mary. "  But  the  voice  revealed  the  speaker.  It  Was  that  of  Jesus. 
She  had  not  recognized  the  known,  but  noW  strangely  etherealized 
features — the  one  "spiritual  body"  ever  seen  by  human  eyes— the 
corruptible  changed  into  incorruptipn— the  mortal  into  immortality. 
But  the  sound  of  that  voice,  so  tenderfy  remembered,  brought  with  it 
full  recognition  of  the  face  and  form. 

"Eabbouni,"  said  she,  in  tjie  country  tongue  they  both  loved  so 
well— "  My  Teacher!"  and  was  about  to  fall  OnJiis  neck  in  uncontrol- 

lable  emotion.  <  ,.  .      ,  •< .  ..  ,      i       i  •    ' 

"Touch  me  not,"  said  He,  drawing  back,  **fbr  I  ha^^' notyet 
flsecTided  to  the  Father,  but  go  to  my  brethren,  and  say  to  them,  I 
iiscend  to  my  Father  and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and  your  God." 
Meanwhile,  the  other  women  had  come  near,  and  hearing  ahd  seeing 
what  had  passed,  kneeled  in  lowly  worship.  As  they  appr6ached, 
Jesus  greeted  them  with  the  salutation  they  had,  doubtless,  often 
heard  from  His  lips— "All  hail!"— and  the  words,  and  the  sight  of 
Mary  adoring  him,  left  them  no  question  of  its  being  theii*  Lord.  He 
had  withheld  Mary  from  any  approach  to  the  tender  freedom  of  for- 
mer days,  but  He  now  stood  still  while  the  lowly  band,  Ma?*y  doubt- 
less among  them,  held  Him  by  the  feet,  and  did  Him  lowliest  rever- 
ence. Then,  as  they  kneeled,  came  the  words,  grateful  to  their  hearts, 
"Be  not  afraid!    Go,  teU  i^^  b;ret}>?^i^  to  i?o  intp  jGalilce,  ^d  tl^ey 

will  see  me  there*"  '.'■r>H'i..  -    .1    '     ,   U  Ji'  "^         ''    '■  V  ' 

So  saying.  He  was  gone.  '^    ^^  j a  -ujy  juu^ 


•L( 

Jeru 

Bprej 

Seen 

plen 

they 

first! 

semb 

No 

discif 

ing  oi 

•the  w 

oecasi 

us,  in 

writte; 
ised  th 
those  \ 
myster 
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uess  an 
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early  Q 


tlieyne 
associa 
Even 
wayss€ 
vealing 
culmini 
aa  audit 
Hisd 
terial,  o 
Jesus 
ences  ar 
as  toM 
the  voic 
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their  soi 
etition  o 
He  had 
outward 
others,  b 
the  shor 
It  wou 
after  th 
while  sti 


nmiH 


TB^UFi;  OF  CHRIST. 


797 


ITCd. 

Lwas 
igels, 
t  ha4 
.they 
ainea 

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arden, 
in  the 
Q  nalti- 
aid  the 
e  same 
scekes\; 
sv  does, 
ast  68tr- 
a,  and  I 
(iild  see 


f  Jesus, 
realized 
refr— the 
cirtaUt^. 
■with  it 

iconti^- 

not  yet 
them,  I 
arGod." 
|id  seeing 
roaclied, 
ks    often 
i  sight  of 
,tS.    He 
n  of  for- 
fy  doubt- 
Ist  rcveT- 
\r  hearts, 
laiid  they 


-:  LosJo^  QO  time,  Mary  of  Magdala,  and  the  others,  hurried  hack  to 
Jerusalem,  and  foiind  that,  in  the  stHl  early  momi-«g,  the  news  had 
spread  to  all  the  Eleven,  that  their  Master  was  alive,  and  had  hcen 
seen  both  by  her  and  by  them.  But  it  seemed  too  wonderful  for  sim- 
ple minds  tb  realize  fit  once,  and  sounded  only  like  an  idle  tale  which 
they  could  not  believe.  It  sufficed,  however,  to  rally  them,  fot  the 
first  time  since  Gethsemane ;  for  that  very  night  they  once  more  a*- 
sembled  as  ot  old. 

No  detailed  narrative  of  the  successive  appearances  of  JesUs  to  His 
disciples^  after  His  resurrection,  has  been  left  us,  each  narrative  giv- 
ing only  special  cases,  which  had  particularly  impressted  thfe  mind  of 
4he  writer.  It  is  evident,  indeed,  that  He  showed  Himself  on  malny 
occasions  of  which  no  record  is  preserved,  for  St.  John  expressly  tells 
us,  in  his  summary  of  the  Forty  Davs,  that  besides  the  siguin  the  case 
of  'i'.'homas,  Jesus  did  many  others  before  His  disciples,  which  are  not 
written  in  the  Gospel  bearing  the  Apostle's  name,  and  He  had  prom*- 
ised  that  He  would  manifest  Himself  a^in,  soon  after  His  death,  to 
those  who  continued  faithfulto  Him.  Had  we  a  full  narrative  of  the 
mysterious  interval  between  Calvary  and  the  Ascension,  it  wdtild 
doubtless  illustrate  more  vividly  than  existing  records  permit,  the  ful- 
ness and  variety  of  demonstration  which  alone  accounts  for  the  firm 
and  triumphant  proclamation  of  the  Resurrection  by  the  Apostles  and 
early  Churcl  u  jjiiit 

One  characteristic  is  common  to  all  the  appearances  recounted*, 
they  niBver  pass  outside  the  purely  spiritual-  bounds  we  instinctivelv 
associate  with  the  mysterious  existence  on  which  Jesus  had  entered. 
Even  when  most  closely  touching  the  material  and  earthly,  He  is  al- 
ways seen  speaking  and  acting  only  as  a  spirit,  coming  suddenly^  re- 
vealing Himself  in  an  imperceptibly  increasing  completeness  which 
culminates  at  last  in  some  unmistakable  sign,  and  presently  vanishing, 
aa  suddenly  as  He  appeared.  He  no  longer  acts  or  suffer^  as  before 
His  death,  and  even  when  condescending  most  to  the  seen  and  ma- 
terial, only  does  so  to  prove  Himself,  beyond  question,  the  same 
Jesus  as  formerly,  w;ho  in  common  human  life,  shared  all  the  experi- 
ences and  wants  of  His  followers.  To  some  He  made  Himself  known, 
as  to  Mary  and  the  women,  by  a  single  word  or  by  brief  sentences, 
the  voice  carrying  instant  conviction  with  it:  to  others,  in  a  lengtlien- 
ed  communion,  as  with  the  disciples  going  to  Emmaus ;  kindling 
their  soul  by  the  higher  sense  He  gave  to  the  Scriptures,  and  by  a  rep- 
etition of  the  symbolic  "breaking  of  bread,"  which,  on  the  last  night, 
He  had  enjoined  on  the  Eleven :  to  others  again,  as  to  Thomas,  by  an 
outward  material  proof  from  the  wounds  on  His  person ;  and,  to  still 
others,  by  joining  them  in  their  simple  repast,  as  with  the  disciples  on 
the  shore  of  the  Lake  of  galilee. 

It  would  seem,  from  a  notice  by  St.  Paul,  that  the  first  appearance, 
after  that  granted  to  the  women,  was  vouchsafed  to  Peter,  perhaps 
while  still  m  the  garden.    The  completeness  of  the  Apostle's  repent 


1 

''-I 

I 


m 


TKR  JfJ^E  OF  CHmST. 


ance  had  secured  as  complete  a  forgiveness,  and  Jesus  could  not  for- 

fet  that  Petet's  home  at  Capdmanm  had  been  His,  6t  how  trtie^heartc^ 
e  hiad  been  from  the  very  days  of  the  Baptism  on  the  Jordan,  though 
he  had  failed  for  a  moment,  -wbdh  off  his  guard.  The  look  of  re- 
proach, mingled  with  love  and  pity,  had  melted  Peter's  heart  while 
the  denials  were  j^et  on  his  lips,  and  now,  the  look  and  tender  words 
of  the  risen  Christ,  b6und  him  to  Him  for  ever.  He  had  been  the 
foremost  in  zeal  for  the  meek  and  lowly  Master,  while  still  rejected 
and  despised,  but  when  that  Master  stood  before  him,  the  conqueror 
of  death,  and  the  glorified  Son  of  God,  his  zeal  rqse  to  a  passsionate 
devotion  that,  henceforth,  knew  no  abatement.  ^U^^fb^-i  ^>l  4; 

The  hews  of  the  resurrect  ah  Spread  fast  among  the  disciples  ih 
Jerusalem ;  still  it  required  time  to  reach  all,  and  even  Wheii  it  spread, 
the  fact  was  too  great  to  be  realized  at  once,  ahd  too  contrary  to  pre- 
vious expectations,  to  be  other  than  slowly  understood.  Deep  d^ec- 
tion  reigned  throughout  the  little  Christian  company.  In  spite  of  all 
their  Master's  warnings,  His  death  had  come  on  them  M  surprise,! 
and,  as  it  seemed,  had  destroyed  everything.  Cut  off  suddenlv  from^ 
all  the  hopes  of  an  earthly  kingdom  they  had  cherished,  notwitnstand- 
ing  the  constant  lessons  of  Christ's  lire  and  words,  and  deeply  dis- 
,  tressed  by  the  loss  of  their  Teacher  and  Head,  they  appeared  to  bo 
left  helpless,  and  paralyzed.  The  horrors  of  the  past  f €fw  days  en- 
grossed their  thoughts  and  conversation.  They  believed  Him  now  in 
Paradise,  but  no  one  dreamed  of  a  resurrection  so  soon.  J6hh  had, 
indeed,  risen  in  some  measure  to  the  grandeur  of  the  truth,  and 
Peter  had  even  seen  Him,  but  the  bulk  of  the  disciples  hiad  lost  well- 
nigh  all  hope.  The  report  Of  the  empty  grave  and  of  the  vision  of 
angels  and  of  their  announcement  that  He  was  aliv<S;  Was  insufficient 
to  break  theit  gloom,  and  prolonged  their  perplexity  without  reliev- 
ing it.  ivif'^Y;  *:*'•  — ,  W^'  ,^M*'^-'  ;-'-^.''^M''»M^/.'-^^v*^4'v,y^  iS^f>^i\yjiiiJi\^i 

Midd^  had  pa^^di  kM  ^lily  flodtt^^  y^«,  ibrdfid^ 

The  disciples  began  to  tliink  of  finally  separating;  and  abdiridoning  all 
hopp;  for,  without  their  Master,  they  were  without  a  leader;  Two  of 
them  determined  to  go  home  to  Emmaus,  a  village  between  seven  and 
eight  miles  north-west  of  Jerusalem,  on  the  high  slope  of  the  hills. 
The  way  to  it  was  over  hills,  and  through  valleys,  more  and  more 
barren  as  Jerusalem  was  left  behind,  out  Emmaus  itself  looked  down 
iiito  a  hollow  through  which  a  rivulet  spread  greenness  and  beauty. 
Vines  and  olive-trees,  planted  in  terraces  up  the  hill-side,  and  the 
white  and  red  flowers  of  the  almond-tree,  now  bursting  into  blossom 
in  the  valley,  made  the  end  of  the  journey  a  pleasant  contrast  to  its 
beginning.  '  '''   <'  ' 

The  two  travellers  were  I'rot  6f  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  tt  is  not 

even  known  whether  thevhad  been  in  the  number  of  the  Seventy. 

The  name  of  the  one  is  tbld  us— Cleopas,  a  different  word  from  Cldpas, 

j'tlio  name  of  the  husband  of  one  of  the  Marys  who  waited  on  Christ, 

andy  thus,  no  hint  is  furnished  by  it.     The  other  has  been  variously 


THE  LIFE 


OP  CHRIST. 


790 


more 

down 

eauty. 

id  tile 

ossom 

to  its 

is  ti6t 
viBnty. 
Udpas, 
Christ, 
iotisly 


fancied  as  Nathanael,  Peter,  or,  even,  Luke  himself,  but  it  is  only 
conjecture*'  They  were  passing  on  their  way,  their  conversation 
"turning  naturally  on  that  of  which  their  hearts  were  full— and  of 
which  they  had  heard  and  spoken  so  much  that  day.  Was  Jesus  the 
Messiah  or  not?  If  so,  how  had  things  happened  as  they  had?  His 
life,  His  wordSi  His  miracles,  seemed  to  show  that  He  was  the  Mes- 
siah, but^  on  tb^  other  hand,  how  could  the  Messiah  have  been  criici- 
ified?  • 

..  Meanwhile,  a  stranger,  going  their  way,  overtook  them,  and,  very 
possibly  to  their  disappointment,  joined  them.  He  had  iieard  how 
.eagerly  they  were  disputing  and  reasoning,  so  that  it  seemed  only 
natural  when  He  asked  them  what  subject  had  so  engrossed  them. 
Half  impatient  that  Ue  shoidd  seem  unacquainted  with  a  matter  so 
supreme  to  themselves,  Cleopas  answered — "  That  he  could  not  have 
!  thought  there  was  any  one  who  had  been  to  the  feast  in  Jerusalemi, 
who  would  ask  the  subject  of  their  conversation,  when  such  gi'e^t 
tilings,  still  in  every,  one's  mouth,  had  happened  in  these  last  few 

.6jj>!^hat  things  ?"  asked  the  stranger. 

oVr  "What  but  respecting  Jesus  of  iSazareth?"  replied  Cleopas.  "  B(e 
was  a  prophet  of  God,  a  mighty  worker  of  miracles,  and  a  great 
.teacher.  All  the  people  must  own  that  He  was  that.  Do  you  not 
know  about  Him?  How  our  priests  and  Rabbis  seized  Ilim,  and 
condemned  Hini  to  death,  and  forced  Pilate  to  crucify  Him?  Yet  we 
li>elieved,  as  it  seemed  on  the  best  grounds,  that  He  was  llie  Messi^, 
who  should  have  delivered  Israel.  But  it  is  now  the  third  day  since 
all  this  has  liappened.  Some  of  the  women  belonging  to  our  cona- 
.  pany^  liowever,  have  created  no  little  perplexity  amongst  us.  They 
had  gone  early  in  the  morning  to  the  tomb,  but  found  it  empty,  ana 
came  back,  saying  that  angels  had  appeared  to  them,  who  told  them 
that  He  was  alive  again.  On  this  some  of  our  number  went  to  the 
sepulchre,  and  found  the  women  tight  as  to  its  being  empty,  but  they 
did  not  see  Jesus  Himself."  *  J  ifr* 

It  was  clear  that  tlie  spark  of  hope  kindled  by  the  first  report,  mid 
-jhHeen  already  extinguished. 

{{;■  The  stranger  had  listened  attentively,  and  now,  to  their  surprise, 
began  to  chide  them  for  their  doubt,  and  entered  into  the  matter  that 
so  engrossed  them,  with  the  earnestness  of  one  who  felt  as  supremely 
interested  in  their  Master's  cause  as  they  were  themselves,  and  with 
an  intelligence  that  arrested  their  closest  attention.  * 

"What  is  there  in  all  this,  that  makes  you  so  dejected  and  de- 
spairing?" asked  He.  "O  ye  dull  of  understanding,  and  sluggish  of 
heart!  Why  not  grasp  more  clearly,  and  believe  more  readily,  what 
ift  the  burden  of  all  the  prophets?  Had  you  been  as  intelligent,  and 
as,  ready  in  your  hearts  as  you  should  have  been,  to  u:;dcr.stand  and 
accept  the  witness  of  Scripture,  you  would  have  seen  that  it  had  been 
prophesied,  from  the  first,  that  the  Messiah  was  to  suffer  and  die,  as 


800 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


Jesus  hns  done  Let  ns  examine  whetlier  ihb  propliets  dp  not  snof: 
that  the  Chrint — the  Messiah — must  needs  have  been,  thus  lowjy,  en- 
tering into  His  glorv  only  after  apfTering  death,  though  you  hav^ 
foolishly  imaginea  Hia  kingdom  was  to  come  bj"  force  and  miracle?  \ 
rThe  stranger  was  evidently  a  learned  liabbi,  at  least;  end  had  won 
their  anxious,  respectful  attention  already,  by  the,  novelty  and  forcq 
of  thi^  appeal.  But,  now,  as  He  journeyed  on  at  itheir  side,  their 
wonder  and  delight  increased,  for  He  quoted  passage  otter  passage, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  Scriptures^  a^d  showed  t^iem 
how  the  whole  spirit  and  contents  of  the  Holy  Bool^s  pointed  to  such 
B  Messiah  ns  He  Jind  indicated — a  Meesiah  founding  a  spiritual,  not  ^ 
mere  earthly  kingdom,  founding  it  by  love  and  seif-sacrifioe,  not  by 
force.  They  had  never  heard  such  discourse.  He  tlirew  light  on  the 
deep  things  of  Scripture  which  made  it  a  new  book  to  them.  They 
had  been  lamilittr  with  it  from  childhood,  but  now«  for  the  first  time, 
found  that  their  Master,  alike  in  His  life  and  death*  shofie  oi^t  |i'om 

everypage.  ,-,.   .,..-     ■;,.-..•?/-»-:,-.-;..,..„,:...■,,,• 

Such  discourse  shortened  the  road,  and  found  them  still  eagerly 
listening  as  they  approached  Eramaus,  the  end  of  the  journey.  Climb- 
ing tlie  hill  path  together,  through  the  terraces  of  vines  and  olives, 
and  passing  under  the  village  gate,  th'^y  were  presently  at  th^  jiou.se 
where  the  diBciples  were  to  stay.  And,  now,  the  stranger  bade  them 
adieu.  What  they  hwl  heard  from  Him^  however,, had  interested 
them  so  much,  that  they  longed  to  hear  more.  They  begged  Him, 
therefore,  to  lodge  with  them  for  the  night,  and  this,  the  rather,  as 
the  day  wae  far  spent.    Accepting  the  unvitajybc^,  ^  tJire^,;we|^)t^i|ljQ 

'  the  :honse^  1    !w,rrv..i|      -,,■.,  --^R    ^^4r''•.■■i^^^,^^.iif^*•0  'i,.  ^''w:'^.^.*^/' 

It  must  have. been  no  small  wonder  to  the  Two,  who  tlie  mysteriotis 
stranger  could  \)e.  Nothing  in  His  dress  or  speech  ^ave  them  a  clue, 
and  they  did  not  know  Hia  leatiuriE!^ ,  .^lut^.a  l^^pjgs^f  rey^r^n^e 
keot-thetn  from  asking;  .^,i.:;  yrbv^i/Wf^-iuMf:'--;^'>^:';/h..:..-rr'?!  v-'m  wrri'.i'^  k" 

Simple  refreshments  were  presently  set  before  theitn— among  the 
rest,  bread  and  wine;.  Tlic  stranger,  as  was  His  due,  had  the  place 
of  honour  at  table,  and  it  fell  to  Him  to  hand  whatyy;^  Wgr^  ^^'^Ph 
to  the  others.     Only  the  three  were  present.       ,,;  {,  -?  1  /,V  ^^ ,» /^\ » j  * 

Presently  the  Unknown,  taking  the  bread,  offered  the  usual  bene- 
diction— ^just  as  J^sus  had  done ;  broke  the  bread,  just  as  Jesus  had 
broken  it ;  handed  it  to  them,  just  as  Jesus  had  handed  it.  Bearing, 
voice,  and  manner  were  His.  And  now,  as  they  look  at  Him  more 
closely,— the  veil  He  had  assumed  passes  away,  and  the  very  Face 
and^orm,  also,  were  His. 

It  was  He  !  Meanwhile,  as  they  gazed  in  awful  wonder  and^ever- 
ence.  He  vanished.  -  f-iX  jti  a 

No  instance  given  illustrates,  more  strikingly,  the  adaptation  oi  w© 
Bisea  Seiviour's  self -disclosures  to  the  requirements  of  His  djisciples. 
Tlieir  minds  were  first  enlightened  and  i.L?ir  hearts,  warjned,  tiU;th.^re 
was  no  longer  a  danger  of  affecting  their  senses  only,  but  a  security 


Qfh 

thej 
then 

faitl] 

•      U 

hea'n 
^  ileti 

Ores. 

as  till 

and  £ 
.Neitl: 

inmoj 

Haste 

fore  t 

OiftJhe 

the  on 

them  1 

amazij 

unheal 

still  f 

Strang* 

faict.   V 

Itw 

irathen 
before 
any  en 
they  w 
justify] 
forma 
of  Jesi 
ed.froi 
Peace  t 
The 
it  was  1 
"Wl 
once,  ^ 
recogni 
exposec 
througl 
inarks  < 
back  Hi 
"Look 
he  satis 
may  km 
khew-oj 
hones  a? 


THIS  LIFB 


OF  CHRIST 


801 

m 


of  mtdligent  conviction,  resting  on  impreasions  1«%^.  b]"  the  diflcounio 
they  had  heari-  They  were  gently  led  on  till  fully  prepared,  find 
then  the  Afpeauance  waa  granted  in  a  way  so  inexpressibly  t'^iioh- 
ing  and  tender,  that  it  no  less  fifed  their  love  tnan  csUU>lisLed  ilioU' 
faith.  •        i\ 

Left  to  themselves,  the  Two  could  speak  only  of  what  they  luM* 
heard  and  seen— of  how  their  hearts  had  glowed  in  their  bosoms,  fU 
He  talked  with  thent  along  the  road,  and  opened  to  them  the  fieri pt 
Urea.  Their  ecstatic  joy  at  having  seen  Him,  whom  thev  had  known 
as  the  earthly  Messiah,  now. unveiled  to  them  as  the  IVIessiah,  risen 
and  glorified— the  conqueror  of  death— can  only  be  faintly  imagined. 
, Neither  life  nor  death  could  ever  efface  the  memory  of  it  from  their 
'inmost  hearts.  But  their  brethren  must  know  the  great  truth. 
Hastening,  with  quickened  steps,  back  to  Jerusalem,  to  reach  it  be- 
fore the  shutting  of  the  gates,  they  found  the  Eleven,  and  a  nuraber 
of  the  disciples  gathered  together- -the  amazing  rumours  of  the  day 
the  one  engrossing  theme  of  discussion.  Peter,  it  seemed,  had  told 
them  that  Jesus  had  appeared 4o  him,  and,  now,  the  Two  added  their 
amazing  harratiyc.  It  was  a  thing  so  transcendent,  however,  and  so 
unheard  of,  that  any  one  should  rise  from  the  dead,  that  the  company 
still  fancied  the  women,  and  Peter,  and  the  Two,  under  somd 
strange  delusion.  They  could  not  credit  their  story  as  a  matter  of 
faict.  .V 

It  was  still  Sunday,  and  the  assembled  Eleven,  with  the  others,  had 

fathered  at  the  table  couches,  to  eat  a  simple  evening  meal  together, 
efore  parting  for  the  hight.  The  doors  were  fast  closed,  for  fear  df 
any  emissary  of  the  hi^h  priests  and  Ilabbis  discovering  them,  and 
they  were  still  discussing  the  strange  reports  they  had  heard,  and 
justifjring  their  incredulity.'  Suddenly,  through  the  closed  doors,  a 
form  appeared  in  their  midst,  which  they  at  once  recognized  as  that 
of  Jesiis.  Presently,  the  salutation  they  had  heard  so  often,  sound" 
ed  from  HislipsT— the  common  Jewish  greetlng^Shalotti  Lftohem; 
peace  to  you!"  '^  •'  -'^C/-'^-  '^-'--  :-- ^..^-iV;  .f  .    . 

The  sight  terrified  and  alarmed  them.  They  could  not  realize  that 
it  was  really  Jesus  Himself,  but  fancied  it  was  His  spirit. 

"Why  are  you  in  such  fear,"  said  He,  "and  why  do  you  not,  at 
once,  without  any  such  doubts  and  questionings  in  your  nainds, 
recognize  me  as  Him  who  I  really  am  ?"  His  hands  were,  of  course,' 
exposed  beneath  the  sleeves  of  His  abba,  and  His  feet  could  be  seen 
through  His  sandals. .  Holding  up  the  former,  and  showing  tho 
marks  of  the  great  iron  nails  of  the  cross  in  the  palms,  and  pressing 
back  His  abba,  and  disclosing  the  wounds  on  His  feet — He  went  on— r 
"Look  at  mjr  hands  and  my  feet — see  the  wounds  of  the  -nails-^and 
be  satisfied  that  it  is  I,  Jesus,  myself,  who  speak.  And,  that  you 
may  know  that  it  is  not  my  spirit  jom  see,  but ;  the  same  Master  you 
ktifew-of  old,  come  near  and  touch  me,  for  a  spirit  has  not  flesh  and 
boTiesasyouBceinohave."  >.     • 


m2 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


;■' .:  Evidence  SGT  conTincing  could  leave  no  doubt,  except  from  very  joy 
at  its  completeness  ;  for  the  return  of  their  Lord,  thus  triumphant 

^over  the  grave,  was  so  stupendous  a  miracle  that  while  tliey  could 

'!  not  question  it,  their  gladness  would  scarcely  let  them  think  it  real. 
But  still  further  proof  was  to  he  given.  Knowing  how  easily  the 
idea  might  spread  that  His  appearances  were  merely  those  of  a  dis- 

•  embodied  spirit,  He  asked  them  to  let  Him  share  their  meal.  They 
had  l)^)iled  fish,  and  having  set  some  before  Him  with  wondering 
awe,  lie  ate  it  in  their  sight.    All  doubt  now  fled:  it  was,  indeed, 

■'■their  Eisen  Lord.  :■  t^nii'i  I. ■ '•  'Ciii'JI-yfi'rcW  Ikm:'' 

f  ♦'Now  that  you  are  convinced  that  it  is  really  I,"  continued  Jesus, 
•'let  mo  remind  you  that  the  facts  you  have  now  verified — thatl 
should  die,  and  rise  again  from  the  dead— are  the  f  "Ifilment  of  what 
i  said  to  you  while  I  was  yet  with  you — that  all  that  was  written  re- 
•iBJ^ecting  me  in  the  Scriptures,  must  bo  fulfilled  in  this  way." 

As  the  **  Light  of  tile  World,"  He  then  proceeded  to  recall  to  thojr 

-minds  and  explain  more  fully,  the  prophecies  respecting  Himself  iii 

;  the  Books  of  Moses,  the  Propliets,  and  the  Psalms, — the  three  divisl 
ions  under  which  all  the  Holy  Books  were  classed  by  the  Jews  ;  and 
sliowcd  their  wonderful  vividness  as  inspired  anticipations  of  what 
had  really  happened  in  His  own  person.  h/i. 

"You  see  thus,"  added  He,  after  giving  this  summary  of  the  testi- 
mony of  Scripture,  "that  it  was  necessary,  in  the  Divine  Counsels, 

'  that  instead  of  founding  an  earthly  kingdom,  as  you  expected,  the 
Messiah  should  suffer  as  I  have  done,  and  that  He  should  rise  from 
the  doad,  the  third  day,  as  you  see  has  been  the  case  with  me.    The 

'  purposes  of  God  now  further  require  that  tlie  nc^d  of  repentance,  and 
tho;proniLsc  of  the  remission  of  pins  to  be  obtained  through  my  death 
and  resurrection,  should  be  preaclied,  henceforth,  as  the  great  end  of 
all  I  have  suffered,  and  as  the  Salvation  I  was  sent  as  the  Messiah  to 
secure,  not  for  Israel  only  but  for  all  mankind.  These  truths  you 
are  to  proclam  to  all  nations,  but  you  are  to  begin  at  Jerusalem,  that 
Israel. may  have  still  another  opportunity  of  accepting  me,  and  of 
being  saved  through  my  name,  now  I  am  risen  and  glorified  ;  though 
they  rejected  me  in  my  humiliation.  And  you,  my  disciples,  are  th" 
witnesses  through  whom  God  w^ill  spread  abroad  this  message  of 
mercyto  Jews  and  Heathen,  and  proclaim  His  new  Heavenly  King- 
dom founded  by  me. "  u^ 
The  wondering  disciples  now  saw  that  He  was  about  to  leave  them, 
once  more.  As  He  prepared  to  do  so,  however,  He  added  :—»•;:  i  t:j 
■  r'**  Peace.be  with  you  I  As  my  Father  sent  mo,  so  I  send  you.  Go 
lye  into  all  the  w^orid,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.    He 

-whobdievcaand  is  baptized,  will  be  saved,  but  he  who  does  not  be- 
lieve will  be  condemned.     And  these  miraculous  signs  w^^ill  be  granted 

'thofeewiax)  believe,  for  a  confirmation  of  their  fuith,  and  that  they 
saay  Win  oUicrs.  They  will  <  cast  out  devils  in  my  name;  they  will 
s]^ak  withf  tongues  new  to  them  ;  they  will  take  up  serpents  without 


THE  LITE  OP  CHRIST. 


608 


harm  to  themselves  ;  if  they  drink  any  deadly  thing  it  will  not  hurt 
them  ;  and  tibey  will  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and  thoy  will  recover. 
-    "To  fit  you  for  your  great  work  I  shall  presently  send  you  the 
Helper  promised  by  my  Father,  but  stay  in  tho  city  till  you  are 
clothed  with  this  power  from  on  high." 

There  were  only  ten  of  the  Eleven  present,  for  Thomas  was  absent, 
but,  these,  Ho  now  gathered  before  Him.  As  an  earnest  of  the  fuller 
endowment,  hereafter.  He  was  about  to  impart  to  tliem  a  special  con- 
secration by  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  their  office  as  Apostles.  He  had, 
Himself,  compared  the  influence  and  entrance  of  the  Spirit  to  tho 
breathing  of  the  wind,  and,  now,  prefacing  His  intended  words  by 
the  symbolical  act  of  breathing  on  the  Ten — He  said: 

"  deceive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  government  of  the  Church  is 
committed  to  your  charge.  As  a  special  gift  for  your  worlt  as  found- 
ers of  my  Kingdom,  divine  insight  is  gi-antcd  you  to  '  discern  liie 
spirits '  of  men,  that  so  you  may  know  their  true  state  before  God. 
Through  you,  therefore,  henceforth,  as  througli  Me  till  now.  He  will 
announce  tlie  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  it  will  be  granted  by  God  to 
those  to  whom  you  declare  it.  Through  you,  moreover.  He  will 
make  known  to  others  that  their  sins  are  not  forgiven,  and  to  him  to 
whom  you  are  constrained  to  speak  thus,  to  him  liis  sins  will  not  be 
forgiven  by  God  till  you  announce  their  being  so."  i 

Having  said  this,  He  vanished  from  their  sight. 

It  is  impossible  to  realize  the  emotions  of  the  little  band  of  Apostles 
and  disciples  at  these  appearances.  They  knew  that  Jesus  had  been 
put  to  death:  they  had  fancied  themselves  permanently  deprived  of 
Ilis  presence  and  help,  and  they  had  not  known  what  to  taink  re-* 
spectingHim.  But  when  He  stoed  amidst  them,  once  more,, after 
He  had  risen^  a  sudden  and  strange  revolution  took  place  in  their 
•minds.  >  They  saw  before  them  Him  whom  they  had  revered  as  the 
Messiah  while  clothed  in  human  weakness,  now  raised  to  an  unimag- 
inable glory  which  at  once  confirmed  and  sublimed  their  former 
faith.  They  saw  Him  victorious  over  the  grave,  and  clothed  with 
the  attributes  of  the  eternal  world.  In  a  moment,  the  whole  sweep 
of  the  truth  respecting  Him,  hitherto  only  half  realized,  had  become 
d  radiant  fact,  even  to  their  senses.  The  hesitating  and  imperfect 
belief  in  His  heavenly  dignity,  and  power  to   fulfil  all  He  had 

E remised,  here  and  hereafter,  which  had  slowly  rooted  itself  in  their 
carts  wliile  He  still  lived,  had  seemed,  after  all,  from  the  catastrophe 
of  these  last  disastrous  three  days,  a  fond  and  beautiful  delusion. 
But,  now,  at  length,  as  He  stood  amongst  them,  triumphant  even 
over  death,  it  broke  all  restraints  and  flooded  their  whole  soul  with 
sacred  light  as  never  before,  for  the  revulsion  from  despondency  to 
the  purest  and  holiest  joy  gave  it  additional  strength. 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  the  effect  of  such  sights  of  their  Risen 
Master,  on  the  minds  of  those  who  were  thus  favoured  with  them. 
The  wltole  life  of  one  who  had  seen  Him  and  stood  near  Him,  ptt- 


W  I'? 


r(r 


M  ^      THE  LIJ'E  OF  CHRIStl* 

HQ         .,jl'f,~''^,;'  .      ■■ify'ii'ita   tr.)/»..ni  L.r.-r.-.'i,, .1  J....  ,j.^-,^  ..,    ^.. 

liapfl  tOudied  Him,  nf tor  lie  lind  nsenV  liechmc  "ft  Tdtig  d^carn  of 
"Wonder.  Such  an  one  felt,  henceforth,  even  in  the  midst  of  his  com- 
monest occupa,tiong,  as  if  Christ  were  Btill,  though  nnseeh,  besidp 
him:  he  paw  Him,  as  it  were,  radiant  before  his  ej'es:  he  seemed  still 
to  hear  His  words  ojf  infinite  love,  and  lived  in  habitual  communion 
with  Him,  as  with  One,  hidden  it  might  be,  for  the  momfeut,  in  tlie 
upt>er  li^ht,  but  to  be  expected  as  a  visible  form,  at  any  instant.  "We 
see  this  m  every  page  of  the  Gospels  and  the  Epistles. 

Only  tlifi  imm.casurable  force  of  the  thought  that  the  Sbn  of  God 
Himself,  the  true,  glorified  Messiah,  had  appeared  to  them;  not,  as 
hitherto,  in  the  veil  of  the  flesh,  but  in  a  heavenly  transfiguration ; 
victorious  over  death;  that  He  had  stood  among  them,  had  quickened 
and  inspired  them;  perhaps  had  let  Himself  even  be  reverently 
touched-*eould  have  created  such  effects.  Henceforth,  he,  only, 
was  recognized  as  an  Apostle  in  tlie  fullest  sense,  who  had  seen  Him 
in  His  spiritual  body  during  this  mysterious  interval,  "when  He 
seemed  ready  to  soar  to  heaveu  as  His  rightful  home,  and,  though 
still  on  earth,  was  no  longer  of  it.  Nothing  could  be  more  amazing^ 
than  the  result  of  such  a  sight  of  Him  thus  glorified,  on  the  Apostles. 
Frotn  despair  they  passed  at  once  to  triumphant  confidence— from 
incapaditv  to  believe  that  the  Messiah  could  have  suffered  as  He  had 
done  to  the  most  fei-vent  and  exulting  faith  in  Him  as  the  Mcfesiah,  oh 
account  of  these  very  sufferings.  They  became,  suddenly,  men  into 
whom  the  very  spirit  of  Christ  seemed  to  have  passed ;  their  spiritual 
nature  had  been  wholly  changed,  and  they  were  bound  to  Him,  hence- 
forth, with  a  deathless,  and  ecstatic  devotion.  jj^" 

The  appearances  vouchsafed  during  the  day  o^  the  Resurrection 
had  how  ended.  On  the  part  of  the  priests  and  Habbis  there  bad 
been  great  aiixietv,  for  they,  as  well  as  the  disciples,  had  early  heard 
thA  rumours  of  His  having  risen.  Some  of  the  watch,  after  having 
fled  in  terror  before  the  descending  angel,  had  come  into  the  city,  ana 
reported  what  had  happeued.  A  hasty  meeting  of  the  chief  men  6f 
the  party  had  been  held,  and  the  whole  matter  laid  before  them. 
Theif  perplexity  was  extreme,  but  at  last  their  Sadducce  leaders  iri- 
ventied  a  specious  ertory.  Not  believing  in  angels,  they  affected  to 
thinlc  that  the  soldiers  liad  been  frightened  away  by  some  clever  triclt 
of  the  disciples, -who  had  thus  got  possession  of  the  body  of  their 
Master.  There  were,  indeed,  difficulties  in  the  way  of  spreading  sueh 
a  story,  but  it  would  be  fatal  if  the  rumour  spread  that  angels  had 
rppeared.  The  pfeople  would  naturally  think  it  a  proof  that  J6sus 
hp[d  been  what  He  said  He  was,  and  they  would  turn  to  Him  with 
more  ardour  than  ever.  The  guard  were  therefore  instructed,  with 
the  inducement  of  large  bribes,  to  say  that  they  had  fallen  asleep,  and 
fouTid  the  body  stolen  when  they  woke*.  The  hierarchy  w^ere  aw^re 
thatlt  was  death  for  a  sentry  to  sleep  at  his  post,  but  removed  this 
difftoulty  by  liie  promise  that^  in  case  the  story  reached  the  ears  of 
Pilate,  they  would  explain  that  it  was  only  an  invention j- 15  keep  th* 
people  quiet. 


are  refl 
really 
of  'nil 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST, 

A  vIhoIq  week  elapsed  before  the  next  appearance  recorded.  On 
Sunday;  known,  henceforth,  as  the  "  firRt  day  of  the  week,"  in  ^oa*  ' 
trast  to  the  Jewish  Sabbath,  the  seventh  ^y;  and  as,  especially, 
"Tlio  Jjord's  Day;" — the  Eleven  having  once  more  nssemoled,  as  ■ 
they  had  done  daily  through  the  week,  and  continued  to  do,  Jesua,. 
honouiing  His  resurrection  dav,  once  more  stood  in  tlio  midst  of 
them,  liiomas,  known  as  Didymus,  or  The  Twin,  had  not  been 
present  on  the  Sunday  before,  and  in  hia  grave,  earnest  way,  refused 
to  believe  that  Jesus  had  risen  and  had  appeared  to  the  Ten,  till  ho 
himself  had  had  what  he  deemed  indisputable  proof.  "  Except  X  sea 
in  His  hands  the  prints  of  tlie  nails,"  said  he,  ''and  put  my  Anger 
into  them,  and  put  my  hand  into  His  side,  where  the  spear-thrust 
made  the  gash,  I  will  not  believe."  No  one  could  desire  more  to  see 
his  Master  again,  but  Ids  temperament  demanded  what  ho  thought 
demonstration,  of  so  amazing  a  fact  as  the  rising  of  ono  from  the 
grave. 

On  this  first  Lord's  day  after  tlie  Resurrection,  however,  hia  doubts 
were  for  ever  dispelled.   The  disciples  had  gathered  in  their  common 
room,  which  helc.  at  least,  a  hundred  and  twenty.      The  doors,  as 
before,  had  been  carefully  closed,  for  fear  of  spies  from  the  Templo,<i  j 
and  the  approaches  were,  doubtless,  carefully  watched.    Suddenlyii'-r 
howeyer,  tlie  words  were  heard  in  the  midst  ot  the  company — "  Poaco  ' 
to  you  1" — and,  looking  up,  Jesus  stood  before  them,     lie  had  not 
been  near,  so  far  as  the  senses  could  perceive,  when  Thomas  had 
uttered  his  doubts,  but  He  knew  them  not  the  less.     Turning  to  the 
faithful  but  still  incredulous  one — whose  presence  there  showed  how 
eagerly  he  wished  to  believe  the  transcendent  news,  Jesus,  to  Ms  . 
amaizement,  addressed  him —  '- -:'-:'-^~"^f>>'M  j^ji^i^ui'i.muj'.ky^ 

*•  Thomas,  thou  saidst  thou  wouldstnbtbcttotc;  ufnlesftiliou oouldst 
put  thy  finger  in  the  wounds  of  my  hands,  and  feet,  and  side.    Reach 
hither  thy  finger — here  are  my  hands;  and  roacli  hither  thy  hand^Il 
aii4  put  it  into  my  side,  and  be  not  faithless,  but  believing.".  ,  JL 

To  hear  his  own  words  thus  repeated  by  one  who  had  not  been  ^ 
present  when  they  were  spoken :  to  see  the  hands,  and  feet,  and  side: 
to  receive  such  condecension  from  one  wlio  he  now  felt  was,  indeed^  F 
his  loved  Master;  yetiuo  longer  a  mortal  man,  but  the  Lord  of  Life,  / 
the  glorified  Messiah  who  had  triumphed  over  death;  overwhelmed 
him,  with  awe.    No  words  could  express  his  emotion.  He  could  only 
utter  his  one  deepest  thought,  that  he  had  before  him  hia  Lord  smaA 
his  God.  £ 

** Thomas,"  said  Jesus,  "thou  hast  believed  at  last  because  thou  • 
hast  seen  me*  blessed  are  they  who,  without  having  seen  me,  believe, 
as  thou  now  dost,  that  I  have  risen  from  the  dead.' 

Hitherto,  the  Risen  Saviour,  in  all  His  appearances,  eo  far  as  they 
are  recorded,  had  designed  to  prove  to  His  disciples  that  He  wa^ : 
really  alive  jagain.     Convinced  of  this,  there  was  much  to  tell  them^ . 
Q?  V  the  things  pertaining  to  t!io  kingdom  of  (Jod,"  which  thqj  worst 


006 


TIIK  LIFK  OF  CUUIST. 


td  spread  tbroi  d  through  tlio  earthy  Before  His  death  He  had  told 
them  that  He  had  manv  thincs  to  nay  to  them,  which  were,  as  yet, 
tod  hard  for  thcra  to  unacrstanu  or  receive.  Those  He  ha^l  now  to 
eommunicate;  for  wliat  would  liavo  l)een  Incomprehensible  before  His 
9afferings  and  Resurrection,  was  dark  no  longer,  when  seen  in  thq 
strong  lieht  of  the  cross  and  tlio  empty  crave. 

Ho  dia  hot,  however,  -mingle  among  them  and  live  in  their  iiidst  as 
of  old.  They,  doubtless,  expected  that  now  He  was  alive  a,^ain  on 
earth,  He  would  onco  more  gather  them  around  Him,  ands:ay  per- 
manently with  them,  and  they  even  fancied,  that  surely  now  at  last 
He  Would  set  about  the  establishment  of  that  earthly  kingdom  of 
Israel,  fO  which  they  so  fondly  clung.  But  to  have  stayed  thus 
familiarly  with  them,  was  no  longer  in  keeping  with  His  glorilied  im- 
raortality.  TiU  they,  too,  liad  put  on  incorruption.  He  was  separated 
from  them,  by  the  infinite  distance  and  difference  of  time  and  cter- 
niU'.  They  belonged  to  the  former.  He,  now,  to  the  latter. 
^  'He  showed  Himself,  therefore,  to  them  in  euch'a  way  that  they 
6ould  never  count  on  His  taking  up  His  abode  with  them  again,  as  ja 
former  davs;  that  so  theymi^it  be  accustomed  gradually  to  his  ab- 
sence, as  in  no  measure  brcakmg  or  weakening  their  connection  with 
Him.  He,  hence,  vouchsafed  them  only  intermitted  appearances; 
th'At,  on  the  one  hand,  they  might  be  in  no  doubt  of  His  really  hav- 
ing risen  from  the  dead;  and,  on  the  other,  that  they  might  become 
familiar  with  the  idea  of  His  leaving  them.  He  showed  Ilimself  as 
One  about  to  quit  the  world,  and  as  no  longer  belonging  to  it,  but  de- 
laying His  departure  for  a  time,  for  their  good.  His  intercourse  with 
tljem  was,  thus,  almost  like  tliat  of  the  angels  with  their  fathers  in 
the  early  ages,  when  they  came  to  their  tents,  conversed  with  them, 
and  even  ate  and  drank  what  was  offered  them,  but,  presently,  left 
again  and  disappeared,  till  some  new  occasion  brought  them  back. 
'H^hce  We  ar6  no  more  told  the  place  of  His  stay  in  these  forty 
days,  or  of  His  journeys,  or  other  details,  as  btherwisei  we  mighji 
have  expected.  He  appears  only  at  intervals,  and  we  have  no  trace 
whehce  tie  has  come,  or  whither  He  vanishes.  He  does  not  travel 
b^k  with  His  disciples  to  Galilee  after  the  feast,  as  was  usual,  but 
only  names  a  mountain  on  which  He  will  meet  them.  They  never 
ask  Him,  aS  He  is  abblit  to  leave  them,  whither  He  is  going,  or,  when. 
He  comes,  whence  He  has  done  so?  His  wliolo  bearing  towards  them 
•Waia  like  that  to  Mary  of  Magdala— "Think  not  that  mv  Resurrec- 
tion restores  mo  to  you  as  the  companion  of  your  daily  life.  Rejoice 
not  over  my  reappearance  as  if  I  "tvere  to.  stay  now,  abidingly,  with 
ybu.     I  go  to  my  Father,  and  your  Father-^o  my  God,  and  yours." 

He  had  told  the  women  at  the  sepulchre,  to  say  to  His  tlisciples 
that;  He  would  meet  them  on  a  mountain  in  Galilee,  which  He  named, 
tmd  He  had,  doubtless,  repeated  this  to  the  company  when  in  their 
midst.  The  most  of  them  were  Galilaians,  and  v*:ould  return  home 
iiftfl^  thifr  feast  week.    Galilee  4iad  been,  moreover,  tlie  special  Bcene 


ima 


TilK  LirE  OP  CHRIST. 


807 


of  His  lalmurfi,  nnd  of  HU  ftucccss,  and  a  grcafcrnuni'Dcr  could  be 
withered  tojpruLht^r  tlioro  tlian  in  Judca.  Jcrusulcm  vas  not  to  be  their 
scene  of  notion  lis  yet.  They  could  not  begin  their  great  Apostolic  • 
work  while  their  MftHtor  was  Htill  on  earth,  and,  besides,  they  needed 
not  only  many  counHflrt  lM?foro  Ho  loft  them,  but  the  power  whicli 
the  Holy  Bnlrlt,  who  was  not  yet  given,  could  impart.  When 
they  retumou,  to  attend  the  Feast  of  Pentecost,  seven  w^eks  after 
(ho  ReBurroctlon,  they  would  receive  their  full  heavenly  consecra- 
tion. 

Tlio  future  was  still  unknown  oven  to  the  Apostles,  and  lionce, 
though  they  held  themselves  at  the  command  or  their  Lord,  the  ia- 
Nerval  before,  Ho  reiiulrod  their  permanent  serviee,  siiw  them  onco 
more,  at  their  former  cnlllngH.  They  seem  to  have  had  no  idea  that 
this  Tisit  to  their  homes  would  be  the  last  they  would  ever  make  to 
them  as  such,  or  that,  within  a  few  weeks,  they  would  remove  to 
Jerusalem,  to  stay  therci  for  a  time,  and  then  wander  fortli  to  all 
lands,  and  wo  thulr  native  country,  rarely,  or  never  again.  But  tUxi 
long  attendance  on  their  Master  had  prepared  them  for  finally  leaving 
everything  for  Him,  and  had  lilted  them,  imconsciously,  for  the 
duties  that  lay  befowj  them. 

Simon  ?etor.  Thomaa  the  Twin,  Nathunacl  of  Cana,  John  and 
James,  sons  of  Zabdal,  and  two  whose  nnmcH  are  not  given,  appar- 
ently because  thoy  wore  not  Apostles,  had,  among  others,  betaken 
themselves  to  the  Well-known  shores  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  and  had 
qtiietly  set  themselves,  once  more,  to  the  occupation  familiar  to  most 
of  them — that  of  llshcnnen.  They  had  been  out  on  the  Lake  all 
night,  but  had  caught  nothing,  and  were  rowing  to  land  in  the  early; 
dawn,  when  thoy  saw  on  the  shore  a  stranger,  whom  they  could  not 
recognize  in  the  twilight,  as  any  one  they  ki^ew.  It  was  nothing 
sttatige  that  a  person  should  come  to  them  as  they  were  landirig,  to 
buy  their  catch.  The  simple  habits  of  the  East,  moreover,  made  it 
c6mmon  to  sell  oven  single  flsh,  which  were  prepared  and  cooked; 
on  the  spot,  in  the  open  air,  by  the  buyer.  They  thought  nothiM,  - 
therefore,  of  the  stranger  presently  asking  them,  with  a  kindly  la- 
niiliarity  not  unusual  In  antiquity  in  addressing  the  humbler  classer., 
*' Children,  have  you  anything  to  eat?"  ;  as  if  wishing  tq  Jiuy  fprhiB. 
morning  meal.     "Nothing  at  all,"  cried  the  fi^iermeu.    :  u  .  ^i*;f.,j,  ..i  r 

"It  you  cast  youf  net  onco  more  on  the  right  side  of  the  boat,  you 
will  find  fish,"  said  the  stranger,  and  they,  thinking,  perhaps,  that 
lie  had  noticed  a  shoal  thoy  had  overlooked,  were  only  too  glad 
to  dp  so,  But,  now,  the  net  sank,  overloaded,  so  that  they  could 
hardly  draw.it  after  thorn  as  they  rowed  to  land. 

There  was  no  further  question  who  the  stranger  could  bo;  for  what 
was  this  incident  but  thq  repetition  of  a  well-remembered  miracle  of , 
their  ^Master,  al  most  at  the  same  spot  ?    '  •  It  is  the  Lord, "  wh  ispered , 
Jolin  to  Peter.    The  name  was  enough.     They  were  only  about -a 
hundred  yardi  frond  land,  but  the  ardent,  impulsiva  Peter  could  not 


|i 


.808 


THE  LJFE  OF  CHBI&T. 


wait  He  was  standing?,  naked,  in  the  boat,  afjter  haying  swum 
round  with  the  net,  to  sweep  the  waters,  as  is  the  custom  on  the 
Lake  of  Tiberias  still;  but  he  instantly  drew  on  his  upper  garment, 
end,  Jumping  into  the  water,  swam  ashore,  to  be  the  first  to  see  if  it 
really  were  his  Master.  The  others,  meanwhile,  were  slowly  pulling 
to  the  shore,  and  presently  r^ched  it.  The  beach  had  been  bare  a 
riomcnt  before,  but  now,  :?trangely  enough,  they  saw  a  fire  burning, 
v/ith  a  liltle  fish  on  it,  and  bread  at  hand,  as  if  tlio  stranger  liad  in- 
tended -them  for  Himself. 

•  *f  If  you  would  like  to  eat  with  me,"  said  11^,  ''])png  some  of  the 
fish  you  have  just  caught."  ,.,    l7>  .Y 

Poter  had  not  dared  to  speak,  for  the  awe  of  his  Lord's  heavenly 
greatness,  as  one  belonging,  now,  to  a  higher  life,  was  on  him.  But 
he  instantly  ran  to  the  boat,  dripping,  as  he  stood,  and  dragged 
ashore  the  net,  which  was  found  to  have  caught  a  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  large  fish,  without  being  rent.  All  were  convinced  that  it  was 
Jesus,,  but  thcjT  were  dumb  with  amazement;  and  though  they  wish- 
ed to  ask,  their  awe,  and  their  very  eyesight,  which  told  them  tltit. 
it.wos  no  other  than  Uicir  Master,  kept  them  from  doing  so.      ,.,,v  '. 

They  had  sat  down  on  the  white,  dry  beach,  round  the  fire,  at  Etis 
invitation,  and  He  now,  once  more,  an  of  old,  took  His  place  as 
Head  of  the  little  group.  Taking  first  bread,  and  then  the  fish.  He 
divided  them,  just  as  He  had  done  while  He  was  with  them,  and,  as 
He  did  so,  His  face  and  bearing  were  so  exactly  what  they  bad  been, 
that  the  fear  produced  by  the  suddenness  of  His  appearance,  and  the 
undefined  difference  in  IJim  which  had  struck  them  at  first,  soon 
abated.  His  every  word  was  now  doubly  weighty,  and  hence  John 
gives  us  a  more  than  usually  circnmstantial  narrative  of  what  fol- 
lowed. The  meal  being  finished.  He  turned  to  Peter,  as  if  to  show 
him  by  a  further  proof ,  how  entirely  his  shortcoming  had  been  for- 
given, and  the  completeness  of  his  i^cstoration  to  his  apostolate.  Jle 
commonly  called  hnn  Peter,  but  now  addressed  him  as  He  l?ad  (^one 
three  years  before,  when;they  first  met,  and  only  once  since,  when  he 
made  his  grand  confession  of  belief  tliat  liis  Master  was  the  Messiah. 
"Simon,  son  of  Jonas,"  asked  He,  "carest  thou  forme  more  than 
niy  other  disciples?"  "Yes,  Lord,"  answered  Peter,  "Thou  know- 
cst  that  I  love  Thee. "  ' '  Go  and  feed  my  little  ones— my  stiecp, "  re- 
plied Jesus;  "for  love  to  me,  care  for  the  spiritual  wants  of  all  who 
know  and  love  me,  as  a  shepherd  sees  that  his  flock  be  duly  fed." 
The  same  question,  in  the  same  words,  was  then  repeated.  '*  Yes, 
Lord,"  answered  Peter,  more  eagerly  than  before,  "Thbr  knoyrest 
that  I  love  Thee."  "Then,  tend  my  sheep,"  replied  Jesus.  '"Not 
only  nourish,  but  care  for  them,  as  committed  to  thy  <^harge."  A 
third  time  the  same  question  was  asked— "Simon,  son  bi  Jonas, 
lovest  thou  me?"  The  treble  repetition  had  something  in  it  tender 
and  warning.  It  was  not  a  reproof,  vet  it  was  fitting  that  the  disciple 
who^  a  few  diiys  before,  h^  thrice  aenied  Him,.s)ioul4  t)erBiW^<^$$^ 


think  OS 
Jesiisdo 
aU.thinj 
Jesus,  ' 
that  the] 
"Heai 
say  to  yc 
pleased, 
forth  yoi 
will  gird 
go— to  t] 
present,  a 
wasabri 
Apostle  0 
glorified  ,| 
and  then; 
Peter,  t 
Master  as 
so  a  few  f 
Unwilling 
a  fellow-d 
too,  would 
man  do?"  j 
communic 
should  yo 
that  you  f 
St.  Pau 
ance,  whic 
Mjitthew. 
by  Jesus 
number  of 
the  time  fi 
the  close,  s 
had  been  c 
would  be  i 
wlien  Jesu 
wlien  Paul 
ness,  the 
witness,  st^ 
that  he  coi 
Jesus  as  tl 
Before  tl 


seni 
heaven  anc 
nowlcoml 
m^,  tpipoil 
am  3xa 


and 


THE  LIFE  OP  CHRIST. 


809 


think  as  often  of  his  weakness.  Peter  felt  it,  and  almost  thought  that 
Jegiis  doubted  his  trustwortliiness.  *  *  Lord, "  said  he,  ' '  Thou  knoweat 
all.  things;  Thou  kuowest  that  I  loVe  Thee."  "Then,"  replied 
Jesus,  "feed  my  sheep— the  oversight  of  my  flock  is  thine,  to  see 
tliat  they  are  fed." 

"Hear  now,"  He  continued,  "  what  awaits  you.  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  to  you.  Hitherto  you  have  girded  yourself  and  gone  whither  you 
pleased,  and  you  do  so  still;  but,  in  yont  old  age  you  will  stretch 
forth  your  hands  helplessly,  and  will  give  yourself  up  to  others,  who. 
will  gird  you  with  chains,  and  lead  you  off  where  you  would  fain  not 
go— to  the  place  of  judgment.*'  An  assurance  of  safety  for  the 
present,  and  a  timely  warning  of  what  the  future  would  bring!  There 
was  a  brief  pause,  and  then  the  words  "  Follow  me,"  summoned  the 
Apostle  once  more,  as  of  old;  but  spoken  this  time,  by  the  risen  and 
glorifled  Saviour— it  called  him  to  follow  Him  inamartjT's  death,:."- 
and  then,  to  the  gloiy  beyond. 

Peter,  taking  the  last  words  literally,  fancied  he  was  to  follow  his 
Master  as  before,  and  as  Jesus  seemed  now  leaving  them,  had  done 
so  a  few  paces,  when,  turning  round,  he  saw  John  coming  after  him.?i 
Unwilling  to  separate  from  one  endeared  by  long  companionship  as 
a  fc^Iow-disciple,  he,  therefore,  ventured  to  ask,  in  hope  that  John, 
too,  would  be  allowed  to  come  with  them — "Lord,  what  will  this 
man  do?"  But  things  were  not  as  in  old  days  of  common  familiar  > 
communion.  "If  I  should  please  that  he  live  till  my  return,  why 
should  you  seek  to  know  it?"  replied  Jesus.  "  From  you  I  require 
that  you  follow  me  in  the  path  in  which  I  have  gone  before  you.       If 

St.  Paul,  about  twerit^'^-tive  years  after,  mentions  another  appear-f^s 
ance,  wliich  Avas  no  doubt  the  same  as  is  related,  more  fully,  by  Sti 
Matthew.    It  took  place  in  a  mountain,  appointed  for  the  purpose 
by  Jesus  Himself,  doubtless  as  a  well-known  spot.    Here,  a  large 
number  of  disciples,  including,  as  we  know,  the  Eleven,  gathered  at. 
the  time  fixed.    It  was  a  moment  of  supreme  solemnity,  for  it  was 
the  close,  so  far  as  we  know,  of  His  ministry  in  Galilee.    A  mountain 
had  been  chosen,  alike  for  privacy  and  because  all  who  might  come: 
would  be  able  to  see  their  Master.    Over  five  hundred  had  gathered 
when  Jesus  appeared  in  their  midst ;  some  of  them  long  since  dead 
when  Paul  wrote,  but  the  majority  still  alive.    With  beautiful  frank^ 
ness,  the  Evangelist  tells  us  that  some,  who  likely  had  had  no  other/ 
witness,  still  doubted  a  miracle  so  stupendous,  but  they  were  so  few 
that  he  could  say  of  the  multitude,  as  a  whole,  that  they  worshipped 
Jesus  as  their  Lord. 

Before  this  numerous  assemblage  Jesus  declared  Himself,  in  the 
loftiest  sense,  the  Messiah.  "All  power,"  6aid  He,  "is  given  me,  in. 
heaven  and  in  earth.  As  I  have  before  commissioned  my  Apostles,  ad 
now  I  commission  you  all,  in  the  fulness  of  the  authority  thus  given 
me*  tp  go  into  the  whole  world,  and  announce  to  all  men  that  Iliire^ 
a&:d  am  3xalted  to  be  the  Lord  and  the  Messiah.    Go,  gather  discipieB 


^10 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


to  me  from  among  all  nations,  and  consecrate  them  bybaptisn*  to 
faith  in  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  whom  God  will 
speak  and  act  through  your  means.  What  commands  I  liave  given 
you  as  my  disciples,  give  you  to  thiem,  and  urge  them  to  keep  them. 
Nor  must  you  think  yourselves  alone  while  thus  working  in  my  name, 
for  lo,  I  am,  and  shall  be,  with  you  always,  till  the  end  of  the  world." 
As  at  the  rirst,  so,  now,  at  the  last,  the  word  was  the  only  weapon 
by  which  His  Kingdom  was  to  be  spread.  Resting  on  persuasion 
and  conviction  from  the  beginning,  it  was  left  on  the  same  basis  now 
He  was  about  to  ascend  to  heaven. 

Only  two  or  perhaps  three  more  appearances  are  recorded— one  to 
James  alone,  and  one  to  all  the  Apostles.  The  last  known  meetings 
with  the  Eleven  took  place  immediately  before  the  Ascension.  It 
was  the  Parting  for  Ever,  so  far  as  outward  and  visible  communion 
on  earth  was  concerned— the  final  delegation  of  the  interests  of  His 
Kingdom  to  tiiem,  as  His  chosen  heralds  and  representatives.  They 
were  instructed  to  wait  in  Jerusalem  till  the  promise  of  the  Father 
was  fulfilled;  that  He  would  send  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them,  astjieir 
Helper  and  Advocate,  in  place  of  their  departed  Master — a  promise 
which  Jesus  Himself  had  made  known  to  them.  "For  John,"  said 
He,  "truly  baptized  with  water,  but  the  promioS  which  even  he 
announced,  that  you  would  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  be 
fulfilled  before  many  days."  .   ■, 

The  Apostles,  acquainted  as  they  were  with  the  Old  Testament 
prophecies,  which  foretold  that  tiie  fulness  of  the  Holy  Spirit  would 
be  poured  out  in  the  times  of  the  I^Iessiah,  seem  to  have  fancied  that 
there  was  an  indirect  promise  of  the  establishment  of  the  Messianic 
Kingdom,  as  they  conceived  it,  in  these  words.  It  appears  as  if  an 
interval  had  elapsed— apparently  only  a  part  of  the  same  day,  between 
the  appearance  at  which  the  renewed  assurance  of  the  bestowal  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  given,  and  that  at  which  the  question  they  were 
now  to  ask  was  put.  When  they  had  come  together  again,  Jesus 
once  more  stood  among  them,  and  then — so  hard  is  it  to  uproot  fixed 

Ereconceptions — they  resolved  to  find  out,  if  possible,  whether  thesy 
ad  any  grounds  for  their  fond  hopes. 

"Lord/'  asked  they,  "wilt  Thou  at  this  time  restore  the  fallen 
kingdom  of  the  Israel itish  nation?"  They  had  not  yet  received  the 
illumination  of  the  Spirit,  which  was  to  raise  them  at  once  and  for 
ever  above  such  narrow  and  national  views,  and  were  still  entangled 
in  Jewish  fancies,  which  regarded  the  Messiah  as  sent  to  the  Jewish 
people,  as  such,  for  its  earthly  glory  as  well  as  spiritual  good. 

Jesus  would  not  answer  such  a  question.  There  was  much  in  their 
expectations  which  would  never  be  realized;  yet  the  gift. of  the  Spirit 
would  really  be  the  true  setting  up  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Mcssiatt. 
pf  its  final  proclamation  and  full  establishment  in  its  glory,  which 
woiild  take  placo  at  His  final  return,  He  would  say  notliing.  It  lay 
Idddea  in  the  depths  of  the  future,  and  was  of  no  advantage  to  thc$t 


tokno 
the  cir< 
Father 
enougl 
ure.    1 
and  inE 
forth  ai 
salem  a 
out  tL^ 
mankin 
barbarii 
This 
it  befor 
walked 
He  may 
so  often 
He  asse; 
of  Olive 
pared  tl 
them,  ai 
within  a 
He  wi 
not  thinl 
re-appeal 
that  He 
to  HimsJ 
when  thj 
the  wor 
His  hun 
thought- 
be  the  St 
Weki 
now,  fin! 
His  bles.« 
concepti( 
nature  a 
gradual 
the  forir 
Ho  had 
and  divii 
The  tr 
Hia  chos 
"Whe 
Him,  He 
their  sig 
"  And  as 
behold  t^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


8il 


to  know.  "  It  is  of  no  use  to  you,"  said  He,  "  to  know  tlie  time  or 
the  circumstances  of  these  great  revolutions  in  the  ages  to  come.  Tho 
Father  has  kept  these  as  a  secret  of  His  own  omniscience.  Bo  it 
enough  for  you  to  know  wliat  will  happen  immediately  on  my  depart- 
ure. You  will  receive  tho  powers  of  the  Holy  Spirit  m  rich  measure, 
and  inspired  by  these,  and  prepared  by  them  in  all  points,  you  will  gp 
forth  as  witnesses  for  me,  and  of  my  resurrection,  not  only  to  Jeru- 
salem and  Judea,  but  to  hated  Samaria,  and  to  the  lieathen  through- 
out tLo  whole  eartli;  for  mine  is  a  universal  kingdom,  open  to  all 
mankind,  without  distinction  of  race,  or  rank;  of  bond  or  free;  of 
barbarian  or  Greek;  of  Jew  or  Gentile." 

This  last  interview  had  taken  place  in  Jerusalem,  but  He  had  left 
it  before  He  closed,  leading  them  out  towards  Bethany.  He  may  have 
walked  through  the  well-known  streets,  veiled  from  His  enemies,  or 
He  may  have  appointed  the  meeting-place  for  them,  where  He  had 
so  often,  in  His  last  days,  retired  in  their  company.  The  place  where 
He  assembled  them  is  not  minutely  recorded,  but  was  on  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  It  was  the  last  time  they  were  to  see  Him.  He  had  pre- 
pared them,  as  far  a9  their  dulness  made  possible, ,  for  His  leaving 
them,  and  had  fitted  them  to  receive  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  which, 
within  a  few  days,  would  illumrnate  tlieir  intellects  and  hearts. 

He  wished,  however,  to  leave  them  In  such  a  way  that  they  should 
not  think  He  had  simply  vanished  from  them,  and  wait  for  His  present 
re-appearance.  He  would  show  them,  as  far  as  it  could  be  shown, 
that  He  returned  from  the  earth  to  His  Father;  that  God  took  Him 
to  Himself  as  He  had  taken  Elias.  They  would  be  able  to  tell  men, 
when  they  asked  where  He  now  was,  that  they  had  seen  Him  leave 
the  world,  and  pass  through  the  skies  to  the  eternal  kingdoms,  in 
His  human  body;  to  sit  down  at  the  righi  hand  of  God.  The 
thought— Hb  lives:  Hbj  is  with  the  Father!  was,  henceforth,  to 
be  the  stay  and  joy  of  His  followers  in  all  ages. 

We  know  not  with  what  last  parting  words  he  let  them  see  He  was, 
now,  finally,  to  leave  them.  All  that  is  told  us  is,  that  He  gave  them 
His  blessing,  with  uplifted  hands.  Step  by  step.  He  had  raised  their 
conceptions  of  Him  nearer  the  unspeakable  grandeur  of  His  true 
nature  and  work.  At  first  the  Teacher,  He  liad;  after  a  time,  by 
gradual  disclosures,  revealed  Himself  as  the  Son  of  God,  veiled  in 
the  form  of  man;  and,  now,  since  His  crucifixion  and  resurrection, 
Ho  had  taught  them  tx)  see  in  Him  the  Messiah,  exalted  to  immortal 
and  divine  niajesty,  as  the  conqueror  of  death  and  the  Cord  of  all. 

The  transcendent  miracle  which  closed  His  early  communion  with 
Hia  chosen  ones  is  most  fully  narrated  by  St.  Luke : — 

"When  Ho  had  spoken  these  things,  while  they  were  looking  at 
Him,  He  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  and  a  cloud  received  Him  out  of 
their  sight" — that  cloud  which  symbolized  the  presence  of  God. 
*'  And  as  they  were  gazing  earnestly  into  the  heavens,  as  He  ascended, 
behold  two  men  stood  by  them,  in  white  apparel,  and  said  to  tlii^i]^:^- 


812 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


*Yo  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  into  the  heavens?  This 
same  Jesus,  who  is  even  now  taken  from  you  into  heaven,  will  come, 
in  the  same  way  as  ^e  have  seen  Him  go.*" 

"Earth,  thou  gi'am  of  sand  on  the  shore  of  the  Universe  of  God; 
thou  Bethlehem,  amongst  the  princely  cities  of  the  heavens;  thou  art, 
and  remainest,  the  Lovbd  One  amongst  ten  thousand  suns  and  worlds, 
the  Chosen  of  God!  Thee  will  He  again  visit,  and  then  thou  wilt 
prepare  a  throne  for  Him,  as  thou  gavest  Him  a  manger  cradle;  in 
His  radiant  ^lory  wilt  thou  rejoice,  as  thou  didst  once  drink  His 
blood  and  His  tears,  and  mourn  His  death!    On  thee  has  the  Lord  a 

great  V/Otk  to  CQmp]0b^l%tr,'^u  jrcr? -^ 


fl-'A 


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lb' 


IKDEX. 


;'M)  iiO    h{Jj2-^iiif:IB  h 


Ahraham  Christ  was  before,  699 : 
Jews  not  cliildren  of,  but  of  'dev- 
il, 698;  rejoicing  to  see  Christ's 
day  .699. 

Actium,  battle  of.  33. 

Adultery,  woman  taken  in,  591,  699. 

Age  of  childrea  in  schools,  121. 

Agony  and  bloody -sweat  of  Christ  in 
Getnsemane,  740,  741. 

Agrippa  I.,  lite  of,  in  Palestine,  247. 

Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  sons  of 
Mariamne  at  Rome,  40. 

Alexandra^  mother  of  Marianme,  81, 
84.  ^ 

Almightv,  voice  of  the,  559, 560 

Alm^vmg,  487. 

Amestris,  wife  of  Xerxes,  801. 

Andrew,  St.,  SHi,  special  notice  of, 
416. 

Anna,  legendof ,  78. 

Anna,  the  Prophetess,  93. 

Antigonus,  27,  28,  29. 

Antipas,  Herod,  110 ;  birthday  feast 
of,  800 ;  at  Tiberias,  palace  of, 
610;  Cni'ist's  danger  from  super 
stition,  &c.  of.  6^,  h'Sii ;  palace 
of,  in  Jerusalem,  735  ;  Jesus  brought 
before,  763,764. 

Antipater,  father  of  Herod,  21-24 ; 
son  of  Herod  and  Doris,  25,  41, 44 

Antony,  Mark.  22,  25, 26, 27,  80,  81,  83. 

Apologue,  Indian,  885 

Apostle,  Jewish  equivalent  of  term, 
412. 

Archelaus,  and  the  people  after  Her- 
od's death,  183 ;  and  Antipas' 
canvass  in  Rome  for  the  honor 
of  being  king,  184 ,  made  Eth 
narch  by  Caesar,  185,  cruel  na- 
ture. &o.  of,  190. 

Aristobulus  murdered,  32 

Ariston,  the,  or  breakfast,  486. 

Ascension  of  Jesus,  811. 

Ascetic  restrictions  at  table-'  not  re- 
quired by  Christ,  472. 

Asceticism,  contrary  to  New  Kingdom 
of  God,  407. 


Asmoneans,  palace  of  the,  762.  -  J&i^tn 

Astrology.  Eastern,  100, 101 ;  Jewish, 
101 ;  Old  English,  102. 

Atonement,  preparation  for  day  of, 
164:  forgiveness  of  offences  be- 
fore, 164. 

Augustus,  84. 

Aurauitis  or  Hauran,  plateau  of,  2S4. 

Authorities,  chief  of  the  Synagogue, 
132. 


B 

Babylon,  number  of  Jews  who  return- 
ed from,  45. 

Babylonian  Jews,  98. 

Balaam,  legends  of,  104. 

Baptism,  introduction  of,  by  John, 
857. 

Baptist,  food  of  the,  269 ;  motives  of 
the,  in  going  into  the  wilderness, 
262  ;  elevation  of  mind,  263,  26r/ ; 
Life  of  the,  in  wilderness,  264  ;  insti- 
tutes baptism.  275,  276  ;  excitement 
to.  hear  the,  277.  278 ;  effect  of  hi& 
preaching,  279 ;  nis  preparation  for 
God's  kingdom,  280  ;  rebukes  Phari- 
sees and  Sadducees,  281  -,  contrast 
of  his  teaching  to  th«  Rabinnical 
doctrine,  281  ;  preachingof,  282, 285; 
character  of,  283 ;  still  a  Jew,  283  ; 
work  of,  284 ;  attitude  of  authoritieis 
towards,  285;  at  Enon,  286 ;  Jesus 
goes  to  the,  286 ;  his  Messianic  ideas 
286;  reco^izes  Jesus  as  Messiah, 
287  i  after-life  of  the,  289  ;  Imprison- 
ment of  the,  290,  292  ;  testimony  of, 
to  Christy  290  ;  Antipas'  i*easons  for 
imprisoning  the,  293 ;  the,  before 
Antipas,  21^1 ;  Herodias^  cariosity  to 
see  the,  205  ;  execution  of,  by  Anti- 
pas,  301  ;  witness  of,  to  Jesus^820. 

Barabbas,  Pilate  asked  to  free,  7G5. 

Barley,  the  disciples  pluck,  on  Sab- 
bath, 454. 

Bartholomew,  416. 

Bartimseus.  Blind,  cived,  656.  > 


i 


INDEX. 


bathtitf ,  euro  for  various  dlseasc» 

410  ;  before  eating,  48(i. 
BazAivr.  (Irviat,  In  Jorusalmn,  156. 
lieatlHuleH,  ii'i,  Wl 
Beelzebub,  meaning  of,  484,  C*25 
Bethany,  m,  (lOt  ,  l;hrlst  enters,  C59. 
Betltetiua,  uoo]  of,  440, 447  .  watera  of, 

450. 
Bethlehem,  33  ;  massacre  at,  105 
BothBHida,  town  of  Philip,  Beter,  and 

Andi-ew,  820  .  ChHst  In,  611. 
Betrothal  among  Jews,  74. 
Blasphemed,  bolief  that  Christ  had, 
.687,588. 
Blasphemy,    accusation  of,  399  ,  of 

llabbis  against   the  Divlno  Spirit, 

4m. 

Blind,  two,  men  receive  sight,  BOl : 
healed,  540  ,  mau  healed,  miracle  of 
005,  ml 

Bread,  the  true,  617,  610. 

BrotbAr,  patience  to  be  shown  to- 
wards guilry,  675,  570 

Biu*ial,  unclean  liness  of  Jews  after  a, 
788  ,  of  Chilst,  700. 


CaDisar,  Julius,  at  Catiline's  trial.  SO  ; 
struggle  with  Pompey.S^  ,  in  Egypt 
Hit;  murder  of,  S5,  Inuuumties 
granted  to  Jews  by,  20,  40 

C^sarea,  80  ,  capital  of  Roman  pro- 
curatorshlp.SG.  PlilUppi,  540, 547 

Calaphas  the  high  priest,  730  .  speech 
of,  to  council,  010 ,  high  priest,  019  , 
and  Hannas  demand  the  cruciflxion 
of  Jesus,  778.  , 

Calendar,  Jewlfih  Ecclesiastical,  139. 

'•  Call,"  the,  to  the  first  Apostles,  383. 

Cana  of  GaUlee,  8;j7,  SUf.)  -,  marriage  at, 
830-338  home  of  Nathanael,  327 ; 
site  of,  820 ;  traditions  respecting 
the  marriage  in,  830. 

Capernaum,  oU'cuits  from,  390 ,  de- 
Hciptlon  of,  8JJ8,  880,382,897,567, 
Jesufi  makes  His  home  in,  842 ; 
i'«asons  of  Jesus  for  choosing  Caper- 
naum as  His  home,  844, 345  ;  stay  of 
Jesua  in,  845 ,  site  of,  882  ,  Christ's 
•'  coming  down  to,"  687  ,  left  on  ac- 
count oCrage and  intdgues of  Rab- 
bis, 408  ;  Ohrist  returns  to.  498  ; 
crowds  waiting  to  bo  healed,  515  ; 
Christ's  visit  to.  605. 

Captivity,  revival  of  religious  eamest- 
nesM  during  the,  43. 

Caravan,  (imlloian,  to  feast  in  Jerusr.- 
lem.579. 

Cailylo  on  Ji9BU8  Christ,  2. 


Caste,  sweeping  away  of,  531. 

Caverns  of  Ciaaara,  490 

Caves  used  for  houses  C5.9'l, 

Census  of  people  taken  by  Quirinius^ 
1!»4  ,  of  Quiriulus.80,  of  Roman  Em 
pire,  80 .  of  Judea.  81 

Centurion,    the,   believes  In  Christ's 
divine  power,  780,787 ,  servaac  ot' 
the,  healed,  439 

Ceremonial  defdement,  dread  of,  2^3. 

Ceremonial  purity,  172,  174. 

Channiug  on  Jesus  Christ,  2 

Children  bjouglit  to  the  Rabbis  to  be 
blessed,  Cia  ,  blessed  by  Christ, 
045  ;  Christ's  love  of,  571  :  desire  for 
among  Jews,  CO. 

Chorazin,  Christ  denoimces  the  per- 
versity of,  4G5. 

Christ,  opinions  of  great  men  respect- 
iuj^,  1-4  ,  Mohammedan  title  of,  1  ; 
reugious  i-e volution  ellected  by,  4  , 
unselflshness  of.  4 ;  never  owii.4tiiu, 

4  ;  awful cli^ims of,  5  ,  charactet (f. 

5  ;  conception  of  God,  5  ,  novelty  of 
His  teaching,  5  ,  on  God,  6  j  on  the 
brotherhooa  of  man,  0  ;  visit  to  Jo 
rusalem  at  the  tinie  of  the  Passover, 
144  ;  in  temple  with  '  the  Rabbis, 
158 ;  growth  of,  161 ;  first  teachers 
of,  106  ;  kiiowledge  of  ^cripiures, 
1{)7 :  sojourn  of,  In  Na^Areta,  1G8 , 
birth  of,  83  .  date  of  birth  of,  85  , 
legends  of  birth  of,  80 .  vision  of 
angels  at  birth  of,  80.  His  drests, 
477  ;  prejudices  against,  itidiifcren<;:o 
to,  402;  position  of  towards  the 
Rabbis,  40^  ;  the  Friend  of  siuner.<;, 
400  ',  no  respecter,  of  persons,  407 , 
kingdom  founded  on  self-denial  and 
sell-sacrifice,  409 ;  ignores  ritual 
and  ceremonial  law,  409 ;  preacli 
Ing,  originality  of,  410  ,  nobility  of 
character  of,  410  ,  grace,  lov.\  and 
kingliness  of,  411  ,  self -abrogation 
required  by,  in  His  disciplies,  413 , 
bearing  towards  Hia  disciples,  417 , 
minute  acquaintance  wit^  opinions 
different  schools,  420-421  4  newrulif, 
ious  era  of  universal  love  created 
by,  430  ,  spiritual  not  political  re 
ligion  of»  4;]6,437  ,  universal  lovo, 
deep  religious  ground  for,  44 J; 
wariiings,  solemn,  to  beware  of 
false  teachers,  443  ,  teaching,  origin- 
ality and  independence  of,  444 , 
teaching,  astonishment  of  the  peo 
pie  at,  44-1 ,  sayings  and  deeds  per- 
verted to  evil,  448  ,  answer  to  the 
disciples  of  John,,  462 :  eifiogy  of,  on 
Jolin  the  Baptist,  462 ;  ackuo  ivl- 
edges  John  as  "  the  Ellad  who  wa^ 


INDEX. 


to  come,"  403 ;  much  depressed  in 
spirit,  4(i4  ;  compares  the  coming  of 
John  with  His  own,  4(W ;  New  King> 
dom  to  rest  on  simple  faith  and 
humble  love,  4(55 ;  reveals  His  na- 
ture and  relation  to  the  Eternal, 
460  jcalls  the  weaiy  and  heavy  laden 
to  Him,  406;  feet  anointed  oy  the 
woman  in  Bimon's  house,  469;  charge 
of  blasphemy-  raised  against,  tor 
claiming  to  forgive  sins,  470;  enter- 
tained as  a  Rabbi,  470;  mission  to 
the  towns  and  villages  of  Galilee, 
'470;  poverty  of,  ana  His  disciples, 
47.1;  supported  by  hospitality,  473; 
a<\7ays  with  disciples,  474;  simplici- 
ty of  mc  de  of  hfo,  474;  yoke  of, 
light,  4T;  sign  demanded  of,  as 
proof  of  His  claims,  4S;i;  superiority 
of,  to  Babbis,  486;  rejection  of ,  by 
leaders  of  the  nation,  488;  turning 
point  in  life,  ii,  489;  falls  asleep  in 
tlie  boat,  495;  charge  of  blasphemy 
against,  501 ;  preacnes  in  Nazareth, 
504;  cast  out  of  the  synagogue,  601; 
ea$ent  of  missionary  circuit,  505;  di,- 
reptioUs  to  the  Twelve,  when  they 
started  on  mission,  609,  510;  specu- 
lations concerning,  582,  533;  irony 
of,  1^  His  tfempters  for  a  sign,  543; 
Peter's  unconscious  temptation  of, 
654;  loftiness  of  spiritual  nature  of, 
577;  lesson  of  universal  charity,  583; 
dignity  and  humility  of,  58^1;  aston 
Ishihglearnins^  of,  585;  proves  that 
He  was  taughc  of  God,  SS6;  indigna- 
tion of  people  at,  588;  His  testimonv 
refused  as  without  witnesses,  593, 
594;  foretells  his  death,  594;  con- 
vincing dignity.  595,  59C;  reference 
to  tepread  of  His  Kingdom,  695;  at- 
tempt to  stotte,  599;  openly  con- 
fessed by  blind  man,  60?';  wor- 
shipped by  blind  man,  608;  re- 
proaches the  Rabbis  with  spiritual 
blindness,  608;  enforces  the  Idea 
that  the  heathen  shall  enter  Ixeaven, 
610;  crosses  the  Jordan  to  Perea, 
613;  withdraws  from  the  Temple, 
013:  gathers  crowds  round  Him  in 
Perea,  613:  nature  of  assembly  by 
whom  tried,  618;  retires  to  Ephraim, 
619;  enthusiasm  of  tlie  people  for 
the  teaching  of,  620;  leaves  Ephra- 
im, 630;  cures  a  wom;ni  on  the  Sab- 
bath, 630;  relat(is  the  Parable  of  the 
Great  Supoer,  6:23;  character  of  new 
religion,  preached  by,  624,  anxiety 
of,  that  the  people  should  know  na- 
ture of  Hismissidn,  e'iS,  warns  those 
around  to  consider  well  before  be- 


coming His  followers,  68S;  cbArnotor 
of  crowds  gathered  i  round,  W7; 
hailed  by  the  people  as  a  Rabbi,  dq 
respecter  of  persons,  6^7,  outragog 
established  laws  of  privilege.  oO,, 
628;  title  of,  nailed  to  Cross,!^;  Mr- 
ony  of,  on  the  Cross,  781,  782;  duiath 
of,  788;  removal  of,  from  tho  Cro^s, 
790;  is  buried  in  tho  tomb  of  Joseph 
of  Arimathea,  790,  testimony  Qf 
Scripture  respecting,  80'^;  parting 
counsels  of,  803;  appears  on  a  moun- 
tain to  the  assembled  people,  W&\ 
religion  before  advent  of,  6, 10, 

Christian  Republic,  declaraUoA  o| 
principles  and  lav.'s  of,  419. 

Christianity,  founded  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  customs,  formulro,  420;  fun- 
damental pnnciples  of,  5,  tho  no- 
blest truth  of,  486;  originality  of, 
5, 10. 

Chronology,  from  B.C.  69— b.c.  37;  not 
strictly  followed  regarding  Chrtst'fl 
movements,  458. 

Cipher  for  the  names  of  God  and 
angels,  479. 

Circumcision,  must  be  on  eighth  day, 
88. 

Civilization,  advance  of  Roman,  271. 

Class-hatreds  amongst  the  Jews,  48!).    , 

Claudius,  famine  in  time  of,  530  ^  the 
poet,  on  Jesus  Christ,  3. 

cleanliness,  Levitical,  3,  the  Scrip- 
tures  defiling  the  hands,  4ii7  , . 

Cleopatra,  Queen  of  Egypt,  38,  80,  VT* 
a9,  82,  8a  ,  , 

Coins,  symbols  on,  677.  678. 

Confe^on,  confirmation  of  Poter^S 
580 

Conscience,  freedom  of,  taught  by 
Christ,  457,  right  of,  denied  Jn  anti- 
quity, 7.         . 

Conservatism,  Jewish,  on  the  dec^ne, 
458. 

Contrast  between  old  and  new  king- 
doms, 4^11. 

"  Corbatt, ' '  the  word,  528. 

Corn,  the  disciples  i>iuck,  on  Sal^bath, 
454. 

Council,  rage  of,  at  Christ,  007. 

Counsels  to  the  young,  12". 

Country,  aspect  of,  in  April,  R45. 

Court  of  Herod  at  Jerusalem,  36. 

Covetousness,  caution  against,  4°9. 

Cross,  Christ  on  the,  779;  agony  of 
Christ  on  tlie,  780;  title  or  Jesus 
nailed  to,  780;  Pilate  and  the  inwirip- , 
tion  on  the,  780;  removal  of  Chilst 
from  the,  790 ;  description  of  the,  778 ; 
Simon,  the  Cyrenian,  compelled  to' 
bear  the,  777;  uiscriptionon,  780,  78^, 


^ 


INDEX, 


Cruciflxioii^  history  oVTTB  ;■  Jewish  law 
in  conhection  with,  787:  hour  of,  773, 
Jewiitb  aud  Roman,  776,  779;  darlc- 
nesfl  at,  787. 

Cure  of  boy  possessed  by  dumb  spirit, 
568,  664;  of  man  with  impediment  of 
speech,  637;  wonderful,  in  Caper- 
naum, 470. 

Ctithites,  tradition  respecting,  865. 

C^rene,  Jews  in,  777. 

Cjmls,  45. 


Danger  of  turning  any  from  Christ, 
Daniel,  Jewish  interpretation  of,  s;7, 

Decapolis,  the,  537. 

Defilement,  Jewish  ideas  of,  80. 

Demon,  Christ  cures  man  possessed  of 
i|,  385 {  Jeisuis  said  to  be  in  league 
with,  481;  man  possessed  with, 
healed,  497;  casting  out  fi<om  dumb 
mflin,  601 ;  Casting  out,  from  daugh 
.  ter  of  Canaanitish  woman.  585,  5iJ6, 
Christ  accused  of  having  a,  598. 

De  Wette  on  Christ,  8. 

Disciple,  desire  of  Samaritan  to  be, 
681. 

Disciples,  call  of  the,  88S;  perplexity 
and  distress  of,  at  breach  of  law, 
405;  neceslsityof  selecting  a  laiger 

'  number  of,  411;  futuie  work  of 
Chriirt'is,  411,  reward,  no  earthly  one 
held  out  to,  413;  rejection  of  persons 
un^t  to  be,  412:  sincere  enthusiasm 
necdiisary  in  Christy  412;  twelve 
appointed  as,  413;  reasons  for 
Christ's  choosing  from  the  humbler 
classes,  414;  enumeration  of,  414; 
social  position  of ,  414,  alarm  of ,  at 
Christ *s  doctrines,  531:  necessity  of 
confirming,  in  their  laith,  54&-549, 

•  Chiist^s  preparation  of ,  for  His  vio- 
lent death,  553:  suffering,   &c.,  in 

'•  store  for  ChrisFS,  655,  856,  discour 
agement  of,  557,  558,  failure  of,  to 
work  miracle,  563,  664,  565;  jealousy 
amongst  the,  666, 567;  not  to  expect 
posts  m  a  temporal  Icingdom,  569, 

'  570;  powers  for  Church  government 
given  to  all  the,  576,  Christ's  i-eproof 
of,  for  fanaticism  towards  Samari- 
tans, 580,  complete  surrender  of 
earthly  ties  by,  681;  future  reward 

'of  the,  64^650;  journeys  of  the,  651; 
speak  of  Christ's  fate,  651,  counsels 

r  of  Jesus  to  His,  694,  701,  Christ  in- 

'•  forms,  of  approaching  fate,  703  ^  ask 
Jesus  for  dfrections  respecting  Pass- 


over  Feast,  707, 706;  Inability  of  the, 
to  ihterpret  Christ's  words,  710,  7S0; 
flight  of  the,  at  arrest  of  Jesus,  744: 
opinions  of  the,  respecting  Christ'u 
resurrection,  798;  Jesus  appears  to 
the,  801;  astonishment  of,  at  appear-^ 
ance  of  Jesus,  803,  second  appear- 
ance of  Jesus  to  the.  805,  opinions 
of  the,  rest>ecting  Christ's  Ktay  on 
earth,  806;  last  appearance  of  Jesus 
to  the,  810, 811 

Discipleship,  strict  conditions  of,  404. 
495.  ' 

Disobedience  to  Christ's  words,  the 
foolishness  of,  444. 

DiveSf  parable  of,  and  Lazarus.  683, 
684;  parable  of,  explained,  684,  a35. 

Divorce,  the  facility  of,  among  thi 
Jews,  420,430;  debates  of  Rabois  re- 
specting, 643,  Rabbis  ask  Jesus  if, 
is  lawful,  643,  644;  Christ  reasons 
with  the  Pharisees  respecting,  644, 
616.  •^         *=••  .     ' 

Doctrine  new  of  Jesus  respectinelob- 
servance  of  Sabbath,  454.  ' 

Dgves,  sale  of  by  priests,  846 

Dress,  difference  between  that  of 
Christ  and  the  Rabbis,  472,  of  Christ, 
477. 

Dress  and  living,  moderation  in,  en- 
joined by  Christ,  472. 

East,  difference  of  spirit  of,  from  the 

West,  123;  houses  of  the  wealthy  in 

the,  746. 
Edom,  prophecies  against,  181 
Education  among  Jews,  170,  178,  121, 

47. 
^8ypt>>  guilds  of  workmen  in,   106, 

Tews,  unpopular  in,  106;.  idolatiy  of, 

107. 
Elders  of  Synagogue,  132. 
Elijah,  the  greatest  of  all  the  prophets, 

463v  coming  of,  624,  634. 
Engedi,  valley  of,  253;  spring  of.  250; 

.town  of,  260. 
Enoch;  book  of,  mystifying  influence 

of  the,  on  the  Jews,  23.3. 
Entertainment  of  Christ  after  day's 

labours,  474. 
Equivocation,  Christ  Speaks  Against, 

Esdraelon,  plain  of.  213. 

Esdras,  fourth  book  of,  Messaianic 
ideas,  236, 237. 

Essenes,  the,  ^26:  dread  of  defilement, 
253.  devotion  to  ceremonies,  254, 
rules  of,  &c.,  254;  popular  influence 
of,  257.  ' 


Evening, 

spectui 

Excitemi 

Christ, 

Excomm 

Exorcisn 

Explanat 

verse  o] 


Failure,  i 
_  against, 
Falfh,  Ch 

with  th 

460;  wa 

406. 
False  teac 
Famine  in 
Fanatidsi 

877. 
Fasting,  C 

408:  Chr 

ridicule 

after  mc 

454. 
Fasts,  pub 
Father,  ih« 
Feast  of  J) 
Fevet,  enc 

885. 
Fig-trees, 

barren, ( 
Fires,  illeg 

fishermen 

lake  of  C 

^QfGalU© 

Fishes,   th 

807. 
"Flesh,  tc 
phrase,  5 
Food,  pre 
449,  em 
specting, 
„tfonof,b 
Forgiving  j 
Forty  days 
during  tr 
PountaTn  o 
Freedom, .: 
P^^tlve,C 

Funeral,  d^ 
of  Lazar 
^ain,  460 


Gabrifel,  ap 
^74,  to  Ma 
Gadara,  to^ 


Ilrt)EX. 


Evening,  meal,  manners  of  East  re- 

spectlug,  472. 
Excitement,  great,    of    people   for 

Christ,  488. 
Excommmiioation,  60G,  007. 
Exorcism,  formula  of,  479. 
Explanations,  innumerable,  of  every 

Terse  of  Bible,  among  Jews,  444. 

F    . 

Failure,  Christ's  words  of  warning 
Mrainst,  425. 

Faith,  Christ  compares  the  centurion's 
with  that  of  the  bigoted  Judean{(, 
400;  want  of,  reproved  hy  Jesus, 
496. 

False  teachers,  danger  of,  448. 

Famine  in  Palestine, 

Fanaticism,  religious,  of  Christ's  dajr, 
377. 

Fasting,  Christ's  opinions  respeoting, 
408:  Uluist  urges  secret,  430;  Roman 
ridicule  of  feigned  humility ,  439;  till 
after  morning  service  in  synagogue, 
451. 

Fasts,  public  and  private,  407. 

Father,  lh<:j[uiry  wno  was  Christ's,  604. 

Feast  of  Dedication,  611. 

Fevei:,  endemic,  on  Lake  of  Galilee, 
885. 

Fig-trees,  barren,  065;  lesson  on  the 
barren,  667, 668. 

Fires,  illegality  of  lighting  or  extin< 
■guishing  on  the  Sabbath,  449. 

Fishermen,  Christ  visits  the,  on  the 
lake  of  Galilee,  807,  809;  on  the  lake 
of  Galilee,  415. 

Fishes,  the  miraculous  draught  of, 
807. 

"Flesh,  to  eat  one%'*  meaning  of 
phrase,  619. 

Food,  preparation  of,  for  Sabbath, 
449,  equivocation  of  the  laws  re- 
specting, for  Sabbath,  450;  prepara- 
tion of ,  Defore  the  Sabbath,  455. 

Forgiving  sins  of  paralytic,  398. 

Forty  days,  Christ's  sojourn  on  earth 
duiing  the,  806. 

Fountam  of  the  Virgin,  440. 

Freedom,  Jewish,  59!},  • 

Fugitive,  Christ  a,  fix>m  his  enemies, 

Funeml,  description  of  Eastern,  499, 
of  Lazarus,  014;  of  young  man  at 
Nain,  400.        '  "   ^ 

G 

Gabriel,  appearance  of  to  Zacharias, 

74,  to  Mary,  70 
Gadara,  town  of,  496^  visit  to.  494. 


Gain  of  Babbin  from  exorcismfl.  480. 

Galilee,  description  of  Sea  of,  iSlS; 
description  of  province,  213, 214, 210; 
life  and  population  in,  215;  colonlte'- 
tlon  of,  210;  in  Christ's  day,  81; 
Christ's  last  visit  to,  665 ;  Christ's 
centre  for  work,  830 ;  chosen  by 
Christ  as  His  future  home,  337:  de- 
scription of,  ai2:  Judea  left,  it  re- 
visited, 445;  roads  of,  115;  taxation 
of  hy  Rome,  194;  customs  and  ex- 
cise duties  of,  190:  situation  of  prov- 
ince, 211 ;  work  in,  virtually  over, 
658,  . 

Galilee,  lake  of.  causes  of  storms,  4IKi\ 
8toi*m  ai  ises,  495. 

Galila^ans,  devotion  of  to  their  coim- 
try,  218. 

Gamonitis,  description  of,  S23. 

Gennesareth,  lake  of,  described.  389- 
841 ;  valley  of,  fruits  of  the,  340;  ap- 
pearance of  the  shore  of  the,  'Ml; 
lake  of,  544. 

Gerizim,  the  sacred  mount,  807,  808. 

Germanicus  sent  to  Syria,  197. 

Gethsemane,  Christ  in  the  Garden  of, 
789,  740;  foreshadowing  of,  to  Jesus, 
689,  670. 

Glapuyra,  40;  Archelaus  married  to, 
her  death,  190. 

God,  the  Jews'  idea  of,  483,484;  pa- 
tience of,  towards  all  men.  042;  new 
life  from,  sphitual  not  ritual.  521; 
om*  g^eat  debts  towards,  670, 677. 

Goethe,  on  Jesus  Chnst,  2. 

Golgotha,  the  place,  779. 

Grave  of  Lazarus,  description  of,  017, 

Greece,  size  of,  11, 

Greeks,  national  pride  of,  7. 

H 

Haircloth,  garment  of,  S73. 

Hannas,  intrigues  and  plotting  of  the 
house  of,  730,  737. 

Heathenism  in  Palestine  in  Christ's 
day,  86,  37. 

Heaven,  Jewish  ideas  of,  639,  640; 
Jesus  explains  about,  639. 

Hebron,  72. 

Help  granted  by  God  to  those  who  ask 
it,  443. 

Herder  on  Jesus  Christ,  2.  ;  , 

Herod  Antipas,  successor  to  Herod  In 
Galilee,  208;  repairs  his  kingdom, 
209 ;  strengthens  fortress  of  Machae- 
rus,  209;  relations  with  Tiberius,  210: 
alai'med  by  the  people  who  flocked 
after  Jesus,  ana  fears  a  political 
ri^ng,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Bdptlst, 
625;  Judea  in  the  time  of,  620. 


6 


INDEX. 


Herod  BoSthos,  the  High  Priest,  S97. 

Herod  the  Great,  fU-i&\  as  king,  80; 

.  effect  of  the  loiiflr  reign  of,  on  Jewish 
parties,  S49;  hatml  of  Jews  to,  SM- 
m;  size  of  his  kingdom,  86;  marries 
the  second  Marianme,  85 :  false  posi- 
tion of,  80;  bounty  in  the  time  of 
famine,  8i);  date  of  death  of,  100; 
family  of,  IBS ;  successor  to  the  throne 
of,  182;  funeral  of,  188. 

Herodians,  the,  109. 

Herodias,  marriage  of,  296,  207,  208; 
evil  results  of  marriage  of,  208,  200. 

Hesbon,  otescrlptlon  of,  220. 

High  Priests,  changes  of,  261;  luxury 
and  audacity  of  the,  'Ml ;  moral  cor- 
ruption of,  02;  robes  of,  kept  by 
Romans,  64. 

High  Priests  on  Day  of  Atonement, 
description  of,  71. 

High  Priesthood,  changed  at  Herod's 
wUl,l»4. 

Hlllel,  61-54;  narrative  of  life,  102. 

Hillel  s  explanation  of  the  whole  law, 
442. 

Hillel  and  Schammai,  schools  of,  526. 

Hospitality  among  Jews,  84 ;  of  friends 
enables  Christ  to  live ;  CJulst  re- 
fused, 580. 

Houses  free  to  pilgrims  during  Pass- 
over, 142. 

Human  nature  perfect  in  Christ,  445. 

Humility,  Christ's  love  of,  578. 

Husbandman  and  vineyard,  parable 
of  the,  671;  explanations  of,  ^72. 

Hymn,  flrat  Christian,  662. 

HypQCtitical  righteousness  of  the 
PhArisees,  42«. 

Hyrcanus,  22-33 ;  hatred  to,  for  his 
mnovations,  309. 

Hyrcanus  and  Aristobulus,  civil  war 
of,  180, 187. 


Incense  offering  in  Temple,  154. 
Influence  of  tb,e  Synagogue  on  the 

people,  188. 
Inlluential  friends  of  Jesus,  510. 
Inliumanity  of  bigots,  447. 
Inquisitors    .gentle    and    amiable  in 

other  relations,  448. 
Insanity,  manner  in  which  regarded, 

•196. 
Intolerance,  religious,  4.53. 
Israelite,  daily  religious  life  of,  123, 

124. 
.Israelites,  pilgrimages,  fasts  of,  etc., 
''125.' 


Iturea,  region  of,  223. 


Jairus,  raising  of  daughter  of,  408. 

James,  St.,  3;l6. 

James  and  John,  dreams  of  ambition 
of,  652,  053;  sketch  of  characters  of, 
415. 

Jealousy  of  the  ecclesiastical  authori- 
ties, 894;  danger  resulting  from, 
804. 

"Jehovah,"  mighty  power  of  word, 
with  Rabbis,  flii,  480. 

Jericho,  plain  of,  658;  town  of,  its  sit- 
uation, etc.,  654;  a  Levitical  city, 
655. 

Jerusalem,  veneration  of  by  the  Jews, 
602;  siege  of  by  Herod,  20;  heathen 
erections  in,  86;  apiM^ai'ance  of,  145, 
140;  description  of,  do,  headauarters 
of  tlie  great  religious  institutions, 
156;  during  time  of  tho  Passorer, 
346;  water  supply  of,  440;  Chrfet's 
last  journey  towards,  505;  ClnJKrH 
love  for,  SS-I:  lament  of  Jesus  over, 
040;  during  the  Passover,  708. 

Jesus,  family  of,  242, 243;  position  in 
His  household,  )i^44;  Mary'^  ideas 
concerning,  244;  ihcreaslng  faculties 
of,  215,  baptism  of,  288:  baptism  of, 
His  divine  consecration,  802-305; 
after  baptism,  803;  retirement  to 
wilderness,  805;  temptation  of,  in 
wilderness^  302-314;  portrait  of,  315; 
fabled  statue  of,  at  Pani&s,  310. 
earliest  conception  of  appearanco 
of  Jesus,  310;  images  of,  818,  de 
scriptiou  of,  by  Nicephonis,  318;  by 
Lentulus,  318 ;  by  Delitzsch,  810 ; 
first  disciples,  823;  character  of,  3*1, 
age  of,  on  entrance  into  public  work, 
336;  popularity  of,  348, 840,  explains 
His  teaching  to  Nicoderaus,  354; 
addresses  the  offlcei-s  of  the  Sanhe 
drim,  354;  originality  of  speech  of, 
355,  burden  of  His  preaching  in 
Judea,  358;  cave  of  nativity  ot.  Hi. 
date  of  birth  of,  85;  timeof  Daptism 
of,  280;  sojourn  in  Judea,  860;  His 
words  to  the  woman  at  the  well,  8CH, 
SeO;  success  in  Samaria,  372:  jour- 
neys to  Gallic^,  373,  popular  favour 
towards,  874,  375;  heals  the  centuti- 
on's  servant,  375,  370;  retires  to  tho 
north,  370;  His  call  to  repentance, 
378:  flrat  Galilasjm  toiir  of,  370,  His 
early  disciples,  880,  SBl,  midnight 
prayer  of,  383,  880,  413;  power  of  tlie 
pi'eaching  of,  421 ;  address  in  syna- 
gogue, at  Capernaum,  885;  cures  all 
who  are  sick  of  divers  diseases,  385- 
887;  the  great  purpose  of,  furthered 


INDEX. 


4 


by  Hlu  remarkablo  cures,  887;  mlr- 
aciilou't  powem  of,  first  Instance*  of, 
88K;  retires  to  a  mouniain  to  pray, 
389,  fli*st  circuit  of,  ;Ml;  atti\ictl'»u 
of,  to  poor  and  sorrowful,  liSO;  wlf 
restraint  of,  887,  life  of.  on  Jiin  Jour 
neys,  8JW,  pretence  anhorn-nt  to, 
43il;  wIhIi  to  avoid  attrat;tinz  atten 
tlon,  417;  claim!)  equality  with  Clod 
His  Father,  451;   spt'alfs  In  self-do- 
fence,  451 ;  commencenieut  of  last- 
ing; enmity  towanlg,  408;  returns  to 
Ualilee,  453 ;   entirely  opposed  to 
Rabbinical  ideas  of  a  Messiah,  457; 
withdraws  from   Capernaum,  468; 
popularity  of,   458;  leaves  Caper- 
naum for  Nain,  400,  a  "Great  Kab 
bl,"  4H8;  not  a  Judge  or  divider  in 
wprldly  afTairs,  vS\  sadness  of  heail 
of,  544-547;   look-out  kept  for,  at 
Feast  of  Tabernacles,  584,  leaves 
Ephratm,  630;  cures  a  palsied  wo 
man,  (i'20,  silencei  a  Rabbi  wlio  op 
poses  Him  In  His  good  work,  OaO; 
cures  a  man  ill  of  dropsy,  ($21 ;  re- 
•fuses   the    popular  suudimI;,    085; 

S-eat  acts  of  kiiidness  of,  (>'!*)  warns 
is  disciples  of  their  weaknesses, 
685, 630  ;•  resolves  to  enter  .Terusalem 

eublicly,  and  on  an  ass,  G(!0,  001 ;  en- 
»rs  the  Temple,  608;  entry  of,  into 
Jerusalem,  604,  composiu*e,  &c.,  of, 
670-674;  parties  unite  against,  078, 
679;  judgment  of,  asked  concerning 
a  woman  who  had  had  seven  hus- 
bands, 679,  680;  attempts  to  entrap, 
680,683;  denunciation  of  Scribes  and 
I^ariseesby,  683,  685;  moral  grand- 
eur of,  680,  687;  Decalogue,  Josus 
auestioned  respecting  the,  C81;  ad- 
resses  the  multitude  on  faith,  092; 
sign  demanded  by  disciples  from, 
6Jfe;  addresses  His  disciples  respect- 
ing the  end  of  Jenisafem,  0i)i,C9t}; 
meeting  of  conspirators  against,  703; 
in  Bethany,  701;  anointed  by  Mary, 
7(M,  705;  dangers  of,  in  Jenisalem, 
709;  washes  disciples'  feet,  711,  712: 
explains  His  doing  so,  712:  tells  of 
Judas'  treachery,  712:  tells  of  His: 
betrayal  and  death,  714;  converse 
with  Peter  respectiiig  his  faith,  714, 
715;  warns  Ills  disciples  of  theii* 
coming  hardships,  715;  promises  the 
disciples  eternal  life,  721,  72-:2:  final 
discoursa  of,  'to  disciples,  723-734: 
Spirit  of,  on  the  near  a])proach  or 
death,  738,  739;  and  the  tlu'^o  disci- 
ples in  Gethsemane,  740 ;  betrayal 
and  arrest  of,  in  Gethsemane, 
742,  743;  brought  before  Hannas, 


745 ;  trial  of,  before  Calapl'as, 
743,  746  ;  Ulecality  of  trial  of,  Mu, 
747  ;  accused  of  blasphemy,  7.j2  ; 
meeting  of  Judges  of,  ^ST);  trial  of, 
by  Pllale,  73<-7«2:  brought  again  be- 
fore Pilate,  764- 108:  scourjnng  of, 
70H,  7()!»;  mocked  and  scoffed  tiy  tho 
soldici-H,  709:  deliveivd  over  to  tho 
people.  771 ;  is  brought  out  to  bo  dru- 
cifled,  tTO;  ascensfon  of,  811;  Uow 
long  in  the  grave,  777. 

Jew,  ancient  pride  of,  6. 

Jews,  hatred  of  other  roc^s,  46;  en- 
thusiasm of,  for  education,  120; 
dress  of,  l>\ii\  religious  esciteraeut 
of,  1U8;  war  against  Rome,  199;  de- 
votion of  to  tliu  Holy  City,  SOU;  Oal- 
iltean,  faithful  to  tho  law,  217;  pop- 
ulation of,  iu  Iturea,  &c.,  223;  pur- 
chase of  f rerdom  by,  228;  treatment 
of,  by  the  Romans,  227;  early  ad- 
miration of  the,  for  the  Romans, 
j:2»;  under  Pompey'srule,  S29;  Jies- 
sianic  enthusiasm  of  the,  231,  232; 
Samaritans,  hatred  of,  hy,  3(>5-3(J7; 
constrvatism  of,  399;  deputation  of, 
wait  on  Josus,  459;  indignation  of, 
when  Christ  contrast*  them  with 
heathen,  40O;  kingdom  of  Gotl,  as 
imagined  by,  4(50;  siicred  money  of, 
appropriated  for  water  conduits, 
50();  burial-places  of  criminal,  78H; 
future  hopes  of  resurrection,  790. 

Jewish  education,  47;  husband,  rela- 
tion of  to  hit}  wife,  117;  tribal  divis- 
ions, 557;  hatred  of  all  races,  485. 

Jewish  exclusiveness,  rise  of,  40;  de- 
nounces Greek,  40;  no  QeutUe  to 
learn  Hebrew,  47. 

Jezreel,  plain  of,  401. 

Joa?er,  high  priebt,  aids  Quirinius,  109; 
death  of,  20b. 

John  the  Baptist,  early  life  of,  348, 
249;  fate  of.  &c.,  857;  opinions  re- 
specting, 359,  300;  mode  of  bapti.sm 
by,  275;  locality  where  he  baptized, 
2f3:  lying  in  prison,  461;  sends  dis- 
ciples to  Jesus,  401 ;  prisoner  in 
Machaenis,  507;  murdered,  510. 

John,  St.,  3JM;  was  he  of  priestly  race? 
614. 

Jordan,  the  river,  17;  description  of 
the,  872;  great  plain  of  the,  273;  val- 
ley of  the,  273;  description  of  the, 
576. 

Joseph,  husband  of  Mary,  73;  death 
of,  212;  legend  of  body  of.  03 J. 

Joseph  and  Mary,  route  of,  from  Naz- 
areth to  Jerusalem,  81. 

Joseph  of  Arimathea,  asks  Pilate  for 
Christ's  body,  788,  789. 


.1 


IN1>EX 


Judaism.  "  Hedge**  rmtad,  48;  ratlval 
of ,  under  SmC,  ilOi  flnt  atepe  to- 

■.  warda  open  aeparation  from,  418. 

Judas  the  Oaulonite,  devotion  of,  900. 

Jttdw  beariot,  flrtt  apparent  thought 
of  treachery  in,  688,  speaks  reapect- 
Inar  Christ's  anobitltig^  705;  dSsap- 

..p(H0tmiBilto|,  706;  betrays  Christ  to 
the  authorinaa,  900 ;  eata  the  sop 
with  Jesus.  718;  eflaots  of  conduct 
of;  on,  the  dlaoi^es,  710;  furthers  his 
treacherous  aehemea,  741;  remorse 
and.  anxiety  of,  774, 77B;  suicide  of, 
776. 

Judas   ThaddflMM,  beUef  of,  in  the 

^-  Mesaiab,  78flL 

ilttdea,  siM  of,  61,880;  barrenness  of, 
ra;  wlldemess  of,  208, 960;  strength 
of  eastern, 087.  .     . 


Khans  or  OaraTanserais,  84. 

KIdron,  valley  of  the,  148. 

Kingdom  of  Qod,  Israel  as  the,  88; 

rjctaoMlve  developnieatB  of,  60. 
Knots,  lllegsllty  of  tying,  &o  ^  on  the 

Sabbath,  448. 


Lamb,  ^tssOTW  offering  of,  160. 

Lamb  of  Qod,  title  of  Jesus,  890,891, 
898. 

Last  Supper,  place  of  Jesus  at,  710;  Je- 
sus eats  the,  with  disciples;  717,  7ia 

Haw,,  reading  of  the.  286.  the,  ex- 

t  plainedl^rUie  Rabbis,  171:  Christ's 
not  wishing  to  destroy,  bui  fulfil  it, 
4a&;  i^redtbe.  490;^'  food  or  drink,'' 

I  iwetaphor  f or  study  of,  180. 

Xawyer's  question,  as  to  inheriting 

rcter»aflfife,  601,  eoe. 

Lawyers,  Christ's  speaking  against 
practices  of,  487,  488. 

Laying  on  of  hands,  139. 

Lazarus,  raising  of,  617;  legends  re- 
apeoting».6l7. 

Leaven,  parable  of  three  measures  of, 
499;  of  I^iarisees,  remarks  concem- 

lng,64V 

liCbanon,  887;  valley  of » 665. 

Leper,  Christ  cureth  a,  390;  cere- 
monies for  the  piuifleation  of  a,  899, 
888. 

Lepera^  Christ  heals  the  ten,  589, 583. 

Leprof^,  cleansing  of,  890-399,  398 ; 
oonti^riousness  of,  391;  purification 

lifeoT ^dst,  difficulty  of  writing  a, 


Light,  Christ  the,  of  tbie  world,  BOS 

Literature,  heathMi,  the  Ooldeu  Rule 
found  In  aH,  448. 

Loaves,  miracle  of,  and  flshee,  688. 

Longsuffering,  patience  towards  of- 
fenders, 670. 

Lord's  Prayer,  the,  488, 

M 

Machaerus,  fortrssaof,  8M,888,  mean- 
iQgof,409. 

Mackintosh,  Sir  James,  <m  Christ;  4 

Uadness,  insinuation  of  Christ's,  ac- 
cei>ted  apparently  by  Maiy ,  484. 

Magdala,  OMoiptlen  of,  471 

Magii  the,  100,  lOl,  legowls  of,  107r  do- 
nvation  of  word,  lOB. 

Magic,  vast  Rabbinical  Hofene»of,'480 

Magistrates,  meeting  of,  to  condemn 

Christ,  765, 756.  . 

Malachi,  his  prophecies  c<mceniing 
Jesus,  976.  \ 

Mammon,  the  god,  681 ,  689 

Man  lame  for  thirty-eight  years  ouml, 
447.       .    . 

Manna,  legends  respecting,  816    : 

Moilamne,  the.firab,  wif»  of  <Bierod, 

.   85-84.  ■-■ur,  ,■  .. 

Marriage,  Pharisaic,  doctrine  ojV  499 

Marriage  ceremonies  in  Bast,  880. 

MartyM  under  Herod,  989. 

Mary,  the  Virgin,  74;  her  character, 
76;  J^ignifieat^  77,  in  Temple,  79; 
appearance  of,  80 ,  rebuke  of.  by 
Jesus,  160:  family  of,  a97ra»atiety 
of,  to  withdraw  Christ  to  Marareth, 
486;  viidta  Cwpemaum;,  001,;  inter- 
view of,  with  Christ,  603;  goes  to  see 
Chriffli  on  theCvtiiSi^  784,<m 

Masy^  M&gdaiene,  healhag  of ,  474^4^; 
and  other  women  go  to  emoaiim  Je- 
sus, 794;  they  find  the  stone  rolled 
'away  from  the  tomb,  and  an  angel 
sitting  Within,  7M.  ■  ^T 

Mary,  Martha,  and  Lazu^Si  601. 

Matthew,  S<i.,40e;  made  adi8clple,403: 
feast  in  house  of,  404;  stiss  in;  Jesus 
the  fulfilment  of  Jsaiafa's  prophec}', 
468;  invitation  of,  greatpnnofi^ein' 
volvedinft,  408.  r 

Mechanical  piety  of  Pharisees,  496. 

MedicaLtreataaent,i  Jewi^.  499: 

Memory,  feats  of  one  of  the  Rabbis, 
178. 

Messiah,  Ideas  respecting,  among 
Jows,  65, 66;  expected  advent  cf,  60, 
birthplace  of,  57, 104;  to  APP^i*  ^i^t 
ia  Galilee.  £7;  Jewish  iddasof  king 
dom  of,  68;  to  be  of  tribe  of  Judah, 
108;  idea  concerting  the,  ill  PMdms 


I2nD(BX 


tha.  i«k  Ml,  MM  iohnyiSpMUtton 
of,  SIT;  expeoKMlon  of,  vtMru,  00; 
Ohrtok'MdivbMOoiunloiiMUiM  <tf  be- 
ing the,  444;  Jewlah  oonoipUoD  of, 
464,  518;  lUbbto'oonoeptlon  of,01». 
091;  idMM  of  PhMtoeM  about  the, 
Ui\  Jmu»  praqUtaMdj  511 ;  i>tter^ 
oonfeMlon  of  the,  ABl;  dURevlty  to 
iMiaideft  of  •ufferlnf^  BBit  idoMve- 
•peetlng ,  68T:  Ohritt'a  publlo  deoter- 
iMOn  tbM  He  wm,  flW;  fbeltof  of 
Mme  tbttt Ohiial  waa.the,  awrSua- 
Ishment  for  aoknowledgioff  Ofrlet 
as,  607;  klngilom  of,  6H:  advlee  to 
the  difloiplea  reapeotlniir  the  oontlnir 

mi  Davldio  d^ioeut,  W. 

MemiHha.  doetrine  of  two,  885.    . 

Middle-age  preauher,  flS4. 

MimQlea  of  Ave  loavea  and  two  flibea, 

(»M*»  of  ootain  flMh*i  tnouthi  UO. 

XiraoleiH  beginning  of,  at  Oanai  888, 
834:  MadonablapoM  uf,  88ft;  of  heaH 

i>4MiMB),88Qt  aaaveligloiwlnfhieiioe, 
887;  ourioitlty  to  see  dlaooaragod, 
aST;  Ohriiit  dfd  not  latf  itreiii  Oki 
them  aloi^,  488;  wroiumt  by  dhMrt- 
ples,  568:  othen  bMiaiM  dliotpleB 
admitted  to  work,  im. 

KuaoiUoua  oonoeptlon,  nut  a  Jewkh 

.  ldea,7R4 

UlecoBoeptlona  of  Mary  oonoemlng 
0hriat,m 

lUaalon,'  Ohrlit  lendf  the  Serenty  on 

Mentha  of  the  Hebrew  jrear,  BV8. 
Uwkli  VorthtoeaaeM   of    Pharlialo 

irii^MeoMneia,  4ii7< 
Motrning^  meal,  480. 
M$>M8,  alaiOBt  detfled,  BIT. 
Mother  and  bretluNm,  Ohrlut  ezplalna 

wh0areIlia,48B. 
Mountain,  Obi-lat  rettrea  to,  to  etoape 

people,  <I14.  . 
Mourning  for  dead,  404. 
Midtilindea  taught,  476. 
Murder.  Ohrifira  definition  of,  488, 490. 
Mustard^eed,  pamble  of.  4Qii. 
Mystenr,  love  of  In  Babblnloat  teaoh- 

KabloiM,  town  of .  868. . 

Nain,  the  '^beautiful,**  400 ;  young  man 

restored  to Hfeatt,  401.  i 
Napoleon,  on  Jesua  Ohrist,  0^10. 


Nattumial,  aM',8KI. 

Natkm,  dhrialon  of,  Ralierimaiid  Am- 

iMMuvts,  ITS ;  rejoldngof,  on  death 

ofHerad,  181. 
Nations,  Jewish  idea  of  nmnber  el, 

am.  f 

National  enmity,  484. 

Nationalities,  gathering  of,  In  Jonaa* 

lem.  at  Faaaover  time,  144. 
KatlTity,  lAie  oaTO  of  the,  90. 
Nasarene  Rabbis  aoouse  Ohrlsl  of  de- 
moniacal possession,  iWt,        J,. 
Nasarenes,  Christ  grierea  over  their 

unbelief,  806. 
Naaareth,  cliairacterlBtios  ef  life  ln,ia8; 

description  of.   110, 161 ;   people  of, 

118:  a  view  from,  118,114;  Christ 

vl8lts,008. 
Nazarite  rules,  S10,980;  legend  of  a, 

8B1. 
Net,  gathering  good  and  bod  flah,para- 

ble  of,  488. 
New  Moon,  time  of  the,  180, 14a 
Nlcanor>Oate,9a 
Nlcodemus,  the  Pharisee,  808,888:  a 

riob  benefactor,  084;  speaks  timidly 

for  Christ,  GOO. 


OathsTThe  use  of,  4S0. 
Old  families,  Bngittsh  and  other,  d<!«ay 
of,  78. 


Palestine,  dimate  and  vegetation  of 
18, 14; .  plmrieal  geography  of <  14; 
f«Mllt7of,10^ana«itpopukiU8ness, 
16;  btatcwyoffln  the  generation  before 
Christ, » ;  oUmate  of,  14;  nortbera 
boundary  of,  17;  smailness  of,  11; 
position  of,  on  map  of  the  ancient 
world,  11. 

Palsy,  man  sick  of  the,  oured,  08L  > 

Pan,  legenCoi^eath  of,  847. 

Parable,  applloation  of  ^  to  Jewish  pn- 
ludlce,ea4:  flrsttoagreatmnttttttde 
from  flshlMr-boat,  4m;  ot  the  debt- 
ors, 46B;  tie  prod^MBon,  0a0,080: 
rich  man  suddenly  summoned  be- 
fore God,  ^8;  the  lost  sheep,  688;  a 
familiar  way  of  instructing,  480 ;  pe^ 
cullar  adapu^Mlit^  of,  to  the  people, 
609:  the  unjust  steward,  681;  the 
woman  with  the  lost  diver,  028. 

Paralytic,  healing  of,  401. 

Paralysed  man^  W7. 

Parents,  duty  of  honouriitfr,  638, 089. 

Parthlans.  the,  87,  88,  sn. 

Passover,  ceremony  of,  lSO-168;  foast 


10 


INDEX. 


\ 


of  the.  141 ;  lenetU  of,  158 ;  metadng 

■  of  in  Hebrew,  141 ;  number  of  sacrl- 

■  flce8  at,  161 ;  ceremony  of  the,  de- 
scribed, 151 ;  order  of  eating  they, 
'710;  singing  of  psalms  at  tlie,  738; 
preparations  of  the  dlsciplesf  or  the, 
TO8,T09;  thne  of,  468. 

Peace,  the  Roman,  271. 

Pearl  of  great  price,  parable  of,  498. 

People,  a^tatiou  of  the,  respecting 
Jesus,  ^;  Jesus  consoles  the,  on 
His,  way  to  execution,  778. 770;  they 

'  scoflf  at  Christ  on  the  cross,  783,  783; 
listened  standing,  Christ  sat,  476. 

Perea,  description  of  district  of,  219; 

.  Jesus  urged  to  leave,  640. 

Perjury,  sanctioned  by  Rabbis  if  puri- 
fied by  an  offering,  480. 

Persian  religion,  the,  96;  influence  of, 
on  Judaism,  97. 

Peter,  St.,  special  mention  of,  325, 
415;  first  interview  with  Christ,  825; 
enjoined  by  Christ  to  teach  Hisili>ck, 
808;  .Christ's  blessing,  651;  Christ's 
charge  to,  652,  cuts  off  a  servant's 
ear,  748;  and  John,  follow  Christ 
after  His  arrest,  744,754;  denies 
Christ  thrice.  754, 755;  his  impulsive- 
ness, 649,  743;  mother-in-law,  illness 
of,  cured,  885 ;  house  of,  Jesus  in,  491 ; 
618,  death  of,  3,  as  "  the  Rock,"  562. 

Pharisaic  conception  of  righteousness 
426;  hypocrisy  denounced,  529,  630. 

Pharisee,  invites  Christ  to  his  house, 
467;  Jesus  dines  with  a,  621, 623;  the 
word,  gradual  disuse  of,  428;   and 

'  Publican,  parable  of  the,  642. 

Pharisees,  and  Herodions,  alliance  of, 
688;  disloyalty  of  the,  676;  craft  of 
the,  670;  6,000  in  Christ's  day,  49; 
numbers  through  the  empire,  49; 
and  Saddticees,  different  opinions 
of,  539, 5fK;  &G.,  attempt  to  arrest 
Christ  by,  58S-590;  demand  proof 
frohi  Christ  of  His  true  Messianship 
C12;  Jesus  alludes  to  maxims  ot, 
454;  jealousy  of  the,  861;  noble  prin- 
ciples of,  430,431;  different  classes 
of,  482,  620;  decay  of,  51;  rebuked 
by  Jesus,  0;}2;  strict  rules  respecting 
those  with  wiiom  they  ate,  407. 

Phasael,  27, 28. 

Phenicians,  famous  as  traders,  535. 

Phenomena,  natural  explanations  of 
ordinary,  unknown,  440. 

Philip,  his  reign,  government,  &c., 
224;  mention  of,  ii.  49;  tomb  of,  23;i. 

Phiiistia,  plain  of,  17. 

Phs'lacteries,  countless  r-^les  for  the 
straps,  <S:c.,  of,  472. 

Physician,  Chiist  the,  of  seals,  522. 


Pilate,  palace  of,  in  Jerusalem,  73S, 
736;  cna.aoterof,  756;  tilalof  Jesus 
by,  758-761;  Jesus  again  before,  764- 
768;  endeavours  to  save  Jesus  from 
the  cross,  770-772;  public  works  of, 
for  Jerusalem,  207;  government 
of,  265. 

Pilate's  offences  to  the  Jews,  606. 

Pilgi-imago  to  Gerizim,  269. 

Pilgrimages,  abuses  during,  691. 

Pilgrims  to  Jerusalem,  150;  approach 
of,  towards  Jerusalem,  145;  depart- 
ure of,  fiom  Jerusalem,  168;  journey 
of,  to,  162, 163. 

Pius  Scipio,  proconsul  of  Syria,  196, 

Places  at  feasts,  order  of  taking,  621, 
622. 

Plain  of  Esdraelon,  people  of,  113. 

Polycarp's  martyrdom,  3. 

Pompey  and  the  Jews,  229;  murder 
of,  22;  triumph  of,  229;  takes  Jeru- 
salem, 229;  notices  of,  21, 22.        • 

Pool  of  Bethesda,  Christs  meeting 
with  the  man  healed  at,  450. 

Poor,  the,  and  Christianity,  8;  in 
Heathen  antiquity,  9,  in  Jewitji,  9. 

Possessed,  cure  of  man,. 384. 

Possession  by  spirits,  ideas  of,  in 
Christ's  day,  &H. 


S; 


Potter's  Field,  Judas  and  the,  776. 

Prayer,  efficacy  of  united,  5»6:  earn- 
est, heai"d,  parable  to  prove,608;  fi-e- 
quency  of,  by  Pharisees,  438;  Jewish 
antiquity  of,  408;  special,  for  feasts, 
567;  superstitions  concerning,  408; 
the  Lord's,  438,439. 

Preaching,  Christ's,  to  be  the  sign. 
484;  dilferences  between? that  of 
Christ  and  of  Rabbis,  421 ,  remarks 
on  Christ's,  421. 

Prescriptions,  some  Jewish,  499. 

Priesthood,  Jewish,  decay  of,  62;  Jew- 
ish, 01;  number  of,  61,C2;  dignita- 
ries of,  63;  poor  members  of,  02. 

Priests,  fears  of  the  chief,  as  to  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus,  791 ;  genealogy 
of,  63;  legal  age  for  consecration, 
63;  consecration  of,  64;  drets  of, 
64;  duties  of,  65;  marriage  of,  06; 
priestly  towns,  65;  support  of,  66, 

Princes,  Asmonean,  friends  of  the,  187. 

Pi-ocurators  of  Roman  provinces,  194- 
207. 

Pi-operty,the  disciples  retained  enough 
to  provide  for  their  daily  want'j,  473, 

Prophet,  Jewish  idea  of  a,  271. 

Prophets,  Galila?an,  590:  false,  mis- 
leadinf?  the  people,  583;  decay  of 
the,  231. 

Proselytes,  foreign,  in  Jerusalem,  09; 
number  of,  99, 


Proverba 
665. 

Proverbs 
187. 

Publican^ 
toundin 
tinprud 
pie.  404 

PubUcane 
greed  a 
to,  Intel 
ety,  403; 
of  John 

Publicity 

PubUus  I 
nor-gen( 

!'PuriBcai 
i.  681. 

Puriflcati( 
689. 

Puripa,  fej 


Question 
Messiah 

Quiet  hoti 
ciples,  4i 

QuintiUus 
187;  plu 
Temple, 
rusaiem, 

Quiriniiur, 

Quotatiom 
New,  108 


Rabbi,  anc 
entprof< 
title,  ,52; 
becomin 

Rabbfnica 
prayer, ' 

Rabbinica 
176;   woi| 
life,  177. 

Rabbinica 
52;  in  he 

Rabbinism 
to,  455. 

Rabbis,  ac 
scholars, 
anxiety 
resurrect 
dread  of 
on,  for 
bigotry  a 
Christ  pr 
to  true 
tioii  of  c 


Proverbs,  last  chapters  of,  date  of, 
665. 

Proverbs  and  parables  of  the  Jews, 
187. 

Pnblican,  maktoK  a,  a  disciple,  as- 
tounding novelty  of,  403;  apparent 
linprudence  of  admitting  a,  as  disci- 
ple, 404;  derivation  of  word,  401. 

PubUcans,  at  Capernaum  many,  401 : 
greed  and  tyranny  of,  401;  hatred 
to,  intense,  402;  outcasts  from  soci- 
ety, 402;  and  people  receive  eulogy 
of  John  with  joy,  464;  good,  618. 

Publicity  shunned  by  Jes  as,  893, 546. 

Publius  Sulpicius  Quirinius,  gover- 
nor-general of  Syria,  194. 

*' Purification  "  in  different  religions, 
i.  661. 

Purification,  the  feast  of,  8&-90;  ii. 


Jesus  were  the 


^ 


)  I 


•usalem,  09; 


Puripi,  feast  of,  166. 

Q 

Question   raised,  if 
Messiah?  479. 

Quiet  home  life  of  Jesus  with  His  dis- 
ciples, 478. 

Quintillus  Varus  comes  to  Jerusalem, 
187;  plunders  Jerusalem,  186;  the 
Temple,  168;  advances  again  on  Je- 
rusafem,  189. 

Quirinius,  Legate  in  e^ria,  194. 

Quotations  from  Old  Testament  in 
New,lt)8. 


Babbi,  ancient  sermv>n  of,  186;  differ- 
ent professions  of  a,  168 ;  meaning  of 
title,  52;  to  follow  a,  588;  things  un- 
becoinintf  in  a,  871. 

Rabbinical  custom  to  teach  a  form  of 
prayer,  489. 

Rabbinical  rules,  strict  observance  of, 
176;  working  of,  in  Jewish  daily 
life,  177. 

Rabbinical  schools  as  old  as  Jacob, 
52;  in  heaven,  63. 

Rabbinism,  Jesus  a  dangerous  enemy 
to,  455. 

Rabbis,  accepted  money  from  their 
scholars,  478;  activity  of  the,  896; 
anxiety  of  the,  respecting  Christ's 
resurrection,  804;  anxiety  of,  and 
dread  of  Jesus,  448;  Christ's  attack 
on,  for  not  keeping  law,  586,  687; 
Wgotry  and  fanaticism  of  the,  441 ; 
Christ  proclaims  them  a  hindrance 
to  true  knowledge,  457;  coiidemna- 
tioH  Of  conduct  of,  487;  custom  of, 


with  regard  to  offenders,  675:  depu* 
tations  of,  aent  to  cruah  C^umi  oK; 
difBcttlty  of  learning  endlesa  pet* 
cepts  of,  687;  disciples  ^a9ft;di8- 

f»ute  of  Jesus  with  the,  SB:  bosllte 
eelings  of,  400;  hostility  of  the,  to 
Jesua,  687;  demand  a  sign  of  Jesus, 
637;  in  danger  of  loatiw  auuidrlty, 
478r:  indignation  of 4  atObirist,  618;  in- 
furiated, provoking  Christ,  to  com- 
mit Himself,  486;  insurrection  of,  in 
Jerusalem,  488;  laws  of  the,  680;  wd 
the  common  people,  S>8;  maiUiers 
of  the,  627;  denounced  by  Jimsus, 
628;  miracles  of,  62;  inordinate  pride 
of,  58:  slavery  of  nationto.  63;  any 
may  be,  65;  noted,  of  Christ's  day, 
168-169;  offer  to  be  disciples,  491 ; 
national  preachers  of  the,  840;  over 
awed,  484:  passages  from,  respect- 
ing the  Messiah,  686;  pedantry  of, 
72?;  persecuting  spirit  of  the,  787, 
place  of  the,  at  feasts,  62S;  public 
addresses  of,  880;  quesuons  of  im- 
portance referred  to,  488;  reverence 

.  shown  to,  896;  seek  to  arrest  Jesus, 
619;  self-righteousness  of,  884;  sor 
mons  of,  400;  training  of,  47;  use  of, 
as  an  order,  47;  dignity  of,  60;  im 
portance  of,  64;  unpaid,  54. 

Rachbl  weeping  for  her  children,  83. 

Redemption-money,  661 ;  of  firstbora, 
91 ;  modem  ceremony  of,  91. 

Reform,  much  needed  amongst  Jew- 
ish leaders,  ii.  441. 

Reformations,  always  begin  with  the 
obscure, 466 ;  temporary,  under  John, 
484. 

Religion  acted   for  gain,  488;   com* 

E arisen  of  Roman  and  Jewish,  827; 
i  antiquity,  &-10. 

Renounce  anything  that  hinders  a 
godly  life,  190. 

Restlessness  of  Jews,  politically^  in 
Christ's  day,  48,  99. 

Resurrection,  Chnst  appears  to  Mary 
after  His,  795,  796 ;  to  Peter,  79ri: 
to  the  Two,  on  the  road  to  Em- 
maus,  798-800;  Jewish  ideas  respect- 
ing, 561,  6(i2;  opinions  of  Ewald  re- 
specting the,  798;  prophecy  of  by 
Jesus.  849,  860. 

Retaliation,  rioctrine  of,  I'epudiated, 
481,  482. 

Retreat  of  Antony  from  Media,  31. 

Revenge,  sanctioned  by  Old  Testa- 
ment, 436;  the  idea  of,  cherished  by 
Jew  and  heathen,  481. 

Richter,  Jean  Paul,  on  Jesus  Christ,  1. 

Righteous;  meaning  of  word  am<mg8t 
the  Jews,  03. 


I  i 


INDEX. 


Riot^<ireadfiil«.in  Jenwalem,  609^ 

Biiil^  in  Oalilee,  ulider  AthroQges, 
Simon,  Ac,  188.  . 

Ritesana  f<»»iSi  Chrigt*s  vlndicatiion 
of  (he  diguse  of,  by  the  disciples,  418 ; 
only  necessAry  when  religion  was  in 
itsehUdhood,  4aS. 

Rivals,  meaning  of  the  word;  7. 

Roman  Emperor,  omnipotence  of,  18; 
empire,  at  the  btath  of  Christ,  18, 
19;  feelinj^of  superiority  and  aver- 
sion to  the  conquered,  495 :  generals, 
corruptness  of,  S9 ;  religion  at  the 
time  of  Christ,  20. 

Romans,  contempt  of,  to  other  na- 
tions, y^ 

Rome,  assimilating  power  of,  226;  de- 

{mtation  sent  to,  204;  friends  of,  457; 
ribttteof  Judea  to,  246;  in  Christ's 
day,  80;  its  size,  18^  19. 
Roofs,  Eastern,  897. 
Rousseau  on  JesuK  Christ,  1 
Rule,  heathen  overthrow  of,  ideas  of 

Esdras  concerning  the,  237, 288. 
Ruler,  the  young,  and  Jesus,  646-648. 


S 

Sabbath,  commencement  of,  449;  Je- 
sus chai-ged  with  violation  of  the 
Sabbath,.f  or  curing  the  man  at  the 
Fool  of  Bethesda,  450,  David  vio- 
lates, by  eating  holy  bread,  454;  du- 
ration of,  440;  facts  respecting  Jew- 
ish observation  of,  606:  grand  fidel- 
ity of  Jews  to,  454;  Jesus  cited  be- 
fore tribunal  for  desecration  of ,451 ; 
Jewish,  383,  886;  niaximsof  Phari- 
sees concei-ning,  460 ,  miracle 
wrought  on  the,  605;  observance, 
extraordinary  strictness  of,  448, 449; 
preparation  for,  888;  service  in  syn- 
agogue, 383;  revelation  respecting 
observance  of,  449;  rules  concerning 
food,  &c.,  449;  strict  cbservance 
of,  450;  the,  a  day  of  peace,  Joy, 
and  refreshment,  455;  violation  of 
laws  by  Pharisees,  450. 

Sabbath-day's  journey,  450. 

Babbath  laws,  Jesus  places  himself 
higher  than,  454. 

8acnflces  for  empire  and  emperor, 
standing  grievance,  48. 

'Badducees,  506;  doctrines  of  the,  538, 
6.39,  641. 

Silome  (daughter  of  Herod  ias),  danc- 
ing of,  at  the  feast,  300  ;  her  re- 
3uest,  801. 
ome  Cmother  of  James  and  John), 
was  she  related  to  th«  Virgin  i  828. 


Salutations.  506,  609. 

Salvation  ox  Israel;  457. 

Samaria,  Christ's  journey  throturh, 
679,  680,  description  of,  m,  8t2;  re- 
built by  Herod,  86. 

Samaritans,  land  of  the,  225^  parable 
of  the  good,  602,  603. 

Sarepta,  Fhenician  village  of.  461. 

Baton  under  the  feet  of  Christ's  ser- 
vants, 604;  in  Kew  Testament,  809, 
temptations  by,  of  Jesus,  309. 

Schleiermacher  on  the  Virgin  Mab'> 

Schools  in  Israel,  120^122;  in  Jerusa- 
lem, 170. 
Scribe,  title  of ,  explained,  170,, 
Scribes,  indignation  of,  399;  disconi 

flture  of,  401. 
Sejanus,  fall  of,  246;  influence  of,  in 

Judea,  205. 
Semicha,  laying  on  of  hands,  182 
Seneca  spoke  or  the  gods  almost  like 

a  Christian,  484.  1 

Sermon  on  the  Mount,  417, 418 ,  s4oiio 

of,  418. 
Servant,  parable  of  the  wicked,  677. 
Sei-vants,  various  duties  of,  132, 
Service,   Jesus  accused  beer  use  ol 

simplicity  of  teaching,  471 
Seventy,  Christ's  instructions  to  the. 

582 ;  significance  of  the  appointment 

of  the,  682^  success  of  mission  of 

the,  604. 
Shammai,  type  of  Rabbi,  899. 
Shechem,  description  of  valley  of, 

862,  863. 
Sheep,  shepherd^s  anxiety  for  lost, 

674. 
Sheckel,  the,  847. 
Shu nem,  village  of,  461. 
Sick,  Sabbath  rules  concerning,  45f>. 
Sign,  demand  for,  by  authorities,  340, 

Siloara,  fall  of  tower  in,  606. 

Simeon,  the  aged,  92. 

Simon  Boethus,  638. 

Simon  the  Cyrenian,  compelled  to 
bear  the  cross,  777.         , 

Simon  MaccabsBus,  48.  | 

Simon  the  Zealot,  416. 

Sin,  belief  in  earthly  punishments  of, 
605;  the  conception  of,  unknown  in 
antiquity,  5;  no  idea  of,  in  antiquity, 
6.- 

Sincerity,  Christ's  fundamental  de- 
mand of,  424. 

Slanders  by  Rabbis,  CSirist's  refuta- 
tion of,  481. 

Slaves,  prisoners  sold  as,  30. 

Slavery,  (;ondenuied  by  Christ,  8;  in 
antiquity,  8. 


Soldier  ] 

SPear, 

Soldiers 

ments, 

Solomon 

tfa^Me 

Solomon 

S<?9of  lU 

Sower,  p 

4C1. 

Spies,  CI 

Spiritual 

ily,  48f} 

Star  in  t 

107. 
Stephen,, 
Steward, 

632. 

Stoicism, 

Sterol ca 

of  Gali 

Stranger, 

Rome,  4 

Straugerg 

meals,  < 

SuflTering, 

true  dis 

Superstiti 

&c.,  142 

Supper,  p 

Synagogxi 

?at,  & 


Sjaiagogu 
533;  imi 
130;  op 
arrange 
worship 
of,  130; 


Tabernac 

584,501 

of  feast 
Table,  ms 

ous  cert 

ingat.  , 
Tabor,  Mc 
Talents, 

lessons  (_ 
Tallith,  tl 
Talmud, 

•Src,  resl 

178, 
Tares,  an 
Tax  for  tt 
Teacher, 
Teaching, 

lutionai 
Temple, 


INDEX. 


Vf. 


Soldier  pierces  Christ's  side  with  his 

Spear,  788. 
diers  cast  lots  for  Christ's  gar- 
ments, 781. 

SQ^omon,  Psalms  of,  290;  on  adrentof 
the  Messiah,  234-2:^0. 

Solomon's  i)orch,  Cll. 

Sq9  of  Man,  57. 

Sower,  parable  of  the,  490;  explained, 
4C1.  * 

Spies,  Christ's  steps  dogged  by,  448, 

Spiritual  Head,  Christ,  of  a  new  fam- 
ily, 485. 

Star  in  the  Eastj  101;  i^endsof  the, 
107. 

Stephen,  St.,  trial  of,  451. 

Steward,  parable  of  the  imjust,  631, 
632. 

Stoicism,  creed  of,  SO. 

Stonpa  calmed  by  Christ  on  the  Lake 
of  Galilee,  495. 

Stranger,  position  of,  in  first  ages  of 
Rome,  434. 

Strangers  allowed  to  enter  dming 
meals,  4C8. 

Suffering,  associated  by  Christ  with- 
true  dlscipleship,  423. 

Superstitions  regarding  the  Temple, 
&c.,  142, 

Supper,  parable  of  the  great,  623, 624. 

Synagogue  in   Capernaum,  459 ,  the 
great,  50',  Christ  visits,  50i;  service, 


Sjaiagoguea,  closing  of  against  Christ, 
533;  importance  of ,  129;  erection  of, 
130;  opening  of,  for  services,  131 ; 
arrangem  3nt  of  the  interior  of,  131; 
worship  in.  134-136;  size  and  form 
of,  130;  ruler  of,  olflce  of,  132. 


Tabernacles,  feast  of,  165,  578,  579, 583, 
584,  591 ;  great  rejoicings  on  last  day 
of  feast  of,  588. 

Table,  manner  of  sitting  at,  467;  vari- 
ous ceremonies  connected  with  eat- 
ing at.  4o8. 

Tabor,  Mount,  558. 

Talents,  parable  of  the  ten,  657,  658; 
lessons  on  the  parable  of  the,  658. 

Tallith,the,  133, 

Talmud,  first  collection  of  traditions, 
&c,,  resulting  in,  52(>;  extracts  from, 
178. 

Tares,  among  .wheat,  par«,ble  of,  493. 

Tax  for  temple  paid  by  Christ,  668. 

Teacher,  reverence  due  to,  170. 

Teaching,  Christ's,  denounced  as  revo- 
lutionary, 528. 

Temple,   Christ    greater    than,   46-1 ; 


Chilst  teaching  in,  584, 685}  compar* 
ison  of  the  body  to,  6d4  ;  ooQn  of 
women  in,  592;  desecration  Of  the, 
846;  buyers  and  sellerst  &c.,  expel- 
led from,  347:  fight  in,  at  feast  of 
tabernacles.  688;  gated  of,  660,  661 ; 
heathen  gifts  to,  37;  Herod,  descrip- 
tion of,  66-68 ;  Herod  proposes  to 
rebuild,  83;  Herod's  service  at,  61- 
68;  Jesus  questioned  respecting  de- 
struction of  the,  692,  693;  signs  of 
'  destruction  of  the,  702, 708;  morning 
service,  &c.,  158;  Jesus  in,  with  the 
Rabbis,  159;  defiled  by  Sainaritans, 
568;  plunder  of  treasury,  204;  regu- 
lations for  priests  in  the,  142;  rend-  > 
ing  of  the  veil  of  the,  at  Christ's 
de'tth,  786-793;  scene  in  the  Temple 
on  the  arrival  of  Jesus,  665;  buyers 
ond  sellers  turned  out  of,  666,  depii- 
tntion  of  authorities  of  the,  come  to 
Jesus,  669;  second,  inferiority  of,  to 
first,  61 ;  tax  towards  treaSurv  of  the, 
567,  568:  the,  on  the  day  after  the 
crucifixion  of  Jesus,  793;  shekel  of, 
347. 

Temptation,  incident  to  man,  306;  of 
Christ,  characteristics  of,  807. 

Temptation  to  Christ  to  use  His  power 
for  Himself,  483, 

Teinima,  separation  of,  175. 

Testimony  of  two  men  received,  594. 

Theatre,  Herod's,  in  Jerusalem,  140, 

Theologians,  Christ's  change  of  con- 
duct toward,  523. 

Theology,  the  staple  of  conversation 
in  Nazareth,  420. 

Theudas  and  others  promised  the  peo- 
ple great  miracles,  483. 

Thief,  the  penitent,  on  the  -^ross,  782. 

Thieves,  the  two,  are  put  to  death, 
787, 

Thomas,  Christ  shows,  the  maiks  of 
crucifixion,  805. 

Tiberias,  made  capital  of  Galilee,  and 
fortified,  210. 

Tiberius,  reign  of,  270,  271. 

Time,  Jewish  mode  of  reckoning,  625. 

Toil,  exhausting,  of  Christ,  478, 

Towers  watch,  ff)r  shepherds,  86. 

Trade,  respect  for,  among  Jews,  55. 

Traditions  of  more  authority  than 
Scriptures,  526,  527, 

Traffic,  in  doves  ard  sheep,  846, 

Training,  early,  of  Christ  b>  Mary  and 
Joseph,  420,  421. 

Transliguration,  supposed  scene  of, 
658;  witnesses  of ,  568, 

Travelling,  restrictions  on,  450. 

Treacherous   invitation   to   morning 
meal  with  Rabbi,  486. 


14 


INDEX 


Treasure  hidden  in  field,  parable  of, 
488;  on  earth  not  to  be  sought  after, 
4lD. 

Treasiuy  of  Temple,  abuses  with  re- 
gard to,  BSS;  the  widow  casts  her 
mite  hito  the,  687. 

Tribute,  Pharisees  question  Jesus  re- 
specting, 676;  answer  of  Jesus  to 
question  of,  676-K78. 

True  purity  and  cleanliness,  486. 

Trust  in  God  and  Faith,  440,  441. 

Twelve,  aent  forth  to  preach,  the,  807; 
the,  ask  Jesus  to  strengthen  their 
faith,  686;  self-denial  of  Oie,  641 ;  left 
all  to  follow  Jesus,  649. 

Tyre  and  Sidon,  description  of,  684; 
beathenian  of,  465. 

U 

Unbelief  of  the  Qad^renes,  498. 

Unclean  spirit,  Christ  said  to  be  pos- 
sessed with,  481. 

Uncleanness,  purifying  of,  172. 

Union  of  hostile  factions  of  the  na- 
tion against  Jesus,  457. 

Universal  religion,  first  proclamation 
of,  434;  idea  of,  scouted  by  antiquity, 
6. 

Unleavened  bread,  feast  of,  149, 150. 


Veronica,  legend  of,  817. 
Vessels,  bunal  of  Tabernacle,  268, 269. 
Vineyard,  parable  of  the,  650. 
Voice,  a,  heard  from  heaven  by  Jesus, 
689,  690. 

W 

War,  relation  of  Christ  to,  8. 
Washing  of  feet,  &c.,  Christ  conform- 


ed to  such  forms  as,  472;  of  hands. 
&c.,  524,  525;  of  vessels,  &c.,  625, 526, 

Water,  promise  of  living,  887, 868;  re- 
strictions of  uses  of  different  kinds 
of,  178;  wish  for,  589, 598;  walking  on, 
614,  615. 

Wealth,  unjust  uses  of,  682. 

Wedding,  parable  of  the,  feast,  673, 
674.      , 

Well,  Jacobus,  at  Gerizlm,  888;  woman 
at,  864 

Widow,  parable  of  the  importunate, 
641,  642: 

Wine,  use  of,  among  Jews,  882;  Christ 
is  offered,  on  the  cross,  779. 

Withered  hand,  man  with,  healed  by 
Jesus,  455. 

Wo  jaan,  in  antiquity,  9;  dress  of  Jew- 
ish, 188. 

Women,  those  who  followed  Christ, 
471 ;  position  of,  in  Israel,  116. 

Word  of  0od,  frequent  use  of  expres- 
sion, 57.  I 

Words,  explanation  of,  by  figures,  &d., 
179. 

Worli,  excessive,  of  Christ,  611. 

World,  centre  or,  believed  to  be  Jeru- 
salem, 11  ;  ready  for  teachings  of 
Jesus,  484. 

Y 

Youth,  precocity  of,  hi  Judea,  156  ; 
spring  of  unfading,  517. 


Zaccheeus,  the  publican,  65.5, 656. 
Zacharias  and  Elisabeth,  (36;  at  Tem- 
ple, 70. 
Zealots,  title  of,  199,  765. 
Zerubbabel,  46. 
Zion,  145, 146, 147. 


of  handH. 
J.,  535,526, 
17, 368;  re- 
ent  kindH 
aUdngon, 


X 


reast,  673, 
3;  woman 
)ortunate, 
03;  Christ 
bealed  by 
ss  of  Jew- 
ed Christ, 
116. 
of  expres- 

;ures,&d., 

511. 

;o  be  Jeni- 

ichings  of 


idea,  156  ; 


,656. 

};  at  Tem- 


